Mark and Linus leaning on each other for support... it's tough, living at the beach, but somebody had to do it. 

Adventuras al Sur: Andalucia y Portugal

Hola Amigas y Amigos!

This will actually be a post post, since we are already back in Seattle! We tried valiently to keep current with our Blog, but circumstances conspired to make this nearly impossible. First, I had to rush off to London to pick up Linus's great buddy, Peter. Before we returned, the computer downloaded a virus which sent it into a deep coma (must have been a traumatic experience!).

Meanwhile, we had had a trauma of our own: Pete and I tried to get on the Tubes just as officials were shutting the entire system down, due to the bombing which had occured that morning. Well, that put our computer crash into clear perspective, and we actually found it a great blessing, spending our last 3 weeks in Spain with no computer and therefore, no computer conflicts!

We've finally got everything running well again, so here's the rest of our story, mostly in chronological order. Let's see if I can remember the juiciest details...

Spicy portugese stew at the beachside cafe in Salema. No need to eat a lot on hot afternoons. 

Margot and Linus enjoying the view from the "End of the World", site of the navigator's school located on the northernmost tip of the european continent. 

Storks gossiping in the top of the bell tower, across the street from Jose Maria's rooftop - they make reliable alarm clocks. 

Salema = Sal y Mar

Ah, lovely Salema! We have to pay homage again to Rick Steves, who's guidebooks and web site gave us the idea of coming here. After our intense urban travels in the course of our 6 month adventure, what a pleasure to arrive in Salema, where ambitions evaporate into the pleasures of simply living.

Yes, the Altantic was nippy - we swam every day anyway (and compared to Puget Sound, it was tropical). Days were hot and sunny, nights much cooler; Jose Maria brought his lap top so we could watch DVD's together in our cozy apartment with the marvelous view. Our Dutch neighbors shared stories and cold beer with us, and we helped watch their little boy, who loved to scare us by leaning over the low wall, blissfully unaware of the steep drop to the yard below.

Linus discovered the rocks just beyond the sunbathing beach, and we spent the adventurous afternoon of his sixteenth birthday scaling them. While the tide was out we enjoyed discovering life in the emerald pools it left behind. For dinner, Linus chose the Greek cafe, and because 16 is the legal drinking age, he toasted his milestone with a glass of Baileys Irish Cream. After the movie that evening, I opened our door to take one last look at the bright stars, and found one of our chairs decked out in toilet paper like a vagabond throne. On the seat were 2 beers and a note for "King Linus", from our neighbors, wishing him a fine birthday. Linus had the wisdom to leave them for another day (he's not very fond of beer anyway).

Jose Maria makes our patio even more inviting as he practices - que lindo! 

Delfina, our new Servas friend. We stopped to visit her on our way through the Algarve, then invited her to join us for dinner in Salema. She navigated for us - Obrigada! 

Our neighbors from the Netherlands and their daredevil son Derrik. 

Hardworking fishermen still ply the waters. A couple 12 year old boys bargained with us to buy their catch of sardines (hardly salty at all when fresh!) - only 2 euros, I mean 3, OK 2. 

Linus climbing the rocks along the sea to cele brate his sixteenth birthday 

Lisboa

Driving straight north, we arrived in Lisboa, or Lisbon, midday, checked into our clean and modern hotel, and headed out to see the old center. On the way up the steep, narrow streets, we asked directions of a very friendly resident, who turned out to own one of the Fado restaurants in the neighborhood. "But we're not open tonight! The Fado festival will fill the neighborhood!" Fado is a song form which tends to be beautiful and sad, and is said to speak something of the national character. It often describes the sense of longing families and lovers felt as their men went out to sea, perhaps never to return. We decided to return that evening for the festival, where we ate traditional foods and enjoyed being temporary locals - although we're fairy sure they overcharged us, something we experienced several times in Lisboa.

The view from the castle is stupendous! Although we saw only a small slice of life in this amazing city, we sure enjoyed the eclectic mix of people and cultures.

View of Lisboa and her harbor from the Castillo. Streets leading up through the old center were built estremely winding and narrow, keeping invaders at bay. 

Amazing stone mosaics found along avenidas in the old center of Lisboa 

Hiking in the heat of the day. Jose Maria says it's only a little farther to the caves, but Linus wants to know, "Donde esta la piscina?" (Where's the pool?) 

La vida en Lora y la Exposicion!

Whewie, we made it! After a month of planning, painting madly and framing (gracias, Mark!), we made it to Lora del Rio and the happy residence of Jose Maria. Lora is a small, friendly pueblo with everything you need. Want a bite to eat at 1 a.m.? No problem - wander a few blocks from Jose Maria's and you find stands selling delicious plates of fish, fresh patatas fritas, ensalada and alioli - add a beer, and it'll cost you about $4.

Thanks to the friendly folks at the Ayuntamiento, including Juan (or "Cumplido" as he's known to friends), we were able to set up our show with ease. The musicians were ready to play, folks arrived, and we had a wonderful party together, in the heat of a summer evening in southern Spain (you never stop sweating). Mark and I danced one number, for added entertainment.

Here's the Berlingo extra mini van we rented. What a great car - holds a lot, yet gets great mileage and runs on diesel. Why don't we have these popular cars for sale in the US? 

Los musicos arrive early to warm up. The young man on the left is a student of Jose Marias. 

Folks arrive to take a look! Notice the fans - it's still early in the evening, and quite hot inside and out. 

Happy artists - the exhibition is successfully underway! Muchas gracias, amigos. 

Cordoba, Heat and Farewell to Lora

The drive back to Lora was lovely and long, taking us through new territory along the more northern route and lush forests of pinon. By the time we meandered back through a string of small towns to Lora, the stars were out; luckily, it's almost never too late or early for churascos and beer / soda, along the passeo just a few blocks from Jose Maria's place.

Our last few days were spent taking down the show, visiting with Compledo and other friends of Jose Maria, and seeing more of the surrounding area. At long last, Mark got to see the Mesquita, Cordoba's famous mosque. Here's a description:

"The most striking building in Cordoba is the Mesquita. This was formerly the largest mosque in the world after Mecca, and a centre of pilgrimage. It must have been an auspicious site, because it lies on the ruins of a Visigoth church and an earlier Roman temple. Building on the Mesquita begun in 785, and the structure was extended three times to reach its present extent by 990. Christian nihilism led to a Renaissance cathedral being built in the middle of the Mesquita. "
(from "Fiesta Siesta" on the web). The Mesquita seemed to me like a wild contest between Muslims and Christians to see who could decorate the structure more lavishly with their own images. Inside, it is cool and wonderous.... outside, you re-enter the frying pan that is Cordoba... IT WAS 108 DEGREES that day! Thanks heavens for the fountains outside...

We slept once more on the rooftop, awoke to Jose Maria playing his guitar and the rapping of the storks, packed up, exchanged kisses on cheeks, and grinned goodbye to our dear friend, hasta la vista.

Sleeping out on the roof of Jose's apartment, where the air is cool - and if the storks don't wake you, the heat of early morning will! 

Inside the Mesquita in Cordoba, a fantastic combination of Christian and Moslem imagery and architecture. 

Since we could pretend we didn't know any better, we all dipped our weary feet in the cooling waters outside the Mosque. 

4 happy travelers at the end of our southern journey... a passing german lady took this one of us, after the hottest day we've ever spent! Hasta la vista, Cordoba, Lora y Jose Maria!