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I’m on me holidays

August - December 2021
This is the beginning of a new adventure.
Phase 1 . Europe and maybe North Africa. Read more
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  • I’m on me holidays

    Killarney

    August 22, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    Fun-filled week in Killarney with family & friends. We walked into town most afternoons/evenings to meet up with the family for dinner/drinks, then usually ended up at Scott’s Bar (Hi Mush!), with ample entertainment provided by our friends Chompie and Jason, aka Daddy.

    Golfed Killarney’s Killeen course, which is always a treat (thanks Chomp!). Our new friend, Terry from Atlanta, got us and nephew Charlie out on Dooks, which was a lot more fun my 2nd time around when I wasn’t trying to play it like a course back home (the bump and run is *critical*). Charlie & I hit Beaufort with Mush (thanks again!) and Daddy when Donny opted for a much-needed nap after the trip’s nights of revelry and mayhem finally caught up.

    Took the Gap of Dunloe tour from Muckross Castle to Kate Kearney’s cottage. Jack & Donny, having done the tour before, said that it was the first time the boat ride wasn’t rainy and/or cold. Lucky us! At one point, the captain cut the engines so we could hear our voices echo off the hills, and we got to spend a few extra minutes floating peacefully when he couldn’t get the motor re-started right away. Grabbed a snack just off the boat then headed out for the 2+ hour walk up and over the gap, with only a minimum of whinging. 🥴

    Rounded out the week with horse racing, but that deserves its own post.    Read more

  • I’m on me holidays
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    Catching up

    August 29, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    The bed here in our apartment is like sleeping on a rock. So I was up and at it this morning at 5am. Went for a nice stroll by the waterfront. Lots of young people sobering up!
    Caroline and I found a lovely restaurant yesterday and talked about not updating this blog so she promised to get caught up today. Let see! From my perspective here's what I have got. Ireland was a blast! We golfed, we drank, we met old and new friends. We had a great time with family. Did I mention that we drank?
    I want to thank the family for letting us stay with them, the great food they served us and to my brother in-law taking the bus while we sailed around the country in his car. What a guy.
    The two and a half weeks in Ireland flew by and so now here we are on the next part of the adventure. Lisbon. We have been here three days now, Caroline, Jack, Ally & I are sharing an apartment for a week in the historic district and two blocks from the water. Wonderful spot except for the Rock Hard bed. Lisbon also know as the city of seven hills is beautiful. The people have been so pleasant, food has been fantastic and the transportation systems first class. Love it.    Read more

  • I’m on me holidays

    Cascais

    September 7, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    While in Lisbon, we began to look for our next destination. Would it be the Algarve or go west to Cascais? While doing a little research, we accidently came across a fabulous deal for a stay and play (golf) package. Golf it is. Seven nights in a five star hotel and five rounds each of golf. I have to say that we both feel the need to slow down a bit now. I personally would be happy if I didn't see a golf course in the next month.

    Back to the story. Hotel was great and included buffet breakfast each morning. What a spread. Cheeses, ham, cured meats, smoked salmon, freshest of breads, potatoes cooked in olive oil and garlic with herbs, The list goes on. Oh, and eggs, crepes, and waffles cooked to order. YUM.

    We got to play a total of four different courses. I think our favorite was Estoril. Although only a par 69, it had character. Oitavos Dunes golf links was also quite enjoyable (and bonus that it was right out the back door). The other two were forgettable (although Penha Longa was part of a resort with 3 different Michelin starred restaurants so that might be of interest to you foodies out there). The kicker with the golf deal was that we had to get Uber or Taxis to and from the golf courses. Some were €20+ each way.

    The town of Cascais is very nice. A little touristy. It has a good vibe and great restaurants. https://www.visitcascais.com/en There is word going around that Mr. Bill Gates is building a house about 3 miles outside of town facing the Atlantic, but the locals are more excited about a rumor that Ronaldo might also be building a house here.

    Our seven days have come and gone and now we are on to the next destination. 30min Uber, 2 1/2 hours on a train and 15min Uber and we are in our new Airbnb.

    BTW, that thing that looks like a pizza was absolutely delicious (from one of the aforementioned Michelin joints at Penha Longa). Cured ham on top of beautiful cheese with garlic and olive oil. Yum. Steak tartare wasn't half bad either. Caroline’s favorite was that thing in the bowl that turned out to be pumpkin purée, sautéed chanterelles, topped by a perfect poached egg that turned the whole thing into absolute heaven. Now back on the budget (and diet!).    Read more

  • I’m on me holidays
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    The Giant Waves of Nazaré

    September 12, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    With Cascais behind us we take the slow train to Nazare. The e is hyphenated but I don't know how to do that. (CE: long press the e 🤓) From the pictures it seems like a good choice and someone back state side mentioned it. So off we went.
    Our train stop was the town of Valado dos Frades. From there we had to arrange for a taxi to bring us into Nazare. No problem. Valado is one of those dying towns from what I observed. Half the place was for sale.
    We made it to the steps of our Airbnb where Caroline, who was already frustrated with our host, tried multiple times to contact her to find out where she was at. I thought there was going to be a cat fight when she finally showed up. Yikes.

    This is a fishing village but is also famous for its BIG waves. In excess of 100 feet tall. Some of the biggest ever surfed.
    2020 Olympics:
    https://youtu.be/GJc4Ir78KdE
    100’ World Record Wave: https://youtu.be/74pnrYPozcU
    Nazaré waves explained: https://youtu.be/RuN2AnKyMio

    Besides the waves it has three beaches, all of which were calm during our visit. The South beach is the swimming and hanging out beach and the north beach is for the surfers.

    Our accommodation was adequate (more hard beds and pillows hooray!) and was on the upper part of the village. When I say upper I am not joking. See photos. Almost daily we walked down to the lower part of town which was along a windy cobblestone pathway with a swing midway down. Once down, you worked your way through narrow streets and alleyways. We found the local market which was great. Lots of fresh produce, bread, cheese, honey, fish and meat. Also a few small coffee shops and smoothies. And the prices for everything were very reasonable. It would be no problem to walk out of there with a full meal ready to cook including protein for two people for under ten euro.

    We went for walks daily which was wonderful. The promenade on the lower south beach was great and once did the entire marina which round trip was six miles. That included climbing up those steps. We found a great sushi restaurant where we overindulged on sushi and wine. It was fantastic.

    It is our last day here and off for the next slow train ride north on our eventual stop in Porto where we get the car. As I type, I am listening to the church bells chime away. I am assuming this is to let everyone know that Mass will be starting shortly as it is now 09:43. There is no other reason I can think of for this to happen. The bells are non stop. Its pretty cool, I can see them for the table here in the kitchen. Oh, and occasionally there are daytime fireworks with the bells (see video). Not sure if that’s just a Wednesday thing or some special occasion.

    Well its time to finish packing and get ready to taxi to the train station. Take care all. Cheers    Read more

  • I’m on me holidays

    Coimbra

    September 13, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    This story starts with two heroes… Donny and Antonio Ortega.

    As we lounged about our Nazaré AirBnB the last morning, packing a bit, cleaning a bit, catching up on email, news… I started to get that little niggling feeling in the back of my brain that maybe, just maybe I should think about getting ready to leave. I had already ordered the train tickets for our next leg so I had an idea of approximately when we needed to leave. When that little niggle hit, I pulled up Uber only to see the dreaded, “No Cars Available.” Same for taxi app.

    With about 35 mins to finish the last bit of packing, catch a car, and get to train station 10 mins away, I commence panicking which Donny finds hilarious for some reason. Possibly because he clearly had a miracle up his sleeve when he produces a business card from a taxi driver we rode with earlier in the week. A quick call to Antonio Ortega, he can pick us up in 10 minutes, which he does (not always a given here in Portugal) and we get to the station with 10 minutes to spare! I ❤️ me some heroes!

    We head north for a little over 90 minutes by train to Coimbra. This area of Portugal is clearly their “breadbasket”—we passed tons of farms growing vegetables of all kinds but the strangest were what appeared to evergreen trees that were being tapped for their sap. Anyone know what’s up there? The other striking thing about this part of the country are the huge tracts of eucalyptus that have been intentionally planted, most likely encouraged and/or subsidized by the EU according to Donny.

    Quick cab ride to our lovely little hotel right next to the oldest university in Portugal. We walked around a bit but it was pretty warm so we headed back for a late lunch, which turned into a late extended lunch that ran into wine on the rooftop deck which ran into a late dinner with new friends from Atlanta. 😊

    Now we’re hanging out in the room, watching a truly epic rainstorm roll through.    Read more

  • I’m on me holidays

    Aveiro: Azulejos & Salinas

    September 15, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Took a little field trip up to Aveiro (❤️ how easy it is to get around by train here), another coastal town recommended by locals.

    Right off the train is a beautiful azulejo:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azulejo. These primarily blue & white tile installations are everywhere—in either decorative patterns reminiscent of the area’s moorish influence or hand-painted murals representing people or events of import—and date back to the 13th century as a method to imitate Byzantine & Roman mosaics.

    Aveiro itself is a combination of typical working class downtown + quaint little touristy section with pastel houses and quirky art. Walking along the waterway, you have to run a literal gauntlet of locals hawking boat rides along the canal. (Note to self: t-shirt idea… “No, I do not want your ____!” in multiple languages.)

    As usual, we just kept wandering along whatever path we could find until we stumble across a salinas… a salt works. Donny & I look at each other, shaking our heads in incredulity.

    See, Donny found this book called Salt: A World History (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2715) and since I’ve been missing my book club on the road (shout out to my brilliant, gorgeous book club ladies!), I decided to read it with him. Reading nonfiction (I prefer to listen to the audiobook), particularly history, is not generally my jam so this was good for me and keeping Donny moving through the reading is good for him. Hooray!

    So it was crazy to literally stumble across a salt works when we’ve been reading all about their importance in history. They were finished for the season, but there was a cool little interpretive trail through the marshes and a pile of harvested sea salt to sample. Donny confirms it is “salty salt.”

    Cheers to serendipity!    Read more

  • I’m on me holidays

    Easy Streets in Porto

    September 19, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    On the ground here for four days now. It has been fantastic. Our Airbnb is five minutes walk to the city center. The weather is still really nice with morning temps at 60f warming up to the low 70's in the afternoon. Blue skies.
    As usual we have done a ton of walking and taking in the sights. I think I could manage my way around the city now. I have the landmarks. The Douro River being the big one.
    On our walks we encountered the 76 meter tall baroque Torre dos Clerigos www.torredosclerigos.pt/en the French inspired Sao Bento train station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Bento_railway…
    and lots of other magnificent sights.
    This city has lots to offer, the history, the sights, the restaurant's, the walkability. It is also a collage town which adds the young vibe to the seen. And lots of Port. We walked along the south side of the river yesterday crossing the Dom Luís I Bridge which was completed in 1886. It is a double-deck metal arch bridge and for some time was the longest of its kind in the world, with a 172 meter span. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_Luís_I_Bridge
    On the south side of the bridge along the river you will find all of the port makers. Port from Porto, go figure. Stuff is excellent on the way down but OMG the next morning is a shit show. I know this from experience back in 1998. Neither of us have had a drop of the stuff on this go around except for one shot with Jack and Ally in Lisbon.
    Today is our last day in Porto, we pick up our car tomorrow and head to where ever the road will take us. Stay tuned.    Read more

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    Loooong walk in Porto

    September 19, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Took a self-guided tour through Porto’s streets and parks, then hopped an Uber to the other side of the Douro River (no easy way to cross on the west end of the city).

    Fortified ourselves with Sushi and sparkling sangria (where have you been all my life?!?) before jumping onto the walking/biking path fronting the coastline southwest of the city.Read more

  • I’m on me holidays

    The world’s worst “best” sandwich

    September 19, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    The francesinha (fran-sess-EEE-nyah) is one of Portugal’s National sandwiches and you see it on menus EVERYWHERE. It apparently was Portugal’s answer to the croque madame (which I love love love), it looks mouthwatering and was created in Porto, so OF COURSE I have to try it here. I even walked 10 miles today to make sure I could really, REALLY go to town on one.

    I had such high hopes… toast, steak, multiple kinds of sausage, ham, topped with melted cheese, a fried egg and a beer-tomato sauce. Served with fries. What’s not to love?

    Plate hits the table…I’m so excited. All that cheesy, meaty, toasty, saucy goodness. First bite… hmmm, ok, that’s different. Maybe I just didn’t have the right composition? (No way you’re fitting a whole vertical perfect bite on a normal sized fork.) A few more bites in, alright this is ok.

    And it never got beyond that. In fact, the linguiça and fresh sausages had wayyyyy too much funky acidity to make this work. Or it’s just me.

    Maybe you have to be really drunk and/or hungover to enjoy this? Seems to be proof that just because something is unique doesn’t make it automatically good.

    P.S. The other famous Porto sandwich is a bifana, which is apparently a pulled pork sandwich with delicious sauce. Yeah, so I totally missed the boat there. 🤨🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️    Read more

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    Inland to Bouro

    September 20, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Left Porto, picked up our rental car (ask Donny about leasing instead of renting!) and headed for the next stop, a monastery converted into a hotel (https://www.pousadas.pt/en/hotel/pousada-amares) and some hiking.

    After checking in, we headed out to explore the town of Bouro, which took about 3 seconds so we just kept walking uphill. Twisty-turny, shaded paths winding through buildings and along hillsides remind me of Tuscany (particularly Chianti).

    Hard to tell if the path through the forest is man-made only because it seems mind boggling that it could be.    Read more

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