Algarve

Portugal was given a chance to redeem itself meteorologically on our trip to the Algarve. Amazingly, there was sun! Beaches, cliffs, fish, and--this early in the season--only minimal hordes of Northern Europeans.

Prett-y!
At this moment I am the most southwestern person on the European continent.

The water was still arctic
Monkeying aboutGood eating

Some moments in Portugal

The weather was too cold/rainy to enjoy the beach; someone must pay.
Delicious fishes
The provincial hospital we spent way too much time at (don't worry; everybody is fine!)
Sights of Lisbon
A thought I entertained

Hags of Portugal

One of the most striking things about Portugal is the concentration of elderly women who look like the villains from Disney cartoons. I do not mean this in a pejorative way. The Portuguese hags are so haggy, so close to the Platonic ideal of a hag, that they are actually aesthetically perfect in their way. For example, consider this fish-hag from the village of Nazare:



A mountain-hag from Manteigos:
She kept a careful watch on our hotel from across the street, keeping the village appraised of our comings and goings.

I've never been in a place where the hags turn my head as I walk down the street. They are that amazing. I have no idea how Portugal came to have so many excellent hags, but I think they should embrace and celebrate this unique resource.

Portuguese weather

Expectation: Portugal is warm and sunny.
Reality: Portugal is cold and rainy.

No one here seems to be able to remember the last time it rained so much in May. Pictured below we find the crew trekking through the mountains in a downpour. Don't mistake the smiles for joy; we are soaked to the bone and delirious with hypothermia. When the scenery emerges from the clouds and fog it is stunning--steep green slopes speckled with yellow and purple wildflowers below craggy peaks. Surprisingly reminiscent of last year's family vacation to Scotland, only this time we weren't expecting Scottish weather.


And here we are in our hotel, sitting about 4 ft. from the fireplace

I am now coughing in a most disturbing way.

Au revoir New York

Will miss this place, its inhabitants (well some of them, like you!), and the itty-bitty margaritas. But new adventures await. À Bientôt!

McCain is Old

Greatest blog of the week.

Racing to the finish

Triumphed over exams and plunged directly into a weekend of karaoke, dive bars, social mixing, and a bit of nursing. The Visitors comported themselves in exemplary fashion, earning the love and trust of the local people, among other things. Various tropical diseases, including the dreaded Mango-Tango were no match for their determination/alcoholism. They are already missed. I somehow forgot about my camera for the entire weekend, so cannot offer you any photographic evidence--most likely for the best.

Now just a few obstacles to jump over and its off for porto-porto-fishy-fishy-family vacation. For a preview you can check out Dad's foray into the blogosphere (SFW). Onward!

Why game theory is worthless

Student: how can paper beat rock?
Adam: Paper covers rock and suffocates it; rock can't breathe.
Student: But rocks don't need to breathe.
Adam: If rock is covered with paper it can't mate.

Did Justice do justice?

Profound social commentary or misguided romanticizing of les banlieues ? Sympathetic or racist? Or is it really just a brilliant/desperate plea for authenticity from a group that's become too beloved by the mainstream? A host of contradictions in Justice's video Stress. Even Le Monde weighs in.

justice stress (official video)
Uploaded by 75_prod

Change a few things (mostly notable, delete the cameraman) and this could be any number of American hip-hop videos from the last two decades. Yet in France it seems to have provoked quite a controversy, perhaps because Justice is a couple of (now very wealthy) white boys. The video is certainly more about white people reacting to the urban underclass than the urban underclass speaking on its own terms. Sort of like Michael Moore meets Burgher's Daughter at an electronic dance party. Self-indulgent white liberal guilt? Sure, but that's what makes it interesting.

What are we going to do today?

A long overdue reunion

Chance meeting in the Bobst elevator and then it was straight back to the old caipirinha routine. So glad some things never change. Welcome back Vdog, the Queen of Buenos Aires.

Kate is Great

Doing it all with courage, fortitude, and grace. Three's the charm. You'll be back on the eighth floor with me in no time.

Round one

Oh my. A full-on, four-day, 5-in-a-city romp left us like this:

Most of the weekend spent in this position...

Bit of arty stuff

Mr. A reaches out and touches a kittyfairy

Found some local hotties (Barbara not pictured, sadly)

One of many reunions

Magic fingers...

Can only imagine what round two will bring.