Lisbon and a Wedding

A few months ago I traveled back to Lisbon to attend my niece's wedding. Let's say it was one of the hardest traveling experiences I have ever had. First, hours before my flight, I could not find my passport! Unfortunately, I had to purchase a new ticket for a flight two days later, which would put me there the morning of the wedding. The new flight itinerary had very tight connections, which left me very restless... The day of my travel, I flew from Portland to Chicago to connect with Newark, then Lisbon. Upon arriving in Chicago, I quickly realized that the flight to Newark was delayed, which meant I would lose my connection to Lisbon. So I stood in line for an hour and a half to try and be rerouted... The only option was through Frankfurt, with a flight arriving in Lisbon two hours before the wedding! I still had time to take a shower (couldn't even dry my hair!) and head to the church! What a relief it was that I did not miss it!! It was a beautiful ceremony and worth all the agony to get there!

 

 

 

 

 After the wedding, it was all about resting, visiting with family and friends, sightseeing, enjoying some great food and lots of pampering from mom!

Mom's sun room, my favorite room in the house!

 Exploring around Lisbon, so may familiar places yet so much to still discover...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A visit to Lisbon would not be complete without a stop in Belem, where the magestic Mosteiro dos Jeronimos stands, and where the best pastries in the world are made (pasteis de belem)!

   Quaint restaurant in Belem

 A mandatory stop is always the Feira da Ladra (Thieves Fair), an unpretentious but rich in variety flea market spread through several streets and squares of Lisbon. I found several treasures which I have listed on Etsy (check on my sidebar).

We also made a day trip to visit some stunning spots around Lisbon...

 

Sintra

 

Mafra

Azenhas do Mar

The last day of my visit, I finally had the chance to visit the Israeli Cemetery, where my paternal grandparents and great-grandparents are buried. You can read about my grandparents love story in this post... Depositing a stone on each of their graves gave me a true sense of peace and I came home with a  grateful heart.

I have just updated my Etsy shop, so be sure to stop by (link on my sidebar)!

Time flies...

I cannot believe it has been so long since I have posted... Life seems to take over sometimes, as it races through you with its challenges and milestones. My firstborn graduated from High School, and is headed to college to study Romance Languages...

 ... gymnast daughter #2 has been facing serious challenges after an unfruitful  foot surgery and has some tough decisions to face ahead of her...

... and daughter #3 will be moving on to High school as she continues to pursue high level competitive soccer and traveling to frequent out of State tournaments...

And then there is my sweet and wild 10 year old son, never a dull moment with this highly active child!

I have also been a part of Farm Chicks, this year, for the sixth year in a row, and had an amazing time as well as a successful show!! Sold lots, met wonderful people and came home with a smile on my face...

While I am in the process of transitioning from being a SAHM to looking for a full time job, I have started to list some of my crafted items on ETSY, including pillow covers and custom made shopping cart liners (made specifically for your shopping cart!). Check them out! I will also be listing vintage treasures, including a handful of vintage European rosaries I brought back from Portugal last year. Stay tuned for those! I have added a link to my ETSY shop on my sidebar, so I hope you will visit me there!

European Adventure 2012 {Part Uno} - Spain and Gibraltar

This summer, as we visited family in Portugal, we rented a car and drove to the south of Spain and to Gibraltar for a very fun week of sightseeing and exploring... As a child, my family vacationed in coastal Spain every summer, so, in a way, it was a trip down memory lane for me! It's long overdue, but here are just some of the highlights of this wonderful adventure!

Ronda, Spain

Ronda is a very charming little town with a strong Roman influence nestled in the middle of Andalucia, which became our base camp for our daily adventures... 

Sevilla, Spain

Sevilla is the largest city in the Andalusian region of Spain, and one that I was very anxious to share with the family... The southern part of this country has a very strong moorish influence, which is still very visible in the architectural landscape.

Cathedral of Sevilla

Plaza de España

Mijas, Spain

Mijas is a very quaint white-washed village nestled in the hills of Malaga... It has passed hands from the Romans to the Visigoths to the Moors, and with its mostly car-free nature, still retains the charm of centuries past. The donkey ride was definitely an experience the kids will never forget!  

Churros! Yes, we went back for more...

Puerto Banus, Spain

If you want to see luxurious yatchs, expensive cars and even a movie star or two, this is the place to go... As a family, we vacationed here when I was a teenager, and I still remember it so well!

 

Paella!

Gibraltar, U.K.

When we lived in Morocco, we took the girls here on a weekend trip. We knew chances were they would not remember much...  It was wonderful to take them back 12 years later and create everlasting memories for them!

Gibraltar, 2000

Fish and chips, but of course!

Granada, Spain

Granada was our last stop in our Spanish adventure, and truly left an indelible mark in our hearts. The muslim influence in Granada is still very strong, so much that in some of the older areas of the city, you may feel like you are in Morocco... Visiting the Alhambra was truly the highlight of our stay. And while we were there, Spain became soccer world champions... Unfortunately, they had beat Portugal in the semi-finals, so I was a little too bitter to participate in the celebrations! 

(the kids got their names spelled in arabic)

Alhambra

 (Moorish Citadel and Palace)

 

In my next post I will share some of my favorite pictures from our Portugal stay...