March 2020. Before the world shut down. Playa del Carmen Mexico. This was the last time my wife and I took a holiday outside of the USA. Over two years later, we are off on an overseas adventure to Portugal.
Our flights to Lisbon (via Newark) were full of excited travelers. Landing in Lisbon, we couldn't wait to get out and explore. We cleared Immigration and Customs very easily, and with carry-on size bags strapped to our backs, we hit the metro to get into the city. Our first stop was pre-determined: coffee. And lots of it.
We found a coffee shop that sells Portugal's most famous pastry: Pasteis de Nata. This is a baked, flaky, custard treat. Heavenly.
And, what goes best with pastry? An espresso and a beer, of course.
The night before our departure, my wife stumbled in the house and broke her toe. With so much walking planned for the next two weeks, she was concerned that it would slow her down. Well, not yet. She is awesome. We hit the streets and hills of Lisbon and nothing is slowing her down.
Our AirBnB is perfect. Located on a quiet, very narrow street, it is very small. A living room, tiny kitchen, nice bathroom, and a lovely bedroom with a balcony overlooking the street. It will be the perfect base from which to explore Lisbon.
Lisbon is busy. Today is Easter Sunday. Everyone is out on this sunny, warm day.
Our impressions so far? Lisbon is a beautiful city. Food and drink are very affordable. There are loads of cafes, and Lisbon seems to have an amazing coffee culture. Graffiti is seemingly everywhere, but it does not make it look trashy. We learned that Portugal has a long, rich history of graffiti as an expression of free speech.
But it is the hills that have surprised us. We had read that Lisbon is hilly. Is it ever!
My wife loves all of the tiles on the buildings. The colors and patterns are stunning.
Our dining experiences has been limited so far: Pasteis with coffee and beer, and a light lunch at the famous Time Out Market, which is a food hall.
We have just begun our stay in Lisbon, and I can already tell we will love it here. After a good night's rest, we will tackle the city on foot and explore, broken toe and all.
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