Checking things out! http://www.checkingthingsout.com Steve's blog posterous.com Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:34:00 -0800 Weekend in Oporto http://www.checkingthingsout.com/weekend-in-oporto http://www.checkingthingsout.com/weekend-in-oporto

A rainy February weekend away in Oporto, northern Portugal.

Flew with Ryanair for the first time. Very cheap ticket, leaving some $$ to splurge on a great hotel, the Hotel Infante de Sagres in Oporto.

As expected, it rained the whole weekend, but it wasn´t really a problem (well, except for having cold, wet feet the whole time).

The gastronimic discovery of the weekend was Bacalhau a Braga : Fried, breaded bacalao, covered with sauteed onions, green peppers and garlic. All served on a bed of fried potatoes. Yum. Warms you up all the way down to your soggy socks.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:15:00 -0800 Getting ready for a rainy weekend in Oporto http://www.checkingthingsout.com/getting-ready-for-a-rainy-weekend-in-oporto-0 http://www.checkingthingsout.com/getting-ready-for-a-rainy-weekend-in-oporto-0

 

Heading off to Oporto for the weekend. I'm hoping the yummy food will make up for the horrible weather.

Porto

 
Day Weather Max. Day Temperature
(CF)		 Min. Night Temperature
(CF)		 Wind Direction and Speed
(mphkm/h)		 Humidity Pressure Visibility
Fri Night weather
Heavy Rain

Heavy Rain

   10C 50F   This data unavailable for night
Sat Day weather
Heavy Rain

Heavy Rain

 17C 63F 10C 50F South South Easterly27mph 43km/h 80% 983mb Good
Sun Day weather
Heavy Rain Shower

Heavy Rain Shower

 14C 57F 8C 46F South South Westerly13mph 21km/h 74% 1006mb Good
Mon Day weather
Sunny

Sunny

 14C 57F 9C 48F Southerly11mph 18km/h 66% 1017mb Good
Tue Day weather
Heavy Rain

Heavy Rain

 14C 57F 9C 48F South South Easterly23mph 37km/h 72% 1005mb Good

Last updated at 07:35, Friday 26 February

 
via news.bbc.co.uk

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:39:33 -0700 After a long day in the (Dutch) rain http://www.checkingthingsout.com/after-a-long-day-in-the-dutch-rain http://www.checkingthingsout.com/after-a-long-day-in-the-dutch-rain

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:52:38 -0700 Last Lanzarote white http://www.checkingthingsout.com/last-lanzarote-white http://www.checkingthingsout.com/last-lanzarote-white With this Mozaga Malvasía Seca, we finish up the last night in Fuerteventura.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Fri, 21 Aug 2009 05:59:00 -0700 Lanzarote, day 2 http://www.checkingthingsout.com/lanzarote-day-2 http://www.checkingthingsout.com/lanzarote-day-2

Last day on Lanzarote. After a visit to Arrecife, the island's capital, we spent the rest of the day geologically. Lots of lava flows - spectacular landscapes.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:49:00 -0700 Yaiza, night on the town http://www.checkingthingsout.com/yaiza-night-on-the-town http://www.checkingthingsout.com/yaiza-night-on-the-town

Dinner in Yaiza at La Casona de Yaiza. Another fine Lanzarote white wine - this one a Stratvs Malvosía seco. Dessert was a chocolate volcano with red berries. Yum!

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:46:52 -0700 Playa Papagayo http://www.checkingthingsout.com/playa-papagayo http://www.checkingthingsout.com/playa-papagayo

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:22:17 -0700 Home of Lanzarote wines http://www.checkingthingsout.com/home-of-lanzarote-wines http://www.checkingthingsout.com/home-of-lanzarote-wines We're staying in Yaiza, home of one of the Lanzarote wines you can see in an earlier post. So, how do you grow grapes on an arid, windswept rock off the coast of Africa? Well, you build a wall to shelter each plant from the wind, and you cover the soil with lava pumice gravel to hold in the moisture.

 It works. The wines are great!

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:15:46 -0700 Jameos del Agua, Lanzarote http://www.checkingthingsout.com/jameos-del-agua-lanzarote http://www.checkingthingsout.com/jameos-del-agua-lanzarote We caught a ferry to come visit Lanzarote for a couple days. It's slightly less arid, with prettier towns, but definitely outclassed by Fuerteventura in quantity and quality of beaches. Below, a volcanic lava tunnel converted into a little bit of paradise - this was the work of Cesar Manrique, famous Lanzarote artist.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:51:18 -0700 Fresh fish in Ajuy http://www.checkingthingsout.com/fresh-fish-in-ajuy http://www.checkingthingsout.com/fresh-fish-in-ajuy Spent the day yesterday driving around the island, discovering new beaches. We stopped in Ajuy for a swim and lunch. Here you have a fine specimen of fried Bocinegra.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:18:17 -0700 Another Lanzarote white http://www.checkingthingsout.com/another-lanzarote-white http://www.checkingthingsout.com/another-lanzarote-white Tonight it's a bottle of Yaiza Malvasía Seco 2008. Very nice, and a cool bottle.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sun, 16 Aug 2009 10:09:15 -0700 Beaches & Philosophy http://www.checkingthingsout.com/beaches-and-philosophy http://www.checkingthingsout.com/beaches-and-philosophy I actually like my job, and I've never surfed. Nevertheless, I agree completely.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sun, 16 Aug 2009 05:30:49 -0700 La isla del lobo http://www.checkingthingsout.com/la-isla-del-lobo http://www.checkingthingsout.com/la-isla-del-lobo On a sandy beach just outside of Corralejo, with a view of la isla del lobo, wolf island. I'll have to ask around to find out about the name - no wolves here.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:50:02 -0700 Vino de Malvasía http://www.checkingthingsout.com/vino-de-malvasia http://www.checkingthingsout.com/vino-de-malvasia Bermejo Malvasía Seco - A yummy white wine to go with lots of fried fish and papas arrugás (Canary-style baby potatoes)

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sun, 02 Aug 2009 09:24:29 -0700 A new challenge: Caldereta http://www.checkingthingsout.com/a-new-challenge-caldereta http://www.checkingthingsout.com/a-new-challenge-caldereta Having survived the heat, huge amounts of food and drinks and dancing at yesterday's wedding, today we met up at lunchtime to face the local specialty of Cartagena: Caldereta

 The name means something like a "little pot" or a "little broth", but there's nothing little about it. A fish broth is made by boiling heap loads of local fish. Then rice is prepared with the broth. Then you eat the heaps of fish with platefuls of rice. Totally filling, and incredibly delicious.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:18:44 -0700 Roman theater in Cartagena http://www.checkingthingsout.com/roman-theater-in-cartagena http://www.checkingthingsout.com/roman-theater-in-cartagena In Cartagena for a wedding this weekend. Here is a Roman theater that was discovered in the 1980's. There's history under every rock here.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:27:43 -0700 The last Korunas http://www.checkingthingsout.com/the-last-korunas http://www.checkingthingsout.com/the-last-korunas At the airport, ready for ontime departure with Lufthansa. Flying Prague-Frankfurt-Madrid on the trip home.

 We've got a few Czech Crowns left, trying to find something to buy.

 25 KC = 1Euro

 In general, things here are a little cheaper than in Madrid.

 I was very surprised to see that English was spoken everywhere we went - and they sometimes also spoke Spanish. Even when we were off the beaten track, away from the tourist areas downtown.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:15:21 -0700 Czeching out http://www.checkingthingsout.com/czeching-out http://www.checkingthingsout.com/czeching-out Time to head home after a week in Prague. The original plan was to spend 3 days in Prague and the rest of the time taking day trips to nearby towns, but there was so much to see here that we never left the city.

 This is definitely a worthwhile visit and I recommend it highly.

 Sadly, it's time to head back home:

 Passport...check
Sunglasses...check
Explorer hat...check
Red and white wine...Czech

(Sorry, couldn't resist the parting Czech jokes)
 
Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:43:43 -0700 This was for just one person http://www.checkingthingsout.com/this-was-for-just-one-person http://www.checkingthingsout.com/this-was-for-just-one-person Still discovering the joys of Czech cuisine. Here's a half duck, roasted. With red and white cabbage and dumplings.

 I'll probably regret it, but I ate the whole thing. Washed down with a delicious Moravian rosé (well, actually, 2)

 I like Prague.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:46:12 -0700 And then came the rain http://www.checkingthingsout.com/and-then-came-the-rain http://www.checkingthingsout.com/and-then-came-the-rain This hot, stuffy day could only end one way.

 Well, OK, two ways. With a cold Czech beer and a summer storm. In the picture you can barely make out the waiters trying to save the awnings on the terraza from the weight of the rainwater. We just made it inside when the worst of the storm hit.

 The deluge only lasted 20 minutes, but it was enough to cool off the city.

Steve

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/people/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph