Lisbon, Portugal
Keeley and I arrive in Portugal via the local bus from Spain through to Algarve and we’re a little disappointed to be fair. Maybe it was the bus ride, and the fact that nothing would ever compare to Spain.
We rock up at our accommodation for the night, the very humble Hotel Cidade de olhao, to be confronted with demands of our vaccination papers, mandatory swabs prior to check in and a hostile and sterile hospital like experience. Apparently, we can’t check in until our negative tests came back, which seemed like a joke as I had already booked and paid. Added to this was the ridiculous price to get a cab to the fabulous beaches we see on social media.
After our hospitalisation we decide to wander down to get some food by the water, it was a charming seaside town just outside of Faro, a place called Olhao an old traditional fishing port with old broken cobblestone alley ways, churches towering with importance and history and the smell of fish everywhere. The many and varied restaurants that line harbour are incredibly busy, people in the mild evening washing out over the footpaths, their laughter and chatter filling the air. We were to find out that due to COVID everyone had to eat early, even in these tiny towns they were impacted, so the restaurants were closing as early as 8pm. As nice as it was, we decided to leave the following morning for Lisbon. I felt we should give couchsurfing ago and jumped on the App to see what was available, the city of the infamous Portuguese tart which had been a must eat food for me for many a year. It’s mid pandemic yet we get lucky and have an offer from Franco, a young Italian gentleman who had been residing in Lisbon for several years. We agree on two nights and head down the cobbled (and I mean these cobbles were barely surviving) laneway to his place. You take my bed and I’ll take the lounge he says. These moments like many on my adventures not only reignites the beauty and generosity of humanity but also highlights how unbelievable greedy and selfish others can be. I find this in Australia a lot these days as we become more and more obsessive over the almighty dollar rather than leading an altruistic life.
We all went out that night and he showed us what only a local would know and we ate and drank and had a fun and memorable time. I can’t say enough about what a lovely, kind person Franco is. We set about exploring Lisbon, a famous fountain called Fonte Luminosa which thanks to Instagram Keeley knew all about, the cutest Sardine shop, where you buy a bright coloured traditional tin that has your DOB on it, the yellow tram (mandatory obviously), and the tart. It doesn’t disappoint, it is perfect, the spot looking through The Rua Augusta Arch to the sea, the people watching, the café, the coffee…..the tart.
That was one of those, “here we are” moments for me. The next morning, we get the train to Sinfra to visit Pena Palace. In my opinion it’s a must see, simply the colours and the view are worth the trip. Also, my advice is take the local tuk tuk that swings by to take you back not the bus that all the tourist seem to like, its way cheaper, more fun and the money goes straight to the locals.
On the train we happen to sit opposite what I can only say is a young Jude Law doppelganger. You know when you see someone so good looking you have to try and stop yourself staring? We ended up chatting to him and he invited us to visit his beach bar up the coast called Azenhas Bar, of course someone this beautiful also owns and runs one of the coolest bars on the coast of Portugal.
Make your trip more memorable and take the effort to go there, or make your own mind up by checking it out on IG.
Next stop is Porto…