Week 1 - Vacation Bible School in the Bronx, NYC
Week 2 - News Release Basketball Camp in Lorrach, GER
Week 3 - Black Forest Academy (southwestern Germany)
Week 4 - London, Oxford, Edinburgh, Scotland, Southern Europe
Week 5 - Southern Europe, Tokyo
Week 6 - Tokyo, Hong Kong
Week 7 - Los Angeles
Chapter 3.1
Oops. I write this update from a train speeding along the coastline of France heading eventually toward Nice by this evening. Attention to detail is a crucial skill and one I have had some "duke-it-out-messed-up-now-problem-solve" moments with during the last few years. From Director of Operations tasks at CU to running camps and lessons back home to zigzagging around the world solo...attention to detail is a must.
But..."oops" moments happen. Like today when I woke up bright and early, got super excited about great ticket prices for my train ride (down from the night before!) and made the purchase, calmly arriving at the station croissant in hand, only to find out the tickets I had purchased? For NEXT Friday. Aye yi yi. Those can be rather gut dropping moments where I have found more often than not I am dependent on the grace and good nature of the people around me. A separate ticket purchase later, I was indeed on the train I had intended...the past three hours I have stared out the window as Spain turned into France and worked myself through some positive self talk. The ticket can be reimbursed, no harm done really, and I'll figure out the next step when I get to my train exchange destination. Like basketball, I may have bricked the shot or even shot on the wrong basket :), but time to get back on defense and let it go.
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But! Lisboa is where I left off last time! Set up with AirBnB, recommended by my teammate Erin, I was booked to stay in a single room in an apartment near the city center. Rather skittish about the whole idea, I leaned on the many good reviews of the host and the location and took a chance. As I followed his detailed directions up 200 steps and a back alley (all the streets in Old Town Lisbon are back alleys ha) past fruit markets and pharmacies, I said a prayer or two or three that all would go well. Approaching the apartment, the view in front of me was STUNNING as I looked down a tunnel of colorfully arrayed buildings toward the bright blue sea. I buzzed on the number. Once. Twice...
A map, bottle of water, and general recommendations for my tourist activities for the day later, I trotted back out of the apartment, bags tucked in a closet in my room. After sizing up David, the late 30s aged yoga instructor and tourist information guide, I figured...well, worst comes to worst I can take him. What has my world come to? Ha.
Old Town of Lisbon is beautiful! Tile decor everywhere--on the streets, the sidewalks, the houses--gorgeous detailed art covered tiles. The subway system is super easy to navigate and quite enjoyable as all of the stops are filled with art, both tile and different quotes and statues. The monuments throughout the city that you can simply wander up on? Outstanding. The general population is tanned and relaxed, going about their business. Portuguese was somewhat close enough to Spanish I could piece together different things. There wasn't a ton of music played, but there was some by musicians on the street or various shops. The food? Well funny thing about that...
I may be brave and roaming by myself, but my bravery disappears when it comes to experiencing food without understandable labels. Really rather cowardly to be honest. So I am a bit ashamed to say, I didn't get a Portuguese food experience. Unless you count Burger King, Pizza Hut, and McDonalds. Ugh I know I know. I'm sorry to the foodies out there. I did have one redeeming moment on Day 2 in Lisbon when I explored the Time Out Market...but even then I only had stone soup. Supposedly it was Portuguese :)
After a lovely walk along the board walk and my go to Classic Ice Cream, I walked up, down, around, through the winding climbing weaving circling streets, map clutched in my hand. Eventually I made my way to the Atlantic Ocean, taking the train to Cascais, the tourist resort about 40 minutes away from the center of the city. Here, the boat harbor was full, the families covered the beaches, and the sun was shining and going down over the edge of the world. As advised by David, I went to the natural site called the "Boca de Inferno" or the "Mouth of Hell", a huge hole in the ground that the Atlantic emptied into and where you could see across the horizon for miles and miles and miles.
Insert moment where I channeled my Christopher Columbus self only to recall/Google later...he was Italian. Another oops. The Santa Maria museum and house threw me off. Deciding home before dark was a wise decision, I headed back and zigzagged my way to the apartment where my stuff was still untouched and intact. I'll be honest, my relief was tangible when I realized there was a key to my single room to lock it from the inside. Sleep in Peace! (Truly wasn't even an issue but I was in bed by 9:30pm)
The next morning was rather cloudy so instead of making the trek up to Cristo Rei, a huge statue resembling the Christ King statue in Rio overlooking the city and sister bridge to San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, I headed to a different part of the city on the subway deciding to check out the University of Lisbon. Umm. Maybe it was just the lack of sunshine. But no rave reviews to be found here. So back on the train I went to some museums and parks and monuments...some that were quite beautiful. And by this time the sun was shining so off to catch the ferry I went. Up the hill by bus and there I was taking a nap in the shadow of Cristo Rei. (For those of you without Facebook or Instagram, I will put together a video at the end of this round to capture some of the experiences.) Back down the hill, across the river on the ferry, out came the clouds (thank goodness! It was hot!) and over to Time Out Market I went for lunch before calling it a day and going back to the flat for a serious shower and much needed nap.
Today is the last day of Week 4 on the road, and I am needing a halftime break. My miles walked this week:
Saturday - 16.57
Sunday - 7.6
Monday - 11.03
Tuesday - 13.49
Wednesday - 8.6
Thursday - 11.43
Needless to say, my body is Tired so that nap was crucial before making my way back to the airport to catch my flight to Barcelona. All in all, a fan of Lisbon and very glad I went! And! Great reviews for Air BnB and for my host :).
The airports over here...BEAUTIFUL and soooo filled with things to buy! The pastry shop, mentioned last time, got me, but wow. Was it ever good. Security was a breeze and I boarded the plane no problemo to fly TAPortgul, a very nice airline based on my one experience. Landing in Barcelona at 9:00pm, and no wifi access to be found, I followed my old AAU teammate's (Marquisha Harris, with Pizazz, played for and graduated from Western Michigan, degree in Studio Arts, now playing pro ball) directions to catch the train headed north of the city to Granollers Center train station. From there I had a 15 minute walk, which by the time I arrived was at 11:30pm, and still no wifi. Saying my prayers and asking a safe looking lady for help, I found myself sitting outside my AAU teammate's host family's apartment with no way to get ahold of her and let her know I had actually arrived. No cell phone number to ask some Spaniard to call for me and no idea what apartment number to buzz. Smooth. After waiting 10 minutes, I embarked back into the night streets--taking a moment to appreciate the full moon--and found a little cafe bar where the waitress kindly entered in the password for the wifi. I sent a couple of messages to Marquisha but they were not making it out to her. Hmm...time to problem solve again...
"That looks like Miriam!! You made it!!" In came a rejoicing Marquisha and her mom who had walked to the station to find me when they hadn't heard from me! Thankfully they had seen that oh so famous poof of mine from the window! Ha what a moment! My favorite part as we hugged and spontaneously clapped a few times, was the shared smile and joy with the waitress as she clapped for us too! :)
On that note, I leave the Barcelona recap for another post and say with a smile, Lord thank you for continued safety and protection...and your sense of humor.
Much love!
M
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