Sweden and Beyond

I flew from Sevilla to London to see my friend Erin. She is an engineer from San Francisco but currently is working on a project in London. The directions to her apartment were simple and I found it quickly. Luckily I have been to London before but what makes getting around easy is that everything is in ENGLISH! That is nice for a change sometimes. I got to her place but she was not home. Oops, miscommunication somewhere. No problem, she texts me where to meet her. I get back on the tube and 2 HOURS LATER I'm back on the surface like a mile away. There was a ton of construction on the lines so many routes were stoped or changed. I got on, off and turned upside down so many times i felt like I was in some horrible video game level you can't beat. Once again I was very thankful that I packed so light.

I finally met up with her and we took a walk through Hyde park. Here is an old couple out for their evening metal detector walk.

Erin had a sweeeeeeet company apartment in central London. I'm sure it would cost thousands to rent but Accenture hooks it up. I actually didn't get to spend much time with Erin since I was only there two days and she is a busy busy girl. She is a great cook and has a soft couch. Thanks Erin, You Rock!

I spent my one touristy day in London walking around and visited two of my favorite museums ever: The Inperial War Museum and the Tate Museum of Modern Art. On the way to the museums I passed Big Ben and the London Eye:

This thing is awesome!

I like the war museum not because I like war but because I like the rich history and amazing technology. Tanks also work as back scratchers.

Then it was on to the Tate. You cant take pictures inside the showrooms but you can in the main hall. The featured piece was a towering set of tube slides!!! I rode the top one!! It was fast!! I want one!!!

Randomly in the Museum I ran into an English friend of mine who studies in Sweden. Weird! We then walked along the Thames river to tower bridge. No this is not London Bridge!

We went our seperate ways and I was on a plane back to Sweden the next day.

Overall during my month long trip I spent only $850. That included all flights and food and housing and...everything. Thank you sooooo much to those who helped, housed, fed, or otherwise made my trip kick ass. I owe you big time!

Over and out,

Mike

On the bus to Sevilla I met 3 americans. There were actually about 7 Americans on the bus but I did not meet them all. It was easy to tell who they were...the loud ones.

I spent most of the bus ride talking with Peter, Kathryn, and some not so bright guy who moved to Spain to play roller hockey. He was not so bright because he constantly told stories that made him look like a fool. Sorry dude but I fear for your safety sometimes.

Ok back to the other two. Peter and Kathryn were both about my age and were travelling for a few months just because. Both had quit their jobs and didn't know exactly what to do next. Peter was going to settle in Paris soon just for the fun of it and Kathryn was moving on to travel Asia. She is actually in Malasia now and loving it more than Europe. Since I had no couch arranged in Sevilla the three of us decided to all look for a hostel. They also had maps and guidebooks and I didn't...

After being rejected from two posh looking hostels we settled on getting a three bed hotel room in a not so posh hotel. It was cheaper though and we got our own bathroom which is nice.

That night we wandered around and were suprised at the number of American college students everywhere. I found out there were many study abroad programs and language schools in Sevilla. We finally found a bar with Spanish people in it and it was sweeeeeet. One euro beers, dogs, dreadlocks and a bunch of guys singing and clapping Flamenco style. We were super out of place but the people were nice.

The next day we began our exploration. Check out this tiny car that is so small it can park with the motorcycles.

Most streets in the inner city are so narrow that only small cars and motorcycles fit. Lots of backing up goes on.

We met another American girl at a cafe and she showed us around town some. Here are some colorful buildings bordering the palace garden:

The Sevilla Gang:

Peter, Lizzi, Kathryn, and me

After exploring Sevilla's gardens, cathedral and old town(this could be any european city really since they all have these three things) it was bar time. Two nights in a row we went to a great Flamenco bar. Flamenco is a song and dance style that originated in southern Spain. It is characterized by a guitar player, a singer/clapper and a woman dancing in a flowing flowery dress. Its dramatic and fun.

Tapas was another Spanish highlight I recommend. Its pretty much lots of small plates with different types of food. Something good for everyone. I'm not sure exactly what I ate. I wish I remembered more of high school Spanish.

Another day of checking out the cool neighborhoods and shops and it was time to part ways. I was on my way to London and they had more of Spain to see. Always short but always sweet.
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This is only one of many entries about my month long winter trip. There are only afew pictures here so if you want to see more then check out http://picasaweb.google.com/mikerwallace

The bus trip from Porto to Lisbon took 3 hours. The bus driver had the radio blasting. I actually didn't have a problem with it. But I did have a problem with him chatting on his cellphone. Isn't that illegal or something?

The friend I was supposed to stay with in Lisbon was out of town until the next day so my last couchsurfing host Gabs called her friend Hugo in Lisbon and he said I could crash at his place for a night. What a sweet place! Right downtown, big, modern, and best of all my own bedroom, for FREE!!

Hugo was an early 30's physical education teacher who loved cooking, Nine Inch Nails, and incense. He was super laid back, quiet, and very hospitable. His girlfriend Sofia was also great. I have never seen a couple so affectionate. They even held hands and crossed feet while eating dinner. In Hugo's words they are still "burning". Cute huh! That night I walked around Lisbon and luckily caught all the cities Christmas lights before they were to take them down the next day.

Here is the largest (fake) Christmas tree in Europe:

The lights did a cool show that made the bells swing.

That night Hugo and Sofia took me to some hip bars. One had cabbage ceiling lights and concrete furniture. Weird. Cool.

The next day I explored the city. Very hilly like Porto and some very different neighborhoods. A great place to take pictures. What was weird is Lisbon is the San Francisco of Europe. It has cable cars and a bridge that looks super similar to the golden gate.

Here is one of the many street ascents. You can see the castle in the back.

Even at those sidewalk cafes the beer was less than 2 euro. Portugal was beautiful AND cheap. My kind of place!

I walked around all day seeing the sights and waiting for my friend to call me about staying at his place. He never called. I called him in the evening and he said he was too busy to see me or let me crash at his place. WHAT THE F#*@!!! He said I could stay with him 2 days earlier. What do I do now. He is sooooo off the friends list.

Lukily Hugo was sympathetic and let me crash at his place again. He even cooked for me again and took me out to another sweet bar. THANKS HUGO, YOU ROCK!!!!!!!

The next day I took a train 30 minutues out of Lisbon to a nice beach town Sofia recommended.

Lots of colorful boats everywhere.

I took a couple hundred pictures that day. They comb the beaches and everything was clean. Surfers were out and the afternoon was sunny. It was around 70 degrees F but the Portugese were all bundled up. It was funny because I was walking around in a T shirt. Hugo said only tourists do that. Oh well I got to soak up the sun when I can.

You dont see beachfront castles much in the US.

That night after dinner with Hugo and Sofia we went to see a movie. The theater was on the top floor of an apartment buiding. You had to walk up the stairs past everyones front doors. Im sure they love that. The movie was a funny Turkish remake of Star Wars. Very odd but entertaining.

The next morning I was on another bus to Sevilla, Spain...

Check out more pictures at: http://picasaweb.google.com/mikerwallace

Why Portugal? Because this Californian misses the sun! Sweden was rainy and cold from October onward. I needed some sunny warmth and a trip to the beach. Portugal was the answer. Flights were cheap, beaches were abundant, and the weather forecast was good.

Getting there was not so much fun though. My flight was out of Dublin at 6 am and I was in Belfast. In the middle of a dark and stormy night I walked a mile at 2am through Belfast and sat at a bus stop. No one was around except the occasional passing taxi and the homeless guy sleeping across the street. I must have looked a little scary since the other people who showed up for the bus avoided me. My black clothes, hooded sweatshirt, scruffy face, and low hat are sometimes good for urban camouflage. I dont look like a gullable travelling foreigner so I don't get treated like one. On the other hand people are less likely to start up conversations.

I caught the bus to Dublin airport and finally got some sleep. Two hours of bus sleep later I was at the airport. Two hours of plane sleep and an awesome sunrise later I was in Porto, Portugal.

WTF! Raining and Cold! I want my money back. Oh well.

I explored the steep back street alleys of Porto for most of the day. I was meeting Gabriela that night to stay at her place. I met her through www.couchsurfing.com and she said I could crash at her place for a couple nights. Couchsurfing is a great website/community with the soul purpose of connecting people with places to stay for free while travelling. Its by travellers, for travellers. Check it out.

I was super tired from not really sleeping the night before and I had hours to go before I met Gabriela so I needed a warm place to rest. Where can someone rest for free...the library! I grabbed a Portugese book, found a soft chair and was out like a light. Jerked awake an hour later. Another tip: The top floors of public libraries are also good place for clean and quiet toilets

Met up with Gabriela and went to her SUPER SWEEEEEEEET place. She is an engineer who has travelled more than anyone I ever met. She lives for travelling and enjoys meeting different people. That is why she is couchsurfing host and that is also why she kicks ass. Thanks Gabs! I had my own room and so did the other Canadian traveller staying with her. Gabs took Doug and I to some cool bars and even an unmarked nightclub where you have to knock to get in.

I spent the next two day wandering the city and the nearby beaches. Every night Gabs was the entertainer. Ok its time for pictures...

Finally a warm sunny beach!

Old beach Comber

Later I went to another beach with tons of surfers. Attention CA surfers: Go to portugal!

I met up with Canadian Doug and we walked across the river to go Port wine tasting. Good stuff.

Here is a shot back at the main city waterfront.

And a shot of me

Unfortunately most of my city shots were taken on the cold rainy day so I left them out.

Soon I was on a bus to Lisbon. The plan was to stay with a Portugese guy that studies in Sweden with me. That was the plan...

Once again this is only one of many entries about my month long winter trip. There are only afew pictures here so if you want to see more then check out http://picasaweb.google.com/mikerwallace

And on with the blog...

Ireland is greeeeeeen. No doubt about it . It was last time I was there and it still is now. Anything you have heard about Ireland being green is true. The problem is that the other half of your view (especially in winter) is grey. I was there a few summers ago and saw some sun but even in summer you can experience rain, hail, mist, and even a rock shower in one day(I have only heard of rock showers but apparently they can happen in certain parts of Northern Ireland).

I went to Northern Ireland to visit my friend Ciaran for Christmas and New Years. Ciaran was one of my roommates last time I lived in Sweden and now he is back in Belfast getting his Ph.D. He is also actively pursuing a career in photography. Check him out at http://ninja2.livejournal.com. There is even a picture of me in there!

I spent Christmas with Ciarans family pictured here.

They had a super decorated house and a massive collection of Christmas cards. You can see some of them on the back wall. I even got some Christmas presents from his family. Warm clothes of course and socks for the traveller. Thanks Ciaran and family!

We went mountainbiking in the mud but unfortunately our bikes had no fenders. You should get fenders when you go because this is what happens:

I have never had so much stuff in my eyes before that day.

Other fun outdoor activities in Northern Ireland included hiking cave hill. If you want to know why its cave hill then check out my other pictures on picasaweb linked above. Here is me and the man at the summit.

The hike was gruelling, treacherours, and we had to turn back on two previous occasions due to weather. We were the only ones to summit except some school girls and the 80 year old man who took our picture.

I bet you didn't know that the small town of CastleWellen has the largest hedge maze in Europe...now you do. I got lost for more than 30 minutes and had some 5th grade girls tell me how to get out. When I say get out I mean get more lost! Thanks for nothing girls!

New years was at a house party. There was no countdown, only a bell chime at 12. I was thrown off. I love the countdown part! Everyone linked hands and sang some song and jumped around. I just kinda made noise since I didn't know the words. Anyways it will still fun.

Thanks for everything Ciaran and the Branney family!!!