I being tired from work today was a lot of work went into the steemit and i see that i have a payment of $ 30 which pleasant surprise i had. i was very excited and i'm posting my second post. Sincerely thank you to those who liked my first post and who read it. Thank you very much.
This time we ventured with some farther Kilometres than we usually wont to do, to tell the truth were the total of 5,850 kilometers, roundtrip.
We are in the winter and here in Italy had just snow. We think of several possibilities and places and then decided to escape the snow to be somewhat risky on the roads and cold as winter is just starting here. We chose to get to Portugal through the French and Spanish coasts.
The winter landscape is different from what we normally see in the photos scattered around the internet, birds, mountains with flowers and trees laden with leaves. The landscape in the cold is dry, have oscillations of light that can dazzle with fog and last a short time, usually 17h already dark and when they are already think 20h 23h be! The feeling of leaving a very cold to cold but still higher temperature is sensational! It seems that you find above water in the desert! Leaving the negative degree and find 14 degrees above zero is almost feel in full Bahia (Brazil) at the carnival! We love not need to put layers of shirts under the heavy mesh and parka goose feather can stay in the wardrobe of the hotel!
Entrance Hotel in Nimes
Another hot thing in the period we choose to travel, after Christmas until the day of the Kings taking advantage of the free days of our son in school-was to find all the places still decorated with Christmas motif. Lights everywhere, it was a delight to wait for the dark and admire palaces and streets decorated with hundreds of flasher so many forms and unusual colors!
Toledo - lit streets
Avignon - typical of the region Stalls
I know many friends who were amazed to have caught the car to this distant trip and even with the presence of two kids: a 4-year and the other 20 months. But travel and adventure is part of my nature and luckily my husband has the same passion to know and explore the unknown, then we ended without finding major problems we take the kids with us, and between us, the little adapt quickly as well as to tan the ride and when they return to home station still smarter than were already before leaving!
Toy Museum - Sintra
I advise to all to experience new adventures, risk, with clear safety and have the opportunity to get to know the many books have taught us and showed for years. Of course, if the trip is of extreme sports there and feel the emotion in the skin! For now to us what motivates us to leave home is to know other cultures, languages and history.
Nimes - France
As planned
In the week before our trip my husband got so excited that started planning all the places to visit and the path we should make of car. Used Google Maps to help and for each stop had printed a map with mileage, the cost of tolls and gasoline. It was amazing the accuracy of it in relation to the values!
"Tolls - In Spain virtually there were no tolls!
Our experience
There were 10 days of travel. Usually we spent 6 to 8 hours a day traveling in the car. But take into consideration that we saw spectacular scenery and of course, we stopped to feed us and go to the bathroom. I do not remember having been impatient in the car. Children played sang slept and only on the back is that my oldest son was anxious to get home: counting the hours to play video games lol.
Quick stop for a snack!
Upon reaching the intended destination we would look for a hotel. Yes, I left home with no reservation and was the best thing we did! We would find a good hotel, car descended to inform about price and if there was room availably and were deciding whether or not to!
Anteroom
Bedroom - Hotel Cascais
Toledo
Best Western - Nimes
Zaragoza - Spain
Many hotels we stayed we note that is not included breakfast in the morning and potatoes, the price the share was at least 12 euros a person. It was worth leaving without coffee in the morning and stop at the first bar (which could be French, Spanish or Portuguese! Bad weather had not!) That the total for the 4 would cost around 12 euros, including coffee with milk, chocolate, croissant, juice and toast. Okay, right ?! There were some hotels also not included parking but in return almost next to the hotel had a free and closed parking! One night in France, we paid 10 euros in a closed parking .all worth and not get out of the provisions of our spending .
After we establish ourselves at the hotel we decided if we were having a relaxing bath all to leave after or if we went out the way we were in the back we take a bath before bed. We could lose a lot of time remember that dark early in winter! We took into consideration the fatigue the body sweat and obviously the state of mind of children (hunger stomachache ..).
We returned to the hotel around 23h and the next day we would wake up between 5:30 or 7:30 am, depending on the distance of the next place to visit.
And the kids?
They would wake up serenely, took milk (bought 2 boxes before leaving to ensure that comfort to them still in the room), I was wearing and the 5 minutes after entering the car slept for 2 to 3 hours, so we stopped for lunch in the morning.
And so it was.
During the ride in the car they joked, teased, my oldest son taught several new words to the younger, shouting "YESSSS" and the other replied "Nooooo" in the form of play, listened to music and sang, slept quite well and , the elder warned when he was hungry or want to go to the bathroom.
In walks the youngest did not want to be in the cart and older than two years does not use cart was tantrum wanting to use it, so depending on where we were (in the midst of busy avenues or in a shopping center) we allowed the exchange therebetween.
Of course with my 4 year old son dialogue exists and everything gets simpler. The youngest of 2 years of age is very busy and do not want to know sit still, so is all stressful time to admire a sculpture or monument.
In all this, we dialogue between adults, to exchange ideas, sleep together (sleep ?!) and enjoy all our meals!
My point of view
I found it very enriching for my 4 year old son to see closely the different languages and play with Portuguese, French and Spanish children! He every day understand better about the continents and their countries. See him returning to school and counting the "teacher" where he was, what he saw and felt, filled me with satisfaction! I hope to give my children the opportunity to get to know so much beauty around the world! And, so take them with us only adds and not hinder.
The experience in the age of the children is that very little not let you visit a museum or church with that inspiration, that total surrender; Unless you have a quiet child and focus away with own toys, which is not my case since my girl has been very strong, more than the older brother!
As for the trip itself the conclusion is that it was a wonderful experience, but it is possible to run many kilometers with confidence and spending needed, simply plan. Depending on the time of year the hotel has availability without reservation what I thought it was great because we had not to come to town and stay looking for the address of this hotel. In free felt!
About food and drink!
I'm not good fork, unfortunately I am boring to eat so do not get to be a point of reference in relation to safe food. I based on the best source, my husband, an Italian who knows "mangiare molto bene" I say that our experience was very satisfactory and only in France, perhaps difficulty in language, we get the impression that the French have very different customs of our . But I am convinced that we had not so and no time to really know the dishes, at least basic, the French.
One day in Nimes, we ordered a quiche and endure the smell that reeked of it, was probably made from egg with some very fatty meat. I chose the dish thinking it was stuffed with cheese, but cheese there not found! Now a good salty or sweet crepe conquer any international taste! Without forgetting the various types of cheese, croissant and the famous coffee at the round tables in front of the French bar, the glamor!
Spain saw churros everywhere. They were years that I did not eat and took a chance try it. Hmm! After the first bite understand why in all stalls churros had rows and rows of people! There are big fat churros and there a little and skinny, usually sell half a dozen of them in a small package around 4 euros. Another curiosity that knew were not small sandwiches filled with cheese, ham, chicken or egg, "Bocadillos".
The famous "tapas" with a good red wine to accompany can not miss in the list when you visit Spain! The dish "paella", according to my husband, was a delight accompanied by Sangria which are some types of alcoholic drinks mixed with the fruit, good indeed!
In Burgos we ask a simple toast but we were amazed at the size of it and how it was done! For those who know the Italian bruschetta, look very much. It was a kind of Tuscan bread, the toughest of those, only one slice, and over the filling that was with: bell pepper slices, cooked onion, slices of meat and slice of brie cheese, a delight! Potato chips to track and went from there satisfied!
We had a lot of hunger was much that we forgot to take pictures of the "toast", but the place was that there!
Landscape in Burgos
In San Sebastian we ordered a pizza and was really tasty This pizzeria / Patisserie had a really cool initiative in addition to great service: to sit the children received at the same time a little box with 10 colored pencils for each and a large sheet for each one with drawings to paint. general joy of the parents! In the end even with cold outside Matteo was entitled to ice cream mint green to chocolate that he loves so much!
We eat We ate very well fish and meat in Portugal. Of course, the cod is the specialty of the Portuguese and not have to doubt the taste! When ordering a dish from the menu "rice with seafood" my husband asked if there was a possibility to change the rice for spaghetti and gently restaurant owner said yes but had never made such a dish. Upon reaching the plate immediately notice the difference with the Italian dish: spaghetti with seafood served almost came in the form of soup. I was very tasty and my husband was satisfied and the end explained the owner of the restaurant as usual the Italians realize this dish: spaghetti seafood garlic oil and a little pepper.
My husband and the restaurant owner
My children eat a simple fish fingers and was delicious, really are great cooks! Experience a liquor called Ginja of Obidos, it was served in all tacinha chocolate, which gave a special touch to prove this Portuguese delight!
My husband drinking liquor
Eating glass of chocolate, um ...
The impression of the places
Certainly know a country is much more than visit the capital, you need to enter the small villages as it is called in Portugal small towns, it must open to meet the people who live and enjoys the scenery and ancient structures, step on cobblestone floor and feel the sound of carts being pulled by horse in time of Napoleon; laugh and eat until evening hours of the night feel almost at home.
Portuguese coast
I felt romantic in Avignon and do not know how to explain why I believe that is the nature of the Provence region is so romanticized I wonder in spring those huge gardens with their orchids coloring the natural landscape in the daylight!
One of the surprises on this trip was a place that my husband took us to return home: Camargue. Let me explain: This place is known by many horses, also nominated for "Horses Camargue" and many of them are wild, bred freely in the pasture, run freely along the beaches, movie thing! We arrived the day was still clearing, was around 7 in the morning when we start sees them! 90 percent were white and were not high horses, should measure about 1.40cm, robust, always in herds feeding or walking. It was really exciting.
In the same area, in the city of Arles, it was interesting to walk through the ancient streets by car, were true Straits labyrinths, almost uninhabited! It was spectacular what my eyes could see these days!
Lisbon was electric to and fro between a museum and a compulsively stop at the top neighborhood. I chose the tranquility of Sintra and Cascais! I was charmed with all the Portuguese coast, with the architecture and not just its blue tiles but all his people! The Portuguese are wonderful people, simple, educated, open, cheerful, kind, station far from the aggressiveness of the conquerors who invaded our Brazil!
I loved the new cities that met in Spain as Zaragoza and Leon. But back to San Sebastian and Burgos after 18 years filled me with satisfaction! If I could live in San Sebastian is mix of culture modernity and beach! Toledo took me away to the times of the walls history and I could see it from point to point certainly I will return more often!
And the most awaited moment: A special meeting!
When we started planning our trip the first thing that came to mind was a great friend of childhood, for years not see ourselves and our contact, even by internet, greatly diminishes in the last 7 years. Luciana was my friend since the age of 4. We lost contact. But these days, on facebook, read a message that went something like this: that when there is a true friendship, you could spend months, years without seeing the person but when reunited is as if they had seen the day before! And so even though I felt!
The goal "end" of our trip was to go to Arouca, visit my childhood friend! I do not know how to describe such emotion! Log in again in your life, this time I with my children, she with her children, we with our husbands "imported", hehe, was awesome! Speaking of husbands, it was very funny that there by late our husbands already had made intensive course of Italian and Portuguese with each other! Nothing like a good lambrusco and port wine to take the embarrassment of different cultures and languages!
We were welcomed, my 4 year old son was a close friend of the eldest son of my friend of 15 years! And his 12 year old daughter took over all the time playing with my girl! And what to speak of tiny just 6 months! A doll!
we toasted by past terms the turn of the year together but we slept, ate and laughed and talked as if we were still in our neighboring country! I met some relatives of her and felt one of them meshing so we had and all so natural. The next day the plans were to leave early, but with so much warmth headed out after 11pm! It was annoying to leave, was so yummy! Thanks Lu, the doors will always be open for you guys, we do not see the time of a close encounter!
What took
I tried to take the possible minimum of luggage as we were going to stay in hotels several in a few days. My clothes and my husband in a averagely suitcase. Children's clothes in another suitcase small. A hand bag with change of clothes for children diapers water and biscuit for walking and an emergency during the trip in the car.
I recommend taking water bottles and children like mine who take a lot of milk, a liter of milk, I took 12 liters of milk in small containers of 500ml. That left some boxes on the return home. Best left over than missing!
The essential drugs: paracetamol, ibuprufene, thermometer, something for nausea, expectorant cough, vitamin C and lozenges for sore throat.
Chargers camera and mobile phones. A kit bag of hygiene with toothbrush, soap and tissues.
Where we were staying
There were a total of 7 hotels. Remember that when we booked through agency or the internet can often delude ourselves when the beauty and environment of space, while unreserved you have the possibility to visit the apartment and decide which hotel stay.
Here is the list and my opinion:
Avignon - Hotel Mercure - 4 stars - Excellent apartment, bathroom, breakfast and treatment of personal responsibly. Located near the historic city center. critical point: not linked parking and access stairs and through an amazing lift, mall parking impression treated badly.
Zarigoza - Hesperia Hotel - 3 stars - Excellent apartment, bathroom and staff. breakfast charged separately and parking but charged separately. "Exellent location.
Toledo - Hotel Maria Cristina - 3 stars - "Great apartment, structure and decoration old, good treatment of staff. Breakfast and parking not included. Located at the beginning of the city, to move you would use the car.
Cascais - Cidadela Hotel - 3 stars - Good, large apartment with an anteroom where a single bed was placed to my eldest son, our room, bathroom, closets and electric heater, unlike other hotels, but functioning. Excellent availability Responsibly staff, breakfast with various options and open parking in front of the hotel itself. A large terrace with a side view of a large pool. Certainly in the summer the level of occupation at this hotel must be high! Good location. critical point: very old bathroom, unkempt.
Leon - Husa Hoteles - 4 stars - "Great apartment, modern bathroom with shower and whirlpool. Breakfast and parking not included. very professional treatment of reception. Hotel located near the university and hospital, aspect of the hotel business. Critical point: Located completely out of the city center.
San Sebastian - NH Hotel - 4 stars - Good, modern apartment is located close to the sea and far from the city center, should leave by car to visit the city. Breakfast not included morning and parking surcharge but kindly offered us free.
Nimes - Best Western - 3 Stars - old and unkempt apartment, narrow double bed; Sofa bed for third and fourth person; small bathroom. On the outside a beautiful garden with a small swimming pool and playground. We expected more to be part of a great hotel chain. Breakfast at the hotel apart and free open parking. Located outside the city center.
