Love Letter to Lisbon, Part 3: Thursday & Friday

Thursday September 13 - originally I had planned to go to the beach but ended up going to Belém with Harrison and Jessica. We planned vaguely the night before and texted the morning after to decide time and place to meet. It was a slow morning. I still woke up pretty early due to my internal clock; woke up with a slight headache, that’s not too bad. Got dressed and had breakfast at the hostel buffet though my stomach soon after did not agree with that. Womp womp.

Around noon I walked to Cais do Sodré (which is both a suburban train station and metro station) with Harisson to meet up with Jessica there. We bought tickets and got on the train towards Belém.

Belém is also part of a tour offering through the hostel but we wanted to visit it on our own to go at our own pace. Belém is coastal town 10 mins away by train with lots of naval history and are known for their pastel de nata (cream pastry!) Our to do list was shortened due to two locations being closed or too far to walk. Still, we managed to do a lot within 6 hours.

It was of course another beautiful day in Portugal. 

After walking on the hills of Belém and finding that the Palace was too far to walk and the gardens being closed for a week, we walked back towards the shore and went to a gothic-style monastery called Jerónimos Monastery which is a world heritage site. 

We spent a while admiring the architecture and snapping quite a few photos. We walked outside and around the building to go to the archeological museum that was offered with our combo ticket. Also pro tip: they sell Belém tower tickets at the museum too so you don’t have to wait in line and worry about the time. The museum was put together in the late 1800s by their king at the time and boasted a small collection from Portuguese archeology exactions of artifacts and (stolen) treasures. It’s a small collection but interesting. 

We headed to, in our opinion, the main feature of Belém: the Tower de Belém. We were lucky to get tickets from the monastery so we didn't have to go through the line. The tower is comprised of four floors, and a tiny prison area in the lower level. It is right on the water so you can see the ocean up close and get great skyline views.

To get to the top, you had to ascend 93 narrow stairs going around cyclical to the top. Because the stairs were so narrow and step, it was timed so that people has 3 minutes to get up, then 20 seconds to get out on whatever floor they're closest to, the 3 minutes to get down - and repeat.

Now we have to get the pastry, which is half the point of going to Belém (though you can get this pastry anywhere, especially Lisbon - but not like it). We stopped at a pastry "shop" just on the water and got the pastel del nata that Belém was famous for. We enjoyed it facing the harbor. So good, even the pigeons were boldly sitting on the table across from us staring at us and the pastry, and pancaking (sitting with their feet tucked under them, like cats do)!

We were driven by the idea of having fish dinner on the water so we walked along the shore looking for a good place to stop at. We ended up at a restaurant near the boat docks and I tried cuttlefish for the first time (with ink) and we shared a bottle of green wine. We enjoyed the cool breeze an watching Portuguese men sitting on lawn chairs and chatting across from us and having a really nice view of the Ponte 25 de Abril and the Christ King statue beyond the channel.

After some time, we went back and caught the train. Harrison, Jessica and I exchanged Facebooks and said our goodbyes to Jessica who was staying at a friend's house in the area.

When we got back to the hostel I bumped into Anupa again talking with a woman named Erika. Due to chatting with them, I missed saying goodbye to Harrison who was leaving the next day super early so I later sent him a message since I felt bad for him. Anupa introduced me to Erika. Turns out Erika lives in Cambridge, not even a mile away from me. Crazy small world! We ended up chatting for like an hour. I again lost time that I planned to blog but that's okay - I will take good conversation anytime. 

Erika was also planning to go to the beach, so I invited her to join Jessica and I. We exchanged phone numbers so we can meet up the next day. I was definitely looking forwards to relaxing and sunbathing. And touching the Atlantic Ocean for the first time on the opposite side!

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Friday - September 14: Beach Day.

I had previously chosen the beach spot and Jessica and Erika both approved. It is a smaller beach further down the Caiscas coastal beach area west of Lisbon. Basically this one train stops at all the beaches making it easy to access. 

We went to Estoril, and chose Praia do Tamariz. We met up at Cais do Sodré at 10am and headed off. It was a quick 20 minute ride. 

As soon as we got off the train, we were at the beach. At 10:30, there wasn't an unbearable amount of people and we found a good spot. 

I napped on and off and tested the waters at one point with my feet. It was cold at 65*F - which reminded me this was the Atlantic Ocean, not the Mediterranean I've gotten used to. After grabbing paella for lunch, Jessica and I went off to get some ice cream and to take some nice photos and met back up with Erika on the beach. 

I took the plunge, literally, and swam in the water fo a good chilly 10 minutes before running back to my towel and fall back asleep. It was a good relaxing day! Jessica and I left at 5pm while Erika stayed behind to sunbathe longer. 

Jessica and I exchanged goodbyes at Cais do Sodré and I headed back go my hostel for a shower and a quick meal from the bar. I needed to decompress from being at the beach!

At the bar area while eating, I saw Anupa again and we ended up chatting for over an hour - talking about our trips, relationships and life in general and exchanged Facebook info. She had gotten back from her Sintra tour from the hostel and highly recommended it to me. I was on the fence since it was a $50 tour, but ultimately I wanted to see more of Portugal so I signed up for it.

My last day will be going to the town of Sintra, about a 20 minute drive from Lisbon. I'd be going via a van and getting a more personal visit in another part of Portugal. 

Love Letter to Lisbon, Part 2: Wednesday

Wednesday September 12. I walked around the old town of Alfama and got lost several times over. Physical maps and Google maps doesn’t really help when streets are going up and down a steep hilly area with small narrow streets. First I wanted to check out the Castelo de São Jorge at the top of the Alfama area. Took a bit to actually get there due to the windy roads, but eventually I got there. Since it was still early in the morning, the line for getting a ticket wasn’t that long.

I headed back down the hills and closer to the shore to find the National Pantheon. I went inside a church on the way called São Vincent de Fora. At this point, I felt like I was  checking off monuments via google maps after walking around a lot.

It was later afternoon as I wrapped up Alfama and headed back to my hostel to rest my feet. I got back and deduced to go to the BBQ rooftop party at my hostel’s sister hostel by the shore. I got my ticket and was told to meet in reception if I wanted to have someone walk me over (which is standard,  it is an option to walk over by yourself if yo wanted to). I opted to hang out in my hostel room and relaxed until it was time to go at 7:30pm. 

In the reception area, I again bumped into Paulo and Harrison who were also going, along with a woman from India named Anupa. Taken by a hostel volunteer from Mexico, we all walked from our hostel to the sister hostel by the water for the sunset BBQ. We arrived just as the sun was setting and grabbed some box wine and bbq food. We sat down at the picnic table under a half-tent covered with colorful streamers and lights, surrounded by beanbags — very much a bohemian vibe going on on that roof. We met Jessica from Brazil who Harrison may have known through a different tour though I might be wrong - she wasn’t staying at the hostel but had a friend with connections. So it was me, Anupa, Jessica, Harrison and Paulo all hanging out and eating and drinking boxed wine. Harrison and Jessica invited me to go with them to Belém the next day on Thursday (and I would). All of them were going to the pub crawl later and I liked them all very much so after some talking.... I ended up signing up for the pub crawl later that night! 

It’s my first. I never really imagined I would enjoy a pub crawl since it was always gonna be crowded. And it was,  but the company was good and drinks were great. Our Tuesday night fado tour guide ended up tagging along so he could get experience being a “guide” for the pub crawl - which is how the volunteers get experience in different areas. First we had a bit of a drinking competition before we set off - we had to drink our beer in succession and quickly flip the plastic cup from the lid so it landed upside down. We tied and then the other group won. I learned I am terrible at flipping cups! Then we set off.

All in all, we hopped about four bars and some had dancing areas so we danced in between too. Eventually we ended up at an outdoor exclusive club and danced the night away to flashing lights and deep electronic/rock music. Harrison, Jessica and Anupa and I pretty much had our own dance circle so we stayed together. At one point, our tour guide made sure we were okay before he had to go since the “crawl” has ended. We stayed probably for another hour after that point. Before I knew it, I was crawling into bed close to 4am. 

What. A. Night.

I had so much fun.

Not a lot of photos besides half-lit blurry photos :)

Here’s one good one. The others are either me sweating my butt off with the other folks or blurry buildings in the night. Well, I kept a beer bottle for memory’s sake. 

Thursday, I would regret eating my breakfast due to mild hangover and set off to Belém by train with Harrison and Jessica. Nothing like rearranging my hastily put together plans for better plans.

Love Letter to Lisbon, Part 1: Tuesday

I blinked and already five days passed by in beautiful Lisbon. Honestly, Lisbon has surprised me. I’m not sure it is just the city or the fact I did a lot of hostel adventures with really amazing people. Probably both. Lisbon was definitely a country where I didn’t have any specific plans for but wanted to check out one day. For the first time since Rome, I don’t feel so ready to leave. Here I am, so utterly in love with Portugal. 

From the Moorish building tiles down to the smooth cobble stones neatly decorated, and from the blue skies down to the sparkling blue Atlantic shore.

Since I landed, I’ve been constantly on the go. I was either out late and didn’t have the time to write for my blog or I had to get some decent sleep since I had to get up early and therefore didn’t have time to write. Every day was a perfect sunshine, barely any clouds and was in the solid 80s. Which... if you know me, would be too much for me since I prefer colder air, but it suited Lisbon. And I got tan.

I posted a picture of my hostel last post at the end for a sneak peek. The hostel has been so incredibly accommodating and acts as an easy central hub, since it’s close to the shore and literally in a train station. It is so clean and has a lot of environmental initiatives, in part because the station is a national monument. There are dorms, women-only or mixed as well as private rooms which seems to be popular with families with kids. I will return to Lisbon one day and I will likely come back to the same hostel. I love it here.

So, when I landed early afternoon on Tuesday and dropped my stuff at the hostel - the first thing I did was explore the square around the station and explored the majority of the central area of the city called Baixa-Chiado. Went up a shopping street, got iced tea from Starbucks and walked the streets until I reached the shore.

From there, I walked back to my hostel to drop off my camera and figure out my next steps. My hostel offers a bunch of tours for really decent prices. Day trip tours to short (free!) walking tours. I debated for a while on the spot - I am not usually comfortable in group tours or events since it’s so hard for me to follow along, especially so when there’s countless accents involved. But I took a leap and booked a Fado tour that same night.

Fado - said to be derived from Lisbon’s streets. It’s a soulful music sung by amateurs and professionals to a strumming lyre or guitars in bars and restaurants hidden away pockets of the city. When I got to the meeting area, we almost had to cancel it because I was the only one who signed up ... until one more person signed up, then two, four, ... five people! My tour guide gathered us in the hostel reception area around 8pm and we started of with drinks from the hostel bar. Here I met Paulo from California and Harrison from Tennessee, a woman from Brazil and and a cute young couple from Ireland whose names I’ll never be able to pronounce, but I can spell, Gráinne and Peadar. We chatted for about 30 minutes and all got along great. Our tour guide gave us the run down of the night: we were to walk through the Rossio Square and to Alfama, which is the old town area. We’re to go to a small restaurant called Fora de Mado.

We headed out to the square and took us along the streets through Alfama up winding hills and over bridges. He pointed out some buildings and squares and gave us history background. We went to a palapa overlooking the ocean and got a nice skyline view at night. We eventually got to the restaurant and sat down. 

As part of the tour, we were to get a drink and some tapas. We ended up getting many drinks, tapas AND. a full meal. Ooh, so full! Every 20 mins, the lights shut off and three singers sang three songs per round. I had no idea what they were singing but it was soulful. Food was good, though I panicked and ordered a simple chicken salad since I didn’t understand the menu recommendation. Next time I will try the Bacalhau com Natas, or codfish with cream. My tour guide offered me some of his and it tasted SO good. Portoguese green wine was so good, I had about three glasses. 

Wednesday I would return to Alfama and spend the entire day walking. And later, I would experience my first hostel bar crawl.