Travels

Favorite Corners - Seville

Seville was the place where we learned the practicality of the siesta. Between 3pm and 7pm (exact hours varied), shops and restaurants closed their doors and darkened their windows. At first, we stayed out, but a few harsh afternoon suns later, we found ourselves going home when the city quieted and then emerging to enjoy the evenings. This Favorite Corners really is just the highlights of Seville, and to be fair, the Royal Palace and the Cathedral probably deserve their own posts. However, because of our unusual hours, we didn't take a lot of other pictures. So, we present to you, Seville, in one post.

Jenny WongJune 22, 2016Seville, Favorite Corners, Spain

Favorite Corners - Granada

We knew we would be captivated by the Alhambra, but were surprised to find ourselves being charmed by Granada as well. We found little taverns and tea houses with secluded seats in the corners where we could sit and enjoy time as it passed, a nice change from Madrid's big city pace. Granada's walkable size makes it perfect for lazy wanderers. Downhill leads to the city centre, uphill leads to great views. Throw away the map and just get lost.

Jenny WongJune 19, 2016Granada, Spain, Favorite Corners

Food Fridays - Granada

Ham! Ham! Ham! Granada was the place we pigged out on that delicious, special, dry-cured Spanish ham or jamon. It was our afternoon treat. Every afternoon. Actually, to be honest, Granada was a very meat-centric food experience. We did eat other things, but the best meals were for the carnivores.

Jenny WongJune 17, 2016Granada, Spain, Food Fridays

The Alhambra

For over a thousand years, the Alhambra has stood through various reincarnations as a fortress, a palace, a royal court, a fading ruin, and now, a world heritage site. The Alhambra retains different facets of its history resulting in a stunning mix of architectural styles and designs. We took a lot of pictures, but here are our highlights.

Jenny WongJune 15, 2016Granada, Spain

Favorite Corners - Madrid

For us, the rain in Spain did not stay mainly in the plain. We had two sunny days (during which we crammed in as many parks and gardens as we could), but then it drizzled for the remainder our time in Madrid. We managed to avoid the worst of the rain by dining during the downpours, taking a day trip to Toledo, and getting cultural in a few world class art museums.

Jenny WongJune 12, 2016Favorite Corners, Spain, Madrid

Food Fridays - Madrid

Alright, we admit it. We indulged in a lot less Spanish cuisine than we could've. Why? It's not because Madrid's food was bad. Quite the contrary. Two months without Asian food was leaving a strong craving in our bellies and Madrid has a great international food culture. So, we had Korean, Japanese, and...well, McDonalds isn't Asian, but definitely comfort food. We did manage a few Spanish plates in between our guilty feedings.

Jenny WongJune 10, 2016Madrid, Spain, Food Fridays

Springtime in Real Jardín Botánico

Welcome to the Royal Botanical Gardens where footpaths are fringed with the young buds of early greenery and petals flaunt their playful colors of periwinkle, pinks, and cream. Despite spring's success, the gardeners keep their heads down, fingers busy. There is more work to be done. Wheelbarrows trundle and bump between flowerbeds while the clip-clip of pruning shears mark the moments that pass until summer's blossoms arrive.

Jenny WongJune 8, 2016Spain, Madrid

El Retiro Park and Jardines de Sabatini

Madrid has some of the prettiest manicured parks and gardens. El Retiro Park is the largest park in Madrid with secluded walking paths, a crystal palace, and, if the notion strikes, a place to go row a boat. Not to be outdone, Jardines de Sabatini, while much smaller, is a fun maze of green hedges and burbling fountains set against the backdrop of the massive royal palace.

Jenny WongJune 5, 2016Spain, Madrid

Food Fridays - The Leftovers

Believe it or not, we don't post everything we eat on Food Fridays. Here are a few runner ups from our travels so far that didn't quite make it to blog-worthy status.

Jenny WongJune 3, 2016Food Fridays

Favorite Corners - Lisbon

There is something about Lisbon that invites you to turn that one more corner (and see a woman singing Fado in the streets), unlock the windows (and let the neighbor's cat in for a midnight visit), or gather your resolve and climb that next hill out of seven (and get that amazing city view). To put it mildly, we fell in love with Lisbon. We stayed two weeks, which was just enough time. Any longer, and we would have been trying to find a way to stay here permanently.

Jenny WongJune 2, 2016Favorite Corners, Portugal, Lisbon

Cascais and Guincho Beach

The seaside town of Cascais is only a 40 minute local train ride from Lisbon. After a quick walk through the town streets, we reached the jagged rock strewn coast. We started off walking along the road and in between the crags in the cliffs, but soon realized our feet could only take us so far. If we wanted to go further, we'd need a little assistance. We returned to town and rented electric bikes (absolutely loved these, no more worries about head winds or hills) to take us further down the coastline towards the distant sands of Guincho beach.

Jenny WongMay 31, 2016Lisbon, Portugal, Cascais, Day trip

Castles and Cultivated Utopias in Sintra

Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site clustered with castles, palaces, parks, and religious buildings. That description doesn't quite do justice to what is actually here. We started off our day trip grounded in history (a ruined Moorish castle, the royal palace), but ended up finishing with a strange sense of experiencing something fantastical. We not only got to glimpse at how the people in these places lived, but how they dreamed.

Jenny WongMay 29, 2016Day Trip, Portugal, Lisbon, Sintra

Cambodia | Canada | China | Croatia | Czech Republic | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Iceland | Ireland | Italy | Japan | Malta | Peru | Portugal | Singapore | South Korea | Spain | Thailand | Turkey | U.K. | U.S.A.