To the End of the World and Back - Portugal

Semana Blanca is an entire week off of school for the province I live in. No one could tell me exactly why... (and we have another entire week off in 2 weeks for Easter) but before asking too many questions my roommate, Jen, and I took off - For Portugal! Nothing like a vacation from your vacation life right?? :) Armed with Juanes, Nutella, a map of half the country, a 10 year old guidebook, and a gray rental car we had the greatest week long wonderland adventure in Portugal.

Now Portugal, I must tell you... is the BOMBDIGGITY....i have absolutely no idea why it is not the most raved about place in europe... and why not every student who "backpacks Europe" doesn't make it a must see stop. Portugal is in my new list of top 5 favorite countries, and the capital Lisbon, has found a place in my top 5 favorite cities. This country continued to impress me, and I remain baffled as to why it has not become a major stop in the backpacker circuit (that often includes Rome, Venice, Paris, Barcelona, London, Amsterdam, maybe Prague or Vienna).

Portugal is beautiful. The southern coast has untouched coves, cliffs, and sparkling. It has beautiful rocky coasts with pockets of white sand beaches and turquoise bays. Compared with the skyscrapper lined "Costa del Sol" of Spain, Portugal's Algarve coast is majestically raw natural beauty. Every place we went it seemed as if we had to tear ourselves away. With the car we were able to take random dirt roads to secluded beaches, spend afternoons exploring, or making friends with retired couples that travel all over in their RV.

The highlight of the week was arriving at The End of the World (according to life before Columbus sailed the ocean blue). It is the utter tip of Portugal, called Sagres. And let me tell you...There is NOTHING there!! it is a small undeveloped sleepy beach town (less than 2,000 people) surrounded by completely raw natural beauty. utterly breathtaking. Time feels like it just stops and there is a permeating energy that makes you feel as if years could slip by just dangling your feet over the water, attempting to communicate with fisherman, and packing a picnic to eat next to the lighthouse, in this serene environment.

Needless to say, it was difficult to tear ourselves away and head up the the country's capital. And we were skeptical as we approached and could see the giant expanse of a big city. But then we crossed a bridge identical to the Golden Gate bridge, and I suddenly warmed up to what continued to remind me tremendously of San Fransisco. After a few days there, I can confidently say that Portugal has an absolutely phenomenal capital city Lisbon. With street cable cars on the hilly streets, old colorful buildings, ornate balconies, it was just oozing with charm, grandiose plazas, wide boulevards, delicious pastry shops, and cute boys (think soulful hippies everywhere!)!! It seems to have such a healthy balance between young free spirited university students, suited professionals working in the government district, regular families, and the strong presence of elderly that is everywhere in Europe. To be fair, when I returned to Ronda, raving about Lisbon, people mentioned - but wasn't it dirty? And so yes, there were places that were seemingly rundown, and I had learned that there is a whole generation of elderly tenants in the old district have been living there for so long that they pay 10 euros a month in rent! And so there are places where poverty is present, but for a young American girl there is something romantic about the political graffiti on some buildings; the clotheslines hanging out on the balconies are picturesque in a way others find ordinary.

Right next door to Lisbon is Sintra, where the kings and important people had palaces to escape from citylife. Arrive at dusk and you feel like you just stepped into a real life Disneyland. There are palaces everywhere, and it is complete with a castle perched on the hilltop, palaces in unexpected places, and it is all enveloped by a beautiful rich green enchanted forests.

We escaped from life for an entire week. We sang in the car, ate tuna and crackers, slept in sketchy places, stocked up at 14 pastry shops in ONE day, and traveled dirt cheaply in that way you can only do when you are 22 and carefree. We had free bread, dinner at a community pig roast, liters of superbock cerveza, a whole almond pie. We were welcomed into the homes of random Portuguese women to stay, all the while attempting to communicate between our very own Spanish/Portuguese/English concoction. It was a beautiful week!

Now today I am leaving to do a Pilgrimage trail - the Camino de Santiago - this week by myself, for a spiritual experience. I leave in an hour. Better finish packing!!

pictures at: http://picasaweb.google.com/ascozzaro/PortugalToTheEndOfTheWorldAndBack