Blogs from Lisbon, Lisbon & Tagus Valley, Portugal, Europe - page 4

What a sensational one it was. Sat at a table to have dinner and Jane says, "I don't want to talk to anyone so don't interact with anyone." Going to be difficult me thinks as sitting next to us separated only by a chair are two gorgeous young women. Jane gets up to get her 2nd helping and one of the young women, now known as Kristin, from Germany, asks me a question. (Lee is from South Korea). Mmmmmm! Being polite and sociable and with Jane's warning... at the forefront of my mind, what else could I do but respond. Both speak numerous languages but not to be outdone we hold our own in English!! 2 hours later we conclude our conversation and exchange of vital communication mediums. We leave on a high and come across ... read more

Today we had quite the eventful day! Our start was "early" rising at 10:00 am - no alarm style to begin our day. Completely integrated to Spanish/Portuguese time zones, we found a nice breakfast/lunch at Ti Camilia. We both had "cafe's" per Cody's order (AKA straight espresso, thanks Cody), and split a ham and cheese sandwich. Cody mentioned that Portugal is the dark horse of sandwiches. He did not expect such a "strong showing," but we are not disappointed! Although, the best European sandwich to date is Antico Vinao in Florence, Italy, thanks for the recommendation there Joe Buss! However, this sandwich was delectable, and a close second to Florence. :) Our first museum stop of the day was to the Museo de Fado (The Fado Museum). Albertina's husband (our new friends from yesterday), works there, ... read more

After (easily) waking up at 4:15 am, since we both fell asleep so early last night, we rode in an Uber from our hotel in Madrid to the airport. The one major difference between our travels domestically and internationally is the fact that you have to board a bus to take you to the airplane. It's nice, though, because you have to load the plane up a flight of stairs making you feel like a local celebrity! Our flight arrived to Lisbon at 7:30 am Portugal time (Portugal is an hour ahead of Spain). We were not able to drop our bags off at our Airbnb until 11:30 am, so we took an Uber to a nearby spot to burn some time. Our Uber driver took us through the narrow hilly streets of Lisbon. Unfortunately, there ... read more

It's hard to believe its four years since we last visited Lisbon. We fell in love with the city then, so the chance to go and spend a few days with friends and then travel around the country a little was too much to resist. Imagine then, being able to sit out on a rooftop terrace and drink a glass of wine as the sun went down. We fell in love with Lisbon all over again! Having done most of the walking around and main tourist sights last time, we had a very specific list on this visit. It began with a trip to the fabulous tile museum. Now, this may not sound like the most incredible experience but it was. Inside we learned all about the history of tile making in Portugal. It came from ... read more

Portugal Day 2 - Knights Templar (Order of Christ) Castle & Church A little back ground story is necessary.... The Knights Templar as we know them today were an army created, jointly by the Kings of Europe and the Pope to protect pilgrims that were travelling to the Holy Land . They evolved into THE elite fighting force of that period. They also acquired many riches and artifacts (allegedly such as the Holy Grail and The Ark of the Covenant) which is part of the reason for their demise. The Pope(s) and King of France did not like that they had become so powerful so on October 13, 1307 (this is where the bad luck of Friday the 13th comes from) they were declared to be Heretics and were all arrested to end the Knights Templar.... ... read more