We always like to take some time after a trip to step back and examine the “bigger ideas” that become, for us, part of each journey. Thus, we’d like to share some of our initial impressions from our major stops.
Madrid: In the city of Madrid we found a mix of party and passion. Late to bed and slow to rise, this city has a heart that beats strongly and there was youth to be found in all ages. There was a Mediterranean “heat” that could be sensed in their connection to relationships, beliefs and faith. We were treated politely and as welcome guests with excellent assistance (most often in English) wherever we stopped. Yet, there was no shortage of raw culture tossed at us and our stay was unlike anywhere we’d wandered before. Although mammoth in size, Madrid maintains a closeness and small town edge that I didn’t expect. Whether savoring food or drink, roaming gallery or museum, scrutinizing football pitch or bullring, contemplating religion or politics… a passion for doing things exceptionally with tradition in mind was foremost.
Toledo: Toledo oozed history! Cobble alleys and streets, city walls from an era of castles and knights, ancient places of worship, swords and marzipan, almost felt entombed in stone. Even 20th century amenities like car and bus remain out of place. Although only a day was spent in Toledo, we got a sense of the story it tells. I also think there are lessons to be learned, especially from a city that once was home to Muslim, Jew and Christian all living in accordance with their own faith while maintaining tolerance for that of another.
Lisbon: We loved Lisbon. In a quirky sort of way, Lisbon (a very old city chronologically) seemed like a place just finding it’s stride. There were contrasts that puzzled me… like gorgeous streetscapes for resident and visitor meshed with graffiti everywhere, or the nostalgic street trolleys battling with tuk-tuks for a piece of the thoroughfare. People were anxious to help, and if one looked confused when at the transit stop or staring at a menu, locals were good to help. There was a charm in Lisbon; maybe it was the people we met, how about the trolleys, funicular or lift at Santa Justa, perhaps it was the ceramic streets, tiles and roofs. Can’t quite put a finger on it, but I knew we were somewhere special!
Sintra: Tiny, beautiful Sintra has been blessed, and maybe cursed, with some very fine attractions that the common tourist craves. Palace, castle and park designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites all within throwing distance of Lisbon. However, if our shoulder season visit is any indication Sintra must be one darn busy place at peak tourism times! These are the type of communities that I get concerned about… with the potential to be so swamped with visitors that it entirely changes the composition of a community. I hope that they can manage to control the economic engine enough to hang on to remnants of normalcy.
Planning: A fair bit of organization in this trip, most hinged on sourcing the best offerings in attraction and how to get to and from most efficiently. We had some attraction tickets but also purchased on the ground. As for itinerary, we basically selected what we wanted to do and arranged those items within day tours that made the best use of our time and resources. The internet was essential, as we had accessed all travel arrangements, many attraction / entertainment tickets (any that were available) and our accommodations all prior to departure. We dealt directly with the businesses involved and had absolutely no issues with any of our arrangements. Further, the on the ground value of what I learned about these cities prior to our departure and during this planning stage provided a bag of tools I could use throughout the trip.
Navigating: We prowled at will throughout these cities and at no time felt at risk. The currency was the Euro, other than some purchases at Heathrow with a few pounds we’d saved from March 2012. Although our interaction was mostly with service industry professionals, our “tapas” experiment led quite nicely to conversations with others, either from the city or visiting, in a more than relaxing atmosphere. We had no issues with language “to speak of”, as these folks were multilingual and quickly supported our lack of versatility. Whenever we asked for assistance, it was always available and delivered efficiently and correctly. In all… I can’t think of much I’d like to have done differently.
What’s it speakin’ for? As for weather, our travels placed us in a climate much like early June in Nova Scotia. Temperatures ranged from 12 – 18 degrees Celsius with sunny skies and cooler evenings. Our coolest event was in Madrid, at the football match, and the only sprinkle of rain turned out to be a super photo op in Lisbon!!! Lisbon, further south and at a lower altitude, was warmer and had blue-blue skies! I don’t think the weather could have gone any better… never even got snowed on or caught in a blizzard!!!
Visiting during March: The non-peak nature of our arrival (March in Europe) has many benefits. We avoided the summertime heat and humidity, line-ups were not a major factor and public transportation modes were uncrowded. Other than the odd class trip/gallery or museum tour (especially Sintra), we avoided large groups and tackled most attractions/exhibits/entertainment at our own pace. We got solid deals on accommodation as well. As always, I’d quickly recommend travel at this time of year in Europe.
Food: If you’ve gotten this far in the text, you know we had a blast with eating on this holiday. It was a grand experiment, eating things that I’d never even try at home, and enjoyed every stop. Oreja, paella, calamari, octopus, sardines from the can… it was new for sure. In looking at the pictures, one might also consider it an official “City Crawl” as we did sample lots of local beverage. Really, all was very drinkable and we had no issues with anything that we sat down to try. Dining during this trip was part of the cultural piece and we relied less on the evening “treats” at home and more on small eateries and bars.
Transportation: We chose not to drive at any point (except Halifax home) during this trip. Europe is king when it comes to public transportation and we made best use of the existing network. Really not sure if we could endure the stress that navigating ourselves creates and still enjoy the trip. We had planned very carefully our travel from city to city, as well as moving about while there. Our travel plans to specific attractions required informed transport info so we could ensure on time arrival for timed events. Web sites for public transport systems enabled a high level of organization. We used plane, train, subway, tram, bus, trolley and even funicular! Also advantageous was the fact that both Madrid and Lisbon are incredibly foot traffic friendly, and one can easily make great time on foot. Walking times and distances to attractions were continuously quicker/easier than I had planned. It made our busy schedule comfortable and healthy.