savvynomadadventures

A Fall From Grace (We blame the flowered Tuk Tuk)

Lisbon was our final stop on our 12-day whirlwind through Portugal, and folks, this city is something else. If you’ve been keeping up with my blog (and if not, what the heck are you waiting for?), you already know the lowdown on Portuguese street tiles…you know, those deceptively beautiful, slippery little bastards that also just so happened to claim my wife’s ankle two days before we finished our trip? But before that literal “fall from grace,” Lisbon dazzled us in every possible way.

Thank the Lord Baby Jesus for our amazing Airbnb host, Miguel, who helped us find a local orthopedic shop to get some ace bandages and crutches so my wife could at least shuffle around Lisbon our last 2 days (and he helped us with the luggage!)

We stayed in his incredible 2-bedroom apartment with open air windows with sweeping city views, perfect location…walking distance to everything. It was exactly what we thought we wanted, until we realized it was on the top floor of a building with no lift. Climbing ten flights of stairs in 85-degree heat with heavy luggage was gnarly, but it’s all about the adventure, right? And once my wifey sprained her ankle? Forget it. Getting up and down those stairs felt like I was channeling Raygun’s Olympic breakdancing performance (awkward, off-balance, and a total disaster, minus the outfit. Too soon?) And you know you have gotten fat and slow on the trip when the automatic lights shut off when you are only half way up the stairs and its pitch black and you have to walk in complete and total darkness because there are no windows. Yup. Funsies.

But like sand through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives… if you know, well you know.

Lisbon- Friends, Codfish, and a Giant Panda

Lisbon is everything we’d hoped for and more. Because our Airbnb was close to so many sites, we spent the first day exploring, stopping along the way to shop, indulge, and of course, drink wine (mostly, well all me, as Honey doesn’t really drink). Lisbon is beautiful and quite diverse, and has a big city vibe with an old world flair, and we loved it.

After spending months reading about Lisbon in guide books and blogs, we decided we wanted to get a locals perspective, so we hired Teva, a local guide who zipped us through the city in her amazingly cool classic old car, weaving through Lisbon’s chaotic traffic while filling our heads with the city’s rich history. She told us how Lisbon was nearly wiped off the map during the devastating earthquake of 1755, but was rebuilt into the city we know today, with its upper and lower districts, and the steep hills that are now packed with tourists. Teva even quizzed us to make sure we were listening, and after a couple of glasses of port, I was doing my best, but to be honest, we were just sitting in the back of that old car, smiling from ear to ear, wind in our hair, and both secretly ecstatic that we weren’t having to walk anymore.

She cruised us to a few of Lisbon’s most famous landmarks, like the Miradouro de Santa Catarina for some of the best views over the city and down to the Tagus River. Standing there, taking in the red-tiled rooftops and the sprawling views, I couldn’t help but think about how Lisbon has managed to preserve its character through all the chaos. What a remarkable place with a history rich with stories and steeped in culture. I always love learning about the ancient history of other countries and cultures; we don’t have that kind of ancient history in the US, and tbh, I’m not super proud of how we came to be over here in America. You what I’m sayin? Not the best history. But, I digress.

Let’s talk about Fado music for a second.

“Fado is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a sense of resignation, fate and melancholy.” Sited from here

Teva, our guide explained it as the soulful heart of Lisbon, a genre that captures the essence of saudade—this deep, aching sense of longing. It’s hauntingly beautiful, and you can hear it everywhere in the Alfama district, the birthplace of Fado. We spent some time wandering through Alfama, losing ourselves in its narrow, winding streets. You can practically feel the history in every cobblestone. Even though my wife was hobbling at this point we still got to experience the beauty of this neighborhood and found a spectacular Italian (we do love our Italian food) restaurant nestled in one of the alleys. It was inceredibly charming and the food was exquisite.

And Alfama isn’t the only part of Lisbon steeped in history. We explored Chiado and Baixa too, which felt like stepping back in time. These neighborhoods are vibrant, bustling, and filled with souvenir shops, cafés, and an endless supply of sardines (seriously, they sell canned sardines everywhere). We even took in the views at some of the city’s best miradouros (viewpoints). My favorite was Miradouro de Santa Catarina, where the views over the red-tiled rooftops at sunset were nothing short of magical.

One of our favorite spots was the Praça do Comércio. Absolutely breathtaking. It’s one of the biggest squares in Europe, framed by yellow buildings, and a majestic statue of King José I, all overlooking the river full of sailboats and fisherman.

Of course, no trip to the Praça do Comércio would be complete without a random encounter with a giant inflatable panda. Yep, there it was, sitting in the middle of the square while some poor soul (positively sweating buckets in the heat) tried to make a few tourist bucks posing for photos. You can’t make this shit up. So random, yet so on point at the same time.

But let’s get to the real Lisbon adventure—the infamous codfish croquette incident. So, Portugal is known for its seafood, and codfish is a big deal. I’d seen it everywhere, so naturally, I decided to finally give it a try. Did I make the mistake of trying it for breakfast? You bet. Codfish croquettes with gooey sheep’s cheese, paired with… port wine. For breakfast. What was I thinking?

I knew deep down this was a bad idea, and Honey actually looked scared when I told her I was going to go for it. I ignored every instinct screaming “No, please Samantha, noooooooooooo!” Like, I was sweating before I reached the counter. However the adorable smiling Portuguese man decked out in the dapperest outfit swore to me that it was a delicacy and that it’d change my life. Well, let’s just say it did change my life—just not in the way I’d hoped. First bite: crispy, kinda fishy, not too horrible mild gag factor. Second bite: I hit that warm, gooey cheese, deep fishy mixed with what was that garlic? onion?, and my entire body rejected the decision. I gagged on the spot. Pair that with the tourist sitting next to me, blowing cigarette smoke in my face, and I was a goner (she’s lucky I didn’t barf on her face). Naturally, in a state of panic, I reached for the nearest drink, which happened to be port wine (because why wouldn’t I wash down fish and cheese with fortified wine for breakfast?).

Long story short, you won’t find an “after” picture of me holding the tray because my wife was too busy literally crying of laughter while I nearly lost my breakfast. I’m sure the locals got a good chuckle out of my food-induced trauma, and I washed it down with an apple croissant—because croissants are always a safe bet. So here is a picture of me, happy, you know, BEFORE.

But enough about that. I am still suffering a bit from that experience.

Let’s talk about something else.

When it comes to churches and cathedrals, Lisbon has its fair share. The Sé de Lisboa, Lisbon’s oldest cathedral, is a must-see. Dating back to the 12th century, it’s an imposing Gothic structure that’s weathered earthquakes, fires, and everything in between. We weren’t sure if we had the desire to enter yet another cathedral, but I felt I needed to pray for forgiveness for whatever sins I was being punished for with the codfish experience.

Jokes aside, we were absolutely awestruck when we entered this cathedral. There was actually a choir practicing and experiencing that angelic music reverberating off the cathedral walls was truly a once in a lifetime experience. We felt a sense of calm come over us and were almost in a trance listening to the music it was that moving and beautiful. On our way out, we lit candles for our loved ones we have lost over the years. It was a truly special experience. Thank you to Teva for the slight nudge to go in.

One of our more “elevated” moments in Lisbon (see what I did there, I’m so damn punny) was riding up to the top of the iconic Santa Justa Elevator. It’s one of those must-do experiences, and honestly, it was pretty epic. The views from the top are absolutely breathtaking. You can see the whole city sprawled out beneath you, with red rooftops and endless sights to explore. Afterward, we spent hours wandering in and out of shops, admiring the local artists and their unique creations, buying more souvenirs than we care to admit. Loved ones at home? Spoiled. Us? Even more spoiled with some cool artwork for ourselves. Lisbon’s vibe is just fun. It’s energetic, it’s buzzing, and it’s full of surprises.

One of the absolute highlights of our Lisbon experience was reconnecting with friends from San Diego who recently moved to the nearby beach town Cascais. Nothing makes travel better than sharing it with people who know the lay of the land. We spent a night out with them and some of their family who were visiting, hitting all the coolest hidden cocktail bars, eating like queens, and drinking some of the best cocktails we’ve had. They even knew the secret menu items and brought the night to a whole new level. Thank you- You know who you are.

One of our favorite foodie spots? The Time Out Market. Holy hell, you have not lived until you’ve been to this food mecca. Picture a giant market with every type of cuisine you can imagine—gelato, sweets, cocktails, fresh seafood, and yes, even octopus hot dogs (no, we didn’t try them, after the codfish debacle I needed a break from the weirdness). We ate so much that I felt like we needed to be rolled out of there. I’m pretty sure the mission was to overindulge, and mission accomplished. From there, we headed to the LX Factory on a recommendation from our friend Ravi.

The LX Factory is this super trendy, artsy area filled with a younger crowd (so naturally, we felt old and slightly out of place but also a little hip for being there). We found a store called Ementa, run by local Portuguese artists, and it came highly recommended by our local friends. Now, I’m not one to drop serious cash on clothes, but I was three glasses of wine deep, and well, if you know, you know. Nearly 300 euros later, we walked out with some of the most unique designer pieces you can’t find anywhere in the U.S., and let me tell you, we felt like the coolest people in Lisbon. Supporting local artists and looking Euro-chic? Worth it.

The story behind Ementa was even cooler. We were able to learn the story from two of the owners who happened to be in the shop when we arrived. These guys grew up in the same neighborhood, formed a skateboarding group, and always used to say, “What’s on the menu?” when they were deciding what to do for the day. Hence, the brand name “Ementa,” which means menu in Portuguese. The logo? A baby skateboarding. The baby blue corduroy jacket I snagged is fire and totally one-of-a-kind. Honestly, cheers to you, Ementa. You made my Lisbon wardrobe—and my new designer look—complete. Ementa Instagram and Ementa website.

Side Note About the Wine…

I need to mention that the wine in Portugal is delicious, plentiful, and cheap. Yes, the rumors are true, it’s cheaper than water. It’s astonishing. So much so that when I ordered a glass of wine on our way home from Portugal (during our layover in Philadelphia), I actually screamed out loud. One glass of shitty Joel Gott Savi B cost me 25 dollars. The audacity! Please…take me back.)

Day Trip to Azenhas do Mar & Ericeira

Every trip to Lisbon should come with at least one epic day trip, and we decided to check out the sleepy yet oddly trendy fishing town of Azenhas do Mar. It’s a hidden gem that’s equal parts chill and hip with that sexy cool vibe you didn’t even know you were looking for. With its dramatic cliffs, ocean views, and natural pools, this place oozes “Insta”-ready. Our local friends deemed this as a “must-see” and now we know why. I can only imagine this place going off with the Djs while sipping on delicious “Sexy Pineapples”. Oh, this place is a vibe, babe.

Now, it was way too early and honestly too damn chilly to get into the water when we arrived, so instead, we explored the beach and soaked in the vibes before heading over to Ericeira, about 40 minutes away.

Ericeira is a fun little beach town and if you’re a surfer (or just someone who likes watch), this place is paradise. Ericeira reminded us a lot of San Diego with its laid-back, beachy vibe. Just a stone’s throw from Nazaré, home of those legendary 100-foot waves, it felt like a cool blend of beach culture and local charm. Surf shops lined the streets, and seafood and joints were everywhere, serving up the freshest and most delicious bites.

But the real star of the show? The best damn croissant I’ve ever had in my life. It was like an apple pie had a baby with a buttery croissant, and we are still dreaming about it. After a long day of walking the beach and exploring, we made our way back to the hustle and bustle of Lisbon. If you are heading to Lisbon and have an extra day, check these places out!

To Sum Up Lisbon Experience…

Lisbon was such a treat and a fantastic way to finish our Portugal journey, and it was a wild ride from start to finish. Between the treacherous Portuguese tiles and the codfish croquette disaster that almost ended my love affair with food, it was non-stop. We climbed what felt like a thousand stairs to our Airbnb, survived the chaos of Lisbon’s streets, and somehow managed to laugh through it all. So many inside jokes were created on this trip and me made memories of a lifetime.

The neighborhoods were a beautiful blend of old and new, with shops selling everything from sardines to ceramics every five feet. We shopped, we ate croissants that I’ll dream about for the rest of my life, and we crisscrossed this beautiful city in classic cars, Ubers, and even on crutches. Lisbon tested us, entertained us, and ultimately left us wanting more… just minus the sprained ankle, but at least we have a story to tell.

Now that we have friends in Lisbon, we plan to overstay our welcome with them sometime in the future. Thank you Portugal, it was one hell of a trip.

The street art is amazing here, too. Check out a few snapshots.