As an unofficial member of the Portuñol track, I felt it necessary to visit Portugal to complete my understanding of the Spanish language and culture. We had a few days between the end of our time in Argentina and the beginning of our classes in Spain, so a few of us decided to head to Lisbon, Portugal for a few days. We spent three days there and I have to admit that I’ve fallen in love with Portugal. I’m convinced that I’ve found a hidden gem and I've added Lisbon to my list of favorite cities of the world.
Flying into Lisbon gives you a good sense of what you have awaiting you in Portugal. The first thing you notice is the enormous number of white buildings and an even larger number of buildings with red-tile roofs. Once I got into the city I quickly starting making mental comparisons with San Francisco. The city is full of steep hills and winding roads. Lisbon is set against a back drop of beautiful hills and a dark blue ocean which carries a refreshingly cool breeze through the city.
I loved wandering the narrow cobblestone streets as we soaked up the sounds, smells, and music of Lisboa. We caught ourselves standing outside a tiny little restaurant tucked between the narrow streets of a quaint and seemingly ancient little neighborhood. Inside two men lifted the spirits of a dozen people with a guitar and a beautiful voice echoing the sounds of a romantic language. Nearby, two men sat on a small bench, echoing the words of the singer as they played their air guitars, they had had one too many drinks, but it made for an enjoyable and unforgettable night.
We also visited a number of the major historical sites of Lisbon and its surrounding area. We enjoyed eating (a few too many) Pasteis de Belem, a famous pastry in Lisbon. On our last day, we rented a car and experienced a short, but exciting road-trip. We drove out to three small historical towns on the outskirts of the city: Estoril, Cascais and Sintra. Two first two are beach towns which once boasted having Portuguese kings bath in their waters. Sintra is tucked into the forested hills outside of Lisbon and is the host to one of the most impressive palaces in Europe, the Palace of Pena. It was clearly influenced by the Moors, who ruled the Iberian Peninsula for several centuries. We also visited Cabo de Roca, the most western point of Europe, "where the land ends and the water begins."
Despite not being a Spanish speaking country, I felt that this short trip to Portugal, the sister country of Spain, helped me better understand the Iberian Peninsula, Spain, and the relations between the two countries that share this large peninsula.
It’s hard to believe that the first month of our Summer Immersion has come to an end. From the glaciers of Patagonia, to the waterfalls of Iguazu, Argentina has been amazing. Two weeks ago we all flew to Mendoza on one of the few Lauder sponsored (paid for) trips during the immersion. It is a beautiful city nestled high in the Andes. We spent a day at the base of Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Western and Southern hemispheres. We were fortunate enough to get hit by a large snow storm, so our day’s activities included making a snow ball or two. We then spent a day visiting some wineries. As a non-wine drinker, I know very little about wine. Despite this, I found the visits very enjoyable as I learned more about the challenges and opportunities that wineries face globally and in Argentina.
The following weekend, my wife came out to visit, which was a blast. We spent a long weekend visiting Colonia (Uruguay) and Iguazu Falls (Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay). We also spent a few days in Buenos Aires visiting the sites, taking Tango lessons, and shopping. My time with her was definitely one of the highlights of my time in Argentina.
Having come from a family that loves Argentina (my father and two of my brothers have lived in Argentina at different times), I had a lot of preconceptions of what Argentina was like and I thoroughly enjoyed finally getting to spend some time there to develop my own understanding of the country. It is true that Argentine beef is among the best in the world, although I also discovered it to be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to get a steak cooked medium-rare. The beauty and diversity of the country is remarkable with arctic oceans, glacial lakes, dense jungles, and arid altiplanos. The European influence in Argentina is undeniable, from the beautiful architectural design of the city, to the ethnic traits of Argentines themselves. They are proud to call themselves Europeans, wait I mean South Americans (or maybe a little bit of both). I’ve loved my time in Argentina and feel like I’m taking a little piece of it with me as I leave.
