Travel Tips

I spent two weeks here in December 2006 and had a blast! This is one of the most vibrant cities I've been to and furthermore, it is a city that has originality. You see this originality not only in terms of the language and Catalan identity, but you also see it in terms of architecture and art anywhere from Joan Miro and Salvador Dali to Antonio Gaudi's creations at Sagrada Familia (the famous church) and Parc Guell. Barcelona is essnetially a city where ideas are born.

Sevilla is the cultural capital of Spain. In terms of food, it is the home of tapas cuisine. In terms of music, it is home to flamenco. But my most favorite thing about Sevilla is the Alcazar. The Alcazar is a HUGE palace complex that serves as the official residence of the royal family when they visit Sevilla. However, it is also an ornately designed fort that was built during the Moorish era. The combination of Moorish and Spanish-Imperial architecture is what makes this place fascinating.

Toledo sits on the top of a mountain. It's location has historical strategic significance. It served as a good observation post back in the day and was the site of a major battle during the Spanish Civil War. The town has Moorish, Jewish, and Christian influences to varying degrees and it also is a major center for jewelry production, namely, inlaying hair-sized seams of gold into ornate patterns on black metal. As you can see from the picture below, Toledo and its surroundings are surreal.

Porto is Portugal's second largest city and is a primary center of wine production. The world-famous Port wine is made here, as there are many vineyards in the surrounding areas of the Douro. The highlight of my stay in Porto was checking out the wineries on the opposite side of the river.

After a day in Porto, we took the train down to Lisbon where we spent the remainder of our trip. Lisbon has an amazing backdrop, set against rolling hills overlooking the Rio Tejo. In fact, it is somewhat reminiscent of San Francisco when you factor in the combination of hills, street trolleys, and the existence of a bridge that looks exactly like the Golden Gate. Lisbon's neighborhoods all have a character of their own and their own distinct flavor. From Bairro Alto's hopping nightlife to Belem's monuments, every corner of Lisbon has something interesting going on.

Needless to say, this is a city to which I would not mind going back.