Portugal It Is

Thanks to everyone who left very helpful advice regarding our Portugal vs. Italy debate. We have decided to spend February 16-18 on the Algarve coast in Portugal. The area is supposed to have beautiful beaches, relaxing spas and fantastic seafood, so we are really looking forward to our little mini-vacation. Italy is still somewhere we really want to go, but we are thinking that might be a better destination when it is a little warmer and when we have a little more time to spend.
The list of places we want to visit while we are living in Europe is so ridiculously long: Italy, Spain, Greece, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Turkey, and of course, France. I have always wanted to go to Paris, but so far it just hasn't worked out. I speak the language (albeit quite badly), I love pain au chocolat, and every time I see photos of the beautiful city, I swear my heart skips a beat. Maybe some day...until then, I'll just have to remind myself that the people I know who have been there have complained about all the men peeing in the streets and all the dog poo on the sidewalks! If I keep those nasty images in my head, maybe the desire to go will abate until the time is right.