Posted on by adusija

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!

Posted on by adusija

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!

 

Posted on by adusija

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.