The Window Seat 14F

I'm up early to catch my Continental Flight to Newark this morning. I'm totally bummed I'm headed home as my adventures are coming to a close, but totally stoked about all the good times. I'm thinking back to the first day of my trip, and remember that awesome moment on the plane when the little boy in the row in front of me hurled all over the place...that was yummy! I'm just hoping I don't get anywhere near kids on the flight. As we board the plane I am in the isle seat next to this old portugese couple...DANG! This is going to be a looooong flight home, especially since they don't speak English. I notice the row in front of me is completely empty, and so I've got this plan to steal the window seat ASAP. This guy gets on the plane, and kinda has the same idea about the empty seat, so he takes the isle, and I lean around to ask if I can take the window seat. He was totally cool with it, then a few minutes later we get kicked out by some late peeps...doh! This blows....I'm back with the grumpy old couple. Then the heavens open up, angels are singing...the guy who took the isle seat has found an empty row and the window seat 14F is open...AWESOME! Even more awesome...check out my row mate for 7 hours!

HOT! Check out those lips...Stacey here's my Paris and the Eiffel Tower blog. So my new friend Paulo is from Lisbon, speaks four different languages, and is a black belt in something =) Something like engineering, and he works for BMW. We totally have a great time kicking it and chatting. These international flights have games programed in your little television screen. Paulo decided to come on over to 14E and play some checkers. After we tie, he tells me to close my eyes........and......you'll have to call me to get the rest.

So after lunch we both started collecting and designing this cheesy trash collage. I know the flight attendant was so stoked to grab this while coming through the isles.
After our flight Paulo wanted to take me to dinner, so we hung out at this random steakhouse in the Newark airport with three hours to burn. Can I get your number baby....hit me with the 7 digits!

HOT....way better than my little Lebanese Lover Stacey...don't you think!
Needless to say, I think that was the shortest international flight I have ever had in my entire life! Thanks Paulo! I'm home y'all....I'd love to hear from you....and hear about your cool holiday adventures. You're cool for taking this cool ride with me to Portugal. Even cooler cause you are just you!

AZ

If only we could all be Irish

It's my last day in the Algarve, and today we are trying to wrap up any last minute purchases before I board the plane to Lisbon this afternoon. After we left the house today we stumbled across this very cool street fair....there were quite a few antique stands. Check out this cool chandelier. I'm rolling my clothes really tight to see if I can make room.

Cork is the number one export in Portugal. This dude had a bunch of pieces left over, and he didn't want to waste them...hense the birth of the cork guitar.

Too much down time.......

Totally too much down time! This guy on the end did not want his picture taken. I think he forgot to trim his nose hairs. My guy is the one with the cane...hot! I love their old man hats.

The poinsettas have been planted for the holiday season...

Here we have a little pastry cart on the street fair.....give you a little tip.."Don't waste any time trying to figure out which one you want...they all pretty much taste like Eggs."

Especially these bad boys. People walk around eating these like we would cotton candy. My aunt loved it so much it was in the trash after two bites. Pretty in the picture though....

Blair this picture is for you...it reminds me of all the times you have driven to the airport to watch the planes. These statues are in the roundabout at the Faro airport....this means I am getting sad to leave.

Until I meet my little Irish lova! I ran into these plastered Irish men in the Airport. We had a cool hang, talked about ther furniture throwing over the balcony adventures last night, and what their favorite drink was over the weekend...their answer..."UHHHHHH...I don't remember what I drank." If only we could all be Irish...there's a few things I wouldn't mind not remembering.
This guy is trying to figure out how he got here this afternoon. It's a little fuzzy...

This kid on the floor is like 14 I swear...well maybe not that young, but the rooky! He's looking for some drugs to cope with his headache...

Another rainy day, but a gorgeous flight...later Loule!

Dining alone..=(

Maybe you can tell me how this is supposed to work dad. This was right outside my door, and I have to admit I was stumped for a minute....

Just where am I supposed to be going?

I've been watching CNN all night. Looks like people in Portugal care about Hillary Clinton and Obama...I'm American and I don't care about Clinton and Obama...whoops did I say that out loud.

Late y'all,

AZ

Grub and Scum!

It's Sunday and I am bomb tired! I have stayed up until 2am talking with my aunt, and we are up again at the crack getting ready to travel into Faro. We are shooting to be there around 9am because she is playing for a children's program at her church. The kids were awesome! One of the boys sang so loud he outsung every other kid in the choir. I think the choir had about 10 kids. One kid had his fly open the whole time, standing for the world to see. You kinda notice those things when everyone is speaking another language and you have nothing to do but notice the things you should not be noticing. My peronal favorite was the little girl who refused to sing the whole time and just stared at you...still staring, still staring!

The weather is still bad, we are hoping to get out and see some sites after we go home to feed the missionaries in Loule. As i'm driving with my aunt she talks about how tired she is and how she would like to not have to do dishes..I don't know how it ends up this way, but some how she bets me that I can't get the boys to do the dishes. Me....she dared to bet me! =)

Check out those boys in aprons baby! They look suited up, ready to Disco! I'm helping them clean out the drain because they have already got their "clog" on....no disposal in this place. He just wants me to take this picture, so he can show his mom he actually works! =0) I don't know if he actually knows how to use that scrubber. But he sure looks good holding it.

"Dang, girl...I know I look good!"

Is dis what they do in da "United States"....with zees feengers like dis? Rodriguez is from Portugal...this is when he thinks he's getting out of apron mode!

Watch out...she's got the towel flick comin' on. One time my mom told my dad "If you ever flick me with a towel we're done!" I'm glad he never tried, I probaby wouldn't be here flicking my towel. I working up to a good welt, or cut maybe.

I don't think he's ever seen a women flick a towel like that! I've never seen a man enjoy his apron so much either.

Uh oh......who broke the sink? This is awesome, you ask the men to do some scrubbin',

you leave 'em alone for 5 min, and they're taking the kitchen sink apart.

Yum, yum...look at that scum! I walked by this pile and gagged, it smelt like overflowing sewage and cheese! Today was my aunts lucky day! Not only did she get a free dish wash, she got a free sink repair. Question is....how many dudes did it take to fix a sink? This one was the brave...I have no idea why chop sticks are the item of choise for this repair, whatever gets it done I guess.

Man, don't you just want to take your tongue and lick that bad boy! GAAAAG

Really a job isn't quite done, until a man is bleeding!

"Ahh...little fungus puts hair on your chest!" Yah so does herpes!

After half a load of dishes, a fixed sink, and an hour of time out the door I figured I'd jump in and stop torturing these guys. I'm giving them a hard time, but they were really good sports. It was a lot of pots and pans! Next time you bet me though just make sure you have a lot of extra stuff that needs to get done, like a lawn mowed, or maybe emptying an andygump, picking up dog poop perhaps. I mean come on...make it challenging!

Sorry no sites today, just as these cool guys got suited up to leave, the rain started to pour down. Looks like movie night tonight! AZ

If I ever get married......

.......this is the hairstyle I should have! I mean this really says it all...yup...just me, and some hair gel = marital bliss! Take a moment to click on this picture and enlarge...then sit back and enjoy the splendor!
I took that shot after walking into a photography shop, where my aunt was looking to blow up some photos...this picture was poster size times 2. I had to take the picture before the owners got mad that I was stealing a photo, of a photo!

Now check this out...i'm at the mall, and you would think most women in this country would be more concerned about personal toiletries when using the restroom..you know, like your standard tampon/pad. Not these women...who cares if you are bleeding all over yourself...are your teeth clean? 2 Euros for a tooth brush and paste. I was looking for the dispensor for dental floss. I kinda wanted to get a kit and start brushing my teeth slowly while looking at the 20 women crammed in line waiting for a toilet to use...slow back and forth brushing, and then occupy the sink for 10 min, just spitting really loudly!

Today is a rainy day. We had a couple great days in the Algarve, but good things must die sometimes, so they can come back. The clouds get incredibly black and pour down for about 10 min and then clear up. All buildings in Loule are yellow.....kidding.

Check out these clouds...pretty awesome next to the white buildings. We are at the Farmers market here in Loule. I know everywhere in the world has some kind of farmers market. It's fascinating to see what the locals buy and sell...

Americans use plastic tarps, and the Portugeuse use fabric tarps...a bit romantic don't you think?

Stacey Keysor...this shot is for you. I tried to get the full shot of the bootay, but I was like 3 feet away and he turned around just as I was trying to get the full moon. Oh well...it was the thought that counts. Our shot in Paris of 15 officers still rocks this one!

I promised a better shot of the fountain in town...here you have it. I filled my water bottle up each day as I walked by....good thing I packed Imodium!The Algarve is known for their fish. This section of the farmers market was huge! It wrapped around most of the building, and they sold everything from fresh Salmon, to shrimp, and crab, and lots of sardines.Here is a big piece of that Bacaluau I was telling you about that smells like salty dog! I'm assumming the stamp on that is like our Grade A stamp on meat! =) In the last few days I have learned this is a very popular fish of the Algarve. In our counrty this fish would be known as Cod Fish. Just like the french who boast they have a different cheese for every day of the year, these locals boast a different dish made with Cod for every day of the year. I don't know how you season salted dog differently every day of the year, but cool.

I love local men and women of the areas I visit. This is probably my favorite part of traveling and staying with people who live here. My aunt buys oil, and nuts, and olives from this little ol' couple. When we come by to purchase our goods, she has a cute little embrace, and a grab of the hand to show you around her little stand. When most people give you just a cup of olives she gives you massive heapings and just an extra little for some love. All is done with maybe 2 or 3 words, as both don't really understand each other. It's amazing how well we can communicate without really saying anything. The affection is beautiful and mutual. I bought tupperware to bring olives home for a taste with friends who love olives...any guesses how long they will last?

Black is also worn by this couple out of respect for a loved one who has passed on, and is a religious tradition...they will wear black for one year. They should come shopping in my closet!

Besides your standard fruits, veggies, and fish, the locals sell a lot of almonds (grown in the algarve), almond liquor, figs stuffed with almonds, olive oil, fruit cakes, and honey. You can't see it below, but each stand was filled with the same stash.

More smelly dog!

Shelly this picture is for you....I only wish I had the ability to get her story! This is a classic get up for the older women in this area. They also wear aprons that button over the front, a bit smock like.

The gentlemans club! MJB eat your heart out...there were so many old men just hanging out on the streets of Loule, you just need a hat and you're in!

Even though this area has a ton of nuts, I never once found Pecans....huhhhhhh!

This is what I call "Whole Foods" on Crack. There were piles and piles of olives you can try.

This gorgeous building surrounds the farmers market. The sun decided to smile when I took the shot.

So did she! I thought this girl was adorable. She is an old neighbor of my aunts we ran into on the streets. She is from Brazil. Portugal has a large amount of Brazilians...makes sense. It's like going from California to Texas, though I don't really think they speak the same language in the south. =)

This man rules! Check out this mad instrument, and cool hat! I even dig the cool Portugal Rooster lining his accordian case. He's not messing around with this microphone attached to the front of the grill! Ajay maybe I should ask what kind of mic. he's using for the studio!

He doesn't know...but i'm sneaking in to give him a kiss.....actually i'm just trying to unplug the amp and run like a bandit.

"Hey...who turned my sound off?"

The gypsie fair was a bit like a big fat swap meet rolled up in dust. A bit more rustic we will call it!

This couple from Ecuador buys from their family and sells/trades here. Very talented musicians and super humble/sweet people. They go to church with my aunt on Sundays.

Ooooh, look at all the pretty colors! I want one of those, and one of those...and one of those...

Clouds are comin' in! We gotta jam before we get slammed with water.

See you all tomorrow.....we're going home for round 4 on that pumpkin pie! I think i'm turning orange! AZ