to the Azores!

I am on the slowest computer ive ever used, besides a broken one that didnt work at all. here is the end of my lisbon tale...

This is the Monastery of the Geronimos. Id say the most elaborate monastery ive ever seen. or imagined.

Another view.

I was very excited to see this statue because the hippocampus, the half horse, half fish, was one of my favorite mythical creatures, and ive really never seen any artwork of it!

There was some cool art on the ground that showed the different conquests of portugal throughout the ages. these people are standing in europe.

These people are standing in the americas.

Where i am!!

Where i went earlier....

I went to a tropical botanical garden. I wonder how much money ive spent on going to gardens and churches and such? this one was different though, because all the plants were from the asias and africa and such. very nice.

Some very interesting bamboo. I would like to have some in my yard.

San Francisco or Lisbon? You decide.

I havent the slightest idea what it says, but i like the idea of a clock for a head.

This was the weirdest textured building i saw in lisbon. But dont get me wrong, there were lots of strange buildings!!

On the walk back to the hostel, there was a plant growing out of the wall.

I left lisbon on their independence day... April 25. It was the day Portugal was no longer under a dicatorship. The carnations you see are a symbol of the peace. On that day in 1974, they put carnations in their rifles to show that there would be no more.

They had a tram system in Lisbon a lot like San Francisco. Some going up and down extremely steep hills. Like in San Francisco.

A very tasty place to get a pastry by my hostel. A very old one too.

The metro stop by the hostel. I was sad to leave it and took this photo.

This is a sink in a mall at the train station. They even have art in their sinks!!

The subway stops each had a different type of art. Some very classical, some new age. some very strange. but all very nice. or at least nicer than plain, boring, subway walls!

Lisbon and Seville have been my favorite cities so far. I would definently like to return to lisbon! and even stay in the same hostel with paulo and maria and jo. They were all great!!

Madrid was, at best, a short nightmare. But it is over now and I am somewhere relaxing and beautiful... and that smells like nag champa.

So here is what I did in Madrid when I was not looking for somewhere to spend the night...

This is the train station. Intimidating at night, but really close to everything in the day time. And a lovely forest inside!´

I went to the largest park Ive ever seen. There were musicians, boat rides, statues, policia on horseback, food venders, gardens..and more!

This was my favorite statue set in the park...

These were at the botanical garden... These trees must have been 100 years old! they were the largest Bonsai trees I have ever seen...

This was a view over Madrid...

And this was an Egyptian monument which was sent to Spain in thanks. But I wonder how they got it there??

I took this picture for my mom, because I know how she likes tulips... they were very beautiful and very red.

And this was another great statue by the last place I stayed. Everything is so epic in Spain!

And lastly, this is me trying to leave Madrid. Notice all the trains that are full "tren completo"... thankfully Madrid let me leave her.

SO that was Madrid.... I would go back during the off season, but not during Semana Santa again!