Travel Tips 101

(Just a Few Lessons Learned)

-Pack things you do not want to live without in your carry-on bag

-Four pairs of shoes (as necessary as each pair may seem before you leave) is TOO MANY

-If you’re going to a foreign country, find out how much your cellphone company will charge you for using your phone in that country

-If your flight is more than 4 hrs long, leave some space in your carry on for SNACKS (even if the flight boasts of a “meal”)

-If you can avoid a long trip until AFTER your first trimester of pregnancy—DO IT

-If you can’t avoid a long trip until after your 1st trimester…be sure to grab extra ‘barf bags’ on your way off of the plane (and by extra, I mean a big stack)

-Do not fly if you have a cold

-If you fly with a cold…be prepared for some intense head pressure/pain

-On an international flight, don’t even LOOK at all the space that 1st class gets to enjoy—focus on walking to the back of the plane where your small space is waiting for you

-Antibacterial wipes are EXCELLENT for public restrooms

-Never EVER leave home without some kind of anti-diarrhea medicine

-When in doubt, drink BOTTLED water

-Even if you ASK about the water heating system, this is no time for long, leisurely showers

-If you're renting a car, look into the possibility of renting a GPS navigator

-Have your camera charged & ready at all times

-Always ask before taking pictures in a historic/holy building

-Street venders will likely come down in price, if they think you’re REALLY interested

-Before you get on a bus, double-check that it is going exactly where you want it to go

-Be prepared to get lost, enjoy the ride

Documented: Our Trip to Portugal

It's been 3 full weeks since we've returned and I am happy to say I AM DONE blogging these pictures!!! It has been wonderful to relive moments and memories while going through the massive selection of shots. I hope you enjoy your walk through Portugal with us.

Through *OUR* (American) Eyes

I loooove these buildings along the riverfront--it was a shock to Trevor the whole time (and I remember my shock when I first saw them) to see people's clothes hanging outside their balconies...



Ok I just love this picture. I didn't know where else to put it in on all the posts so I'm adding it here. Doesn't it just tell a story all by itself? Sweetness.
This is actually a vehicle that is driven on the streets. I don't think they're allowed on the highways...

WOW. Mango yellow! (This was in the algarve where you can get away with any color house & that ornate chimney you see is typical of this region only)
Ok--I have no idea what this is. Trevor thought it was hilarious. It's a camping store...?...
Of course Trevor had to take this picture. This is in a hotel we stayed at. (The bidet is the item of interest, if you weren't sure why he took this picture)
Again...love the tall buildings with the clothes hanging outside--
This is a hearse. Yes, you can see through it.

On the street fish market OR in a shopping center--this is how your fish & such are layed out for your veiwing (and smelling) pleasure. Eel, anyone??
We thought this was interesting. This was in the main chapel at Bom Jesus in Braga.

(To light one electric candle, 10 cents/2 candles=20 cents/4 candles=50 cents/8 candles=1 euro)
Pink door--why not?
Trevor thought this was HILARIOUS. This bar on the beach called "Bubba's"--so funny. Here in Kentucky, "Bubba" is a term of endearment.
I don't know if this is how other taxis are in other parts of Europe--but in Portugal they are butter-yellow and mostly mercedes. Wanna ride?

Street musicians...
The meats hanging up in the "talhos"---this is something that is never easy for an American to get used to. We like our stuff packaged up!
This is a public place to wash your clothes/rugs/blankets: We had to look twice & then we confirmed--flying here is a communist flag:
That's all for today's episode of "Through Our (American Eyes)"...join us next time...

Glimpses of Gaia

My pictures of Gaia do not really do the city justice, nor do they show very much of the city at all--mostly places that were most familiar to me. I was transferred from Valadares to Gaia at the end of February 2003 and stayed there (except for a few weeks adventure in Porto) until I left Portugal in January 2004. It is hard to describe what this place (and the people) mean to me--really just a "home away from home", I suppose!

Here I am at my old apartment building:
The street outside the praceta where the apartment is:
The "talho" (meat store?) that my companions & I had to pass every day when we left our apartment...
The sign on the church building:
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Visitors Welcome."
The Gaia ward building:
Around Gaia (more towards the riverfront)...

...those cobblestone streets...

Gaia houses the wineries for the famous Port wine companies (located on the Gaia side of the Rio Douro)--these are two of the wine companies buildings:

Daylight: Douro River

I think my last post talks about this river (Rio Douro/Douro River) & the bridge that connects the Avenida Republica in Gaia to Porto--Ponte Dom Luis I.

Here are some pictures we took during the day--our favorite place to be in Portugal, the riverfront between Gaia & Porto. Isn't it GORGEOUS!?