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Madrid

On our first evening in Madrid, we checked into the Westin Palace and strolled through the neighborhood, enjoying a nice dinner and a puppet show through one of the balconies.

The next morning, we got off to an early start and strolled through the Retiro Park, pond, kids park and Crystal Palace. Our next stop was the Prado. We particularly enjoyed the works of El Greco, who seemed to use the brilliance of colors to electrify his portraits and depictions. Then, the kids napped while we enjoyed a Thai lunch and then we walked to Plaza Mayor. We then enjoyed the bustling Mercado de San Miguel which boasted fresh seafood and cava delights.

After a long siesta back at the hotel room, the kids devoured Ayaan’s favorite corn soup and sweet and sour pork at a Chinese restaurant. We then enjoyed the pre-festivities for the pride parade, walked along Gran Via and then enjoyed a few glasses of rioja with some Gambas at a nice restaurant. One of the things in general that’s not great about Spain with our kids is that everything starts very late and most restaurants only open after 830pm which is their bedtime. We retreated back to the hotel in time for Ayaan to watch an encore of the puppet show at the balcony across the street.

On our last day in Madrid we decided to take the kids to Faunia, a Wild animal park 10 miles from our hotel in Madrid. We reached just before it opened at 1030am and spent half the day there. Ayaan and Ariana absolutely loved it! It was a really unique experience as they’ve done a fantastic job of imitating the natural habitats of the animals and birds including a rainforest, underground caves, jungles and cooler climates. Their favorites were the seal and sea lion show (very Sea world like), the penguins swimming, dinosaurs, and the little monkeys in the rainforest. It was a hot tiring day but the kids topped it off with an ice cream. After a siesta, we strolled to the Mercado San Anton in the cool Chueca neighborhood where we capped the night off with some Cava and tapas and another showing of the puppet show. Onto our last destination in Spain tomorrow – San Sebastián.

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A tale of two old cities: Alhambra and Toledo

On our second morning in Granada, we woke up early to join our tour of the Alhambra, a UNESCO heritage sight. It was a 3 hour tour and we were hopeful that the kids would cooperate. We had to check in the double stroller right in the beginning, so we knew a nap was not an option for them (also it was too early). We started in the Palacios Nazaríes which is the grand palace of the Alhambra or the “red one” with the famous Palace of the Lions. Alhambra was originally constructed with Islamic architecture in the 14th century and later modified and added to with the Renaissance architecture. It was unique in that it was a city and was finally conceded rather than won over to preserve the fine palace and fortress. The kids did pretty well and walked a lot of the tour, although we did have to carry them often and use our phones to the rescue (Peppa pig and steam train). Our last part of the tour took us through the Generalife or the summer gardens that were beautiful with fountains, flowers and stunning views of the Palace and the valley.

The next day we departed Granada after our breakfast, and drove 3.5 hours to the historic town of Toledo while the kids napped in the car. Toledo, that is 45 mins outside Madrid, is the original capital of Spain. It’s a small hilltop town that is famous for its Catholic, Jewish and Islamic architecture right next to each other. We had some paella for lunch and then visited the Monastery and the beautiful synagogue. We enjoyed Toledo as a stopover to Madrid since it was not very crowded, we found some great street parking and it was pretty relaxing. It was interesting seeing two of Spain’s most historical towns back to back with deep cultures and history.

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Granada: Love at first sight

After a relaxing few days in Marbella, we picked up Anjali from the airport and drove to Granada. Granada is special and you can tell as you drive in and see the town surrounded by the grand Sierra Nevada with snow top peaks. It reminded us of some of the incredible Arabic towns we’ve been to such as Zanzibar. We checked into Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula, Autograph Collection which was ideally located and smelt wonderful. With a large courtyard, it is a 14th century palace that takes you right back in history.

We were starving so we strolled into one of the neighborhood tapas bars that is a speciality here, and to further satiate our appetite ate some chicken shawarma that melted in our mouths. I absolutely love Islamic towns and this quickly became one of my favorites I’ve been too. Since we were tired we decided to just walk into the Cathedral next door. It was a stunning piece of architecture with tombs of the monarch from the time the Catholics won over Granada and Spain from the Moorish. We then strolled through the Alcaiceria or local historical market to another tapas bar. Ariana skipped her nap today so we decided to head back to our room where the kids did “horse-yyy” on daddy’s back before nighttime. Today Anjali put the kids to sleep, while I had the chance to grab some hookah and tea in the Islamic area at a square with a local musician. I was so fascinated that I decided to start strolling around and climbing my way up the cobblestone steps through local Islamic stores, tapas bars and hookah bars. Before I knew it I was atop the hill at Mirador de San Nicolas overlooking the grand Alhambra at sunset. There were musicians at every corner of my climb and of course at the square with the view. I decided to have a glass of vino tinto overlooking the Alhambra digesting it’s beauty against the snow mountains and the town. I was completely charmed already, only to return to the hotel to find live music in the courtyard that required me to get some dessert and a night cap. I am in love with this town and it was truly unexpected!

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My day with the kiddos

I spent 24 hours with Ayaan and Ariana alone in Marbella while Anjali flew to Frankfurt for the night with her parents. It was my first night with them alone outside our Sausalito home (luckily I do have plenty of experience single parenting with Anjali’s work travel!) and I was nervous. We decided to check into the Westin from the Airbnb since I felt it’ll be easier in a hotel to manage both of them. We were lucky enough to get a good rate and an upgrade to a huge suite, and also change our reservations in Granada and Madrid by a day without much hassle. My luck is never great when Anjali is traveling as Ariana woke up from her nap with a light fever.

I decided to take it chill and we spent most of the time in our room outside of going for a walk around the resort, pool and golf course with the goal of getting hot milk. The Westin is a beautiful property with great service and a fantastic hilltop view of the mountains, sea and the Marbella area.

So how did I entertain the kids? Ayaan and I first made coffee while Ariana napped. Ayaan of course took all of the sugar packets and cream and added to his cup of coffee (he did not drink it, but did manage to drop it on the couch!). Ayaan and I then ate an apple and a peach that the nice lady delivered to our room complimentary. Once Ariana woke up feeling better things got a little crazier. She ate her favorite popcorn while I cut Ayaan’s nails. And as a treat both of them got cookies that they gobbled down like monsters.

We had a nice dinner in the room with their favorite chicken nuggets, fries and fruit leftovers. And then things really got fun. Ayaan asked “Daddy can I please play with Ariana for some time?”. And he turned to Ariana and said “Ariana let’s play 5 little monkeys” and they both started singing and jumping on the bed! Once the kids were in bed, daddy finally got some free time to watch the England-Colombia game.

The kids slept really well and woke up late! We had a nice breakfast at the buffet where the kids had cereal, oatmeal, watermelon, orange juice and churros with chocolate strawberry sauce (as Ariana says “Mama not happy”). We then hit the kiddie pool and sang, danced and played with the ball in it. Now after our bath we’re off to pick up mama at Malaga airport and head to Granada!

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Luxury in Southern Spain

After breakfast, I picked up a Hertz rental car to drive to Marbella with Ayaan and Anjali’s parents’ bags, while Anjali drove the Peugeot with the rest of the gang. The 2 hour 45 mins drive from Seville to Marbella was winding and gorgeous across many mountains, lakes and changing landscapes. Both kids napped for almost the entire time and Ayaan woke up as we approached Marbella saying “Daddy this is so beautiful, it feels like Hawaii.” And it sure does with amazing weather, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and mountains.

We stayed in a lovely Airbnb in a complex near Puerto Banus with a resort style pool, a great restaurant and hookah! The guests were very nice and it was probably one of my best Airbnb experiences too date (I still prefer the comforts of a hotel to be honest). We spent the first evening dipping in the warm pool, eating some Lobster paella and watching the thrilling games between Argentina-France and Portugal-Uruguay. At night, I put the kids to bed while Anjali took her parents to a nice Indian meal. And for the second time on the trip, we headed out after dinner while MIL watched the kids. We walked down the buzzing Puerto Banus – a harbor with high-end yachts, open bars with people overflowing to the streets, house music and Ferraris everywhere. It was a fun night out after a while for just the two of us after the hectic month of June.

On our second day, we hit the pool again on another beautiful day after which we strolled Puerto Banus in the day and ate at the locally recommended Picasso pizzeria overlooking the sea and the yachts. The children and us were super excited to get some Chicken Tikka pizza!

After lunch I got to watch Spain lose among the locals which was quite an experience. Kids woke up late from their nap so we headed to the old town in Marbella for a stroll and dinner in the square. The old town reminded us of a Greek town, specifically Mykonos, with its tiled cobbled streets, roses everywhere and cathedrals. I ended the night smoking some double apple hookah and watching Croatia beat Denmark in penalties!

Our last day as a family in Marbella got to a relaxing start at the beach. The kids are finally at the age where they love the beach and can independently play with each other and their sand toys. One of my favorite parts about this journey is taking the time to observe Ayaan and Ariana interact without having to rush. Ayaan has become a real big brother fetching water for Ariana from the sea!

We ate lunch at our Airbnb and after putting the kids to sleep MIL took care of the kids while Anjali and I headed out to Nikki beach for some chill music and rose at the pool and beach. We ate dinner as a family at Tuk Tuk, an Asian fusion restaurant that was great.

Marbella and Puerto Banus have definitely been the highlight of the journey so far!

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Sevilla

We arrived in Sevilla in the early evening and walked to Plaza de Espana. Spain is Ayaan’s 15th country and Ariana’s 11th, and the second time for us. We caught a picture with a beautiful rainbow by the fountains and then took a horse carriage ride through the Jardins de Maria Luisa, the Torre de Oro and the cathedral. We enjoyed tapas at Mateos, a restaurant in an alley near the cathedral.

The next morning, we visited the Real Alcázar, which was a gorgeous site with large gardens, palatial rooms, peakcocks and large ponds with fish which the kids loved. Our next stop was the grand Cathedral where we saw Christopher Columbus’ tomb. Gaurav climbed to the top of the Giralda tower while several glasses of rose and the kids kept me from the ascent.

In the evening, we explored the Traina neighborhood, famous for bullfighting and the Flamenco. After filling our bellies with tapas, Gaurav put the kids to bed and I headed to a Flamenco show with my parents.

The next day, we spent the morning in a park with the kids and Gaurav got a massage in the afternoon at Aire and spent some time relaxing in the baths overlooking the cathedral. In the evening, we absorbed sweeping views of the city from Metropol Parasol. Today, we’re off to Marbella!

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Algarve

A short 2.25 hour drive from Lisbon brought us to the beautiful Pine Cliffs, A luxury collection resort on the beach. We enjoyed an al fresco lunch of gazpacho and fajitas before hitting the resort pools. A bottle of rose and a lot of splashes later, we enjoyed a Japanese dinner at an elegant outdoor restaurant by Chef Olivier. Ariana enjoyed bonding with her masi while devouring sushi (see video). Later that evening, we enjoyed a nightcap of Madeira on our deck before drifting off to sleep.

placeholder://We started the next day with a sumptuous breakfast and then spent some time enjoying the kids club. Ayaan and Ariana got to ride in some real John Deere trucks and jump in a bouncy house! Ariana has started speaking a few full sentences since our trip began and it’s been a pleasure to witness her progression real-time. Her favorites include expressing her preferences – “I like masi!” or “I don’t like this”.

We then joined the rest of the family and drove along the coast to Praia de Benagil. Ayaan and Ariana enjoyed playing by the beach, and then we took a boat which guided us through an awe-inspiring landscape of limestone formations and crystal clear blue aqua!

That evening, we grabbed drinks and dinner at the hotel bar where we had prime seats to watch the Portugal vs Iran and Spain vs Morocco World Cup games.

The next morning, we headed to the stunning hotel beach that was lined with cliffs of orange hues on one side and surrounded by clear blue water on the other. We had lunch at Mare, the hotel’s beach side bar before heading to the pool where Ariana napped and Ayaan enjoyed an ice cream with Nani. In the evening, we headed back to the kids club where the kids got to ride a motorized car!

This evening, we’re looking forward to having the babysitter watch the kids while we enjoy a nice meal with my parents at Pescadore, the hotels seafood restaurant. After the meal, Gaurav and I opened the bottle of Sassacaia that we’d saved from SF and enjoyed it against this beautiful backdrop of illuminated orange cliffs…Overall, Algarve (and the Pine Cliffs resort) was stunning and did a solid job of differentiating itself from other beach destinations.

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Lisboa

We spent our first morning in Lisbon riding tram 28 across town – we were lucky to get there early enough to snag window seats lining one entire side of the tram, allowing the entire family to be up close with some of Lisbon’s popular tourist attractions. Ayaan particularly enjoyed riding the tram with mommy. Once we were off, Ayaan Ariana and Shloka enjoyed running through the water fountains in the square. We then proceeded to get lunch and two pitchers of sangria while watching the World Cup. Uber worked incredibly well in Lisbon!

Our next stop was across town to Belem where we strolled along the board walk near the Belem Tower. We then proceeded to the Jeronimos monastery which boasted a beautiful church and an even more stunning courtyard surrounded by ornate carvings. Ariana enjoyed petting the horse outside. We strolled to a nearby cafe with live music to enjoy a bottle of rose and dinner for the kids. Gaurav bought some delicious egg tarts and malasadas for the family from Pasties de Belem – Ayaan couldn’t have been happier with that end to his day!

After putting the kids to bed in their grandparents care, Dhara Kunal Gaurav and I headed to Bairo Alto, the reportedly swanky neighborhood with bustling nightlife and some of the city’s best restaurants. Luckily for us, there was a street festival where we started the night with mojitas and sangrias enjoying a live band. We then proceeded to dine at a cevicheria with pisco sours.

We got a late start the next morning and decided to wander the neighborhoods of Lisbon. We started with Alfamha whose narrow quaint streets beckoned us to wander aimlessly to enjoy its true beauty. We then headed to the Mercado de Ribiera and took in the stalls lined fresh produce and meats. We then found ourselves in a huge hall lined with multiple restaurants and bars where we enjoyed a delicious lunch of roast pork and scallops. While we wanted to explore Chiado next, we forgot to bring Ariana’s pacifier which led to a huge toddler meltdown, forcing us to take the first cab back to our Airbnb. Lisbon’s vibe reminded us of San Francisco and Rio and the red “Golden Gate” like bridge and the Christ replica explained why.

That evening, we celebrated my dads 67th birthday (a few weeks early while the whole family was together) at a beautiful tapas restaurant in the Chiado neighborhood. Obrigado Lisboa!

 

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Day Trip to Sintra

Our second day in Lisbon got a late start as I finally had a good night’s sleep – is it possible that the kids are finally over their jet lag??!? Today we are going to the historic town of Sintra with its palaces and castles. We decided not to take the car and park it in a garage for the next 3 nights. We figured it’ll be easier with the 9 of us to take the train together and Ayaan would love it! Luckily the train station was just a minute walk from our apartment and round trip train tickets were just 5 euros each. The day started out with a slight drizzle which actually was a welcome respite from the heat (that we’re still getting accustomed to).

After a quick 35 min train ride (trains don’t run on time like Japan though), we arrived. Sintra delivered on its promise of a magical, fairytale-like town. Our first stop was the Pena Palace and gardens. After a steep walk uphill pushing our double stroller, we were rewarded with a stunning landscape. The palace was grand and its Arabic architecture and bold colors were awe-inspiring, differentiating the Pena palace from its peers. My favorite was the ‘wall walk’ that offered generous views of the Moorish castle, rolling green hills and the beach beyond.

After a quick lunch at the cafe at the palace, the kids napped in the stroller while we proceeded to our next attraction. The Moorish Castle is a fortress with stunning views of the Pena Palace and historic center of Sintra.

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We then took a convertible taxi down to the center of Sintra. We enjoyed a bottle of rose and some hors d’ oeuvres at a cafe in the square while Ayaan devoured to get a cotton candy gelato! Fairly tired from our adventures, we retreated to the apartment for a sumptuous dinner of butter chicken and rice! Gaurav headed to see his friend Tim who was visiting from SF to catch up and watch the Argentina-Croatia game.

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Made it to Lisbon!

On the 20th of June, we made our way to Lisbon by car. It was a seamless 2 hour 45 mins drive to the city center. Both Ayaan and Ariana nap like little babies in the car ride which drove our decision to drive around rather than take the train. Also much easier with the luggage since we can leave stuff in the car.

We arrived in Lisbon to find the streets completely empty! One of the best parts of the trip so far is being in Europe during the World Cup – it is truly special and I feel so lucky to experience all of the cup in the best football countries – Portugal, Spain and France. Portugal was playing Morocco and the entire town had gathered in the square to cheer Christiano Ronaldo and their Home team – we were headed to the square too to watch the tail end of the game and reunite with Anjali’s family. We underestimated how chaotic driving would be with the cops shutting down the streets around the square. We were lucky enough to find street parking close by! The atmosphere at the square was fantastic with thousands of fans with their flags screaming. We met Anjali’s family at a cafe at the square and the kids were incredibly excited to meet Dhara masi, Kunal uncle, their cousin Shloka and most of all their Nana and Nani!

We checked into our Airbnb apartment on Avenue de Republica. It was a historic 5 bedroom 3 bath with original wooden floors and most importantly a washer and dishwasher. I made a quick run to the grocery store, Anjali picked up some food later and we spend the night drinking Portuguese wine and catching up in the apartment. Lisbon and Portugal remind a lot of Brazil. Day trip to Sintra up next.