Lyon, Lisbon & More

many days later and I've emerged in front of the 'Praça dos Restourados' in Lisbon, the monument that marks the restoration of the city after a massive earthquake in the 16th century.  it is a city-phoenix, arisen and burbling with satisfaction, the funny portuguese cruising about in picturesque trams and buses.  it's nice to just be able to babble in the local language without having to struggle - it's amazing how the ability to communicate defines identity.  have i mentioned the architecture is cool?  monumental churches and bridges, short stumpy houses with pillars and cute windows.  europe seems to have such limited growth, all the old buildings are just chillin' there uncaring about modernity.

even cooler - super duper dude - was the Basque architecture in southern france.  we drove around the soft lit hills, classy farmhouses, old stone shelters emblazed with graffiti for the independence of 'le pays Basque'. hey, wait a second i though the struggle with colonialism over in like the 50s.  Oh yeah, the basque, kurds, armenians, etc...  we just cruise into the little town, gawk at the historical heritage and draw out our euros.  the pluses and minuse ehh, what's right and what's reality is a confusing mix.  their radical sport 'Jai Alai', i think its called, is growing fast with the tourism, borderline nuts with a hard small ball flung from baskets attached to your arms - intense stuff.  The countryside is magic, fields and steep rocky slopes... 

a few days ago we stayed at Lyon (central-southern France), with a friend of my dad's from Brasil.  she lived in a bohemian part at the top of the hill, narrow mini roads with artists, cobblestone sidewalks, and strategic placings of dog poo.  We ate Berber food from Algeria (kind of like Chef Karim's in SB) with the approaching thunderstorm.  The day stays light till about 10pm, the poor europeans are apparently quite sun starved so they remain outside all day long in summertime, savoring everything until the thunderstorm sends us packing.  We also spend a whole day at the friend's Chateau - vineyard and winery passed down the family line - basking with wines and cheeses....  the luxuries of bourgeoise ancestry are too pleasant to dismiss.

soon we catch the train to Biarritz on the western coast of France...  the crowded trains with backpackers are always an adventure, a study in space maximization.  we shall see what Bastille day on the 14th unveils....  should we run around with american flags and attempt to provoke conflict??  these are the kinds of compelling ideas my dad gets, silly man, hopefully i'll be able to keep away from much bodily harm. .