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Teaching Time in Lisbon
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  • Laurie Reynolds

Teaching Time in Lisbon

An open-ended adventure by Laurie Read more
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    🇵🇹 Lisbon, Portugal
    Laurie ReynoldsTeaching Time in LisbonLaurie Reynolds

    First day teaching

    Yesterday in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Leaving my hotel this morning, I saw that the Portuguese communist party still has their headquarters across the street, with their lovely mural— a joint project of almost 40 artists. But the general tide in Portugal seems to be moving far away from the communists. Yesterday, in my Uber back from Sintra to Lisbon, my driver (from Bangladesh originally) told me how the anti-Immigration fever has hit Portugal full force. He described incidents where people have come up to him in the street and told him to go home. His daughter has even gotten insults, and she’s four years old and was born in Portugal. As if to put a point on that, this morning, walking to school I saw a billboard that I couldn’t have imagined would be possible here in Portugal. Anti-Immigrant parties are on the rise, and the Chega! (Enough Already) party seems poised to get at least a plurality in the next elections. I suppose this hateful xenophobia, and the other right-wing ideology that accompanies it, has always existed, but for a country that transitioned from a dictatorship to democracy in 1974, it is surprising to me.

    My class has fewer than 20 students for the first time in many years, and I am so happy about that. There are about four Portuguese students and the rest are Erasmus — from all over the European Union. It seems like a very good group, and I have to remember that law students in Europe are much younger than my law students in the United States. This is their first university degree, and that seems to make them more bright eyed and bushy tailed than your average US law student. The three hours sped by, for me at least!

    I realize how lucky I was to have had a rain free day yesterday. The weather pattern seems to be cloudy with occasional hard showers. Yesterday I had nothing but sun after my first little burst of rain. I will have to remember to bring my umbrella with me everywhere I go.

    One of my favorite meals in Portugal is a piece of grilled fish, some of those delicious Portuguese potatoes, and a green vegetable. There’s a little hole in the wall restaurant near my hotel, and I went back for yet another €13 dinner.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsTeaching Time in LisbonLaurie Reynolds
    1
    2111

    Arrived!

    November 14 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    It’s been a rough two weeks, and I wasn’t sure that I should go, but the class is all set and I do love Lisbon. But it took me a long time to get here, that’s for sure. Many hours in O’Hare, and then I missed my connection in Heathrow. I had a seven hour wait for the next available flight to Lisbon. Luckily, I had lounge access and was able to find a sofa in a corner for a couple of hours, but it was not a lot of fun.

    To add to the fun, I went to the hotel where I had stayed last year (as per my instructions), only to find out that there was no reservation for me. The guy at the desk spent some time calling all the other hotels in the same chain to see if maybe I was booked in one of those. No luck. I was about to just check in and figure it out later, but then I had the idea to call the hotel where I had been two years ago. Sure enough, they had my reservation.

    Not surprisingly, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow a little after midnight. I woke up this morning at 7, had a very good breakfast and
    by eight I was in an Uber. It’s my only day to walk.

    I was dropped off at about 8:45 at the Cabo da Roca, pulled up my Wikiloc tracks and off I went. What a beautiful day, probably my best day hike from Lisbon. The first couple of kilometers were really hard — several very stony descents, followed of course by steep ascents. But always with gorgeous views of the coast.

    When I got away from the coast, I was in the Sintra Hills. First little detour was to a 4000 year- old anta/burial chamber. It was amazing. From there up to a little sanctuary, Peninha,
    and then through the hills to several of my favorite Sintra sites. The paths were great— a mixture of sand, dirt, and gravel, with lots of pine needles as an extra cushion. First the Convento dos Capuchos, a tiny 16th century monastery. All the doors, some of the benches, and even some of the ceilings were lined with cork. I remembered this from years ago and was so glad to go back and have it pretty much all to myself.

    Next step was the Monserrate mansion, built by Brits in the 19th century. Then I passed a few more of these magnificent Quintas on my way to my last stop for the day, the Moorish Castle. Great views.

    https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/cabo-da-r…

    I took the bus down to the historic center of Sintra, and even though it was about 530 on a Sunday afternoon, the streets were mobbed with tourist going up and down a tiny streets lined with souvenir shops. I did get a travesseiro in Piriquita, and they were just as good as I remembered them. But then, all pastries in Portugal are delicious.

    It was hard to get an Uber because of traffic restrictions, but one finally made it to me. There are plenty of good little restaurants in this neighborhood, but none are open on Sunday night, so I’ll get a salad downstairs in the Hotel bar. Classes tomorrow!    Read more

    Trip start
    November 14, 2025
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