Obrigado!

I love Lisbon! I had such a wonderful time there this weekend that I can't wait to go back one day! Stacey and I were continually blown away by the beauty of the city, the people, the food, everything. We saw all the major sites in the city, but we were still left wanting more time to go on some excursions outside the city. We both joked about how we want to go on our honeymoons in Portugal, but it was just so amazing!

I had no idea that Lisbon was another city of 7 hills, and I'm kind of glad I didn't know that until I got there. It may have deterred me if I had known just how hilly it is. We're talking steep inclines all over the place, and when the sidewalks are all mosaic tile and the roads cobblestone, that can be a little treacherous. But our years of walking up and down the hill at Tufts made us strong travelers, and we walked all over the city. I think Europe in general has encouraged me to walk long distances, because I always want to see a lot and experience a lot, and walking around is one of the best ways to do that. I can't wait to put pictures up here so you can see just how beautiful it was.

Lisbon was a good bookend to my travels here in Barcelona. It was beautiful, fun, and new. When I was riding the bus to the airport today, I started feeling a little nostalgic about my time here. I can't believe I'm going home in less than 2 weeks. When I had the flu and everything, I was really ready to go home, and while I am still excited to go home, I can feel that part of me is starting to dig in its heels. I am going to miss that constant sense of movement, something new lurking around every corner, another place to explore every weekend, or every weekday for that matter. I am travel weary, but I am still itching to go to the next new place. I've already planned at least 2 future European vacations. And to other places as well. I will miss being thrown into a new country with my backpack and travel guide and figuring out how to get to my hostel in a country where I can't speak the language. The excitement of that is addictive, that adrenaline rush of not knowing where you are and eventually the triumph of getting there. I knew this experience would fly by, and I've tried to savor every moment, but I can only feel that it is all slowly slipping out of my fingers into my memories. But what amazing memories they are!

I got home this evening and took a shower, did some laundry, put up pictures on Facebook, and had some dinner. Then I took to the dining room table with Gaby and Tina for some hardcore homework time. I did all my research for Gypsies and finished my parts of my Spanish paper. All this work is just silly, really. I'm excited for that part to be over! Tomorrow starts my last week of school abroad, and as a junior in college. In two weeks I'll be a senior again---when did THAT happen?

Besos