I’m one week into my spring trip and things are going great. Things seem a bit slow in restaurants, and I saw a poster that claimed the Portuguese are eating 10 percent more chicken and 10 percent less beef. But both Lisbon and Madrid seem to have spent all the money they borrowed well, as the cities seem more people-friendly and enjoyable than ever. My Lisbon guide, who recently returned from a trip to the States, mentioned how striking it was to see “so many old Americans still working” — and agreed that Europeans have it pretty good, even though they now have to work a little longer before retirement.
As usual, April in Iberia is chilly and a bit wet. While I was in line to rent a bike, the women in front of me decided not to rent one because it was starting to rain. Knowing April is known here as the “month of a thousand rains,” I rented the bike anyway, and within minutes the rain had stopped and the sun struggled to peek out. All day long the weather flip-flops.
Marveling at how exhilarating I found the little quirky cultural differences in Lisbon, my Portuguese guide recalled the highlights of her visit to America (when she came to our guides’ summit last winter): seeing skyscrapers, riding in a yellow school bus we’d hired for a city tour (she knew our school buses from so many American TV shows), and buying an actual baseball glove.
Brazilians are not the favorite clients of Portuguese guides. The Portuguese get lots of tourists from Brazil and have plenty of connections with their former colony. They are gearing up for lots of Brazil, as that country will host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. Most of the Brazilians with enough money to vacation in Portugal are the higher-class elites, and they live with lots of servants. Because Brazil is a “culture of servitude,” guides here find that Brazilians treat them like “the help.”
Upon arrival in Madrid, when I pulled out my old mobile phone to buy a Spanish SIM card, the lady in the shop commented on its age by saying, “That’s from before the war” (that is, it’s old as the hills — it’s a reference used by older Spaniards who recall their Civil War).
To stay up on the news while in Europe I no longer need the International Herald Tribune — long the traveler’s best newspaper. Instead I enjoy a few minutes every day in the hotel with my iPhone functioning as an iPad (in airplane mode with the Wi-Fi on to avoid any costs) and listen to headlines and my choice of Morning Edition and All Things Considered stories with my wonderful NPR app — just as I do at home.
I find that more and more I’m enjoying YouTube video clips while on the road to bring my sightseeing to life. In Madrid the main square, Puerta del Sol, is jammed on New Year’s Eve. In Lisbon’s salty Alfama district, there’s an insane bike race from the castle down through the steep Alfama streets to the riverfront. In Switzerland I reviewed other people’s videos of the Via Ferrata near Mürren, after my near heart attack experience inching across that same cliff. And in Pamplona I enjoyed seeing lots of bulls run.
But the only place to see photos of the poor matador who took the bullfighting equivalent of a left hook to the chin is the bullfighting bar on Madrid’s Plaza Mayor. (He survived…but I bet his mother made him promise to stay out of the ring after that.)
Incredible photo. Is that real?
Yikes! That photo.
During our tour a couple went to a bullfight in Madrid and were appalled at the gore. As for the economy, I believe Portugal and Greece might both have to withdraw from the EU so they can go back to their original currencies to get out from under economic malaise. There is probably a better than 50 percent chance of bankruptcy by both countries within 10 years and Spain is not far behind. Portugal’s manyana mentality is not all bad, however, and materialistic, stressed, driven Americans could take a lesson.
For their sake, hopefully the economies will improve for the European countries having the most financial difficulites. For the sake of American travelers, it sounds like Portugal (and probably many other EU contries) will be even more expensive than last year — the dollar continues to be the weakling in the Dollar/Euro exchange rate, and from last week’s RS blog entry, Portuguese restaurants and other businesses face higher taxes and expenses. We’ll have to cut back on our other spending to accumulate more $$ for our next trip!
That is one gruesome photo (both animal and man). Did you have to?
I think that’s Julio Aparicio Diaz, who actually returned to bullfighting in Pontevedra on August 1, 2010, ten weeks after the accident.
Completely over the top creepy photo. Not even close to promoting a family quality tour company. Shame on you.
I agree with Ronda. I think that horrific photo is completely inappropriate for this type of a website and business. Even news sites, like BBC, Al Jazeera, CNN, and NY Times, warn viewers that they’re about to see an especially disturbing photo. Bad judgment.
I think the posting of the photo is fantastic, it shows how brutal that blood sport is. The whole purpose of that sport is to kill an animal for no good reason. I always cheer for the Bull.
Delighted with the photo, it just a shame the ‘poor matador’ survived as I am guessing the bull did not.
Bull fighting for sport makes me sick to the stomach.
I’m a long-time fan of Rick Steve’s travel videos and blog but I’m shocked that he would have this horrific photo on his website of animal cruelty. It’s very sad when someone you admire disappoints you.
I’m all in favor of educating the public about how cruel bull-fighting can be for both animals and humans. I’m just saying that this Web site is the wrong place for such a disturbing photo and I think there should be a “Warning: graphic image” sign on top of the thumbnail image and then you can chose to click on it to look at the bigger image or not. That’s what news sites typically do.
RS people say they are monitoring inappropriate posts. well they missed RS photo of the matador
I’m always disappointed to see so many posters display their lack of respect for our freedom of speech.
They don’t understand that everyone has a subject that they are uncomfortable with…but if everyone got their way on their subject…then added all together…the entire breadth of our freedoms would vanish.
Right on, Gunther!!!
Personally I think the problem is that not enough people see real violence and its consequences. That’s a horrible injury for the matador but he’s a professional who knew the risks.
I’ve been to Las Ventas in Madrid and have seen the bullfights live. You know what? If it’s not your cup of tea, c’est la vie…