January 14-18, 2023 I flew from Malta to Athens. I was still feeling poorly but, dammit, I was finally in Athens and was going to push myself! I took the metro from the airport to Syntagma Square – the largest square in modern Athens where many major roads intersect and many buses and trams run.... Continue Reading →
MALTA
January 8-13, 2023 First of all, I wasn't feeling all that great. I must have caught a bug in Venice because I was full of mucus and coughing. Ultimately, I did not explore to the depth that I would have liked. Malta is an island country in the middle of the Mediterranean. It has been... Continue Reading →
ITALY – VENICE
January 4 – 8, 2023 The bus ride to Venice was uneventful. Except for the guy whose shaving cream emptied itself in his backpack. What a mess! We passed through many many vineyards, with the Dolomite mountains looming in the background. I was not staying in actual Venice, but in Mestre, a suburb of Venice,... Continue Reading →
SPAIN – BARCELONA
December 21, 2022 – January 3, 2023 Arriving in Barcelona, I took an Uber to the hostel. I had booked weeks in advance and was lucky to get any room in town. Everything was booked up for Christmas and New Year. Prices were not cheap as a result. $50 per night for a bunk in... Continue Reading →
SPAIN – MADRID
December 14-21, 2022 It was pouring rain the day I left Porto for Madrid. It was a good day to spend on a bus. The 9-hour bus ride only cost $24.50. SIDE NOTE: The torrential rains seemed to hit whatever city I was in the day I left or a day or two later. Good... Continue Reading →
PORTUGAL – PORTO
DEC 10-14, 2022 I got into Porto mid-afternoon. I took a Bolt (Uber) to Miguel's Place AirBnB, where the host greeted me. I was renting a room in an apartment, but I was the only guest. There was also a heater in the bedroom. When looking for accommodations, having a heater became one of the... Continue Reading →
PORTUGAL – NAZARE
DEC 7-10, 2022 From Sintra, I took a bus to Nazare. It is a small city of 15,000 on the seaside. Its claim to fame is its HUGE waves, which occur due to a 5000 metre (16,404 ft) underwater canyon that funnels the water to create giant waves. It is a surfers paradise and many... Continue Reading →
PORTUGAL – SINTRA
Dec 4-5, 2022 I had been to Sintra before, but never went to Pena Palace. I took the train to Sintra and caught a tuk-tuk that brought me the 6 km up to the palace. It really isn't that far, but it is steep and winding. I had visions of walking back down. As it... Continue Reading →
PORTUGAL – QUELEZ
December 1-7, 2022 Quelez National Palace I left London for Portugal and stayed at the SwissLisbon Guest House for a few days to finish sorting and writing about my African trip. The hostel wasn't fancy or altogether that nice, but it was friendly and clean. By the time I finished writing the owner / host... Continue Reading →
PORTUGAL – LISBON
November 22 - December 1, 2022 Taking the metro was easy and cheap from Quelez. I hopped on and rode it to Rossio – the end of the line. The first thing I saw as I exited the station was St. Jorge Castle, high on the hill, overlooking Lisbon. Well, it's hard to say no... Continue Reading →