Today we hopped on one more plane. We left the hotel in Lisboa at 1:45pm and arrived in the Azores shortly after 7pm local time. The Azores is the main destination for this trip and we are looking forward to exploring the largest city Ponta Delgada.
On the other hand, we just wanted to take it easy and relax a bit. Traveling is a lot more stressful and tiresome when our bodies are no longer at the peak condition..
It was a rather easy journey going up to the Castelo de São Jorge. But getting back to our hotel from there was a different story. We had to walk for quite a while to reach the bus stop. With my companion’s physical condition, the hilly roads and the high temperature, it wasn’t a pleasant experience walking under the blazing sun. We made it safely back to where we are staying, and that’s all that matters.
My companion told me that we were there 20+ years ago. However I absolutely had no memory of it even when we were walking around up on the castle. If only I could find the old photos. That would be the only way for me to confirm that we were there.
PS: I was still shooting film back then..
Earlier today we went to Museu Banksy (Museum Banksy), which is conveniently located right behind the hotel where we are staying. The exhibition was well presented with detailed explanation of each piece that Banksy created. Although I knew they were all reproductions, I didn’t realize that the famous anonymous artist actually has never authorized the exhibition. Neither this one in Lisbon nor others in New York or Paris. This fact suddenly put a dent in the whole experience.
Banksy has clearly expressed his opinion on consumerism and capitalism through his art. (Whether his work is art or vandalism is a different matter..) I have to wonder what he truly thinks about all these pro-profit Banksy Museums around the world which none is authorized by the artist himself.
Note: the image is one of many murals that Banksy created in Ukrainian cities ruined by Russia.
Today was the first full day in Lisbon. We had our breakfast rather late this morning, which partially because of the time difference and we were not even really hungry. Around noon we stepped out of the hotel to give them time to make the room. Meanwhile I got my hair cut nearby. The cost was about 20 euros; pretty much equals to what I usually pay in Santa Fe.
After some rest, we left the room again at four o’clock and took the metro to Chiado. It was lovely walking around in that neighborhood a bit before we had dinner and hopped on the bus back to the hotel..
That’s right. We are traveling again. Living in Santa Fe, wherever we are flying to, Albuquerque is always the first step.
Frankly I’m really tired of this, specially, as you probably know, we travel quite a bit. I enjoy driving. But to drive for more than an hour to get to the airport where the journey starts, and there’s at least one transfer and sometimes two before we arrive at the destination, the ride is often stressful. Some fellow drivers’ behavior only makes the experience worse..
Now we have checked in to our hotel. Since we have an early flight tomorrow morning, we plan to have an early dinner at the Applebee’s near by and call it a day. I already know what my companion will have: Applebee’s Bourbon Street Steak.
If you have been following, yes, this is basically the same shot as the image I posted when we first arrived in Brisbane. Except I captured today’s image when the sun just rose. I could almost feel the warmth of the gentle morning sunlight lit the frames of the Story Bridge.
We will be returning home tomorrow morning. Due to the time difference, I’ll have plenty of time preparing and composing Sunday’s daily post when we get home.
So good night, Brisbane. Good night, Australia. It truly has been a pleasure getting to know you.
We said goodbye to Sydney this morning and hello again to Brisbane. We are staying at the same hotel so it almost feels like home since we’re quite familiar with everything here.
While we were in Sydney, my companion said that this would be one country he could see us live in. It’s hypothetical, of course. But it makes me wonder if he has ever thought about moving and living in a different city..
Sometimes life can seem endless steps ahead of us. And all we can do is keep moving forward, one step at a time..
I had to cut my birthday run short this morning because it started to rain again when I was approaching 3 miles. It’s been like a tradition for me now that I’d run 5K on my birthday. I know I shouldn’t feel that way but it kind of bothered me that I couldn’t finish my run.
It’s the first morning since we arrived in Sydney. The sun had been teasing us the whole day. It rained on and off the major half of the day. I suppose because of that, we also witnessed multiple rainbows through out. I think I’ll take that as an auspicious sign for my birthday.
Today we went to a Koala sanctuary. I was skeptical when my companion suggested it. To be honest, I had much more fun there than I expected. And seeing my companion’s innocent smile filled my heart with joy and happiness. For a few hours we let the world be, and we immersed ourselves in this pure and simple moment, as if the outside world didn’t exist..
