Good Morning, Sevilla

It took about a week, I think, for me to get into my travel groove. That was about as long as we were in Portugal, so Portugal was a little awkward. I was letting myself get a little overwhelmed by all the choices of things to do and where to eat and what I'd regret not doing. Doug was being very patient, and helped me ride it out with two dinners at the same Indian restaurant - one of those other things that makes me feel right at home, for some reason - and continuously being there for me when I couldn't get my backpack closed. I may have overpacked. Doug also always lets me play Bejeweled on his iPhone whenever I want. He's so sweet.

It wasn't until we were trolling around Bairro Alto at 2am Saturday night, laughing hysterically and getting lost in the tangled, crowded streets filled with revelers, that I felt for the first time how much fun I am having here, and how lucky I am that my number one travel partner just happens to be my boyfriend. Some girls don't have it so good.

The next day we blissed ourselves out in the park after visiting the Museu Calouste Gilbenkian, which like most musems, made me wish I had a house to decorate. The reason for this is a game I play at museums that I picked up from Bill Bryson to make viewing collections less tedious. In each room, you look at each painting or work of art as if you could buy just one in each room for your own house. The thing I would really liked to be able to take home with me was one of the perfectly intact Roman Era bowls. Really nice lines. And I do love antiques. I left itching to do something creative. Instead I wrote postcards on a bench in the sun while Doug finished his book.

As Doug and I walked back down to the Marques de Pombal and toward Rossio Square for more Indian food, we got our first really sweeping view of magnificent Lisbon. I looked over at Doug, and he was drooly faced not at the view, but at some dog scamping around nearby.

We got to a pitch black, absolutely empty bus station around 5 in the morning, wandered without incident through the desolate streets of Sevilla to our hostel, and were graced by a nice receptionist who let us set up camp on the lounge couches until we can check in. Now we're a teeny bit more refreshed, and about to set off looking for flamenco performances and Jambon Iberico.

When I don't look like I've been on a bus all night I will post some pictures . . . so far, so beautiful.