La Fin de Semana y del Viaje...

Surrounding all the chaos of finishing classes, packing for home, and enjoying every moment I could in Spain before I departed, I completely neglected to highlight the final weekend of my trip.

Destination: Lagos, Portugal.

We went as a group, obviously. FUN FACT: DTW doesn't do anything if we're not all doing it together. All 75 of us.

In all honesty, it was only 60. So, give or take. We signed up with a excursion planner who transported us, housed us, and provided entertainment. 190 euros. DONE.


It was only about three hours outside of Seville. It's like driving to Atlantic City, but much prettier and no drinking or gambling age limit. So IDEAL. And though I love speaking Spanish to locals and improving my vocab, Portugal (who, keep up now, speak Portuguese) are much more English accommodating.

Most likely abandoned by other sea-legless sailor.

First thing they told us that we would be offered an opportunity to go on an Unlimited Sangria boat cruise.

I obviously stopped listening after they said "unlimited sangria" and threw my 25 euro at the guy.

I joyously pranced to the boat, got on like I was a fisherman, had two cups of sangria before some tattooed man strapped a life vest on me.

"You're going to the caves."

OH AM I?

Relatively happy I did. We got on one of those little motor life boats and they hopped through the waves towards the tall sandy, jagged cliffs. And then inside of them.

The insides weren't necessarily "inside." They were just enclosed by walls, but no ceiling. Apparently, the fishermen would have names for all of the different 'rooms' that mocked houses. I can totally relate to their homesickness. Not for home per say, but rather, for land.

As we bounced through the waves on the way back, I noticed myself clenching my teeth even harder as I kept reminding myself it was all mental.

For the rest of this cruise, I neglected the unlimited sangria and sat with my head between my legs, along with my twin who was also feeling the g-force of the waves.

We got back to shore and everyone was singing and dancing on the bus as I sat and prayed that I'd be able to eat something and keep it down.

BUT THAT WAS THE WORST OF IT.

Tara want a burger.

The best of it? Nah Nah Bah.

Nah Nah Bah is this little restaurant that we would have never stumbled upon had we not signed up for our entire trip with the travel guides that we did. And what made this little hole in the wall so fabulous? The World Renowned Toucan Burger.

Yes, you heard me. Voted in the Top Ten World's Best Burger on the meal menu accompanied by either beer or sangria. What could be better? A succulent burger drenched in it's own secret Nah Nah Sauce, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pineapple.

After finishing this burger, you're almost too full to get drunk.

Challenge Accepted.

When the sun rose again, I was ready to go. First stop of the day: the top of the cliffs in which we boated to. Much more comfortable of a situation for me. And so beautiful.

I like to live on the edge. I like the view from above.

Flip-flops were perhaps not the best decision. We climbed a cliff, dismounted a hill, and waded through algae crusted banks.

Personally, I liked it better at the top.

Looking down on those damn boats.

It was one thing to see cliffs. It was another thing to go to World's End.

That's right my Pirate wannabe scallywags. I went to the World's End. Portugal, for those of you with little or no geographical knowledge, is the most western point in Europe. That leaves us the opportunity to get to the furthermost west of the country... the longest we had to travel.

As in, we had to take transportation. That was new for us.

the end of the world. the end of the trip.

We arrived at the spot. Sagres. The reason that stupid Portuguese thought the world was flat; looking out the eyes sees nothing but horizon. I don't blame them for living in their fantasy. It was beautiful. Perfect timing for my camera to die. But not enough to keep the DTW fam from memorializing every moment we had together.

It was our last weekend, and as the sun set behind the edge of the earth, we realized our time would soon be venturing out across the open sea to the land of the of-age Native Americans. Some French, some Italian, maybe a little too many spanish Speakers, and every other ethnicity east of us.

 *tear tear*

Or in some of our cases...

*tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tea tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear tear *

My dear [completely sober] friend Alan

ENOUGH OF THAT.

We had our last night to tend to. In a place called Bill's Garage that we had to weave in and out of alleys to discover.

But world travelers and night hawks that we are, we surely did.

In the morning, we strapped into our weather inappopriate beach attire and went to the beach. Some decided to play frisbee, others soccer. However I along with my bridge-jumping partner and thrill seeker Sebastian, took to the water to play polar bear.

The only two to submerge into the freezing water.

YOPO. [You Only Portugal Once] And we certainly did Portugal well.

And then returned to Sevilla for LA SEMANA DE FINAL.