Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Top O' The Morning to you!

I'm not doing anything to awfully special this St. Patrick's Day.  Well, I will be making Stijn some Corn Beef and Cabbage with potatoes since this is something he's never had.  They don't celebrate the wearing of the green in Belgium!

And actually the most exciting thing I ever did for St. Paddy's Day was drive up to Savannah Georgia in 2009 when on a home exchange in Ponte Vedra Florida.

I had so much fun that day, I thought I would re-post my story from that day again.  I don't think a lot of you have read this story yet.  If you have, maybe it will be fun to read again!

Here is how my day went!

I know March 17th is St. Patrick's Day. I know you should probably wear some green, unless you want to get pinched. I know that corned beef and cabbage is more than likely what you're going to eat today, and that you will definitely have some green beer. Who doesn't know this? What "I" didn't know is that in Savannah Georgia, St Patricks Day is treated somewhat as a "National Holiday".

 

I've heard about what a beautiful place Savannah is, and that it has a wonderful historic district. I thought since I will be so close while I'm in Ponte Vedra on my home exchange that I would take a drive up there and check it out. Why not? So I check somethings out on the Internet and I find that there are several companies who offer trolley tours where you can hop on and off all day long for $10.00. Cool! I had done this in Boston and it was a great way to see everything.

 

I decide that Tuesday is a good day to head up to Savannah. Not because it's St. Patrick's Day mind you, but because the weather on Tuesday is going to be better than any other day of the week. That's why.

 

So the first place I go when I get there is "Oglethorpe Trolley Tours" . Hmmm, strange, it's closed. Maybe they're out to lunch, it is 12:15pm. But would they really do that? So I head down the street a little further and see the Oglethorpe Trolley Welcome Center and park across the street. Hmmmm, closed. For the life of me I can't figure out why they would be closed on a Tuesday. Maybe it's the off season and they don't start doing tours until April or May? Maybe they aren't in business anymore? I continue to walk towards the Visitors Center and I pass another Trolley company and a gentleman who is cleaning some things up around one of the trolley's says "Good Afternoon Ma'am". Perfect! I ask him if this trolley service is doing tours today and he says to me, "No Ma'am, we're closed for the Holiday". "The Holiday? St. Patrick's Day?", I reply in surprise. What I learned was that there is a big parade that takes place in the historic district and the trolleys "can't" run. Bummer.

 

I head into the Visitor Center and discover that the 185th St. Patrick's Day parade is still going on. How lucky for me! This parade is the second largest in the U.S., behind New York, and the celebration is the third oldest, behind New York and Boston. The lady at the counter pulls out a map and points out that Bull St. is the route of the parade and that I could follow that right to the historic Riverfront, and then she hands me the map.

 

As I step out of the Visitor Center and walk down W. Liberty St. it becomes immediately apparent to me that St. Patrick's Day is taken very seriously here. There was not one person that I passed that wasn't all decked out in some sort of "green" fashion. When I get to Bull St. the parade is indeed still in progress, but I'm not so much impressed with the parade as I am with the thousands of people who are lining the streets in their green hats, green shirts, green beards...... Suddenly I am feeling a bit out of place. I truly was the only person in Savannah not wearing green. It really was sort of embarrassing walking around in a pair of blue jeans and a white sleeveless shirt.

 

As I continue down Bull St. taking pictures along the way, I come to the first of many squares, "Chippewa Square". And here I just stop and I can't believe what I'm seeing. The square is packed with more people who have set up canopies covering their tables filled with food and coolers filled with beer I'm sure. Some people even had their gas barbecue grills here!

At another square there was more of the same along with vendors selling green paraphernalia from carts, and fountains with green water.

 

I just couldn't stop people watching and taking pictures. And everyone was really friendly and ready for a group photo.

By the time I make it to the Riverfront the parade has ended and the thousands of people I just passed are also headed here.

I really enjoyed walking along the river on the cobblestone and seeing the old cotton warehouses that had been converted into cute shops and boutiques, and restaurants and pubs over looking the river. There was plenty of music with a live band and a little further down a DJ playing some favorite dance tunes.

I thought about going into one of those great Irish Pubs and getting myself a green beer but the lines to get into any bar were entirely way to long...........

.......so I opted for some ice cream at this great little shop where you could also watch Pralines being made and have someone throw some taffy at you that had just been freshly twisted and wrapped.

Well it's time to start thinking about heading back to Ponte Vedra Beach. But there is a Lighthouse nearby on Tybee Island and I must go take pictures.

My day is complete now.

Before driving back to Ponte Vedra Beach I stop in at a little road side ice cream stand and order me up a large black cherry waffle cone! The perfect way to end a perfect day!

There are a whole lot more pictures of my day in Savannah at "Where's Debbie". To see them just click on the album "St. Paddy's Day".

SkyWatch Friday - Just Hang'in Out in Australia

On my 2nd home exchange to Australia in May 2009 I joined up with the Bushwalkers Club and took a hike through the Australian Rainforest.  Above our heads I could hear this crazy screeching and asked "What kind of bird is that?"

"Look up, Debbie.  Way up in the tops of the trees, towards the sky", someone said to me.  Holy smoly.....bats!!!  This picture doesn't do these guys justice.  They were HUGE!!!

How many bats do you see?

Keep looking towards the sky, you never know what you might see.  And if you like looking up, make sure and stop by "SkyWatch Friday" and see what else is "Up".



Watery Wednesday - Hiking in Washington

I don't remember exactly where this waterfall is.....just that this is what I came across when taking a little hike while on a home exchange on the Hood Canal in Washington back in 2007.

Be sure and check out some other great photos over at "Watery Wednesday".

 

Washington State on Dwellable



Skywatch Friday - Lost in France

Had we not gone this way to our home exchange in Provence back in January 2009, I wouldn't be showing you these pictures today.

Were we really lost?

Or, just taking the scenic route?

Click here to read the story.  Then you decide!

This is my contribution to "Skywatch Friday"  Please be sure to check out others!

Adeus, Ferragudo

The village of Ferragudo

It's hard to believe that our second home exchange to Ferragudo came to an end on February 3, 2011.

We arrived on the Algarve coast December 28 for our part of our second home exchange with Alice and Sergio.  This time they spent just about 5 months in my home in Las Vegas, and we spent just over 1 month in their home.

Home exchanging has lead to some amazing experiences in travel that I probably otherwise would not of been able to have.  And this exchange was no exception!

I hope you enjoyed following me while I explored the Algarve, with it's white washed buildings glistening in the sun.  The traditional Portugese food, the amazing coast lines and historic towns, big and small.

I wonder where my next home exchange will take me???

Visiting Lisbon - Tower Belém

There is plenty to see in Lisbon, the capitol of Portugal.  So while visiting earlier this month we tried to take in as much as possible of the old merging with the new during the few days that we spent exploring the city.

I think it would be best to do a few posts about some of my favorite sites during our visit rather then try and lump everything into one post.

So on that note, I want to start with the Tower Belém on the River Tagus.  Also known as Tower of St. Vincent, the tower was built in the 16th century on a basalt island located close to the right bank of the Tagus.

In time, with the construction of new, more modern and more effective defences, the Tower of Belém lost its role as defender of the entrance of the River Tagus.


As centuries passed, new functions were given to the tower. It was a customs control point, a telegraph station and even a lighthouse.

It also served as a political prison, its storerooms transformed into dungeons, since the time when Philip II of Spain became king of Portugal (1580) and during periods of political unrest. Finally, in 1983 UNESCO classified it as a World Heritage Site.
 
UNESCO says...


Belem Tower was declared a World Heritage monument because:

"It is a reminder of the great maritime discoveries that laid the foundations of the modern world."

If you would like to see more pictures of this fascinating castle just click "Where's Debbie" and then click on the album "Tower Belem"

Silves

We enjoyed Silves so much on our first visit to Portugal back in February 2010 that we have come back  twice now since we have returned to the Algarve this past December.

What is the appeal?  How about the dark red of mighty castle walls that loom over the city and the surrounding countryside.

This being the first thing you see while entering Silves peaks ones curiosity to see more.

Driving over the Arade River it seems as if you've stepped back in time, yet there is an appeal of where past merges with present.

As an example, we drive over a newer bridge that is only a few yards from a bridge dating back to the Medieval period, until only a few years ago it was this structure that connected Silves to the coast.

I have so much to share with you about this great spot in the Algarve, but in this post I am going to focus on the biggest castle in the Algarve and the most beautiful military monument to the Islamic period in Portugal.  The imposing Moorish "Castle of Silves"

 

It has its origins in the ramparts built around the town during the Moorish occupation, probably on the site of late Roman or Visagothic fortifications (4th /5th centuries).

Its eleven towers, two of which are barbicans - joined to the ramparts by a supporting arch that holds up the walk way - and thick walls enclose an area of approximately 39,370 feet.

Twice during the 1700’s the Algarve was rocked by heavy earthquakes which seriously damaged the castle. The first time was in 1722 and the second time was 1755. It was not until the start of the Second World War in 1940, which Portugal played no part in that the castle was restored.

The double entrance is the gateway defended by two towers and the opening of the `traitors' gate in the north facing walls still remains. Four of the towers have gothic doorways, vaulted halls and stones bearing the marks of medieval masons.

Inside the castles walls, nothing remains of the original Moorish buildings.

For only 2 euros per person, it is the ideal space for enjoying a trip into the Portuguese past and for appreciating the fabulous view over the city, countryside and the River Arade below, from what is surely the most beautiful vantage point in Silves. Having been classified as a national monument since 1910, Silves Castle is today the largest, most important and best conserved castle in the Algarve.

If you would like to see more pictures of this interesting castle just click on "Where's Debbie" and then on the album "Silves Castle"

Alcalar Megalithic Monuments

While driving around the other day just north of Alvor we came across a sign that peaked my curiosity.

The little picture on this sign reminded me of "The Portal Tomb" I saw while visiting Ireland in 2003



Portal Tomb at Burren in County Clare Ireland 

So you see by the picture above, I thought for sure we would be seeing something very similiar.....NOT!

Apparently, in the third millennium BC, the focal point of the land stretching from the north of the Alvor inlet to the foot of the Mochique hills was a huge settlement located at the end of the once navigable Torre river.

Other small settlements grew up around this central location and megalithic funeral temples were gradually built on the surrounding low slopes.

Well this all still sounded very interesting, so we made our way to the Reception and Study Centre for the Monuments.  The price was right at 2 euros each to be able to walk among the funeral temples!  We started up the trail and came across the first temple.

You know I would have gone inside if I could, but the opening was very, very small

The picture below shows you the inside

We were able to take a peek inside from the top of the monument

Just ahead of us we can see another monument and walk over to take a look

Oh, there's that Portal Tomb similarity

Well that was it.....yep two monuments.  Average cost 2 euros per monument for two people.  It seems though that according to the brochure I picked up they actually list a total of 17 in the area.  So we drove around looking for more with no success.

If you are into this sort of thing, I mean really into it, then go ahead and check these ancient burial monuments out.  Otherwise, I would suggest enjoying the beautiful beaches and quaint villages of the Algarve.

There are a few more pictures to see by clicking "Where's Debbie" and then click on the album "Alcalar"

Exploring Ponta da Piedade

Yesterday was the perfect sunny day in the Algarve to drive about 16 miles to the west of Ferragudo and explore the cliffs at Ponta da Piedade.

 Ponda da Piedade is one of the most beautiful natural points in the Algarve region in Portugal. And to top off all this beauty, there is a lighthouse!

Excited to see just what makes this one of the most beautiful spots on the Algarve, we set out on one of the many trails that lead to the cliffs.

For many centuries the water created beautiful rock formations towering 65 feet from the sea. 

And then we spotted a set of stairs.  Oh yes, you know I want to get a closer look, so down we go.

The view from hear was amazing and I just couldn't stop taking pictures. The bold colours of the strangely shaped rock is such a beautiful contrast with the crystal blue of the sea.

Well all this fresh ocean air has us looking for somewhere to have lunch.  We found the perfect spot just down the road with a wonderful view of the ocean and coastline.

And yes, this grilled sworfish smoothered in onions was as good as it looks!

There are many more pictures of this beautiful spot at "Where's Debbie".  Just clik on the album "Ponta da Piedade"