Hidden gem in Comanche National Grassland

Not much has been written about the plains east of Colorado's Rocky Mountains. At first glance, it looks pretty flat and boring. But if you look close enough on Google Maps, you'll find some patches of land worth exploring. That's how we found Comanche National Grassland in southeastern Colorado.

Comanche National Grassland is divided into two units: the Timpas unit is south of La Junta, and the Carrizo unit is south of Springfield. Patches of government-owned and private land co-exist in these areas.

From La Junta to Timpas, it is a 30-minute drive through rocky, unpaved roads, flat grasslands and prairies with the occasional gentle rolling hills. It definitely felt like we were in the "middle of nowhere." I recommend a 4WD vehicle, for sure.

After a bumpy ride, we pulled into the campground that overlooked Picketwire Canyon. My first impression was that it's quite beautiful - in a desolate kind of way.

Hiking in this terrain is not for the faint of heart in the middle of the summer. The Picketwire Trail begins with a steep hike down into the canyon. You have to navigate slowly over rock piles. The trail itself is relatively flat with the occasional hill to overcome, but it's incredibly dry. The ground was cracked and thirsty. The trees were barren, so there was zero shade.

There is an accessible water source, but the rangers advised against it because it's heavily used by nearby cattle. So under the beating sun, each of us carried around 12 pounds of water on our backs. To lighten our load, we left a water cache for the return hike.

There are some wildlife viewing opportunities. We saw a jackrabbit, lizards and some type of deer. There are rattlesnakes in this area, but we did not encounter any. The rangers said they keep pretty much to themselves.

In the canyon, there are ruins of an old Mexican mission and settlement, a cemetery, Native American rock art, a historic ranch, and dinosaur tracks.

Roughly five miles into the hike is what's considered the largest continuously mapped dinosaur track site in North America.

On the banks of the Purgatoire River are over 1,300 dinosaur tracks, created over 150 million years ago. The tracks show the brontosaurus/apatosaurus and allosaurus traveling in herds. I had no idea such an important discovery could be found in such a relatively obscure location.

The return trip was not easy, especially in 98°F, but the afternoon breeze helped alleviate the dry heat. That last stretch over the rock piles was brutal.

The wonderful thing about this place is that it is remote. We had the campground pretty much to ourselves.

As dusk approached, strong winds howled and whipped through our campsite. But once the winds subsided, we enjoyed a clear, star-filled summer sky.

Note: There are plenty of articles on the dinosaur tracks, but not much on Comanche National Grassland as a destination itself. But the Visit La Junta and Explore Southeast Colorado websites convinced us it was worth going!

The world's longest cave system

Believe it or not, the longest known cave system in the world is in Mammoth Cave National Park in central Kentucky, about 85 miles from Louisville and Nashville. For a Midwesterner with national park aspirations, this is the closest I can get without getting on a plane.

In its first 15 years as a national park, only 40 miles of passageways had been mapped out at Mammoth Cave. Today, over 365 miles of passageways have been surveyed, although some geologists think there could be several hundred more waiting to be discovered.

The caves reside within layers of limestone and sandstone. The caves are constantly shaped by rainwater that travels below ground. Over time, water erodes the limestone and creates streams that eventually carve out new passageways.

For those who crave solace away from the crowd, you'll be disappointed. You can't see these caves without signing up for a tour. But go anyway, because it's fascinating.

We were there to spend a night in the backcountry, but we also signed up for a couple of tours. The Snowball Tour leads you to descend 200 stairs, pass a massive rock pile called the Rocky Mountains, and enter an elliptical-shaped passageway encrusted with white gypsum crystals. The gypsum crystals, we were told by the tour guides, indicated a dry cave. Aside from the steep stairs, the tour was otherwise flat and easy.

On the other hand, the Historic Tour was far more interesting. It's called historic because of its role in U.S. history - most of the saltpeter used in the War of 1812 (between the U.S. and British Empire) was mined here. This wet cave tour had double the stairs, and more diversity in the cave interior - you go from being in a "mammoth" domed passageway (carved by a river) to squeezing yourself into a tiny slot called the Fat Man's Misery.

There are plenty of tours to choose from depending on how much time and energy you have. The adventurous can don helmets, headlamps and knee pads to crawl and squeeze themselves through undeveloped passageways on the Introduction to Caving and Wild Cave Tours. (The Trog Tour is available for kids ages 8-12.)

Vibrant and sophisticated Barcelona

Sandwiched between two mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, Barcelona is an incredible city that's got something for everyone - a rich culture, thriving nightlife, natural beauty and active sports.

Its location on the Mediterranean makes it an ideal place to visit anytime of the year - February was a bit chilly but not bitingly cold.

We stayed in the Eixample district, considered one of the first examples of modern urban planning. We had a pleasant self-guided stroll through grid-patterned streets lined with Modernista architecture.

I have to admit that I did not appreciate Gaudi architecture until I saw it in real life. His whimsical buildings, including Casa Mila and Casa Battlo, are more fascinating than I had imagined.

Towering above the Eixample is Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, a jaw-dropping, neck-straining structure that's both strange and spiritual. Bright, airy and incredibly detailed on both the exterior and interior.

With an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually, the Sagrada Familia gets packed. Make sure to visit first thing in the morning before the busloads of tourists swarm the place.

More Gaudi art can be seen at Park Guëll, a nice garden situated on a hill overlooking the city. It's a bit outside the city core, but can be easily accessed by subway or bus. Everything is covered in colorful mosaics - from the serpent staircase to benches, fountains, walls and ceilings. It's a refreshing break from the bustling city, although there were plenty of tourists here as well.

Back in the city core, the famous La Rambla is a lively tourist strip that's perfect for people-watching...and pick-pocketing (so hold on to your purse).

 

On the Rambla is the Mercat de La Boqueria, considered one of the world's greatest markets. It was bursting at the seams with various smells, colors and textures - fresh seafood, colorful fruits and vegetables, cheeses, hams and an eye-popping array of spices, nuts and candies.

We were tempted to join the locals and tourists sipping wine and munching on tapas. Instead, we picnicked al fresco by the waterfront with jamon iberico, cheese, crackers and local beer.

The port area is a tourist and industrial mecca. At Port Vell, Maremagnum teemed with youth, lovers and families alike. Yacht clubs welcomed its sailors returning from a day's race on the water. (This is a world-class sailing community - the Barcelona World Race had just begun there less than two months prior).

The area is also an important trade zone and starting point for Mediterranean cruise ships. Nearby, you could ride a cable car up to Montjuïc for a spectacular, birds-eye view of the city.

A block off the Rambla, many surprises abound within the narrow alleys of the Barri Gotic neighborhood. We weaved through alleys of rush and quiet - from the bustling bookstores, cafes and restaurants to the quiet lane of apartments.

We stumbled upon a plaza with the biggest crowd we'd ever seen - thousands of onlookers watching castellers build multi-level human castles, topped off with a young child.

For dinner, we took Rick Steves' advice and went to Irati Taverna Basca in Barri Gotic, where we grazed on a buffet of Basque-style open-faced brochettes served on a toothpick, washed down with some vino Rioja. We paid based on the number of toothpicks on our plate. On our last night, we went to QuQu (Quasi Queviures) in the Eixample - a bit more on the touristy side (in fact, it had a multi-lingual menu that included Japanese) but the tapas selection was extensive.

Barcelona strikes the right balance of culture, history and modernity. It can be gritty and elegant at the same time. Breathing in the fresh, salty Mediterranean made us wish we could call this place home!

Algarve, the last Moorish stronghold

We had planned an ambitious conquest of the southern region of Portugal called the Algarve, starting from Albufeira (A), Lagos (B), Vila do Bispo (C), then a little off-roading to get some pretty spectacular views of the coast (D), then back south to Cape of St. Vincent (E), the southwesternmost tip of continental Europe (fondly called the "end of the world" before anyone knew there was something else out there), to watch the sunset. In one day.

Naturally, that didn't happen. Blame it on my twisted ankle, the horrible Lisbon traffic, or the ambitiousness of the plan. I like to overplan.

It was a three hour drive through mostly plains, farmlands and gently rolling hills. We spotted some small towns and villages along the way, but for the most part it looked pretty deserted. Well, some curious research led me to discover that Portugal's total population is around 10.7  million, according to the CIA World Factbook. The entire country is only slightly smaller than the state of Indiana, which has 6.4 million people. Imagine that.

From 711 to 1249, the Algarve was ruled by the Moors. The word is derived from Al-Gharb (meaning "the West") which meant it was the western edge of the Islamic empire. The region was the last Moorish stronghold until it was captured by the Christians in 1249.

February is a slow time for the Algarve, which sees many tourists in the summer for its gorgeous beaches, palm trees, and warm waters. Lots of high rise condo developments throughout for sun-seeking northern Europeans, and vibrant night scene I hear, though some places have managed to keep their small town charm intact.

In Albufeira, we randomly drove around a residential neighborhood in search of beach access - to actually see the dramatic coastlines I'd seen so many times in pictures. We found Praia dos Arrifes, a beautiful, sheltered cove with the most crystal clear waters and interesting rock formations. Absolutely breathtaking.

Albufeira itself is a small town of whitewashed buildings and Moorish influenced architecture. The homes, many of them perched on hills, had the tile roofs and chimneys characteristic of Moorish influence. We had open-air lunch at a fabulous Portuguese restaurant (I had squid like I've never seen before) right by the Albufeira marina.

After lunch, we drove to Lagos, an ancient town with over 2,000 years of historical significance. It was the capital of the Algarve from 1576-1756.

Prince Henry the Navigator spent most of his time in the Lagos (and even built a school of navigation further west in Sagres). It was in Lagos that many Portuguese ships set off to explore the world. It was also here in Lagos that the first African slaves entered Europe. The building where the first slave markets were held still stands today.

History trivia: Lagos is also the name of the most populated city in Nigeria. That settlement was named as such by Portuguese explorers that sailed from Lagos, Portugal.

We saw quite a few lively British visitors but otherwise the town was pretty quiet. Lagos had a nice mix of the old structures and new development. We walked along the palm tree-lined main avenue, savored the isolated, pristine beaches, checked out the fishing boats, and explored the remains of the walled town that was built by the Moors.

Pictured above is the Forte da Ponta da Bandeira, a fortress built in late 17th century as part of a defense system for Lagos.

Sadly, we were not able to find any grotto tour operators at the time. There are beautiful sea caves and cliffs that could only be explored off-shore. But we did get to see a bit more rock formations toward Ponte de Piedade.

By this time, the sun was on its way down, and we were definitely going to miss that sunset at Cape of St. Vincent, so we just decided to take it easy and enjoy the warm weather and relaxed atmosphere.

Exploring Lisbon's old world charm

I’ve read many traveler reviews that wrote off Lisbon as merely a poor, dirty city. Yes, there are seedy and grungy parts (like any city in the world) but I think Lisbon possesses an old world charm – and an incredible place in history.

Here I spend a little time talking about Lisbon's history (at least through the middle ages) because it provides an insight to the meaning of its many buildings and monuments.

Lisbon has been inhabited since pre-historic times. It eventually came under Roman rule for 200 years, followed by Moorish rule for nearly 400 years. Lisbon was taken from the Moors in 1147 as part of the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian peninsula. Portuguese maritime exploration began in the early 15th century in search of alternative trade routes because the Ottoman Empire had blocked off traditional routes through Europe. By the 16th century, Lisbon had become an important trading center for all the spices, textiles and other goods brought back from Africa, India, the Far East and Brazil.

Unfortunately, Lisbon's grandness was short-lived. An earthquake in 1755 destroyed the city's infrastructure and killed a huge chunk of its population. Can you believe this happened:

Eighty-five percent of Lisbon's buildings were destroyed, including famous palaces and libraries, as well as most examples of Portugal's distinctive 16th-century Manueline architecture. Several buildings that had suffered little earthquake damage were destroyed by the subsequent fire ... The Royal Ribeira Palace, which stood just beside the Tagus river...was destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami. Inside, the 70,000-volume royal library as well as hundreds of works of art, including paintings by Titian, Rubens, and Correggio, were lost. The royal archives disappeared together with detailed historical records of explorations by Vasco da Gama and other early navigators.

Following the earthquake, downtown Lisbon was rebuilt differently - this time using broad squares, grid-patterned streets and neoclassical buildings that is now seen in today's Baixa district.

Flash-forward to 2011. Our base camp was in Baixa. From there, we began our uphill trek to Alfama, the oldest district in Lisbon.

The air was damp with a salty breeze coming in from the Tejo River. Early in the morning, the streets were quiet except for the occasional ramblings of the trams, the sound of the church bells tolling, and the flapping of seagulls.
    
Cobblestone sidewalks that hugged narrow streets.

Cable car tracks and wires cut through the neighborhood to make way for the trams.

Skinny houses and apartment buildings with lovely orange tile roofs.

Clothes tied onto balcony grills, fluttering in the wind. Crumbling and peeling facades covered in mossy growth.

Building exteriors adorned with azulejos - blue painted tiles that depict cultural and historical aspects of Lisbon and Portugal.

We stopped to peek inside inside the Sé Cathedral, the oldest church in Lisbon. Built in 1147 following the reconquest, it has since has survived multiple earthquakes and fires. It really does look old.

Crowning the highest point in Lisbon is the Castelo de São Jorge (Castle of St. George). The Moors built it in the 11th century to house military troops and to serve as a last-ditch fortress in the event of an attack. After 1147, the castle became the residence of Portuguese royalty...until the earthquake. The castle has several towers, ramparts, false doors and traitor gates, expansive courtyards, and cobbled paths. And of course, it commanded magnificent views of the city and the Tejo River.

The museum is worth checking out because you can see archaeological artifacts from times past, and even see a computer-generated model of what the castle looked like and was used for during the Moorish period.

After enjoying a panoramic view of the city, we headed back down to explore. Tram 28 will take you through a scenic route of the city, but it's most enjoyable when you're walking it.

We saw bits and pieces of Portuguese life in the little things, in places where English was not required.

We passed residents going about their everyday life - one carrying a crate of fresh fruit to his store, another sweeping his alley clean; sat on the steps of an unknown church alongside kids hanging out during break time; men and women in suits talking on their cellphones on cobbled sidewalks.

We perused through antique books and pencil sketches of Lisbon in a couple small bookstores in Bairro Alto.

Grabbed a quick lunch at a small, forgotten sandwich shop in Alfama. Bought pastel de nata (egg custard treat) from a hole-in-the-wall bakery and ate them at the Miraduouro de Santa Luzia (which has a nice view of the river and the area's brightly colored houses).

We trekked up hilly streets to find pockets of quiet neighborhoods with great miradouros (viewpoints), then descended to the bustling areas of traffic jams with cars honking incessantly. Went through some seedy areas with lots of graffiti. We met the occasional beggar - one of them tried to get our attention by speaking in three different languages.

We paid the 5 euros to go up in the famous Elevador de Santa Justa, which connects Baixa to Bairro Alto. Up the elevator, then up a skinny, spiral staircase. It had great views of the castle, the surrounding neighborhood and the river. Definitely worth it.
 

Even though all the guidebooks say English is widely spoken here, we encountered many people who spoke little to no English. I spoke very basic Portuguese and picked up just enough from the locals to make easy transactions.

Despite my linguistic ineptitude, the locals were very kind and seemed to appreciate the effort. (I only broke out “Fala ingles?” at the cabbies, which is another story.)

We didn't get the Lisboa Card (which would've made transportation much easier) so we spent a lot of time being confused with which train to take and how the ticketing system worked.

After figuring that out, we hopped onto a train to Belem, a suburb half an hour west of Lisbon. There we visited some of the famous monuments built in honor of the Age of Discovery.

The Monasterio de los Jeronimos (Jeronimos Monastery) is considered the pinnacle of Manueline architecture. Its construction was ordered by King Manuel I in honor of Vasco de Gama when he successfully returned from his voyage to India. Construction began in 1502 and it was funded by a tax on spices brought back from the east. It took 50 years to complete. The monastery is a treasure - lots of intricate carvings around doorways, azulejos on some of the walls, arched cloisters leading to a courtyard, airy, vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows. Vasco de Gama's tomb rests in this place, too.

Nearby is the 100-foot Torre de Belem (Belem Tower), built right by the mouth of the Tagus River before it meets the ocean. It was used to defend Lisbon and also considered to be the starting point for many sailors heading out to explore the world. Facing the river is a statue of Our Lady of Safe Homecoming as a symbol to protect these seafaring men. Many years later it would be used as a political prison for the king's enemies.

Both structures are decorated in Manueline style, which have a lot of nautical carvings like corals, algae, ropes, cables and ships.

Across the street from the monastery, along the river, is the massive 170-ft. Monument to Discoveries, which was originally built in 1940 for the Portuguese World Fair and then rebuilt with concrete in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator, sponsor of the Portuguese explorations. The monument was carved into the shape of a ship, and the people depicted on both sides of this monument include navigators, scientists, mathematicians, missionaries, and royalty who were considered heroes of that time. We didn't get to go into the museum inside, but it's worth a visit if you want to learn about Lisbon's history and get some pretty awesome views of the river and nearby neighborhoods.

Being the geek that I am, what I found cool as well was the world map mosaic on the pavement next to the monument, indicating the routes taken by the explorers and the places they discovered.

I absolutely loved Lisbon - for its temperate climate, fascinating architecture, and absolutely rich and interesting history. There are so many other things about this place that are worth noting, so this is just something to whet your appetite. I personally love reading about the history of exploration in general so being here was like being like a kid in a candy store!

Toledo, the city of three cultures

A mere 30 minutes away from Madrid, through the plains of the Castile-La Mancha, lies the historic walled city of Toledo. Located on a hilltop surrounded by the Tagus River, the old city looks majestically imposing from the outside, and proves to be culturally rich on the inside.

Toledo was the capital of Spain until the Moors conquered it in the 8th century. For nearly 500 years of Moorish rule, Toledo flourished as a cosmopolitan city where Moors, Christians and Jews co-existed in harmony. Hence the term "the city of three cultures." This melding of cultures is most obvious with the presence of a mosque, a church and a synagogue within the city.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is perfectly described as such: "Successively a Roman municipium, the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom, a fortress of the Emirate of Cordoba, an outpost of the Christian kingdoms fighting the Moors and, in the 16th century, the temporary seat of supreme power under Charles V, Toledo is the repository of more than 2,000 years of history. Its masterpieces are the product of heterogeneous civilizations in an environment where the existence of three major religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – was a major factor."

Walking into the city felt like trip back to the medieval ages. The entrances are flanked by stone archways, bridges and wall remains. At the north entrance is the new Puerta de Bisagra, which is of Moorish origin but built in 1559 sporting the emperor's coat of arms. After entering, you'll see the walls and towers of the old Puerta de Bisagra (pictured on the right), which is the only remaining Moorish gate in the city.

Visiting on a Monday - when most things were closed - probably wasn't the best idea, but that was all we had. We hiked up the winding cobbled roads up to Plaza de Zocodover (the main square), past the imposing Alcázar fortress (a former Roman palace, now a library and a museum), and drank in the vista and the steep gorge and river below.

We made it to the Catedral de Toledo, considered the masterpiece of High Gothic. Incredible detailed carvings on the outside, and jaw-dropping stained glass windows, high ceilings and chapels on the inside. We were awestruck by the abundance of gold (check out this 500-pound, 10-foot-high, 15th century gilded monstrance!), and geeked out on the Chapter House featuring portraits of all Spanish archbishops to present day. We couldn't take photos inside, so go take a look. (We wanted to respect the rules here, even amidst many other rude tourists that would surreptitiously snap a photo from under their jackets. Not that we would've done it justice anyway.)

During siesta, we purposely got ourselves lost within the residential neighborhood's narrow alleys. Up and down hilly streets we went. I felt like an intruder every time we passed by locals because that area was so...un-touristy. Within the narrow alleys we found many gift shops selling swords, knives, ceramics, etc. Completely invisible if one doesn't wander off the main drag. How in the world would tourists ever find these shops?!

By the way, Toledo has been the sword-making capital of the world since medieval times. Also, Toledo is considered the world's largest producer of damascene ware. Damascene is the ancient Moorish art of decorating non-precious metals with gold. These are not on the cheap side, and only rightly so.

On food: Found an empty restaurant just around the corner from the cathedral. Toledo is famous for roast meats and stews like roast lamb, roast pig, and partridge stew. I had  chicken asado (roasted chicken) and it was literally half a chicken. My husband had a stew with all sorts of unrecognizable bits (innards, perhaps). They're also known for marzipan, a sweet treat made of almond paste and different types of sugars.

On our hike back down to the train station, we enjoyed a late afternoon sun-drenched panoramic view of modern Toledo beyond the historic walls.

All in all, Toledo has the most fascinating history, drop dead gorgeous views, and it's small enough that you can walk the entire city in a day. I think we may have walked about 10-12 miles total on this trip. We were completely wiped out and slept through the train ride back to Madrid.

Magnificent Madrid

It's no secret that we're big fans of "active" vacations. Our vacation to Europe was no exception. In February, we spent 10 full days visiting Madrid, Toledo, Lisbon, the Algarve and Barcelona - in that order.

Let me begin with this - February is a wonderful time to visit Spain and Portugal. Probably not the best time for beach lounging and water sports, but a great time to explore the city and cultural life without the summer crowds. We didn't see any American tourists in Madrid and Lisbon. There were a lot of Japanese tourists in Toledo and Barcelona. There were British and northern European visitors in the Algarve. Yet overall, we felt like we had these cities all to ourselves. We stuck out like a sore thumb in the Metro. There was hardly a line to get into the museums. The parks and restaurants were pretty much dominated by the locals. Or maybe we just chose a different experience.

In Madrid, we stayed at the Hotel Regina, a three-star hotel with five-star service, perfectly situated by the Sevilla Metro stop. It's a short walking distance to everywhere in the historic part of the city - Puerto del Sol, Plaza Mayor, the Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid), Buen Retiro Park, and the Paseo del Prado area that is home to the three major museums - the Prado, Museo Nactional Centreo de Arte Reina Sofia, and Thyssen-Bornemsza.

On a lovely warm Sunday afternoon, everyone was out and about. Plaza Mayor was teeming with students, couples, and families alike. The plaza was filled with street artists - an accordion player, a soap bubble blower, a SpongeBob mascot, a glass artist, and painters selling their work, to name a few.

Just outside Plaza Mayor is the Mercado de San Miguel, a covered market where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, nuts, wine, fresh flowers, and Jamón Ibérico (Iberian ham). It looked like a place to see and be seen, jam packed with lively locals perched on bar stools or standing up, having tapas and wine for lunch.

There are plenty of public spaces in the city, all within reasonable walking distance of each other. On a Tuesday afternoon, Buen Retiro Park was filled with families, teenagers and older adults - strolling, lounging on the benches, reading the newspaper, paddling around the lake.

We were astounded at the huge number of locals just hanging out in the plazas and the park in the middle of the day. You certainly don't see that in the United States. Well, the owner of a small Italian restaurant (where we had dinner one night) shared with us that Spain has over 4 million unemployed people, a million of which are in Madrid. I guess that explains all the folks out and about. He said life was especially hard for those in the food services sector - a waiter may earn around €1,000 a month, €600 of which goes toward rent. (After additional research, found that Spain has the highest unemployment rate in the industrialized world - currently around 20 percent.)

On food: We'd have small servings of paella and then a variety of tapas like croquettes, smoked salmon, manchego cheese, Iberian ham - washed down with some sangria. Then we'd stroll around the city and stumble upon a random bakery for a ham and cheese pastry. We'd have gelato, fruit tarts and chocolate croissants for breakfast, lunch, dinner. I became addicted to cafe con leche throughout the trip.

Madrid is both historic and modern - a bustling city with grand buildings, ornate architecture, and narrow alleys. Everything looks especially beautiful at night with illuminated historic buildings, fountains, and arches. We've walked its streets both day and night - and we can safely say the place never sleeps.