When I initially set off on my journey back in January I had initially hoped I might be able to find work (ideally in Spain) and sustain an expat lifestyle at least for a little.  How amazing would it have been to set up a home base in Spain and see the rest of Europe from thousands of miles closer?  Simply amazing is my answer to that.  I’ve been doing a little research lately an looked into ebook that was recommended to me.  Titled Moving and Living in Spain, it doesn’t get much more appropriate than that if you’re planning on moving to and living in Spain.  I briefly looked over the featured book and I have to say it’s pretty good.  You also get three bonus books on housing, moving tips and some info on the Spanish language.  For $34 it’s a pretty good deal, and the best part is you can return it and get all your money back if you decide it sucks (at that point you have probably printed them all out anyway).  With that said, I’m excited to get a little reading done and see what pans out.  Please let me know if you happen to purchase this guide and any useful tips you can throw my way that I may miss.  Here’s the link for ya: Moving and Living in Spain

Moving on to the East, let’s chat about the other useful guide I found pertaining to Florence, Italy.  As my favorite city in Italy you can imagine I was excited to find some more info on the sites, sounds and smells of the area.  Same as before, you have 8 weeks to return this puppy for a full refund.  That’s enough time to visit Florence, come back, soak it all in, then decide if you liked or disliked the ebook and return it.  The Ultimate Guide to Florence also comes with a nice little digital photo book of the major attractions around the city and a few other bonuses all for about $15.  Check this guy out to if you’re interested and as always feel free to let me know what you think: The Ultimate Guide to Florence

I hope these guides will be useful, and if you have any links or book ideas that you’d like to share just go ahead and leave a little comment and anyone can gain access to it through the comment link on the bottom right of all my posts.  Enjoy!

The conclusion of my European adventure takes place in Madrid.  I have to be honest; I had heard a few things prior to landing there and was expecting a quick trip with a few days of catching up on my blog and of course a little sightseeing.  Little did I know how exciting the city was going to be.  I met a great group of people and had such a fun time it made it hard to leave.  Let’s start with the tangible parts of the city.

The very center of the city is Puerta del Sol, where every road out of Madrid is measured from.  This is also a great area for entertainment, people watching and street performers do not disappoint at this landmark.  Within this plaza is also the symbol of Madrid, the small statue of El Oso y el Madroño (The Bear and the Madrono Tree). A short walk west and you hit a number of enjoyable areas.  The Royal Cathedral (recently finished in the early 90’s) sits directly across from the more well known Palacio Royal (Royal Palace). For 8 euro you can venture inside and explore the most current palace for the royal family (merely a figurehead this day and age).  Now that we’ve covered a little history we head back towards the Puerta del Sol and make our way down Gran Via. This is undoubtedly one of Madrid’s most traveled roads and is home to numerous theaters the host live shows as well as cinematic adventures.  A great place to meander, look for a show to catch or just duck into a shop and spend some of those precious euros.  After a few dips in the terrain you find yourself at another symbol of Madrid, the Fuente la Cibeles. A beautiful fountain placed in the middle of a roundabout where the soccer team Real Madrid has hosted numerous parades after European championship victories, a great atmosphere.  One more block west and we really start to hit my favorite area.

Through the archway known as Puerta de Alcala, you’ll find the most enjoyable getaway in Madrid, Parque del Retiro. If I could take one thing back to America with me it would be the outstanding public parks I’ve encountered all throughout Europe, and Parque del Retiro fits the bill.  A substantial green scar on the city, this park offers a great place to mingle with locals and tourists alike, paddle around on a row boat or just sit amongst the soft green grass and catch up on some reading.  I was lucky enough to catch a small area of the park early enough in the Spring where a delightfully fragranced tree had just begun to blossom.  I wish I could have bottled the scent and attached it to my photos, but technology hasn’t caught up with my desires quite yet.  A must visit area for nearly each day you are in Madrid.  If you get tired of the park atmosphere walk about one block outside the central entrance and you’ll find Europe’s second largest museum behind the Louvre in Paris.

Museo del Prado was never really a priority during my last days in Europe but I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it given the fact I have little understanding of art.  Even for the most amateur art enthusiasts you can get lost in this massive collection of classical art for days.  Knowing very little about the aspects of “good” art I couldn’t help but appreciate the pure talent required to complete many of these pieces.  Take your time with this one and soak in some of the most detailed and stunning classical art in the world.

As I said before, it was tough to leave such a wonderful and enjoyable destination but I can’t lie that it was nice to be headed home after 11 weeks of being on the road.  Ironic that I would end my trip in the city in which all roads in Spain begin.  You could easily flip that around and believe that my journey is just beginning.  It’s hard sometimes to really appreciate something until you know you won’t be in its presence much longer.  That’s the most difficult aspect of life to accept at times; but speaking from personal experience on various levels it is the most enduring task, and most rewarding.  When you can be grateful for the places, experiences and most importantly the people you’ve encountered along the way is when you can find yourself to be truly happy.  I am extremely happy to have all of you who have supported and followed my journeys, and only hoped that I have inspired many of you to seek in life that which makes you enjoy it as much as I have these last few months.

My visit to Lisbon, Portugal was unique to most of my trips given the fact I was able to stay with a friend for one last time.  My good friend Bruno couldn’t have been a better host, with sightseeing tips, great cooking, a comfy place to crash and fantastic restaurant selection.  I would recommend staying with a friend or at least someone you know sometime during your trip, it opens up a whole different world that you don’t usually get when staying at hostels.

Let’s start with the main city of Lisbon, which is quite beautiful.  It sits right at the tip of the Tagus river as it flows into the Atlantic Ocean.  On the Northeastern edge of the city is the Nations Park, or commonly referred to as the “Expo” given the fact it was host to the World Expo in 1998.  There are tons of attractions to visit here including parks, concert venues, a shopping mall, and my favorite of all the Oceanario de Lisboa (Lisbon Oceanarium). This massive aquarium contains one central tank that is intertwined with four other tanks that represent the aquatic ecosystems of the Atlantic, Pacific, Antarctic and Indian Oceans.  This is definitely worth the 12 euro entry fee.  Heading back towards the city center you have to visit the main attraction that sits atop one of the many hills within the city, Castelo de Sao Jorge (Saint George’s Castle). The earliest portions of this fortress date back to the 2^nd century BC.  Offering great views over the entire city you can’t pass this guy up for only 2.50 euro with a student ID (5 euro without).  Shoot just a little west and you’ll run into the area known as Belém. Here you will find a number of museums, the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Jeronimos Monastery), and the landmark Belém Tower. Spend at least an afternoon here and then treat yourself to some delicious pastries at Pasteis de Belém.

I was staying just east of the central portion of the Lisbon in a town called Carcavelos, which had very nice beaches set along the Atlantic and a very relaxed environment, perfect for my last week in Europe.  When I wasn’t enjoying the warm weather and sun soaked sand, I found time to make a trip to my favorite spot just outside Lisbon, Sintra. Hard to explain, this hillside retreat revealed a mystic environment surrounded by castles and palaces neatly intertwined with lush green foliage.  It was almost a fairy tale atmosphere as I hiked all over until I reached my one desired location, Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle). Take a glance at my photos from this spot and you’ll immediately see why I spent the majority of my day just taking in the scenery and imagining myself traveling back in time to become an inhabitant of this fortress in the sky.  If you don’t have the time to visit, make time because you will not regret it.  Only 6 euro to enter, you’ll not only love the castle itself but the incredible hike through some amazing forest scenery.

As with all the cities I’ve visited I only skimmed the surface of Lisbon, but I did get a sense that there is so much more than I ever thought there would be here.  Lisbon is more or less off the radar for most tourists and I couldn’t tell you why.  I had an amazing time and wished I could have stayed even longer.  It may be tricky to get here by train, but don’t let that discourage you from an amazing adventure.