Lisbon is the darling of the tourism world at the moment if you take the time to read the travel websites. Portugal is of course the place you should be, as all other countries are considered old news. And to add to it's attraction Portugal is priced nicely too. Although busy it's not Barcelona, nor London. Lisbon is a place many travellers visit after they've seen some of the more famous European cities. Yet if I remember my educational history of ocean explorers of the 1600s I really am under selling the importance of Portugal as an influencing country of the ages. Portugal is though for size punching above it's weight. A bit like Australia really. Perhaps why I like it. It is in the shadow of Spain trying to get attention. So in retrospect it's probably more like Canada. I suspect their tourism slogan is "we're not Spain". It's a shame really because from what I've seen Portugal really is an under explored gem of a country.
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| I still don't like sardines. But this made a good tourist photo. |
After Madrid I returned to Lisbon to actually explore the city. Sure the workings of my holiday planning was pretty haphazard. Why I didn't just stay in Madrid or go north to San Sebastian had merit. But this trip was originally about seeing Portugal. And the fitting tour dates had just interrupted my original ideas of seeing Lisbon and then going around. Plus Lisbon did interest me more than the idea of Madrid for 4 nights. Hence my return.
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| Belem Tower |
I returned this time to staying in an Airbnb. Time for me to be hosted instead of hosting. Which for most may not be a big deal. But for me and my fear of the unknown, and need for minimal intrusion or disturbance it was confronting. The process of showing up at someones place with a backpack I don't just take in my stride like when I am the host. Thankfully I persisted with booking an Airbnb as I also know I am one for confidence in experience. So after having done this again, and then again later in the trip in Hamburg I'm now getting more comfortable with the process of being the hosted. My hosts were nice. And the location down near the waterfront was perfect for convenience in making a side trip to Belem for a morning to see
Belem Tower and the
Jeronimos Monastery.
Lisbon is an up and down city. So
trams are the choice ride around town. Alas every tourist and his dog wanted to get onto the Tram 28 with it's bold yellow colour and old school charm. The historical star was so packed they were human sardines inside. So it was a much more enjoyable experience for me to just get a photo of these trams, and then take the true tourist version in red. This took me through the Lisbon hills past all the tourist spots. And importantly you couldn't hop on unless there was a spare seat.
Ironically the historical funiculars going straight up the hill near my guest house were not that popular. The street with it stairs was quite manageable by foot. So I suspect the bars aligning the path just want the funicular to keep going just for it's ability to attract gawking patrons. For me it guided the path towards the Fado streets.
Fado is Lisbon's answer to the Flamenco in so many ways. I can't say I found it my favourite traditional music above Flamenco. But I can see how this all relates to the greater region.
And my final comment on Lisbon. I can confirm the best Pastel de Natas are at the Timeout Markets. These were fresh warm and heavenly. And I was proud to be able to talk the counter assistant through the process of making me a mocha to go with my morning tea. At least somewhere in Lisbon that isn't Starbucks can make me a mocha.
Lisbon is the darling of the tourism world at the moment if you take the time to read the travel websites. Portugal is of course the place you should be, as all other countries are considered old news. And to add to it's attraction Portugal is priced nicely too. Although busy it's not Barcelona, nor London. Lisbon is a place many travellers visit after they've seen some of the more famous European cities. Yet if I remember my educational history of ocean explorers of the 1600s I really am under selling the importance of Portugal as an influencing country of the ages. Portugal is though for size punching above it's weight. A bit like Australia really. Perhaps why I like it. It is in the shadow of Spain trying to get attention. So in retrospect it's probably more like Canada. I suspect their tourism slogan is "we're not Spain". It's a shame really because from what I've seen Portugal really is an under explored gem of a country. 
Lisbon is an up and down city. So trams are the choice ride around town. Alas every tourist and his dog wanted to get onto the Tram 28 with it's bold yellow colour and old school charm. The historical star was so packed they were human sardines inside. So it was a much more enjoyable experience for me to just get a photo of these trams, and then take the true tourist version in red. This took me through the Lisbon hills past all the tourist spots. And importantly you couldn't hop on unless there was a spare seat.
And my final comment on Lisbon. I can confirm the best Pastel de Natas are at the Timeout Markets. These were fresh warm and heavenly. And I was proud to be able to talk the counter assistant through the process of making me a mocha to go with my morning tea. At least somewhere in Lisbon that isn't Starbucks can make me a mocha.
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