For 5 days we basked in Portugal’s abundant sunshine, delicious food, and friendly people. Saturday Seafood at the train station’s Time Out Market Ornate design in the Palácio da Bolsa and adjacent church Sunset looking back at Porto after walking across a bridge Sunday Train ride to Braga for Palm Sunday processions Meeting the locals with friend Grant Beautiful gardens and blooming trees Big meat and cheese board at Orpheu Tapas Monday ...
In five short days, Jacob, Ellery and I saw a wonderful slice of Portugal from our base in the city of Porto. This photo of Mercado Ferreira Borges set the stage. This iron-and-glass building is painted a bright red. It houses craft shops, restaurants and a nightclub. This collection of photos features the colorful sights we saw. The São Bento train station displays tile artwork that tells a history of Portugal between the two major rivers, the Douro and the Minho. ...
Semana Santa (Easter Week) coincided with my visit to Portugal to see Jacob and Ellery. On Palm Sunday, we decided to visit the city of Braga. Braga is the religious center of Portugal and celebrates with elaborate processions through the cobblestone streets. We arrived in Braga at the end of a 1-hour train ride from Porto. After a strong coffee at Nórdica Café, we waited in the square for the first procession. ...
On her first day in the Bay Area, Jacob and I took Kayla for a hike on Russian Ridge. After a short climb, we reached the top and could see both the San Francisco Bay and the Ocean. Over the Bay, you can see Mt Diablo in the background; it was a clear day. The ocean had a cooling layer of fog, and thus our hike was 10 degrees cooler than the temperature at our house. We hiked the Ancient Oaks trail, a shady path with gnarled trees. ...
One day we travelled from Istanbul to Ephesus, an ancient Roman city. One highlight is Library of Celsius, pictured above. So much detail, beautifully preserved! There is also a huge amphitheater, still used today for concerts. But the clear highlight was the archeological dig that was uncovering the Terrace Houses. Here wall paintings and mosaics were exceptionally well preserved, enabling us to imagine how rich Romans lived. The wide boulevards and huge agora emphasized how important and wealthy this city was. ...