Portugal
Praça da Alegria

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    • Day 13

      Miradouros and Sardines

      October 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

      We took an Uber to Conserveira de Lisboa, the traditional old store that has been selling canned sardines, mackerel, tuna, mussels, etc. for a long time. I bought some for my hometown buddies who like them. There is also a modern chain that has lots of glitz and colors. And is probably snapping up a lot of the business now that canned sardines seem to be in fashion. But I’ve been told the sardines are not as good and more than twice as much. I guess the price includes the merry-go-round too.

      We walked about 6 miles till we got an Uber around 4 pm — old squares, hills, up and down to our favorite lookout spots. And a quick detour to see if the socialist party headquarters was still where I remembered it. And, of course, we had some coffee and pasteis de nata thrown in. Occasional moments of nostalgia and a sense that this may be our last year coming to Lisbon.
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    • Day 18

      Lissabon Tag 1

      April 21 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

      Fio war heute Chef des Tagesprogramms, da ich ja im Mai noch einmal eine Woche hier in Lissabon verbringen werde. Wir haben heute eine Kleinigkeit aus dem Supermarkt gefrühstückt, weil das Hostelfrühstück uns für 6€ nicht überzeugt hat. Eine Küche gibt es leider auch nicht. Naja lernt man draus. 😞😅 wir sind heute zuerst durch Alfama und dann zur Green und Pink Street und Bairro Alto spaziert. Die Stadt wimmelt nur vor schönen Ausblicken und süßen Cafés und Restaurants. Viele bunte Häuser mit Fliesen und tolle Gebäude gibts auch. Lissabon ist super lebendig und überall findet man etwas Neues. Gefällt uns bisher wahnsinnig gut. 🫶 abends haben wir in einem Park gepicknickt.Read more

    • Day 7

      Rückflug nach Lissabon

      March 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

      Am frühen Morgen hieß es dann Abschied nehmen von São Miguel. Mit Flugzeug ging es wieder näher in Richtung Heimat. In Lissabon machte ich noch mal für zwei Tage einen Stopp. Um die Mittagszeit kam ich im Hostel in Lissabon an und nach dem Check-in besichtigte ich auf einem ersten Rundgang die Stadt. Die Kathedrale und die pinke Straße mit den Regenschirmen waren erste Anlaufpunkte. Auch die Fahrt mit den Elevador da Glória, einer Standseilbahn sollte nicht fehlen.Read more

    • Day 8

      Lisbon 16 September

      September 16 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

      What a bummer—when planning our trip to Lisbon we should not have selected a weekend. The crowds were massive as it is still summer and all museums are closed on Mondays. So, what to do today? We considered a train to Cascais but Debbie picked up a brochure for a 3 hour tour of four neighborhoods in Lisbon that sounded good: Bairro Alto, Chiado, Baixo and Alfama.

      First, let me say a word about the various guides we have had. They have been from a variety of countries, have Master / PhD degrees, speak multiple languages and by and large are passionate about their work. Some have left the business world to find flexibility and freedom. Some are between academics and deciding their next step. One was from Russia and hadn’t seen her parents in a long time. They fascinate me. Today’s was an actress and was so a animated. The tours are free but tips are expected and are well worth the expected 10-20 Euros.

      Some of you know that I studied Latin, French and Spanish in high school and majored in Spanish Literature in College. After retiring, I studied Italian at West Chester University, the University of Pennsylvania and Villanova University. I will pick it up again after this Camino. What all of this means is that I love to hear how non native speakers speak English. Several of our guides pronounced past tense verbs like “lived” as “liv ed” . Some put the stress on an English word according to the rules of their native tongue. Since English uses no accents and we have to learn how to accentuate words, it’s a nightmare for foreigners. And then we have words like “address”. It’s both a noun and a verb and many people move the stress depending on how they use it.

      We were told that all Portuguese know Spanish but refuse to answer anyone who speaks to them in that language. After all, they’ve been at war with Spain in the past. I did not find that to be so and, in fact, was able to speak to many in Spanish which made a huge positive difference in getting directions, etc
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    • Day 8

      Lisbon 15 September

      September 16 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

      We got an early start for the Monastery of St. Jerome. We arrived there a bit after opening and the length of the line was discouraging plus we were in the sun. We didn’t have to buy a ticket as we had a pre paid Lisboa card which provides free metro and free or discounted tickets to some attractions.

      There was a mother and son of Indian extraction, living in NJ, standing in front of us. They were there for a destination wedding in Sintra. Note: we just found out that Sintra is under a fire alert with palaces closing. That bride must be a basket case🤪.

      While the mother checked out another attraction, we encouraged the young man to find out how long the wait would be for entrance. He had timed
      tickets and it was getting late. We told him we would hold his space. Our good deed was rewarded as the attendant quickly returned to admit them and he told her, we were part of their party. We were in and out of the monetary while the people in line with us were still waiting to get in. How lucky was that?

      We had time to visit the Maritime Museum before meeting with our guide. We attempted to get to the Ceramic Museum too but the timing was too tight. Given the place of Portugal in discoveries and conquests, this museum was very comprehensive with historical narratives, artifacts, etc.

      We stopped at a nondescript establishment along the Tagus River for perhaps our fourth meal of octopus and it was as tasty as any in the better places despite the grumpy waiter.

      We managed to find the famous Pink Street filled with colorful overhead umbrellas and tons of restaurants and eager tourists clamoring to be part of the scene.

      The afternoon tour centered on the vast Portuguese explorations and the complicated history around succession, money, invasions, and land grabbing. We walked the waterfront learning about monuments and the famous tower of Belem built to house prisoners.

      We had a chance afterwards to stop at the store which sells the original version of pasteis de Belém from a recipe purchased generations ago from the monks who lived in the monastery. The monks used egg whites to starch their clothes and came up with a delicious recipe for an egg custard tart made from the yokes. It was an instant success and sounds like it was as lucrative as selling indulgences. The recipe has ever been written down and is known by only 3 people at a time who are never together at the same time to ensure it won’t be lost, or so they say. Similar versions have been developed and I really couldn’t tell the difference. They are very yummy and are served warm. You sprinkle a liberal amount of cinnamon on them.
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    • Day 6

      More Tasty Things

      September 4 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

      After our eclectic and delicious lunch/dinner, we headed out to The Red Frog, a speakeasy cocktail bar rated in the top 100 bars.

      With only some confusion around where the hidden entrance was, we were seated in a small, cozy bar.

      We each quickly picked out some favorite options off the menu and put in our first round. All of the drinks were well balanced and interesting! The foamy U photo is of the cocktail named bubbles & troubles - made up of sparkling wine, passion fruit juice, and yogurt 😯

      Upon leaving, we decided a little pre-bed time pizza would be just the thing. And so we stopped by a small pizza place on the way home for a good last night hang in Lisbon!

      Tomorrow we're off to The Douro Valley!
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    • Day 27

      Coimbra, Portugal

      May 19 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

      If anyone tries to convince you this town is worth visiting and spending two nights in, don't believe them. Brings new meaning to, "nothing to see here."

      To be fair, it does have the oldest university in Portugal and one of the oldest in Europe. However, this does not warrant a two-night stay. Unless, of course, you need to firm up your glutes and walk an equivalent of 45 sets of stairs.Read more

    • Day 4

      Unser Auto für heute - Mercedes A-Klasse

      October 3, 2019 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      Für den heutigen Tag hatten wir uns Online bei Sixt einen Mietwagen gebucht und einiges vor. Um 09:00 Uhr durften wir den Wagen abholen. Um Parkgebühren zu vermeiden, mussten wir ihn heute Abend um 19:30 Uhr wieder abgeben. Ingesamt haben wir dafür knapp 70€ bezahlt. Um 7 hieß es Aufstehen, schnell frühstücken und los. Der Hauptgrund dafür war, dass die Autovermietung gut 45 Minuten weg von unserer Wohnung ist. Somit ging es dann früh morgens entlang der Avenida da Liberdade in Richtung Autovermietung. Die Straße ist nicht nur wunderschön bepflanzt, sondern ist auch mit den wunderschönen Gebäuden und Luxus Boutiquen ein Hingucker. Zeit hatten wir aber nicht sonderlich und das Geld für Louis Vuitton und Prada sowieso nicht. Bei Sixt angekommen haben wir schnell den Schlüssel bekommen und somit konnten wir zeitnah aufbrechen. Unseres erstes Ziel, Ponte und Christo Rei.Read more

    • Day 3

      Lisbon

      November 17, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      Clouds shrouded our arrival in Lisbon, arriving early. Smooth sailing thru custom and with only carry-on, we were soon on the Metro to our hotel. 9 am checking in was allowed and time for a few minutes of shut eye.
      First outing, we explored the area close to the hotel. Had a great adventure in the afternoon. Riding the Gloria Funicular and then exploring the streets back down. Stopping at the church of Saint Roch. Lots of nooks and crannies to see.
      The final stop was at the Rossio Christmas Market.
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    • Day 3

      Breakfast, gym, and a long walk

      April 22, 2019 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

      Lisbon sits on many hills, so there are lots of “miradouros” (scenic look-out plazas is my awkward translation). We decided to head for two located on hills near the castle— these are not the most popular but the views are great—Nossa Senhora da Monte and Graca. Lunch in a little pastelaria where we sat outside in old Lisbon and had a homemade lunch for 9 € for the two of us!

      Back to the hotel for a total of 19,752 steps according to my phone. While Joe rested, I went on my first oil-scouting expedition. Making good headway!

      Tomorrow it’s down to work for two days. Then Thursday is The national holiday commemorating the Carnation Revolution-saying goodbye to fascism without firing a shot.
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    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Praça da Alegria, Praca da Alegria

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