Spain

Everyone loved Lisbon. It's so much fun to hear their excited stories, to listen to the wide array of experiences they had, and to see the students gain confidence as travelers. All of the Field Labs (faculty-driven in-country experiences tied to the course they are teaching) got high marks from everyone. In the intense two days between Lisbon and Bilbao I gave four presentations ("Spain: It's Going to Surprise You," "Tale of Two Titans: Franco and Juan Carlos," "Drop Your Trousers Here and Have a Good Time: Language Learning in a Global World," and "Bilbao and Beyond") and did one class (The Anthropology of Tourism). Quite a lot! But I enjoy preparing students and faculty for Spain, so it's ok.We are ported in Gexto, a lovely town on the north coast up river from Bilbao (about 20 mintues by shuttle bus).

Janna and I rented a car —quite a drill to get to the rental place, which included a 30-minute walk to the metro, a 20-minute ride to Bilbao, and a 15-minute walk to the agency— and took off with Julian Connolly and Monica Markelz to San Sebastián, about 90 minutes to the east of Bilbao.

San Sebastián is, to put it simply, dazzling and unique. It has one of the most gorgeous beaches in Europe (the Concha), which swings around in a wide semi-circle from the Old Town to the newer quarter. Chillida's "Peine del viento" (The Wind's Comb) sticks to the mountains as the surf pounds in on it.

San Sebastián is also justifiably famous for its food, the stars of the show being "pintxos" (the Basque version of tapas). We stayed in a modern hotel up the hill, then taxied down several times to walk the streets of the Old Town and munch away.On Saturday morning we went up to the top Monte Igeldo, from where one has a breathtaking view of the whole city. Then, on to Hondarribia on the French border, then we sneaked over the border to Hendaye, in France, for a pastry and cup of coffee. We came back along the coast road, a windy two-lane road that moves from the water up into the mountains, curling in and out of small towns.

We serendipitously found a local restaurant on the very crest of one of the hills (Pikua), and dug in to steak, duck, merluza, salad, wine, and puff pastry with cream as we gazed out over the Bay of Biscaye. From there, we headed toward Gernika, the town that was strafed in 1937 by the German air force and became immortalized in Picasso's famous "Guernica." A tree that was bombed remains as a reminder of that brutal act.

Sunday took us back into Bilbao to the glorious, disorienting, shimmering Guggenheim Museum.

Hopping back into the rental car, we headed north to Bermeo and Gaztelugatxe, both perched on a coastline that reminds one of Western Ireland. The Sunday crowds were clumped at the restaurant, and we found out why: not only the views, but the lunch of roast chicken, salad, fried calamari and wine were memorable.

Tomorrow we leave for Scotland.

Portugal

We finally got to disembark in Lisbon on Saturday, June 21. Lisbon is a gorgeous city, perched on steep hills dotted with old homes and shops, a mixture of medieval, Moorish, and more contemporary architecture. The central square area was redesigned by the Marquis of Pombal following the devastating earthquake of 1755 (so powerful that it was felt in Madrid and beyond). Before we left, Professor Betsy Chunko (US Military Academy at West Point) gave a terrific talk on what we were about to see and experience.

I presented a powerpoint called "4 Things I Know About Portugal" (announced over the PA system as "4 Things Dean David Knows," which raised the level of expectation that was inevitably squashed!). Our first outing took us to the Ceramic Museum, situated in a restored convent about twenty minutes from the ship.

Then, lunch at a VERY local place, a real find: four people, lamb chops, feijoada (the traditional dish of beans and pig parts, delicious), salad, grilled beef, and grilled swordfish, french fries, wine, water, and orange soda. Total bill, 4 people: $31.00.

Dinner was the polar opposite. A Travessa is a fabulous, upscale Michelin-ready restaurant located in a converted 17th-century convent. We went with our friends from UVa, Dan Burke and Emilie Rissman (both biologists) and we reveled in the exquisite food, great service, historical surroundings, and memorable Portuguese wines.

Janna and I chose to take a "ship trip" to Alter do Chão, Portoalegre, and Marvão, with lunch at the Pousada do Crato (google it). After visiting the Flor da Rosa Monastery we ended up at the Pousada de Marvão for dinner (google it, too!). Overnight at a lovely hotel, and then on to Castelo de Vide, the Tapestry Museum, and back to the glorious ship. There were just 19 of us on the trip, with a very knowledgeable guide and amazing castles along the way. It was intense, but very worthwhile.

Southampton to Lisbon

We're off! We sailed from Southampton the other night, on the way to Lisbon. The energy on the ship is high, dazzling even. Life on the ship is intense: we began with several days of orientation for the 800+ people on board (students, faculty, staff, families, Lifelong Learners), focused on things like health, safety, academics, and shipboard life.

We have 41 faculty members, teaching a wide array of classes, from anthropology to religion, commerce, marketing, international business, literature, travel writing, film, politics, photography, media studies, gender studies, psychology, environmental studies, geography, marine biology, and the like. It's a full spectrum so students can get the credits they need from the more than 150 colleges and universities they represent. We have 54 international students from places like Canada, China, Mexico, Saudia Arabia, Ghana, Guam, Jamaica, and Turkey.

Each class has an obligatory field program assigned to it. This is a one-day in-country event led by the professor that combines the classroom learning with hands on experience in country. At other times students will do assignments in country related to their classes, they can travel with Semester at Sea trips, or travel independently. Some will play (they are teenagers) but most will take advantage of the challenges and opportunities they will encounter to grow in maturity and intellectual acumen.

We have docked in Lisbon, and are having class and lectures until late tonight. We get off tomorrow morning.

We're off!

The adventure begins soon.....Faculty, staff, family members, Life Long Learners (LLL) and assorted visitors/guests will assemble in Southampton, England, to board the MV Explorer, our home for the next 10 weeks. Excitement is high (stress, too!); zillions of details to take care of, but off we will sail on June 16, with nearly 600 students. Here is the glorious itinerary.

Stay tuned. ++++

Made it to London, then to Southampton on the National Express bus. Chilling at the hotel until the troops assemble tomorrow.