Gearfuse

Free wi-fi is surprisingly hard to come by across in Europe, so I wasn’t able to post much during my recent trip across the pond. I’ve made it back home safe and sound now so this weekend and next I’ll be posting more of what I saw on my travels. One place I checked out was Seville, an ancient city in Southern Spain that’s always been an important center for arts and culture.

In addition to being the birthplace of 17th century painter Diego Velazquez and flamenco dancing, Seville is the the setting for several operas, a novel by famed author Miguel Cervantes, and the tale of legendary lover Don Juan. Today Seville is carrying on it’s artistic tradition by being home to some of the coolest street art that I saw during my European journey.

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While enjoying my European adventure I saw the renowned Jedi Master Yoda in Madrid’s historic Plaza Mayor. Apparently, Yoda’s fallen on hard times since filming the Star Wars movies and now he’s resorted to begging for money from tourists in Spain.

It was cool seeing my favorite sci-fi hero in the flesh, but I’d rather have a chance to get up close and personal with a hottie like Princess Leia or Queen Amidala. I hear Natalie Portman’s single again, so maybe I can make that happen. I’ll have my people get in touch with her people. As Yoda himself once said “there is no try there is only do.”

Lisbon is an old city where medieval castles, fortresses, and ancient Roman aqueducts can be found right in the heart of downtown. Incredible grafitti is also prominent in Lisbon, especially alongside the city’s many rail lines. After the jump, check out some of the best street art that I saw during my time in the Portugese capital.

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Farol Design Hotel is a chic resort in the tiny beach town of Cascais on Portugal’s beautiful Estoril Coast. Farol is perched on a cliff right by the water’s edge making for spectacular views from every part of the hotel. Inside, the hotel is equally stunning. All of the rooms in the hotel are decorated by famous Portugese fashion designers. This year, the Farol got completely redone with a classy black-and-white makeover that accentuates it’s hip appeal.

Unlike so many other design hotels, the Farol isn’t just about trendy modern style. Half of the hotel located in a 118-year-old mansion that was once owned by the Count of Cabral, but the other part of the building is a sleek annex that was added on six years ago. This blend of contemporary cool and old-school elegance makes the Farol truly unique. Read more to see pictures of this extraordinary hotel.

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What up everybody. This cool Lego creation is a model of Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport that I spotted when I landed in Europe yesterday morning. Thanks to the folks at Eurail and various tourism ministries, I’m here on a ten day trip through Portugal, Spain, and Amsterdam.

While I’m traveling, in addition to all the regular Gearfuse goodness, expect weekend updates on the hottest street art, design, and high tech goodies from across the pond. It’s going to be awesome.