European Adventures - Part 6: Take It Home!

Ok here's the next…and FINAL…installment of my European travels!  Hope you've enjoyed the recaps and you've lived vicariously through me!!

Day Nine

Ok so as mentioned - actually I don’t know if I did mention this - we had one more Gaudi thing to do!! We left bright & early in the morning to go to the Casa Batlló.  This is it from the outside…

And the inside did not disappoint.  The colors were spectacular and his visions were just unreal.  I seriously LOVED this house - like I didn't want to leave/want to live there forever.  We did an audio tour which I was pretty much obsessed with.  I'm such a nerd - but I love learning about these things!! Here are some pics:

After we were done there, we just wandered around and did some shopping.  Sydney and I both purchased a bag from this store Hakei - the bags were gorg!  AND my sister, Sydney & I also ALL bought the perfume - smells so good - I mean it's sure to hook me a boyfriend…any day now…

The night was low key, Sydney wasn't feeling that good, so my sister and I had a nice dinner at this little hole in the wall restaurant.  It only sat about 20 people and was so dark and cozy.  Had some great wine and food!!

Day Ten

The next day was our last day in Barcelona (insert sad face).  We went  to the Picasso Museum and theJoan Miró Museum.  I enjoyed both - but they were not my favorites/ not what I expected.  Definitely worth it - if you're looking for something to do - but I just liked the other stuff better.  After the Miró museum, we went to see the Magic Fountains.  Now this is more my speed.  It was INCREDIBLE!  It was like Disney, beauty, water, craziness, music, all rolled into one!  The show was about 20 minutes and I loved it!  Basically it's this huge fountain and they play music and change lights and put on this spectacular situation.  Here's a pic and some video:

Then we were all depressed and sad that we had to go home.  So we went back and packed and tried to be excited to be returning back to the good 'ol U S of A!

Day Eleven

Came way too fast!!  We had to get up bright and early (6 am) in order to be at the airport in time for flights.  Our cab driver had to drive down Las Ramblas to get us to the airport and it was strewn with people just making their way home - amazing.  We saw drunk people, crazy people, prostitutes, etc. - it was great - a good variety!  We all made it through security without a hitch and the flight back was pretty seamless (minus the extra 2 + hours we had to wait on the tarmac due to "scheduling issues"). 

And if you think Steve Wozniak wasn't in front of me at customs in Newark - you're wrong.  And some idiot got in trouble for taking a picture of the 2 of them - so dumb.  The cop flew over and started screaming.  So we got through, got bags, said our good byes to return to our designated cities.  Just when I thought my travels were ending - they were just beginning - much to my dismay.  I jumped on what I thought would be a 2 second ride on the Airtran to go to the NJ Transit station - to head back to Penn Station - oh I'm sorry - it's broken!  

AND you're stuck there because you can't walk/go anywhere to get a cab.  So you have to wait until its fixed.  No worries 2 1/2 hours later - it was up and running! So you can imagine how angry, tired, had it, I am at this point.  Finally got to NJ Transit - get on train - stop…held for another 20 minutes because of something I don’t even know.  Get to Penn Station - fly onto an elevator - hit the buttons…we move…doors open…we're right back to where we started.  It's only letting off at one stop…exactly where a homeless man is laying across the exit - obviously.  So I hoist my suitcase up…cursing the whole way…get out in the completely opposite side of Penn that I need to be.  Careen my way through the station and out to the taxi line.  45 minutes later I get in a cab. Finally - I'll be home in 10 minutes.  Oh how wrong I was!  Don’t' worry - Batman is filming on my street - right by my apt!  Bumper to bumper traffic - is this some kind of sick joke?!  It took me an hour and a half to get home - I repeat an hour and a half!!  At this point I literally started crying in the cab - I had just had it.  

Could. Not. Take. Anymore.  My cab driver was so sweet - he was like "please don’t cry I'm trying my best ma'am - I'm gonna get you home as soon as we can".  FINALLY we pulled outside my building - home at last!!!  I ordered food and took a nice hot shower and went to bed! EXHAUSTED!! 

It took me a few days to regroup from the jet lag, but it was totally worth it!  Such an amazing trip and I highly recommend it!  If you ever need suggestions - just let me know!!!  Enjoy your weekends!! XOXO

European Adventures - Part 3: Obregado & Suuurrrprise!

First things first - Obregado means "thank you" in Portuguese - this is one of our new fave phrases. 

Day/Night Three/Four

Seriously guys - you don’t understand the "show" that ensued this night.  I'm going to try my best to describe the epic-ness that was this night. 

So we sit down for dinner and our waiter comes over.  He seems fine - pretty nice.  We give him our wine orders and he leaves.  A few minutes later he comes back with our drinks, pours for my sister and I and then looks at Sydney with a bottle in hand (towel over it), pulls the towel down and yells "SUUUUPPPRRRISE"!  

The accent, the timing, the actions, impeccable.  I thought Sydney was going to fall off her chair.  From this point on - we knew we were in love.  This phrase "surprise" would later be used throughout the rest of our trip - it definitely summed the whole thing up.  We proceeded to have a great dinner - I had mussels which were amaze, the wine was great, everything was good.  We were telling our waiter how much we loved Cascais, oh what you say you love it, no worries he then brought each of us a hard covered book about the town.  NBD. 

During our dinner a family sat down behind us.  Now originally we were all "its so late why are children out", etc.  But then - I became enamored.  The mom had dropped a glass by accident and this is what originated our conversations.  She was apologetic and very sweet.  Her little girl kept staring at me so I said "hi".  Turns out she spoke Russian, Portuguese, but very little English.  However, the mother translated.  Well we got into a huge conversation, totally love this little one, and her sister (equally as adorable).  They 3.8 years old - that's what she told me and 2.4 years old (that is what the sister was).  She kept asking if we knew Shrek - love her - obvi since we live in the US we'd know him.  Her and I just chatted away - she totally got me - and her mom had to translate everything.  The little girl kept forgetting I didn't speak her language and just looked at me like - come on lady I asked you a question!  I wanted to just put her in my pocket and take her home with me.  She even asked her mom if when I came to Russia if I could stay with her.  Don’t think I didn't get a card from the mom's BFF so I can email them when I'm in town - don’t worry about it.  The mom & dad were so sweet - because we "entertained" their children - they sent us over a round of port - only the "best" - she said and thanked us.  Too kind. 

As we were downing our amazing Port - I was obsessed - our waiter informed us that downstairs was "getting started".  He told us he'd make the DJ play anything we wanted.  So we told him that we'd finish up and to save us a spot.   Well he did just that …and some!  We get downstairs to find a table - right in front of the DJ booth with a "Reserved" sign on it - yup gold plated "Reserved" sign - just for us!  

We sit down and the fun begins.  Within like 2 seconds Bruno (the manager from earlier) flies at us and wants to be sure everything was ok and "good" - he then jumps in one of our pictures and insists I send him a copy (he gave me his card - NBD).  We were like royalty!

We also noticed that our BFF's from dinner had since dropped the kids off and were "out" for the night.  Trying to be gracious - we decided that as a "thank you" for the Port - we'd send them a round of what they were drinking.  Well this started an all out "Drink War" - like nothing I've ever been involved in.  Let's just say bottles of champagne were received which were countered with shots which were countered with shots of fire.  I repeat - I took a "FIRE SHOT".  Let me break this down for you: you get liquid/liquor (no idea what it was) they set it on fire, you drink it, then they turn a glass upside down with the fire inside it and you take a straw and suck it out.  It was insane and nothing I'd ever like to do again.  Following this craziness we had to call a truce.   Game over.  Literally. 

Well my and the girls were feeling quite good at this point!  I had managed to strike up a conversation with a cute Portuguese guy named "Gino"…at least I think that was his name and that's what we're going with!  Turns out him and our waiter were boys.  He asked us to come to this bar with him and it was supposed to be really fun.   We obliged - especially since our waiter was going to meet us after - obvi we felt safe - so we went down the street to the bar.  Walk in - completely empty.  Like not one person in there - except this random Greek guy that Sydney took a liking to.  We stayed there for a bit - Gino wanted us to come to this other party, which I wasn't feeling, so  he shadily left without as much as a goodbye!  I mean I guess goodbyes are just too hard for two people in love.  Sigh. 

NBD just a lil Kelly & Dylan action

We realized it was about 2/3 am and prob time for us to head home.  We had a huge day planned for the next day.  Our waiter - nice as ever - walked us out and put us in a cab.  We got back to our hotel and I immediately felt the need to order Dominos.  Whoops - we couldn't - wahh.  We all went right to bed - only to encounter the next day.

Day Four

I woke up at 5 am with an excruciating migraine.  Next thing I know my sister gets up and says its 11 am - I'm throwing up from my headache and Sydney can't move.  Let me preface that we were supposed to be up and out of the door by 8 am.  We were a mess.  My sister called downstairs and they gave us a late check out.  Sydney and my sister left me to try to conquer this headache and they went out to get breakfast/beverages.  I managed to stay in the shower for a solid 45 minutes and they came home to find my pitiful little head peaking from behind the shower curtain.  My headache subsided a bit and I felt ok enough to get myself moving.  Sydney felt 100% better and claims it was the "Portuguese Air".  She told me my sister put her on a bench by the water and gave her a Coke and made it all better.  I later learned that the "bench" was a plastic "pod-like" stool and it was outside a beauty salon.   And they each sat there and stared at the water - not able to really talk much.  So when they got back they brought me a ton of things to try to help…not so much…got sick again…but determined to not let it get me down - I packed my things up and we left.

We headed back to the Boca do Inferno - we wanted one more look on a sunny day.  There I got an ice pop and it made me feel a million times better.  After some good deep breathes of "Portuguese Air" I was feeling back to myself.  So we got in the car and headed to Evora - a little town in wine country. 

It was about 2 hours away and we did get lost at one point.  Sydney and I got out again and tried to get directions from this man at a car dealership.  He didn't speak a lick of English - but we were able to communicate on the minimal Spanish that I know.  Bottom line - we got to where we needed to go. 

We pulled up to our Pousada (hotel) and it was amazing.  

The town was adorable, too.  As we were checking in our bellhop took us to our room and got us set up.  At the point he was leaving, Sydney, accidentally yells, "Good bye, Obregado, I love you"…she professed her love to him.  Hilar. 

We decided to walk around the town - which turned out to be the most frustrating experience of the whole trip.  The town was about one inch big, yet no one knew where they were.  For example - we were trying to find a restaurant that was recommended for dinner and we could not find it for our lives.  We went into numerous shops, with a map, asked just where we were - like what street were we on - not ONE PERSON could answer us.  

Not because of  the language barrier - but because they simply had no idea.  How do you not know a) where you are and b) where you work?!  Craziness. We finally gave up, headed back and had dinner at the Pousada.  It turned out to be delightful and we fully enjoyed our meal.

After dinner I insisted on watching a "program" to wind down.  The only thing that was in English was a show about Universal Studios in Japan - obvi I was hooked.  We all watched and went to bed early - we were still recovering from the night before!