Homeward Bound!

Hallo everyone,

Just so you’re all aware, the return flight has finally been booked and the packing has (albeit prematurely) begun.

I’m flying into JFK on the 27th! Huzzah! Happy thoughts come so much easier when your countdown dips below the one month mark :)

Right now I’m just plugging away at papers (1 down and about a bazillion to go), studying for exams and preparing for orals. Very literally lotsa fun with a capital “F”.

Anywho… off to read more of Élise ou la vraie vie (i.e. the worst book ever written. Ever.)

Love lots!

Martha

Correction

We the members of the Portuguese Black Market (PBM) regret to inform you, Martha Swann that your Nikon D70 and accompanying lenses do not meet our merchandising requirements for the moment. We are therefor returning them with our compliments, enjoy the rest of your stay in Lisbon!

SOMEONE TURNED IN MY CAMERA!!!

GOD BLESS THE PORTUGUESE!!!

Dad had suggested that I make sure I had covered all my bases, so this morning I trekked across town to the “Lost and Found” here in Lisbon. When I presented myself to the man in charge there, he led me to a back room full of boxes of misplaced items… and there it was. My beautiful Nikon bag, just waiting for me! I wanted to hug the man, but he looked older and in frail health, so I probably would have caused him to go into apoplectic shock (either that or have offended his cultural sensibilities). I settled for a tearful handshake instead.

Needless to say, I was on cloud nine for the rest of the day (or if you prefer, God was in his heaven and all was right with the world… ),

I stopped off at the Mosterio y la Igreja do Carmo (a church/monestary ensemble that had been mostly destroyed by the 1755 earthquake, and the Mosterio dos Jerónimos before coming back to the hostel to relax. I ship out at 10pm for Granada :)

Hasta pronto everyone… y MUITA OBRIGADA PORTUGAL!

Love,
Martha

On the occasion of your 21st birthday…

…we the members of the Portuguese Black Market (or PBM) would like to thank you, Martha Swann, for your involuntary contribution of a beautiful Nikon digital SLR body and three lenses.

Or something to that effect.

You know those days you should have just stayed in bed (slash on the really uncomfortable train that brought you to Lisbon from Barcelona)? This would be one of them.

I arrived safe and somewhat sound in Lisbon at about 8h30 this morning, and immediately got off the wrong train stop. From there, I continued to blunder around the wrong station in a sleep-deprived haze trying to figure out how to get back to where I was supposed to be. Next stop was to be bus number 28, which, one stop down the line I realized (again) that it was the wrong bus. I gathered my things, and hopped off. Still with a smile on my lips and a song in my heart as the saying goes.

Unfortunately for me, (due to several factors including disorientation, lots of other Portuguese passengers shoving, and being in a hurry) not two seconds later, I realized that I had both of my three bags. …the camera bag was gone.

You might think that the sad tale ends there, but no, it doesn’t. As I am having a full blown spaz attack at the bus stop, a 16-wheeler speeds by, hits a puddle as it passes, and drenches me from head to toe in muddy rain water.

Finally, a band of cannibalistic Mongolian goat-herders surround me, chanting and waving their spears, bind me and proceed to devour me alive.

Ok… so that last bit didn’t really happen. But everything else did.

Long story short, some very happy Portuguese pickpocket is now beautifully outfitted to take photographs of the pictorial countryside and downtown area. And I am left camera-less. (Insert self pity here, and here)

Luckily (luckily) I still have my point and shoot… and am in the process of trying to find a memory card reader somewhere downtown as well as a battery charger for the AAs that will now be powering my photographic endeavors.

C’est la vie, I suppose. At least Mom and Dad didn’t hack me to bits with a bread knife (over skype) (and then dance about on my grave singing “Hallelujah”) when they found out. And like everyone (including the receptionist who embraced me after hearing my story and then realizing it was my birthday) keeps on saying, things could be worse.

Lots of love to you all,
Martha “keeping on the sunny side” Swann

Fab flamenco & all the trimmings

Buenas! So, I just came in from the flamenco show. No joke, it was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen!

For those of you who think you won’t get anywhere stomping your feet and yelling a lot, you’re missing out.

Go find a flamenco show, now (they must have lots in Syracuse, right?).

Seriously though, the music was absolutely beautiful, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

Tomorrow’s my last day in Barcelona, and in the evening I ship out for Lisbon. I hope you’re all doing well… sweet dreams!

Love,
Martha

More flamenco photos here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2178808&l=40cb6&id=5516750

Pretty cool

So, Day 2 in Barcelona didn’t turn out to be the sunshiny filled morning/afternoon I was hoping for… but c’est la vie.

I went to the Catedral de la Sagrada Familia… which was c-o-v-e-r-e-d in scaffolding. Stupid construction. From what I could see, it was beautiful! And quite a change from the normal stuffy, old cathedrals you see in Europe. I suppose I’ll just have to get a postcard or something to get the “pretty” effect.

Other than that, there’s not much to report… I went around the northern part of the city today on the “Red Bus,” but had to be back here at the hostel so I can register for classes for next semester (ewwww…).

One cool thing I saw this afternoon was the Park Guell, with lots of beautiful architecture and this giant dragon/lizard thing all designed by Gaudi. There was a nice view from one of the upper pavilions, and lots of intricate mosaic work on the walls.

This afternoon is relaxing time… and work time (again, ew), but tonight I’m going to try to get out to a Flamenco show and see if I can get me some of that there paella! Should be fun…

P.S. See photos here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2178698&l=701f4&id=5516750