Trains, Trolleys & Tuk Tuks-Getting around Lisbon

On May 15, 2017June 12, 2017 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Europe, Lisbon, Portugal, Travel, Uncategorized, vacationLeave a comment

When you visit Lisbon, don’t even contemplate renting a car. The traffic is crazy and the streets are uneven cobblestone narrow lanes. Picturesque the crooked quaint streets are, but you do NOT want to drive here. Trust me. Instead, enjoy the public transportation system and treat yourself to a tuk tuk too.

If you are a typical American, you are dependent on and feel lost without your own car. In Europe, it’s practical and easy to let someone else do the driving. So here’s a quick guide to public transportation in Europe. Buy your travel card (could be paper or plastic depending on country) and use your credit card to put money on it to use as needed at the machine at the bus/train/trolley station. We usually start with 10 euros on each of ours and then “top off” or add more $ at the machines as we use it up. Ride costs vary but are usually 1-2 euros each trip. Machines will be around the stations, usually with a line waiting to use, and just step up when it’s your turn, select your language and the machine will walk you through the process. Easy peasey.

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As you proceed with your card/ticket, you will either just slap it on the pad at the machine turnstyles to enter the station or at the station just inside the door as you enter the trolly or sometimes it will be fed into the machine and spit out on the other side. Just watch the other passengers and follow in style. Grab a map of the subway or trolley lines at the station and off you go! Most systems are color coded, i.e. in Lisbon we took the red line to the blue line to get around the entire town. Inside the subway, trolley, etc. you will usually see a map of the system with the stops called out. Just watch for your stop and if you miss it, get off at the next stop and switch tracks to go back. It happens! Keep your card handy as you sometimes have to use it to get out of the turn styles upon arrival. Make sure you look for the green light vs. the red light so the exit you pick is active. Don’t be that crazy American tourist trying to exit a closed lane.

I have to give Lisbon A+ for their public transportation. In addition to a great metro (subway) system, they have trolleys/buses for easy around town travel and trains to get out of town and explore Sentra, Porto, Evora, etc. All except the trains use the one transport card. For trains, you have to get a separate ticket. We found out that they assign seats on the train tickets after we sat in the wrong seats and had to move. Oops.

For fun, we tried a tuk tuk one day for short ride. For $10 euros for the two of us, the lovely lady took us in her three wheel golf cart-like tuk tuk and proceeded to tell us stories about Lisbon during our trip. Travel + a story! She explained that Lisbon is quite safe but there are lots of “soft” crime meaning pickpockets. She told us about a tradition where the governor pays for 10 weddings a year at a big event in June. Unfortunately, our driver is engaged to a Porto resident not a Lisbon resident so she was not qualified to enter the wedding raffle. She contemplated finding another boyfriend but decided to keep him. Ah, true love! Hint: look for electric tuk tuk vs. a gas one so you aren’t sucking in deadly fumes on your lovely ride around Lisbon. Cheers!

Eating & drinking in Lisbon

On May 15, 2017June 12, 2017 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Food, Lisbon, Portugal, Travel, Uncategorized, vacationLeave a comment

Pastel de nata. Pastel de Belem. Whatever name you want to call it, in Portugal this is the national treasure and really all you need to know about Portugal food. It is the food of the Gods. Flaky crust, warm egg custard interior with torched sugar top that oozes creamy goodness as you bite into the lusciousness. Seriously, I am in love with a tart. I’ve already searched for where I can find it back home in Seattle and am considering how to smuggle home a few (or a backpack full) to tide me over. Full. On. Obsession.

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Yes, the seafood is pretty good here too. Thom had a grilled sea bass at the Fado place near our arbnb that was quite tasty. BTW, Fado is seriously promoted here. You can walk almost any curvy ancient cobblestone street here and find a Fado bar where the music starts about 9 p.m. We ordered right before the singing started. Big mistake-no food service while the singing is going on. Thank goodness the singers were really loud so their soulful tunes covered the sounds of our stomachs rumbling loudly in hunger. Finally around 10 p.m., the singing stopped and the food flooded out to the hungry patrons. Fado was nice but since it is sung in Portugese (duh!) and I couldn’t understand the sad words, it was a one night and done for us to enjoy.

Acting on a recommendation by my cousin Eve, we went to the Anthony Boudain-approved seafood joint, Cervejaria Ramiro. Far away from the main square and tourist area, we walked through Lisbon’s Chinatown and into the best food ever. We thought by going “early” at 7 p.m. it would not be so busy as most people eat late here after they enjoy their afternoon siesta and go back to work for awhile. Nope. Even at 7 p.m. there was a line forming and the #’s were being given out to wait until you could be seated.

After a short wait though, we were directed upstairs from the main floor craziness. The iPad with the menu was quickly discussed with the friendly wait staff that wanted us to order everything on the menu. Having checked out the reviews, I knew to go with the garlic shrimp, garlic bread and steak sandwich for Thom. With no choice to go with a single glass of wine, I had to order the “small” bottle. Once again, cheap and delicious, I couldn’t finish the wine before we left. So much wine, so little time! Soaking up the juices with the bread, the garlic shrimp was divine. Thom was making yummy sounds as he enjoyed the steak sandwich and stole a few of my shrimp. Seriously, we could eat this every day and be very, very happy. Total bill for two with wine was under 25 euros. Thanks, Eve, for the tip!

Last night we just cooked in our teeny, tiny kitchen. We found that every train station has a grocery so on our way back from Evora we picked up eggs, bread, etc. for a quick breakfast dinner (with wine of course!). I still can’t understand how anyone can eat the huge slabs of salted cod you find in all groceries. Must be an acquired taste. The food is very inexpensive here in groceries and restaurants.

WP_20170510_16_21_32_Rich — Tower of salted cod at the grocery store.

Coffee is not a big deal here. Most people drink espresso in cafes. We didn’t even have a coffee maker of any type provided in our arbnb. We found a cheap coffee press at Flying Tiger for 8 euros that we’ll leave for the next guest. Cheaper to do that than buy coffee out every day. We found one Starbucks at the train station but that was it for national coffee chain stores. Tea is not big here either though we did have a hot water kettle provided in the apartment. Next time I’ll bring more Starbucks instant coffee to tide us over as you just never know.

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For lunches, toasties are big here, as in grilled cheese and grilled ham/cheese. We’ve had several of these and for about 2 euros each, provide a quick and hot lunch. Tarts and toasties-that’s seems to be my standard diet here with cheap and tasty wine to wash it all down. The sangria is amazing with so much fruit and spices that it is a tango on your tongue. Even the food carts get into the vino action. We found “wine with a view” on the waterfront in Belem, cork bar and all. A perfect way to end a day in sunny Portugal!

Chapel of Bones

On May 14, 2017June 12, 2017 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Europe, Evora, Lisbon, Portugal, Travel, Uncategorized, vacationLeave a comment

“We bones in here wait for yours to join us.” This message over the door greets visitors who enter the Chapel of Bones. Disturbing and disruptive. Unlike anything I had ever experienced, Capela dos Ossos is in the Church of St. Francis in Evora, a cute Portugal city that has been around for 2,000+ years.

Three monks, concerned with the values they saw in Evora’s society in the 1600’s, created this macabre chapel to give residents a place to contemplate their love of material things against their inevitable death. Using locales from the cemeteries around town, skulls and bones were gathered to form the walls, columns and ceiling. Full corpses of an adult and a child also are on display. To stand in that room looking at this religious expression of protest against wealth and status from so long ago shows that society never changes. You have that same wealth disparity today across the world. Will human beings ever learn?

Not my cup of tea usually but staring at the display made me reflect on the need to be in the present, appreciate my blessings and not take one minute of this precious life for granted. Because, just like these bones and skulls staring back at me, we will all join them some day. All that matters then is the lasting good that we are able to create while alive. Unfortunately, though, most shun thoughts of our eventual demise and focus on gathering as many material things as we can while alive. The old saying “you can’t take it with you” comes to mind. Why on Earth then do we spending all our time working to buy stuff that we don’t really need?

On Mother’s Day, I appreciate that Thom and I created two really outstanding human beings who are now making a difference themselves in the world. Hannah and James make me very proud every day of the worthy life I have lived. Until I depart to be only bones, I can only hope to continue to do good work and live a life well served.

Scenic Sintra

On May 12, 2017June 12, 2017 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Europe, Lisbon, Portugal, Sintra, TravelLeave a comment

After a sleepless night (falling FINALLY asleep at 5 a.m. after counting a herd of sheep) I woke up at 11:30 a.m. and off we went to Sintra. After a metro stop, a short train ride, and the bus ride from Hell, we were transported to another time where palaces and castles were the norm. Amazing!

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Of course, the bus ride up to the beautiful Palace of Pena scared the crap out of me. OMG! Blaring his horn to alert anyone crazy enough to drive this lane, the driver confidently took the hairpin curves in the big bus up the narrow path. I thought we were surely going to die. But we survived to climb up a steep hill and roam about the palace where safety is more of a suggestion than a standard, i.e. don’t bring your toddler or aging parents. They’ll die. With gaps in the railing and steep drops into crevices, we watched our steps and checked it all out.

The views were breathtaking looking out onto the Moorish Castle and the sea. Inside, the kitchens still full equipped with the biggest mort/pestle I have ever seen. What. The. Hell. Were they grounding up trees in there not spices?? Two of the original ovens used by King Ferdinand II’s staff are still displayed along with lots of other relics. You can only imagine the three man lift required to haul up one of the large cauldrons to make soup for the King. Damn. The chapel from the early 1500’s was serene and peaceful.

Deciding after waiting awhile in line for the bus down the mountain, we blew off the Moorish castle (cool from a distance but it was starting to rain) which was further down the hill and thought we would just check out the town square instead. Of course, first we would have to survive the bus trip down. Packed in like the favorite Portugal sardines, I warned Thom to hold on tight as we stood or he would wind up in the lady’s lap he was huddled next to. As the “Eye of the Tiger” came on the bus radio, the lively British gals that had stood behind us in line as we waited for the bus broke out into loud song. Bus Karaoke was on! Hilarious.

Tired from all that singing, we quickly exited on the main square in Sintra, checked out the News Museum with it’s Macho Media exhibit and headed down the quaint curvy streets. There I found the best thing ever-Ginja! Cherry liqueur shots served in a dark chocolate cup for only 1 euro. You nibble a little chocolate, sip a little liqueur and repeat. Of course, you could just throw it all at once in your mouth but I wanted to savor it. Tasting like a cherry cordial that my dad used to love at Christmas time but with booze, it was a perfect union of tastes. Yum!

Walking down the mountain in the rain, it was the end of a perfect day in Sintra, a fairy tale land where you can easily imagine another time where knights defended their kings and queens. Magical.

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Shopping in Lisbon!

On May 11, 2017June 12, 2017 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, bookstores, Europe, Lisbon, Portugal, Shopping, Travel, Uncategorized, vacationLeave a comment

While Lisbon is so impossibly picturesque that you feel compelled to take pictures of everything, it is also heaven for shopping. Not even in London did I find so many unique items for gifts and myself, of course.

Where to begin? Well, there is the LX Factory under the bridge that looks like the Golden Gate. Filled with shops and cafes, it also houses the coolest bookstore I have seen and I LOVE bookstores. Obolodamarta not only had multiple levels filled with books, it also had a temporary exhibit of Kinetic Art. The inventor himself walked us around and told us stories about each of his creations. From a miniature printing press to a Charlie Chaplin story machine, it was so fun and interesting. I love just stumbling into these experiences as we often do as we wander.

Thom was tempted to get a tattoo at the local artist shop at LX Factory but I veered him away and took some great pics of street art instead. Who knows if he will leave Portugal with new ink but maybe another day. Tattoos are not a decision to be made in the moment but after careful reflection.

The next day we left our Alfama district and meandered up and down the cobblestone streets. Definitely need to have sturdy shoes with grip to hike these streets in Lisbon especially as they get slippery in the rain that was off and on all day. Finding a store that made bags out of recycled signs and garbage as well as bicycle tires, I was tempted but held off buying. Pricey but worthy.

Ducking out of the rain into the Cork Store by the fort proved to be an expensive interlude as we bought multiple gifts for folks who read this blog so I will say no more. Let’s just say I bought so much I asked for a quantity discount and got it. Always the bargainer I am! Just expect Christmas present from Portugal my family and friends. Thom is obsessed with man jewelry and got yet another bracelet for his already full wrist. Seriously, that man wears way more bangles than I do.

Thom also loves shoes so when we found a store with the unique concept of buy a pair of awesome shoes, get a bottle of wine, we both considered it but wisely remembered how full our closets are back home. We also passed on the sardine shop knowing that while they look cute, they aren’t our cup of tea.

At Typographia, we could have gone wild but restrained ourselves to buy only 2 t-shirts. Very similar to our favorite store in Shanghai that had original creative designs on quality t’s, this little shop had so many cool t’s to choose from that it was hard to narrow it down but the one we choose for James was the best. In chatting with the shop clerk as she rang us out, she asked if I had really read the words spelled out on the typewriter keys. I had and it was hilarious but irreverent, just like our son, who will be the recipient. We laughed and then the conversation somehow turned to weed. In Portugal, the legal limit of pot is one gram but it’s still not legal though they won’t arrest you with that amount or less we were told. Sharing that we didn’t smell it all the time like we did in Seattle walking the streets, she said we just weren’t walking the right streets. Point taken. Shirts bought.

When visiting Portugal, I would suggest packing an empty suitcase and LOTS of Euros. Whether you go for cork or sardines (they are obsessed with this salty little feller) or Port wine, etc. you will enjoy engaging with the locals as you find treasures to bring home. Here’s hoping our luggage isn’t over the weight limit going home!

First Day in Portugal

On May 11, 2017June 12, 2017 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Europe, Lisbon, Portugal, Travel, Uncategorized, walkingLeave a comment

16,554 steps and almost 7 miles later, we arrived back at our very “bijou” arbnb in the Alfama district in Lisbon, ready to kick back and reflect on our adventure today. I. Love. Lisbon.

Despite a late start after sleeping off the jet lag, we put in a full 8 hour walk across town. With rain coming down heavy all morning, we were lucky enough to cover some ground before the next storm rolled through. Grabbing a table at a café on a viewpoint overlooking the sea under a dense tree that served as our leafy umbrella, we sipped coffee and ate heavenly custard tarts that Portugal is known for–I’m in love with this pastry and vow to have one a day. At least.

A local sat down to busk for awhile playing us a selection of tunes including Amazing Grace. Thom, of course, struck up a conversation and we learned he had been to the U.S. but not north of SoCal. Thankfully he didn’t bring up U.S. politics as we are taking a break from the madness. We’re looking forward to hearing Fado music at a bar tomorrow night. Our arbnb host told us that Fado is soulful and melancholy, telling tales of love, the sea and tragedy. Happy stuff.

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But the people here are friendly. How friendly? When Thom and I were arguing over what cheese to buy at the grocery, a local stepped in and handed us local goat cheese with a recommendation that it was delish. Cheese intervention–Sold!

Other initial Lisbon observations:

LOTS of hills so no rental bikes here but they do have lovely trolleys and tut tuts that can carry your tired ass upwards when you just can’t take another step or have a heavy bag filled with wine. It happens.

People smoke INDOORS here! Could not believe it when we walked into this cool bookstore with a café and everyone was on their computers drinking coffee and smoking away. Cough, cough.

Pay to pee here as in most of Europe with .50 euros required. I will say that the magazine rack in the ladies room at the train station made me smile. Really? I guess for .50 euros you can use the facilities AND rest your legs while reading a magazine.

Wine is cheap, plentiful and tasty. We’re talking $2.99 average for bottle of good, smooth vino. Yes, Thom and I have already decided to spend quality time here when and if I ever get to retire. You can dream. Cheers!