The bus to Lisboa was the nicest bus I have ever taken. It was like a Cadillac of buses with ergonomic leather seats, fold down trays, a water dispenser, and a movie to watch. It was luxurious. The view was disappointingly uneventful and only mildly scenic. Getting to the hostel from the bus station was only a matter of walking down some stairs, paying 13.20 euros for a five day metro/bus pass, two transfers, and walking a block, losing my metro pass and receipt in the process, forcing me to buy another, oops.
The central Lisboa hostel ($20 USD/night) is old and stately on the outside and ultra-modern on the inside. All the plumbing fixtures are stainless, including sinks and vanities, toilets, and urinals. Perhaps most strange for a hostel is that the furniture is in good shape and all matches. The hostel even has a fashionable full bar with a pool table, video games, and cheap drinks. The downside is that it doesn’t have a kitchen for the visitors to use, leaving dining out the only option after the free breakfast.
Lisboa itself is beautiful. Almost everywhere you look is postcard worthy. The hard thing is that things are so close together, it is hard to get good pictures of everything I want. The city feels very old, but not ancient as I expect will Rome to be. Many of the buildings are covered in ceramic tiles, a Moorish influence I think, and have a unique character that I haven’t seen before. I’ll try to get the Portugal gallery going soon.
My Portuguese is pathetic still and I have to rely on English or body language for most things. It hasn’t stopped me from going to the tiny local cafes with minimal signage and cryptic menus in illegible handwriting. I have had a few classic Portuguese dishes: whole sardines (some organs intact) cooked over a wood charcoal grill with roasted potatoes, olives, and some local beer; some of the most fantastic grilled chicken ever, served with crunchy home-style potato chips and local beer; and of course, bacalhau, which is a salt dried cod that came with chick peas, olives, salad, and local beer. Notice the common theme? To avoid getting fat, I have been working hard to avoid the ubiquitous pastelerias (pastry cafes) but for 50 cents for a high quality espresso and another 60 cents or less for the pastry, my will power has faltered, repeatedly.
I feel very comfortable here. For a big touristy city, the people here are pleasant and helpful. The temperature has been between 68 and 75 degrees, very nice.
Research note:
There is one question that I have been asked repeatedly, "Why did you elect Bush?"
