Have Bag, WIll Travel

The Lisbon airport is a shit show. We got there 2.5 hours early and were still nervous about making our flights. There was one person checking in bags at the Aer Lingus desk. Then we had to go through TSA, which wasn't too bad. But then we had to go through customs to leave the country?!?! One bonus was both Kate and I have new electronic passports, so that line was shorter and faster. They did make us sweat it out in that line though.   We arrived in Dubin to a balmy 66 degrees and some rain. This was only the second time I have dealt with rain since July 1st! We got to Trinity College where we are staying and started living the dorm life. We found burgers for dinner and stopped at The Temple Bar. We were lucky enough to get seats and enjoy some Irish and contemporary music. Then we walked around for a bit and headed back to our room.  

 Today was our last day in Lisbon. We did two of the three GTL - Gym and Laundry. Thankfully, the laundromat was just at the corner of our street and they have dryers, not something you often find in Europe. We did run into a Portuguese woman who couldn't figure out how to use the machines, and as much as we tried to help her, the language barrier got in the way. Then we went for one last walk and dinner. We ended up on a cute little street with a great vibe. Then I made sure we found gelato one last time and watched the sunset, while listening to street musicians.

Today we were supposed to head to Sintra for a tour of the palaces, gardens and town, but unfortunately fires in the area closed the attractions and our tour was cancelled. After a lazy morning, we headed out to Costa da Caparica and another beach. Costa da Caparica is on the other side of the river and after some transportation issues, we took an Uber there. It turns out that there is not much the except for miles and miles of beach! We could not believe the difference in temperature once you got near the water. This was a welcome relief and made the day bearable. We finally treated ourselves to the beach donut we have seen at every beach and it was amazing. We walked along the water and noticed how much smoke was actually in the air. We ubered back to Lisbon and ended up on the Rodeo Drive of Lisbon. We found a yummy Mexican place and then walked home. The fires did make for a nice sunset.

 This morning we walked down to the waterfront and rode electric bikes along the river.  We were sad to learn the unicorn factory does not manufacture unicorns. Then we went into the city for a taste of Lisbon tour. We met Daniel and started out tour at Manteigaria where we had a cheese that was made in Azores called San Jorges with quince jam and some prosciutto. It was paired with port to help enhance the flavor.  Our second stop was for a binfana sandwich and a croquette. For a binfana, the meat is simmered for at least 24 hours in wine and garlic and served on roll. It was delicious! The meat was tender and the roll was not too bready. Everyone enjoyed a cod croquette and I enjoyed a chicken one. I did try the cod, it tasted like a fancy fish stick.   Then we moved to the Old Town and one of the best stops, Mr. Antonio's bar. He has owned the bar for over 50 years and it is believed that the building has been a bar since th...

 After sleeping in, we headed to the beach in Cascais. Cascais is a small town in the western part of Portugal. We took the train out and ended up at Praia da Duquesa. We rented sunbeds and enjoyed the beautiful day. I had a beach hotdog and Coronas brought to us by Jerome. When we got back to the place we shared the patio with some of the other guests and two guys were playing guitar. We had another wonderful night of meats and cheeses.  

Today we headed to Belém, a small town 30 minutes outside of Lisbon. We took the bus and were dropped off at the Jet…(name). The outside was beautiful and we were excited to explore the inside after seeing a few other monasteries. Well, that excitement was short lived as all there was to do was walk around the cloister and see the tombs of two famous poets. None of the cells were open and no other part of the monastery was shown. So, we headed over to the church to check that out. Unfortunately, most of the alter area was being restored, so it was cover in scaffolding. The stain glass windows were beautiful. What stuck out to me was how realistic they made the people look! Belèm is also the home of the pasta naaaaa. So of course we stopped at the bakery to pick some up. We sat in the park enjoying our treats before heading back to Lisbon. On our way to Belèm, Kate noticed a craft beer bar, so we were going to head there after stopping to buy me a new watch band. But on our way out of t...

This morning we were able to workout outside. I did yoga and Kate did her workouts and stretching. We met a nice couple from Germany while making breakfast. We set out to explore three parts of Lisbon, Alfama, Baixa and Chiado.   We started by walking to the Castillo de San Jorge. It's a neat castle set in the middle of the city. Unfortunately we couldn't get in, but enjoyed the surrounding area. We tried to ride Tram 28, but the line was loooong, so we decided to wait until later.   We then headed to the Baixa Chiado areas which are right next to each other. Baixa was destroyed during the earthquake in 1755. When it was rebuilt, they used the grid structure which you don't often see in the older cities of Europe! This area is one of the best known in Lisbon for is nicer shops and restaurants. We rode the Elevator De Santa Justa to see the beautiful views. The elevator was inspired my Eiffel Tower. We headed to s...