Lisbon, Portugal

Here's what I saw when I woke and pulled back the curtains in our room this morning. It's nice to travel while I sleep and wake up to a surprise each day, especially one as pretty as Lisbon, Portugal!

 

After another day at sea, it was fun spending a few hours exploring Lisbon. The weather was mild and absolutely perfect for walking around and taking in the sights. 

 

view from our balcony

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rather than an excursion, we chose to walk from the port area which took us right into the city. One of the first things a visitor notices is the beautiful blue and white tiles (called azulejos) that cover many of the buildings. Everywhere I looked, there was another photo-worthy building or storefront decorated with these traditional tiles. 

 

wall in pastry shop

Some history behind the tiles - after the devastating 1755 earthquake which destroyed much of the city, tiles became a popular reconstruction material due to their affordability, durability and fire resistance. Also, because many people couldn't read, the tiles were often used to tell religious stories on church walls, depict maritime victories or designate house numbers. 

The streets of Lisbon are lively with outdoor cafés and restaurants, with people eating and enjoying the pleasant weather. Most of the restaurants up and down the busy streets seemed to feature seafood.

 

However, we were determined to find some Mexican food! Waiters holding menus stand outside restaurants in an attempt to lure hungry pedestrians to eat there. We kept asking them for Mexican food but they all just shook their head 'no'. We were very discouraged, but agreed to continue to the end of that particular block before settling for a burger. But boy, were we surprised when one guy knew what we were asking for and pointed us further down the street to a place he called "Oh-li Oh-li". We still weren’t sure he knew what we were asking, but he had a second guy walk us to it and YES!! There it was - Ole! Ole! Although it wasn't a Mexican restaurant (or really anything close) we did find some tacos, chips and guacamole toward the very back of the menu! And… they were very good! (they were served with French fries)

But no visit to Lisbon would be complete without trying one of Portugal's famous custard tarts, known as Pastel de Nata. The flaky pastry and creamy filling made for a delicious treat before heading back to the ship. People line up to get these things and I now understand why! Funny story about them – they were actually a monastic accident, invented by monks in the Belém district. Because nuns used massive amounts of egg whites for starching their habits, the monastery had piles of leftover egg yolks, which they cleverly used to invent the world-famous pastry. To this day, the original recipe is locked in a vault and only a select few pastry chefs know it by memory.

yum yum

Colorful tuk-tuks were everywhere, carrying visitors through the city's steep and winding streets. They were nothing like the tuk tuks in Asia, and it seemed like every tuk tuk company tried to outdoor the next in terms of style or decorations. They added a fun energy to the atmosphere and seemed to be one of the most popular ways to explore. 

 

 

Lisbon is built on a steep hillside, making it difficult for visitors (our age, anyway) to explore very long without getting exhausted. I failed to mention that Ronnie had a good start to his morning, being able to run off ship in a safe place with perfect weather. What more can a runner ask?

 

Rua Augusta Arch 

In addition to the colorful, decorative tiles, one can't help but notice the black and white patterns on  Lisbon's streets. They are hand laid using cubes of white limestone and black basalt. The craftsmen who shape and lay these stones are known as calceteiros. 

 

 

  

"The Liberator" Dom Pedro IV (1798–1834)

Rossio Square

By early afternoon, we were both ready to head back to the ship. We called an uber (about 1/3 the price of a tuk tuk) for a quick ride back.

Lisbon left a wonderful impression with its charming streets, beautiful tilework, outdoor dining culture and welcoming atmosphere. It's easy to see why so many people fall in love with this city. When I think of Lisbon in the future, I will think of blue and white tiles, patterned sidewalks, tuk tuks and custard tarts. 😊

 

sardine shop

nothing but sardines!