Christmas in Portugal

Our first stop was Lisbon. Since this trip took place a while ago, many of the details are fuzzy. What I do remember is that most of Lisbon was closed. Traffic was sparse and there were few pedestrians. During the Christmas holiday everyone gets outta town, leaving the city at the mercy of tourists.

Our hotel was fancy and very comfortable. After an “exhausting” day of sightseeing we collapsed on couches in the gilded lobby for glasses of port. What amazing wine! It was a rich maroon color with golden sparks as it shone in the sun. And the taste......sublime, lush, richly satisfying. Food was served in a vast buffet. I remember enjoying many varieties of cheese and more kinds of sausage that I have ever seen. The piece de resistance was the dessert display. I was overwhelmed. Pastries, cakes, confections and flanLæs mere