Comfort me with Cabernet

Ola from Portugal.
We arrived this afternoon to Faro, in the south of Portugal. We are staying with our third couchsurfer, Pedro, and Ela and I both agree that he is the best one yet. His apartment has an amazing view of the old city and the ocean, and he is sooo nice. He is studying spanish literature at the university and tonight he took us out for a birthday dinner for one of his friends. there were about 10-12 people there our age, eating and drinking out on a patio, on a tuesday. it was so amazing.
everyone in portugal seems really nice, friendly, and down to earth. I was very ready to leave spain. That being said, our hostel in Sevilla was amazing, and Sevilla was my most favorite city that we visited. It was highly romantic, warm atmosphere, horse-drawn carriages everywhere. Ela and I spent the four days going out for coffee dates, gelato dates (they had this one amazing place with mojito flavored gelato, it was delicious), and during the nights visiting flamenco bars with our hostel friends. It was such good times and counting everyone in our group we were in total about 15 people. At one point our group consisted of us two canadians, a USA couple, a girl from China who studied business at UBC, a girl from Holland, and two girls from Italy. How awesome is that?
Home in two weeks, and it will go by quickly.
Plan is Faro, Lagos, Pedro´s home town two hours north of Faro, Lisbon, Fatima, Porto, Miranda to visit Olympia, and the Madrid for flight home.

I am so bloody exhausted.
it´s like my system is jetlagged after Ibiza. When you stay up till 6-7 am a few days in a row, it really does take a couple to recover. we are leaving valencia tommorow and really have not seen much of anything, nor are we too concerned.
going out tonight to a flamenca dance, and then to a club? i think. I don´t know anymore, i don´t make decisions.
i went on the horse forums yesterday and i miss my horses like crazy. well, till later.

I made it to Valencia this afternoon by ferry. We ended up staying an extra night in Ibiza because we met a group of Polish people traveling from Holland. It was completely exhausting partying with them as they go till about 5-6 in the morning. But, i guess that is what you do in Ibiza. Ibiza City is beautiful, especially within the walls of the old cathedral. It is just breathtaking. Sant Antoni, the city across the island is flooded with British people and it was driving on mine and ela´s nerves. They flood the streets, especially at night. I am unsure of how they keep liquor stocked up to supply all of them to be honest. What was most sad to see was the amount of restaurants that advertised ¨full english breakfasts¨ and the amount of mini golf and amusement park rides. Don´t you come to Spain to experience spanish culture? evidently not.
anyway, we´ll see how valencia is tommorow. too tired to do anything today.

Oh Ibiza. How you have failed me with your swarms of british elite youth, half naked and fully drunk.

I LOVE SPAIN!
Mallorca is absolutely incredible. We are also staying with Ross, our first couchsurfing host. He is very nice, and has an amazing flat in the old part of Palma, the capital. I took photos of his place, it´s that nice. Tile floors with white walls and ceilings with beams. Very traditional spanish and his building is about 300 years old. Unreal.
Tommorow is Pacha in Ibiza. My life will be 1/3 complete after tommorow. hehe. Ela and I hiked today from the town of Daia to Soller on the north side of the island and took swimming breaks in between as the hike was right on the coast. the water here is surreal. crystal clear, light blue water, and you can be 20 feet above the ocean floor and still see the bottom. and the salt water is very bouyant and you can float quite easily with minimal effort. on the way back though we were stressed for time and today i enjoyed my first hitchhiking experience! a swedish man stopped for us and drove us to Soller. He was so nice and really we would have had to sleep outside had he not drove us to the bus station.
ibiza tommorow and then we are going to sail to formentera, the other little island and there we are planning on sleeping on the beach. ahh i cannot wait.
also received my official acceptance letter from the u of a, which means i can finally take a full 5 course load this year. which is exciting.
okay, talk soon.

Hello from Barcelona!
I finally have longer than five minutes on the computer.
Barcelona is AMAZING. It is everything you need. Palm Trees, warm climate, beautiful beaches, beautiful people, beautiful buildings. As it stands however, I am leaving for Mallorca tonight.
We have been staying with Ela's father's godson just outside Barcelona (suburb away) and they have been so amazing. proper meals, good sleep, and just generally excellent hospitality. But that is customary with polish people, they just want to make your stay as best as possible. and feed you. lot's.
I walked for 12 hours yesterday, and in ten days i've lost weight already from all this walking and lack of food. i really miss patio dining and that is the only downside of travelling with ela. she prefers to grab some buns etc. on the go than sit down and eat and drink. sigh. oh well.
till later.

I am sitting in a little library in the town of Cuenca, two hours south of Madrid. Population is about 45000 and the ¨old¨ part of the town is quite beautiful. they built houses right on top of the cliffs and the balconies literally sit on top of a gorge. quite a sight.
it is still hot as hell and i have been attempting hikes during the day but have quickly learned that it is neither enjoyable nor exercise when you risk heat stroke in plus 35.
missing home (and people) but everything is going so quickly!
europe is bloody expensive, but still doing well in retrospect. there is really nothing to save money on, i need to eat, and even that has been scarce.
leaving on the bus tommorow to go to barcelona, and there I will be a beach bum. chao.

Hola from Madrid!
old, european, crowded, hot. hot. hot. hot. hot.
you literally cannot be outside from noon to about 4 pm.
leaving to cuenca on monday, and then barcelona for the beaches.
spanish beer is quite good, especially served chilled.

"I find it rather easy to portray a businessman. Being bland, rather cruel and incompetent comes naturally to me." - John Cleese

Three fucking days.
Now the question of the day is, do I see David Guetta or Pete Tong? Decisions decisions. Both are ridiculously expensive (60 some odd dollars). One is at Pacha (the epitome of clubbing in Ibiza) and one is in Eden. Ela and I are also seeing Louie Vega with our new British friend Elisa on the Sunday (july 14) I've never heard of him but after some googling he is more soul, less bass, and more groove. Should be good and he is much cheaper than the aforementioned.

Went on a pubcrawl last night and I can safely say I filled my lifetime quota for Oil City. As well, private pubcrawl's are the way to go, and I had a wicked time. However being at work at 7 am the next day is never too much fun.
Working today till three. Going to go riding after, then maybe a trip to Walmart to get some last minute items (SPF, etc.) and then I work all day tommorow at YESS, Tuesday I work 8-4, and then pack pack pack! before I leave Wednesday morning. Adios Edmonton! ^_^