Spring 2017 Travel was necessary. Not only did we move to Seattle where we knew the winter would be an adjustment, but the rain was the worst (best?) on record! As I write this Spring 2017 Travel Diary post, it is a month after our return and we have had more than 45 inches of rain this weather year. That is too much rain!
We had a brief trip to Cabo del San Jose in January when Mitch began to sense there may be some fallout from the weather, but it was a stop-gap until the real trip. I had expressed a desire to go to Lisbon, and we both wanted to go back to Madrid. Adding in San Sebastian and Bilbao seemed like a perfect trip.
For this trip I made the plane arrangements and Mitch made the hotel arrangements. We both worked really hard to be ready to relax and enjoy our Spring 2017 travels without needing to check in too much with our regular life. Mitch uses Guidebook which is an app that allows you to use the maps offline. He can consult it as we Metro around each city. We used an iPad Mini which is a better size than a phone for map work. I have no sense of direction, and although I have traveled without him and can do it if I need to, it is a job I am always happy I get to pass off. We used the underground wherever it was available, and did a lot of walking.
This trip was a real pleasure, and for the first time I felt my skills with my iPhone camera made taking photos worthwhile. I am going to post most of my photos here because that is where we look at them these days—on our devices. For the words about our trip there is a Travel Diary Spring 2017 that you can download. There are some photos there that didn’t make it here.
Travel is such a great way to rejuvenate and to get your head clear. If you have been thinking about a trip, here’s a nice nudge. Not only do you have the anticipation of your trip, but you will also have wonderful memories to carry forward.
Spring 2017 Travel: Leaving Seattle
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March 27 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) Leaving Sea-Tac on a rainy afternoon; 2) making me glad I’m leaving; 3) no one cuts up fruit like I do! and 4) how I get to see the sky when I’m flying is awesome.
Spring 2017 Travel: Lisbon
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March 28 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) a hotel at dusk; 2) our beverages at Targine Bar; 3) blossoms in the street light; and 4) cool side walk tiles.
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March 29 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) Tiles from the museum; 2) textile (glare on glass); 3) quintessential Lisbon building; 4) gloves at Ulisses.
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March 30 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) Funicular in Lisbon with view; 2) Notice the shape of the funicular cab; 3) combined buildings old and new above river; 4) Fado guitarists: one is a fado guitar and the other a regular guitar.
Lisbon Links:
- Tagide Bar
- Park Museums: Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian Museums
- Museu Do Fado
- Ulisses (gloves)
- Mini Bar Teatro
- Largo do Carmo
Spring 2017 Travel: San Sebastian & Bilbao
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March 31 & April 1 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) San Sebastian Library; 2) tiles on the building across from our hotel; 3) concrete, glass & steel sculpture at San Telmo Museo; 4) Church spire at night (Mitch may have taken this one).
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April 2 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) Pouring rain on the Guggenheim in Bilbao; 2) Loved this bridge finish; 3) to give you an idea of the scale of the Richard Serra sculpture; 4) and the height the funicular climbed.
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April 3 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) Post in the wall along the promenade showing artistic erosion; 2) practicing my distance photos. The sea seems to be winning; 3) view from San Sebastian; 4) our artistic mess on the tablecloth at Narru.
Links for San Sebastian & Bilbao
Spring 2017 Travel: Madrid
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April 4 & 5 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) German Impressionist I hadn’t heard of; 2) Loved this moody sky; 3) Interesting piece–I thought of it as the book club; 4) and this one as the Fashion Ladies.
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April 7 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) Corner of a large painting by Simonet in 1892; 2) Sorolla portrait of a friend–I loved the red! 3) Very impressionist view of lake in Retiro part; 4) More training on taking a good photo, this is a street near the Prado.
Links for Madrid
- Museo Sorolla
- Thyssen Museum
- Paradis Madrid
- Reine Sofia Museum
- Caixa Forum Madrid
- Julian de Tolosa (the website is totally outdated and you cannot actually make reservations using it)
- Bistronomika
- Museo del Traje
- Thai Garden 2112
- Prado Museum
- Angelita Restaurant
- Al Trapo
- La Antoinita
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April 8 & 9 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) The Polish-Mexican Bistro in Shepherd’s Market; 2) French bistro near the Textile & Fashion Museum in London; 3) two gallery patrons who took the Selfie concept to heart; 4) enjoying a beautiful warm day in London’s Sloane Square.
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April 10 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: Tate Britain. 1) I didn’t record all the artists. Just loved the red; 2) John Singer Sargeant; 3) landscape; 4) Arthur Dove who was a mentor to Georgia O’Keefe (and I think too often overlooked).
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April 10 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: More from the Tate Britain. 1) Small Monet from turn of the century; 2) appealing abstract; 3) Cubist screen; 4) stunning portrait by a young artist of another.
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April 10 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: I was fascinated by the preparation for a new room of artwork. 1) peeking through an open door; 2) the process; 3) includes propping art; 4) waiting for the curtain at Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.
Links for London
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April 10 Photos from Top Left, clockwise: 1) The Upper Class Lounge, Virgin Atlantic; 2) I looked up and saw these contrails; 3) the next amazing view was Greenland; 4) and then, Mount Rainier.
Decided you want the download? Use this link: Travel Diary Spring 2017.
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