| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Nocturnal
Joined: 26 May 2004
Posts: 81
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
|
 Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 2:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| dizzyweasel wrote: | | albinoni 2 wrote: | Italy is better than Spain  |
i agree, i had a MUCH better time in italy! |
And Portugal is better than both okay, so maybe not...but it is my country, godamnit!! Heh.
Anyway....back to the topic. One of the most beautiful place I have ever been to was the Basque Country, in Spain. For those of you that have been to Spain, I strongly recommend you visit the Basque Country. It will show you a whole different Spain (and many would argue it is not even Spain...I am somewhat inclined to agree, but not have enough info to make any clear statement). For those that have any interest in Linguistics, it is the home of one of the most illusive language ever: The Basque, whose origins no one quite seems to know how to trace.
As for the the country itself, it is heaven of shade, forests and sea. The city of Donostia (aka San Sebastian) may be one of nicest places in the whole peninsula. It is by the sea, on a sheltered bay that embraces some very green small islands that can be visited. On the arms of the bay, there are two big hills. Within one of them there are labyrinthic ruins of a castle, and several flights to stairs mingled with the grass. It is a great place for one to lose one's self.
It is not a very hot place, in fact, it snows in the winter time. The smooth beach is thus covered with a serene blanket of snow, something that is quite beautiful.
Another great place to visit in Spain is Santiago de Compostela. The cathedral leaves one speechless, for its sheer size and monumental achievement. It is basically medieval, but one could swear there was some barroque influence on its façade. In front of it, you can find mimes and other quaint characters. Also, it is the City of the Witches. You can find little Witch figures in every shop you enter, and the traditional ones are simply great.
And the fjords in Norway are something not to be missed. I wish I had seen them in the Winter time, but I will, eventually. Bergen is adorable, although it is Norway's second largest city, it has the spirit of a small village, with all the wooden houses painted in bright colours. In the summer time there are several Grieg-related festivals.
As for the fjords themselves...they are magnificent. Great wide sloping mountains on both sides on a wide green strip of water. What amazed me most was how much sky there was...when the clouds cover the sky, which happens quite often, the whole landscape becomes surreal. Here and there, you can find villages clustered on the faces of the mountains, some seeming to be clinging for dear life.
I truly loved it.
I wasn't too sure if I should include the island of Madeira in this topic, since it is more like home to me than a travel destination, but I will nonetheless. It may be my favourite place in the world...my family has lived there for five centuries and I am ashamed to admit I have only been there twice.
Madeira is in the Atlantic Ocean, a bit south of Portugal. 2 thirds of its surface are covered by a national park that harbours some of the last Mediterranean Forests. It is a hilly place, mountains sliding down to meet the sea. In the summer, there are flowers everywhere, so many that we sell them to Amsterdam, the Flower Capital. There are natural sea-swimming pools and peaks shrouded in mist all year long. The highest of these peaks is almost lunar in its appeareance, but it overlooks folds and folds of green slope. In another peak, you can stand and look around yourself and see sea in every direction, since it is not a very big island.
It is a a different Portugal than the continental one. The language has suffered some severe changes over the centuries.
Oddly enough, there are no riveres, just snaking streams and wells.
There is a great cliff, looking down you see the sea down below and colourful ribbons of sand that are actually little farms that can only be reached via boat.
And a white waterfall, that when the wind sweeps it, looks like a Bridal veil and is thus called by the folk.
One day I may come to live there...
_________________
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," - that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.
-John Keats |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dizzyweasel
Joined: 25 May 2004
Posts: 1387
Location: Canada
|
| Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 10:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
ooh, that all sounds so beautiful...i really wish i could be anywhere else right now. i'm getting awfully tired of looking out my window at steel mills and traffic.
i missed santiago when i went to spain - which was disappointing, because one of my favourite canadian artists really went on about it, and even themed one of her albums around it.
_________________
mmm...cruelty |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
scrabblesquirrel
Joined: 27 May 2004
Posts: 500
Location: Canada
|
| Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 1:31 am Post subject: |
|
|
Wow Nocturnal all those places sound heavenly. I'd love to be able to one day see more of Europe.
weasel which artist was that?
_________________
Be all that you can be in the Gummy Army! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dizzyweasel
Joined: 25 May 2004
Posts: 1387
Location: Canada
|
| Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 1:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
loreena mckennitt
_________________
mmm...cruelty |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You can post new topics in this forum
You can reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB 2.0.8 © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
Search
Register