WANDERING WITH WILLIAM
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Trapped!

3/27/2019

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We have an 8:30 am international flight from Porto to Madrid to Chicago. Applying the guidance to arrive three hours before an international flight, we ask our AirbnB host to arrange a driver and pick-up for the airport at 5:15 am.

The driver texts me at 5 am that he's arrived.  By 5:05 am we have our bags loaded in the elevator.  William asks what to do with the apartment keys and I tell him to leave the keys by the TV, as we have done in other places. William firmly closes the apartment door and then we both think about the one time that the door leading out of the building to the street was locked and William used the key to exit.  Sure enough, the solid green door to the street is dead-locked.  We have no way out!

I try to reach the host by calling, texting, and using WhatsApp.  No luck.  I call the driver and explain our situation.  The driver and William try to break the door to the street, jimmy the lock, etc., no luck.  William tries to break the lock to the apartment no luck.

I walk through the building calling the telephone numbers listed on the doors to the businesses in the building.  One woman answers, but doesn't speak English and hangs up on me.  In between I repeatedly try our AirBnB host.

The driver calls the police for us, who contact the fire department.  They will take a little while, but will come.  Occasionally through the door we hear the driver talking on his phone. He calls the owner's cell phone 6-8 times.  Finally the wife of the owner sees the repeated calls and the owner calls back.  The owner jumps in his car and drives the 30 km to the apartment.  The Police arrive and our driver explains things are now under control.   The driver races up a few minutes later, and opens the door to the green door to the street - we're freed!  The driver rushes our bags into the trunk of his car and we're off to the airport.

On the drive we learn of the link between the driver and the owner and why he had the telephone number.   It turns out the driver happened to do business with the owner of the apartment, selling him the paint for the apartment.  The driver thanks us several times for allowing extra time to make our flight.  We thank him for helping us.  He keeps saying he is just happy he could help us.  This is the spirit of the people we met throughout Portugal, helpful and friendly.

We arrive at the airport at 6:20 am.  We leave the driver's fee on his console as he requests, tipping generously.  Once again he thanks us and says he is just so happy he could help.  (Later he sends me a text saying we left way too much money and that he is happy he could help).  We walk into the airport and find that the Iberia check-in counter doesn't open for another 10 minutes.  Wow, with all that has happened this morning we have managed to arrive early!

The rest of our day is anti-climatic.  We use Priority Pass to get into the lounge in the Porto airport.   We have a long distance between our connecting flights in Madrid,  but arrive as they are in the middle of boarding the "B" group.  As we are in the "A" group we scoot to the front of the line then settle into our Economy Plus seats.  The nine hour flight feels like goes by fast - helped by watching four or five movies/shows.

When we arrive in Chicago's International Terminal a little after 2pm we once again have a long walk, this time to Passport Control and to pick up our bags.   In the limo ride back to our home I check the walking app on my phone.  We have walked 2.3 miles today, yet spent most of our time sitting.

​It feels good finishing out our 11 week trip that encompassed four countries and wonderful times with family, old friends and new acquaintances.   Costa Rica was a blast relaxing and having fun with family in natural setting. Columbia is a country of great natural beauty and interesting cities making efforts to become world-class.  We are happy we could share at least a portion of the experience with friends.  Portugal and Spain have their European charms and are counties where we could see spending much more time living in and enjoying.
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Fine Art and Fine Food

3/14/2019

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We check out of the Zentral Apartment Hotel a little before 11 am and ask them to store our backpacks.  They are happy to do so, but stress that they would like us to pick them up again before 3 pm.  No issues.

We walk to the Museo Bellas Artes and are surprised to find a queue.   It appears that they are allowing only allowing a certain number of people in at a time.  After a number leave they allow approximately that same number to enter.  We wait about 35 minutes until we reach the front of the queue and pay the 1.50€ admission each as international visitors.

Once inside we realize that the queue is due to a special exhibit - Murillo's 4th Century.  It includes 55 paintings of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, the Sevillian Baroque painter.   His father was a barber and a surgeon (that says something of the times).  The majority of his work is of religious themes, but he also painted the common people of Seville as well as portraits of the wealthy and famous.
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After viewing the Murillo exhibit we make our way to the regular galleries which highlight the works of Spanish artists.

Some tapas restaurants have been recommended but we haven't had a chance to get to one.  Since this is our last day in Seville we make one on the list, Brunilda Tapas, our lunch spot.  As we walk to the restaurant we pass by the Church of St. Mary Magdalena.  As William would say, it's a rare moment when Anne doesn't want to see an old church, and this is not a rare moment.  We stop into the ornate 17th Century church for 15 minutes.
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We are standing outside Brunilda's doors when they open at 1 pm and it's a good thing because within 15 minutes every table is filled.  We order a beer and wine and enjoy the bread and olives while we contemplate the menu.  So much sounds so good! William gives up and tells me it's up to me to order.  I select three: 1) Cod fritters with pear aioli 2) Grilled squid with Migas (bread crumbs and scrambled egg) and herring roe, and 3) Beef tenderloin with potatoes and thyme.  The waitress (or the kitchen) paces the food nicely so that we can savor each selection.  They are wonderful.  The waitress offers the dessert menu but we are full and also have another idea in mind.

We stroll back to the Zentral and pick up our backpacks around 2:30 pm.  As the bus does not leave until 4:15 pm we have time to kill.   The NH Hotel is just a block away and also two blocks from the bus station.  We wander over there and sit in their lobby for a short while then go to their cafe for coffee and dessert. The waiter happily gives us the password to their wifi and does not rush us along.   So much nicer than sitting in the bus terminal!

The people on the bus trip back are mostly visitors.  After a while people start talking.  The woman sitting opposite from William is from Canada.  She's rented a typical Portuguese vacation apartment in Lagos for 5 1/2 months.  We talk about the charm of hanging laundry out the window and using space heaters, and how spoiled people are in Canada and the U.S. who have clothes dryers and central heat.  She tells us that her apartment costs 450€ per month plus electricity due to her long stay in the off-season.  Her two friends sitting behind us came for a visit and they all decided on the side-trip to Seville.

The couple in front of us is from British Columbia, north of Vancouver either 10 minutes or 10 hours (we're not sure).  He speaks with a distinct accent, so we're guessing he was originally from Quebec.   They are staying in Albufeira for three weeks and using the busses to explore nearby cities.  In front of them is a young woman from New Jersey.  She says she came to Spain and Portugal for spring break and just decided to stay longer.  She has been here for two months and leaves early tomorrow to fly home because she misses her family.  I'm not sure what happened with her studies.

​Chatting with our fellow passengers makes the 4 1/2 hour trip feel much shorter.  All agree that Seville is a wonderful place to visit and that we wouldn't want to do so in August when the temperatures can reach 45-50C (113-122F).  The temperatures we experienced of 26C (80F) during the day and low of 11C (52F) late into the night was perfect.

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Paella with a Pro

3/13/2019

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We start our adventures Wednesday by walking to Metropol Parasol, much of the walk along Calle San Eloy, a pedestrian street lined with shops and restaurants.  After we reach Calle Martin Villa we spot an old world sweets and bakery shop.  In their window they have chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs as well Spanish Semana Santa (Holy Week) figures with their distinctive cloaks and capirotes (hoods).  The Holy Week processions of men in these cloaks and hoods are a huge part of Seville's culture, so we decide to buy one of the figures for our travel momento shelves.  We'll just have to explain to our visitors this is a Spanish good guy, not a U.S. KKK bad guy.
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As we continue our walk we stumble upon Inglesia de la Anunción, and pop in for a look.  The church is undergoing some restorations, but what we can see is beautiful.

15 minutes later we reach Metropol Parasol (Las Setas De Sevilla).  It was completed in 2011 and claims to be the largest wooden structure in the world at 150 x 70 metres (490 x 230 ft) and a height of 26 metres (85 ft).  It is the form of giant mushrooms ("Las setas" in Spanish).   An elevator can be taken to the top for a small fee.  Unfortunately today it is overrun by middle school groups on a field trip and we don't have the patience to stand in the queue for the elevator.
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We walk a few blocks to St. Peter the Apostle church.  Then we decide to walk to Plaza Nueva.  There are no direct streets and Google offline maps seems to be confused.  We are frustrated in trying to find our way.  We stop for a coffee to relax and possibly get directions.  Our waiter is able to point in the general direction of the plaza, which gives us enough to go on.  After Plaza Nueva we continue on to Torre del Oro.

Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold) is a 13th Century Watchtower initially used to control access river access to the city of Seville.  It got it's name from the golden reflection it casts on the river.  It is now a small military museum.
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After we climb to the top of Torre del Oro we find a great spot for lunch near Plaza de Toros, the bullfighting ring.  The tapa of goose pate that melts in our mouths is the highlight.

In the evening we walk to our Paella cooking class at the Mercado de Triana.
Chef Dom greets us, has us wash our hands and put on our aprons.   The long counter has two Paella pans in the center and 13 cutting boards and knives set to the sides.  These are our workstations.  Everyone introduces themselves and on our side we have Michele from Canada, two sisters originally from Zambia now in New Jersey and London, and two brothers from Belarus now living in Toronto and New Jersey.  The two brothers are dating the sisters.

Chef Dom starts us making the Paella, explaining what makes a true Paella Vallenciana (all the rest are good, but just rice dishes).  He teaches us how to easily debone a chicken - including chicken thighs and legs.  We fry the dark meat in the Paella pans while he puts the breasts in the refrigerator for another meal.  Next we prepare the vegetables (artichokes and flat beans), then the garlic, spices, tomato purée, rice and chicken stock are added to the pan.  Chef Dom tells fun stories as we work.
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Paella takes 28 minutes to cook, so it's time to make Sangria.  😊   Once we're sipping Sangria we make the gazpacho, which is just fresh tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic, EVOO, sherry vinegar and some salt all put in the blender.

Our cutting boards and knives are swept away for washing and replaced by plates and silverware.  The rice in the Paella pans is beginning to make popping noises.  Soon the timer goes off and Chef Dom checks out the Paella, then tips the pan up at almost a 90 degree angle.  Time to eat!
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Glasses are refilled with Sangria and bowls of gazpacho placed in front of us.  The discussion around the counter becomes more fun - especially since the sisters have a habit of talking at the same time and completing each other's sentences.  Everyone laughs. The Paella is dished out, and needless to say it is delicious.

​This was a fun class and a good meal.  We would recommend it to anyone visiting Seville.
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Grand Buildings of Seville

3/12/2019

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Top of our list of things to do in Seville is to visit the Real Alcazár Sevilla.  It is a huge royal palace whichmincludes architecture from the Arabic period, late Middle Ages Mudéjar, Renaissance, Baroque, the 19th century.   A portion of the upper floors is still the residence for the Spanish royal family when they are in Seville. We spend two and one-half hours exploring this treasure.  We walk from one section of the palace to the next finding delightful rooms and courtyards around every turn.  The gardens are expansive and very well maintained, but we choose to only visit perhaps 20%.
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Afterward we have a lunch of fresh, tasty tapas in a restaurant in Barrio Santa Cruz, the former Jewish Quarter near the Alcazár.  The Barrio has intriguing narrow winding streets, but we prioritize and walk to the Catedral, our second major destination of the day.

Catedral de Santa María de la Sede (Cathedral of St. Mary of the See) is the Cathedral of Seville.  it was completed in the early 16th Century and is arguably considered the largest cathedral in the world.  Oral tradition has it that the builders said "Let us build a church so beautiful and so grand that those who see it finished will take us for mad".  We walk through the Cathedral enjoying it's architecture and alters.  We also take note of Christopher Columbus' tomb.  There is much to see.
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Included in our entrance fee is admission to the Giralda, the bell tower.  It is the former minaret of the mosque that stood at this site under Muslim rule, though the top section dates from the Renaissance.  It is 105 m (343 ft) tall.  As much as the idea of seeing the Cathedral and the city of Seville from the top appeals to us, the idea of climbing up there holds us back.  Oh well, maybe next time.

In the evening we use Puente de Triana to cross the wide canal which runs into the Guadalquivir river.  We find Mercado de Tirana, where we will have a cooking class tomorrow.  Then we stop at one of the many cafe's for a beverage followed by a slice of pizza as we walk along Calle San Jacinto.  We take a few minutes to look at Inglesia San Jacinto which is lit up for the evening.
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We return by walking along the waterfront to Puente del Cristo de la Expiración which takes us near Torre Sevilla, the 40 story office building that stands above all the other buildings in the area.  The bridge has tarps incorporated in it's design to provide shade - and a distinctive look.

​When we get back to our apartment I check the walking app on my Samsung phone - we have a little over 16,700 steps for the day.
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To Seville, Spain

3/11/2019

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The Uber driver picks us up early so that we can catch our 7:20 am bus and start our Seville experience.  The bus heads east through Algarve to spots we have not yet visited.  We make stops at Faro, Faro Airport, Olhão, Travia, and Vila Real de Santo António.  Along the way we see a mixture of orange, lemon, and olive groves.

At the eastern edge of Algarve we take the bridge over the Guadiana river to arrive in Spain, stopping first in Ayamonte, a sister-city across the river from Vila Real de Santo António.  Large scale orchards of oranges dot the landscape.  Soon they give way to huge fincas of olives. After two additional stops we arrive in Seville a little before 1 pm (with the 1 hour time change), a four and one-half hour trip.

We walk 10 minutes to our apartment hotel, Zentra Plaza Armas.  It's a newer two bedroom duplex apartment for $90 a night. Nice!
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We have a late lunch of tapas then start seeing Seville.  We walk past Teatro Lope de Vega on our way to Plaza de España.  The plaza was built in 1928 for an Exposition.  It is a huge semi-circle of beautiful buildings and in front is a moat where tourists row small boats.  There are small alcoves with tiled scenes representing the providences of Spain.

We walk briefly around Parque Maria Luisa, but we're tired.  We catch a taxi to take us to the Mercadona grocery store right by our hotel where we pick up a few provisions for snacks and breakfasts.​
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    Hi.  I'm Anne.  I wander around the world with William.


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