Happiness is.....

Being married 10 years!

Happy Anniversary Greg!

I love you!

Thank you for:
- your love
- the support
- your guideance
- your patience
- all the laughs
- the countless memories
- your tenderness
- your excellent "step father" role
- your knowledge
- your acceptance

I hope we can embrace each other for at least another 50!
Hugs and kisses,
VW

Catching Up

My life has quickly gotten back to reality since our vacation.

This past weekend was no exception - we continue to party like rock stars on the weekends.

Friday night my girlfriend Renee took me out to a yummy dinner at the Texas Roadhouse for my birthday. Thank you funny girl!

Saturday: We embarked for a full-day of wine tasting with Monica and Peanut to the Russian River area. We didn't quite get to explore Alexander Valley or Dry Creek but we did visit De Loche, Iron Horse and one other (I forgot the name). It is a beautiful valley (I actually like it better than Napa). We continued our scenic adventure along the ocean to almost Jenner. We stopped at Timber Cove Lodge for a cocktail. It was a beautiful day - sunny, fresh, and bright. We finished our tour with dinner at Negri's - a place I frequented on family trips to the coast. This is a family style Italian restaurant that holds great memories; and even then some. Thank you Peanut for your excellent driving skills and informational sight-seeing day.

Sunday: Yes - another birthday! I turned the years to 47! We celebrated with Monica/Peanut and hit a Giant's game (Monica's first). It was 75 degrees in San Francisco - I think it was a record. It was a gorgeous day, a sold out game, and great fun. We ended the day at a BBQ that Matt hosted. Tons of fun, cigars, stories, bonfire, and laughs. (Matt's birthday is June 28 so we typically celebrate together.) Betty and Barney: Thanks for making my birthday weekend tremendous fun! You two rock (it's fitting since you come from Bedrock). Next year we should celebrate in costume! (Photos to post later today.)

Happy trails.
V

Granada / Cordoba / Madrid

(Will post photos at the end of the day; also will expand on my commentary later)
Day 12: June 16, 2010
We did a side trip today from Malaga and visited Granada. This town hosts Alhambra - a fortified city. This fortress covered many acres of botanical gardens, a place and Alcobazar. The palace was the highlight with walls made of sculptured stone.

Day 13: June 17, 2010
Took a stroll through the city park in Malaga (right outside our timeshare complex - Benal Beach Resort). It was very inviting with rabbits, peacocks, roosters, swans, turtles and many locals enjoying the peace and quiet. All parks seems to be very well maintained - very refreshing.

Spent the day lounging at the beach (Mediterranean Sea - not too warm). It's customary to go topless but I didn't feel like burning my nips. This seemed to be our only true day of rest. We soaked in the sun, watched the passer-bys, and dipped our toes into the cold water. For $9 you can rent a spot with two lounge chairs and a umbrella oceanside - so very relaxing. The beach was extremely clean and the big tourist season was due to hit in 2 weeks. So glad we beat the crowds.

Day 14: June 18, 2010
Another day trip from Malaga to Ronda. What a quaint little town! It was recommended by some people we chatted with in Granada. Great recommendation! This city hosts a bullring and an amazing bridge.

Day 15: June 19, 2010
Upon leaving Malaga, we drove to Cordoba. We delighted in visiting the mosque/cathedral (all in one). It has a tremendous arabic influence and was spectacular.

Enjoyed the Madrid Hilton; with only 40 rooms occupied, we had a master suite and soaked in the peace and quiet (along with a jetted bubble bath).

Day 16: June 20, 2010
With this being our only full day in Madrid, we hopped on board the double-decker bus and toured the city. Loved seeing the sights and hopped off a few times for walks and pictures.
Visited the Plaza Mayor; interesting area with locals selling/trading stamps, bottle caps, bottle labels, coins, and pins. It was bustling with collectors. Visited the "indoor farmers market" displaying fresh seafood, fruit, breads, wines, appetizers, flowers, pasteries, and potato chips. We had to sample some of the goods and enjoyed lunch at the market.

Our highlight was going to the bullfights - all along our trip I wanted to go to bullfights; we seemed to miss it by a day here and there. So very lucky we witnessed one on our last day of our vacation. It was an interesting event. I had seen a bullfight in Mexico but this was the real deal. The costumes are so lavish - each matador owns 6 and they range from $3 - $4K. The ceremony had 6 fights altogether. Loved the pomp and circumstance.

Day 17: June 21, 2010
After driving 2,816 miles during our visit, it was happy trails to us - it was time to leave Spain! We were dreading the long flight home (to Dallas it was 10 hours and then to S.F. another 4).

We thoroughly enjoyed this cultural awakening. It was a eye-opener; Europe has so many beautiful things to offer. I have a little piece tucked away in my back pocket. I am blessed to have taken such a memorable trip amounting to tons of memories, photos, and lessons.
V

Seville / Malaga

Day 11: June 15, 2010
Seville offered the Seville Cathedral - the largest gothic church in Europe; the total surface area of the building is 23,500 square metres. The streets leading to the Cathedral seemed like a maze; all streets were simply the width of our vehicle.

The perimeter of the Cathedral was sectioned off as they were filing a high speed chase scene for an upcoming movie; felt like we were at Universal Studios.

The Alcazar is in the same square as the Cathedral. We toured this monument which featured a very large outdoor garden with fountains, peacocks, and beautiful landscaping.

We arrived in Malage late this evening and were very happy to find our timeshare and a good dinner.

Sintra / Seville

Palace of Pena

A pit-stop on our hike to the castle

Day 10: June 14, 2010

After leaving Lisbon, we made our way to Sintra. This was a very quaint town featuring castles, monuments and palaces.

We took a tour of the Castillo de Muro (a Moorish Castle with breathtaking views overlooking Sintra and giving views onto the Palace of Pena). The nature hike to the Castillo was spectacular leading you to the monumentus castle with all its towers and countless steps.

We truly enjoyed the Palcio Pena - a four colored castle. The Park and the Palace of Pena are the finest examples of nineteenth century Portuguese Romanticism and the integration of natural and built heritage. They constitute the most important part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra's World Heritage site.

Lisbon

Rossi, looking towards Convento do Carmo

Elevador de Santa Justa

A friendly visitor

Day 9: June 13, 2010 (Last day in Lisbon)

We toured the downtown on the double-decker bus - I love this open bus!

Unfortunately there was so much debris in the streets from the parade last night that the buses could not pass until 1:00 p.m. Is that the sign of one good party or what?!

We visited the local artisan shops to purchase some unique take-home items. I am always amazed at people's talents. Wish I was half that creative and artistic.

Enjoyed a great lunch in Alfama at the Rio Courdo (a place that was recommended to us by the owner of one of the artisan shops). This little restaurant was bustling - it's the kind of place where the tables are literally one feet apart. Business was booming!

We had the luxury of riding the Elevador de Santa Justa (one of the city's most eccentric structures). This elevator whisks you up 32m for a great view over the city.

Feeling like we were back home, we rode the tram (similar to a cable car) down to the main plaza.

For some down time, we relaxed at the Club Lounge of the Sheraton where are the cocktails and appetizers were free until 11:00 p.m. Greg thoroughly enjoyed 3 hours of vino sampling while I checked email.

Lisbon

Anyone up for BBQ'd sardines?

Party spirits

Lavish costumes for the St. Anthony parade

Getting ready for the festivities in Alfama

View from Castello S. Jorge




Mosterio dos Jeronimos




Torre de Belem




Our Golden Gate away from home (in Lisbon)

Day 8: June 12, 2010
Today was a full day of discovery in Lisbon. It was St. Anthony day; a day of celebration for the town. A day that anyone can get married for free.

We took the double-decker bus for a tour of the city. Our first stop was the Torre De Belem. From this tower we could see a bridge that reminded us of the Golden Gate Bridge; it was actually built by the same architect.

Across the way was the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos; unfortunately this structure was closed due to the Portuguese President being in town for the festivities of St. Anthony. The structure was heavily guarded with roof top police and many police surrounding the building.

We also enjoyed a self-guided tour of the Castelo S. Jorge. This provided great views of the city; a panoramic view. We spent 2 hours wandering the structure of the Castle.

Having worked up an appetite, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe; a little taste of the states. We enjoyed watching the World Cup Soccer as we munched on our juicy burgers.

We continued our bus tour to Alfama. This interesting part of town was preparing for the festivities of the night; lining the street with food vendors (we shared our first chorizo sandwich fresh out of the open flamed fire), selling candles, flowers, plants, bbq'd sardines (the aroma was a bit overpowering), lots and lots of beer, and many different types of cuisine. The festival is an all night bash which includes a 4-hour parade encompassing many colorful costumes and props. Each section of Lisbon is represented. Hundreds of spectators lined the streets for the big show.

After walking about 15 miles and filling the entire day with fun, we walked back to our hotel with sore feel and aching backs. It was a great day of adventure!
V
Photos to follow

Lisbon

Charming beach town of Nazare

The Atlantic Coast in the town of Nazare

I love these little cars and am on a quest to find the smallest one

Inside alter at the Igreja de Santissima Trindade

Basilica do Santuario

Day 7: (June 11, 2010)
Departed Porto for our drive to Lisbon (3 hours). In route we were able to take in some amazing sights.

In Coimbra we visited the University which gave great views of the town. This was recommended by my brother Marc.

We continued our drive to Fatima which we witnessed the most amazing basilica - one which holds one million people - I was in awe! We also visited the Church of the Trinity that holds 9,000 people - beautiful sight. Both on the same square. This was one of the highlights of my trip.

We continued to Nazare (home of my friend Alex and her family). This charming beach town offered an elevator to the top of the hill which opened up to amazing views of the ocean and the town. This quaint town had many beach front shops and restaurants. It was a beautiful sunny day and perfect for a walk along the beach. So glad Alex gave us the helpful hint.

We finished our day arriving at the Sheraton in Lisbon. Our room is on the 21st floor, again with amazing sights of the town. This is a gorgeous hotel with all the amenities including a panoramic restaurant on the 24th floor.

We ate dinner at a local restaurant (O Campos) - very traditional. Started our meal with a dish of whole shrimp - Greg was kind enough to peel all. I had a tomatoe salad - simply a bowl of cut tomatoes with onions and a vinegrette dressing. My main meal was veal with fresh french fried potatoes. Greg enjoyed grouper. I finished the meal with a fresh bowl of cherries.

We have found that there are hardly ANY overweight people in Spain. There are no fast food restaurants (with the exception of a McDonalds in each town). Everyone walks to their destinations and you find the streets filled with pedestrians. Everyone is properly dressed - especially the older generation - always wearing dresses and the men in slacks or suits. It is so refreshing not seeing the "baggy pants", halter tops, and sleezy dress code. I have also enjoyed the silence of no cell phones ringing.
We have experienced a great time thus far and will tour start our tour of Lisbon on June 12.
Cannot upload pictures yet of the above - will try to do that tonight. Having trouble connecting to the internet in our room.
V

Portugal

Inside the tasting room of Fonseca Porto Winery

Using the self timer, Greg and I wanted to be sure to capture this memorable time in the Portugal Douro Region

As well as terraced vineyards, they also have terraced roadways

I truly enjoyed this day in the Portuguese vineyards

Tour boat headed to the Town of Pinhao

The Douro Region (on the way to Quinta do Panascal)

Day 6: (June 10, 2010)












Today was a holiday in Portugal but that did not hold us back.












We had our delicious breakfast in our Palace Hotel and then headed for Quinta do Panascal (Fonseca Porto) - a winery and port house in the Douro region.












This region was spectacular with its hundreds of acres of terraced vineyards that are tended to by hand. At the Fonseca Porto Winery we were able to take a self-guided audio tour through the vineyards. It was a very unique experience. It was so peaceful to be in the actual vineyards learning the land and the grape process. We were the only visitors at the time so the experience was exceptionally special. Greg tasted more port wines and we enjoyed our lunch at the winery (proscuitto sandwiches with cambert, fruit and chocolate). The tour and tasting was free - something we are not used to.












After spending 2.5 hrs. touring the vineyards and taking in the incredible sights, we finished our visit and headed for Sandeman Port House in the Quinta do Seixo. They had a very sophisicated tour and a beautiful tasting room. Here Greg sampled 7 ports -- all different styles and flavors. He enjoyed talking with the port specialist and learning new details about Port wines. This winery had a spectacular view of the Douro Region.












We spent the entire day in the Port Region of Portugal and enjoyed every minute.












We finished our day taking a tour of the local mall and having dinner.
After this long day, we enjoyed a sauna at our hotel and settled in for the night. Looking forward to our day tomorrow when we head for Lisbon.












Happy trails,
V












P.S. Hi Betty - you and Barney are truly missed and I know you would truly savor the sights of this beautiful country.

Headed for Portugal

Enjoying a visit to Taylors (famous Portuguese Port House)

Palacio do Freixo (our hotel)

IP4 Highway to Portugal

Aboard the double-decker bus.

Day 4: (June 8, 2010)

Unfortunately our alarm wasn't set properly and we failed to get up at 7:00 a.m.; instead it was 10:45 a.m. This gave us a late start as we left Vitoria, Spain and headed for our drive to Portugal. On our way we stopped at Braganca and visited an old castle.

As we crossed the border into Portugual the rains began.

After our 7 hour drive, we arrive at our hotel (Palacio de Freixo) - an old palace from the 18th century that has been converted into a hotel. This establishment is right on the Douro River. The hotel is amazing! We do feel like we arrived at a Palace with attendants arriving at our car with umbrellas to help us with our luggage. Our room is a suite (living room, bedroom and bathroom). We are in luxury! It's a gorgeous hotel and we are enjoying the ammenities (heated indoor pool, outdoor pool, sauna, spa, lounge, live music). Our first dinner consisted of: smoked swordfish appetizer, traditional Portuguese fish soup, a salad consisting of cod on a bed of garbanzo beans with red onions, and my main entree was pasta with shrimp in a olive oil coating with a few leaves of basil. It was quite tasty! Dessert was a buffet consisting of Portuguese traditional pasteries, mousse, fresh fruit, cheeses, and a good Port.

We ended our day at 12:45 a.m.

Day 5: (June 9, 2010)


Today we were successful with our alarm and awoke at 7:30 a.m. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast in our Palace consisting of fresh croissants, breads, coldcuts, cheeses, cereals, fresh fruit, yogart, and expresso.

We began our day at the Mall to purchase a jacket for Greg - it was quite cold and we were expecting more rain.

After getting situated, we headed to the historical part of town where we visit the San Francisco Cathedral. After our one-hour tour, we purchased tickets for the double-decker bus giving us a tour of the city and most of its historical landmarks. This 2-hr. tour found its way to the Port district. We enjoyed visiting Croft and Taylors (two famous port houses in Portugal). Greg truly enjoyed the samples and cellar tours. It was interesting hearing the history behind the port. The port houses are located in the Gaia district where the caves are truly caves into the hillside.

After Greg's many samplings, we headed by foot on a lengthy walk to board the Douro-acim which guided us through a 45-minute river ride showing us the 6 bridges on the Douro River. It was a relaxing journey.

We once again hit the streets in search of a good restaurant. We ended up at Calhambeque. I started with a vegetable soup and my main meal was chicken fillets covered in cheese, rice, fresh french fries, and a small salad. It was delicious considering we hadn't eaten since 8:00 a.m.

We continued our trek by foot back to the parking stall where our car awaited us. We made one more pit stop to the grocery store for some sweets.

We were very pleased to arrive at our Palace after a long day of exploration.

Tomorrow is a new day.
V

Espana

Our decent into Bermeo

Museo Guggenheim (in Bilbao)

Day 1: (June 5, 2010)

Our flight from Dallas to Madrid was 4,958 miles. We arrived in Madrid at 10:20 a.m. and rented a car (a Volvo) which took us to our first destination of Avila.

In Avila we visited the cathedral and the Avila City Walls.

We drove from Avila to Segovia where we would rest for the night.

In this town, we visited the gotic cathedral and the Roman aqueduct. Both amazing sights! We even visited the fort of Alcazar.

We soon discovered that the locals don't eat dinner until starting at 8:00 p.m. We finally found a little eatier and my first meal was port fillets, fried eggs, fries and salad. Although it sounds odd, it was quite delicious.

The sun finally set at 10:05 p.m.

We settled in at Hotel Las Sirenas. It was a very small room with two single beds; the mattresses were pretty stiff. The locals partied in the streets until 4:00 a.m. which made for a rocky nights sleep. We woke up at 3:00 a.m. for one hour and then resumed sleep from 4 - 9:00 a.m. I felt well rested in the end.

Our first day in Spain was a success.

(Photos to follow).

Day 2: (June 6, 2010)

Our departure from Segovia started at 10:00 a.m. but it took us one hour to find our way outside the city.

We headed for a very scenic country drive to Burgos where we stopped for lunch. We keep forgetting that all merchants are closed between 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (which really limits locations for meals -- unfortunately, we ended up having to eat at McDonald's).

We headed to Vitoria (our home for the next 2 nights where we lodged at the NH Chanciller Ayala). When parking the car, I backed into a pole - no major damage just a bit of paint removal. We settled into the hotel and then headed to San Sebastian - our quaint city by the sea. We walked along the ocean to the Constitution Plaza (which was an old bull fighting ring) stopping for a Coke Light. We have found that the plazas are full of families (kids playing soccer, tag, and pretend tennis; sometimes there is live music). Locals seem to gather in the plazas for cocktails every night around 7 - 8:00 p.m. We visited Iglesia de San Vicente (open to the public and free for viewing).

This district had many restaurants that serve Tapas - we were not brave enough to try these delicacies and were not quite sure how the "system" works. We ended up eating at a local pub. My dish was a large salad filled with onions, zucchini, goats cheese, eggplant, seasame seeds, tomatoes and served with walm balsamic vinegrette dressing. My main entree was green pasta in cream sauce topped with one slice of bacon. The meal was very good.

We made the one hour drive back to Vitoria and arrived at our hotel at 11:30 p.m. Unfortunately, I could not fall asleep (I blame it to jet lag) and probably didn't fall asleep until 4:00 a.m.; this was not good; I ended up waking up at 12:30 p.m.; needless to say, I was quite upset with myself.

(Photos to follow.)

Day 3: (June 7, 2010)

Leaving our hotel at 1:00 p.m., we headed to Bilbao -the home of the Museo Guggenheim; unfortunately the museum is closed on Mondays so we took some time to take photos of the amazing structure which is made of titanium. We continued our voyage by foot into town where we purchased a bagette, some salami, and proschiutto and made our own lunch (again, all eateries were closed). We unfortunately received a parking ticket during our stay (a 12 Euro penalty which we probably will never have to pay.)

After lunch we continued our journey to Bakio and Bermeo (both villages along the water). The drive was very wooded, green, and scenic. It reminded us a lot of Tuscany.

As the day grew long, we headed back to Bilbao for dinner but could not find the restaurant we wanted to frequent so ended up having a slice of pizza to feed our hungry.
We wrapped up the day arriving at our hotel at 10:45 p.m.

So far, we have enjoyed this beautiful country and don't miss the hectic pace of the U.S.; no cell phones ringing, all citizens having good manners, no traffic on the roads, peaceful days of sunshine and very unique sights to visit).

Tomorrow we are headed to Porto, Portugal. We are going to try to visit some wine regions along the way.

Good night. (For some strange reason, the system is only letting me upload one photo - I will try again tomorrow - it's already midnight here). Adios!

Life is a Bowl of Cherries

and the joy of packing for a mystery trip!

Tomorrow I embark on my 10 year anniversary trip to the unknown. Greg has planned a fun, romantic and exciting getaway for us to celebrate our unity of marriage - can't believe it's already been 10 years.

I have packed my luggage, loaded my camera with fresh batteries, and cleared my mind of all hectic schedules, appointments, and deadlines.

For the next 18 days, I will:

• Breathe in
• Lose track of time
• Take in some culture
• Overuse my camera
• Leave my watch at home
• Not answer any phone calls
• Eat some delicious cuisine
• Sleep in
• Stay up late
• Clear my mind
• Enjoy precious time with my husband (one-on-one)
• Be thankful
• Not turn on the T.V.

I promise to return with a full update. If I have time, I might actually update my blog with some travel stories and photos. Stay tuned!

Happy trails!

V

P.S.: Betty: Keep a journal -- I don't want to miss any juicy life details of a day in your life. You will be missed!

4 Years

May 22, 2010

Class of 2010

Mandy's graduates from Chico State!!!

We joined the festivities in Chico (a charming town I might add). It was a grand celebration at the football field with 10,000 spectators plus all the graduates.

After the congratulations, we headed to Christian Michaels for a gourmet lunch (highly recommended).

So hard to believe 4 years have passed!

We are so very proud of her accomplishments!!

She started her internship with Target yesterday (June 1). Hopefully there is a bright executive future in the horizon!

We love you Mandy and can't wait for your successes!
Bear hugs,

Mom