Lisbon

Friday

I arrived just in time to my hostel for the nightly dinner cooked by the hostel’s matriarch - Mama. She cooked a green soup, a rice and fish casserole, and a tiramisu-like dessert for us. Everything was delicious and I had so many great conversations with other people from the hostel.

Saturday

Saturday began with a walking tour through some of the surrounding neighborhoods of the hostel. We saw some great city and river views and learned about the history of fado, traditional Portuguese music (portrayed on the mural below).

For my parents’ 30th anniversary they are also traveling in Portugal, so we met in Lisbon! We went on a food and wine tour and were admittedly tipsy and quite full by the end from eating sandwiches, cheese, fish cakes, and drinking Vinho Verde, port wine, beer, and Ginjinha (cherry liquor).

A Swedish family also partook in the food & wine tour and I made friends with their kids who are also in their 20s. They came to a festival with me later that night - the last night of the Santo António festival in Lisbon, where locals sing and dance along to traditional cheesy Portuguese songs over beer, sangria, and street food.

Sunday

On Sunday I came to understand

that transportation in Portugal is inexpensive, but unreliable. After waiting for 45 minutes for a bus, I opted for a taxi ride to my destination - a market with restaurants, shops, and a flea market surrounded by murals.

Thereafter I walked to Belém, a town notorious for its perfected classic Portuguese pastry called pastel de Belém, similar to pastel de nata - a tart filled with smooth vanilla custard.

Belém is situated by the river and we visited the Belém tower and the monument of the discoveries (a sliver of the enormous moment is pictured next to me).

Monday

Though I did not have a favorable opinion of the public transport in Lisbon at this point, I worked up some extra patience and made it onto the famous historical tram. I took it to a café at a park overlooking the river and abiding next to a dog park.

From there I walked to different viewpoints in the city:

Tuesday

Starting off on a strong note I attended a vinyasa yoga class in the city. Unfortunately the class did not stack up to the other 3 classes from this trip. The stairwell to the studio was, however, covered in beautiful blue tile:

The day improved as I walked through a flea market filled with vintage items and local art.

In the evening I went to a fado show. The sounds of slow guitar strumming and a booming melancholic voice filled the restaurant while we sipped on sangria.

Wednesday

On my last day, I gave in to the pull of the pastelería (bakery) to try more Portuguese pastries before leaving.

Lisbon was a great city and I’m glad I took a few days to explore the neighborhoods, taste lots of traditional food and drinks, and meeting locals.

This trip flew by faster than I had imagined. I made friends from all around the world who made such a positive impact on both my travel experience and my life. These few weeks helped me to take on a refreshed perspective on how to appreciate and take time for moments of rest, activity, and connection with others.

Though I wish I could continue traveling, I am happy to be back home near family and friends. Thank you for reading my blog and sending me love from afar. I can’t wait to see each of you very soon.

Ellie