Rafa’s first visit to the US & our first road trip together… how would this go? The original idea had been to take Rafa to Vancouver & give him a taste of Canada. But some big event at the end of July meant most hotels were full, & those with rooms available were charging crazy, expensive rates. Change of plan; let’s go south instead!
Read More »road trip: pacific northwest
Some photos from a week in France with friends while I was between tours. Our collective western France knowledge was nil, so we met in Nantes then drove south… stopping in La Rochelle, Île de Ré, Blaye, & Saint-Émilion before ending in Bordeaux. Great fun, relaxing & just what I needed before seeing the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. Bisous!
Read More »photo essay: nantes to bordeaux
In 2013, the following article appeared as a two-page spread in the Autumn/Winter edition of Time Out: Buenos Aires. When the editor first contacted me to write about BA architecture, the only thing that ran through my mind was “1400 words?!” Somehow I managed to fit history, architectural styles, recommendations & current events in that limited space. They had to remove a couple of my listings to make the article fit, but I’ve put them back in this post.
Read More »buenos aires: architecture guide
Got your pass ready?
Let’s continue our exploration of the Metro in the heart of the city. This was the first completely new line added to the existing Metro system, completed in 1998 to whisk visitors to & from the World Expo. A compass pointing east symbolizes the red line, at one time alternatively named the Linha do Oriente. The original section of the line —Alameda to Oriente— has been extended in both directions, & is an easy way to get from the airport to the city center. Linha vermelho station names are in bold below, followed by the tile artist & year of installation. Red asterisks (✱) mark my three recommendations for this line. And remember that a complete list of Metro stations, respective artists & exact locations forms part of the Endless Mile guide Lisbon: Azulejos. Vamos embora!
Read More »lisboa: linha vermelho tiles
Got your pass ready?
Let’s continue our exploration of the Metro in the city center. Maybe check out the end of the aqueduct nearby or first have lunch at the fabulous, non-touristy Cervejaria Real Fábrica? Your choice. A sunflower symbolizes the yellow line, at one time alternatively named the Linha Girassol. Not many tourist sites are near this route —with the exception of the worthwhile Museu da Cidade in Campo Grande— so cars are more filled with locals & university students. Linha amarela station names are in bold below, followed by the tile artist & year of installation. Red asterisks (✱) mark my three recommendations for this line. If a station contains more than one artist, all are shown. And remember that a complete list of Metro stations, respective artists & exact locations forms part of the Endless Mile guide Lisbon: Azulejos. Vamos embora!
Read More »lisboa: linha amarela tiles
Got your pass ready?
Let’s continue our exploration of the Metro back at the waterfront. A seagull symbolizes the blue line, at one time alternatively named the Linha Gaivota. It is the longest of all four lines with 13.7 km of track & 18 stations. That’s a lot to cover! In my opinion, some of the best Metro tile work can be found here. Linha azul station names are in bold below, followed by the tile artist & year of installation. Red asterisks (✱) mark my three recommendations for this line. If a station contains more than one artist, all are shown. And remember that a complete list of Metro stations, respective artists & exact locations forms part of the Endless Mile guide Lisbon: Azulejos. Vamos embora!
Read More »lisboa: linha azul tiles
Got your pass ready?
Let’s start our exploration of the Metro at the waterfront. A ship symbolizes the green line, at one time alternatively named the Linha Caravela. Although I can’t confirm this theory, I believe Metro officials adopted dual names as a navigation aid for the 1998 World Expo: four lines, four colors, four symbols. Text references to these navigation aids have been abandoned, but their symbols still decorate signage. Linha verde station names are in bold below, followed by the tile artist & year of installation. Red asterisks (✱) mark my three recommendations for this line. If a station contains more than one artist, both are shown. And remember that a complete list of Metro stations, respective artists & exact locations forms part of the Endless Mile guide Lisbon: Azulejos. Vamos embora!
Read More »lisboa: linha verde tiles
Almost every Lisbon guidebook calls the subway system “an underground museum.” Sounds a bit cliché, but Metro stations contain so many different tile panels that the phrase holds true. However, the original network almost neglected any type of decoration. Here’s how Lisboa’s Metro became a vibrant gallery space & the perfect thing to visit on a rainy day.
Read More »lisboa metro: tiles
