Lisboa

 10 Aprl

I'd booked all our transfers in Portugal and Spain with mydaytrip.com.  We had three black 7 seater vans rock up at 8.45am on the morning of our departure - it was so wonderful not to have to worry about getting to train or bus stations.  Plus, for a little bit extra, you can add in stopovers!  This was a great way to break up the journey and also see a bit more of the country.  Our first stop was Coimbra, home of one of the oldest universities in Europe - it was started in 1290.  We had a brief visit in the university section - which is being refurbished and looks gorgeous - and an hour whizz around the old city.

Our next stop was Nazaré. Nazaré’s major attractions are the waves and surfing.  The biggest waves are in winter so while the surf looked good it was not huge.  We had lunch in a cafe overlooking the sea.

Then into Lisboa.  Greg and I had loved Lisboa when we were there in 2016, and it was great to be back! I'd tried to make a booking for us all at Atira-te ao Rio, across the River Tagus, as Lucy, Greg and I had had such a wonderful evening there in 2016.  Unfortunately they didn't respond to my email and online I was only able to book a table of six.  I kept trying to remember to cancel the booking, but here we were in Lisbon and the booking was still there!  I thought I'd see if anyone was interested in joining Greg and I - Lucy, Simone and Di were keen, despite all being tired.  It was a really lovely meal again, we enjoyed it hugely including the effort of getting there (walking/metro/ferry/walking!) and back.  How lucky I didn't cancel it after all!

11 April

An ebike tour of Lisbon seemed like a good way to start!  Our 10am start was changed to 10.15 and we didn't end up setting off until 10.45.  Our guide Stephan was not the most organised man.  He shared that after doing two tours a day for quite a few years, this was his first tour for 2023. As always it was great to be on a bike touring around.  It was unfortunate that Heather couldn't join us - she can do most everything else but bike riding is too dangerous!!  Stephan didn't explain how to use the ebikes and the gears so it was a bit challenging for some of us to start, thanks to Dean I worked it out.  The battery made hills a dream!!  At our first stop Di managed to get her foot stuck in the framework of her bike and made a very slow sideways fall, luckily her bike was caught  and she was not injured!  We went through an old garden in the centre of the city which is quite run down but very interesting.  The paths were pretty rough and not easy for those with thin tyres (Di, Lucy and Fi) so Di had two more unexpected dismounts.  Again, no injuries!  Stephan had quite a bit of information but he had the habit of stopping and starting to talk without waiting for us all to turn up - he could have done with the "whispers" that Xavier used!  He took us down one street that was closed off - he claimed the road at the end was very new - we felt he hadn't done his research very well!  Esther had a flat tyre half way through which they repaired.  All up our 3 hour tour took us about 4.5 hours!  We went to a cafe nearby that he recommended.  It did have good view but the waitress was super grumpy. Greg and Russell upset her from the get go by moving the tables and chairs without her permission!!  Things went downhill from there but we did have nice sandwiches and a drink to  get some energy back!

So after an 18km bike ride we thought we add a few hundred steps! We went to visit the Panteao.To be honest I don't think we'd really thought about how many steps it would be!  The first two floors were four flights of steps, and then... they just went on and on and on!!  Magnificent views from the top.  We took the metro home again.

I'd contacted quite a few Lisbon restaurants to make bookings for dinner with very few responses.  The Downunder restaurant was one that replied!  So I made a booking!  We took the 727 bus there. You could either order a la carte or have the 6 course degustation menu.  Suzy, Ian, Heather, Richard, Simone, Lucy and I opted for the degustation - it was AMAZING food.  Everyone was delighted with their meals (although there was a little bit of FOMO from those who had ordered a la carte as the degustation menu was so fantastic.  The drinks were also lovely.  It was another late night though - we weren't back until midnight!!  We all opted for an uber home - 4 euro!

12 April

I didn't want a repeat of our last trip to Sintra (where we had to queue for ages to get into Pena Palace, and didn't see the castle at all).  This time I bought us tickets and a guide.  We had three guides: two young boys and an older man, Fernando.  We had about 40 minutes wandering the Moorish castle ruins - it was reminiscent of the Great Wall of China, lots of stone steps of varying sizes, amazing views.  Then we had to walk up the hill to Pena Palace - I had thought they would drive us, but of course parking is at a premium there.  They could have explained that bit though!  We had to rush as we had tickets for a set time slot, and our guides were worried that we'd be swamped by the "Spanish"waiting to come in!  Once again I enjoyed the excesses of Pena Palace, but we did feel the guides could have benefited from the "whispers" so no-one missed out on hearing anything.

Tania didn't make today as she was quite ill with covid.  Sizy and I had tested positive too.  I felt OK and Suzy had lost her voice, but was otherwise not too bad.  After Pena they took us down to the beach so we could have lunch.  We didn't realise they were taking us to a quite expensive seafood place - and it wasn't included :-(  The food was good but very pricey.  Afterwards we visited the most  Western most point in Europe.  It was bloody freezing and we couldn't wait to get back in the car!!

13 April

Today was our rest day.  How wonderful to be able to sleep in.  I needed the rest, although luckily it seems to really be just a bad head cold and otherwise I don't feel too bad.  Tania is suffering much more with her first bout.  I may have been naïve but I didn't factor Covid into my planning at all :-(  Anyway we all seem to be getting over it, eventually everyone will have had it I'm sure!

I spent half the day in bed sorting my photos and trying to get up to date with my blog - more challenging than I expected as we are doing so much!  Greg patiently waited for me then we set off about 2.30pm for a quick soup lunch then walked down to the Castle.  We didn't visit it last time and I was determined to see it.  So by the end of the day I'd done over 15,000 steps even after spending half the day in bed!!

After the castle we walked to Pink Street, the now gentrified area that used to be full of drugs and prostitutes.  Obviously they have been moved elsewhere now!  We took a photo to show Hayley the pink street!

We had to split into 3 groups for the 10 Tastes of Lisbon tour - 17 is too many for this small group tour.  It was a bit hard to start with as two of the guides changed the times (& one changed the location as well) which was both confusing and annoying, but it all worked out in the end and everyone really enjoyed themselves.  Tania was still not feeling well enough and didn't join in.  The first group at 6pm was Fiona, Peter, Simone, Lucy, Heather and Richard.  The second group at 7pm was Russell, Dean, Esther, Deb and Jack.  The final group at 7.30pm was Suzy, Ian, Di, Greg and I.  Our guide was Luciana.  Although I was a bit peeved by all the changes she was very charming and disarming in person and we had a great time.  The first stop was a little workers cafe where we  had codfish fritters, goats cheese, sardines and chicken with sparkling "green" wine - all very nice.  We shared a table with a German couple who bought us all a glass of ginger spirit (I'd had the same spirit in my cocktail and it 

was lovely).  Cheers!  Then onto a cafe for pork sandwiches (IDi & I had veggie soup!) that was recommended by Anthony Bourdain.  We ran into group 2 there!  Apparently it was fantastic.  Next stop:: the oldest bookstore in Europe.  It had that lovely smell of books!  Then Luciana's secret spot: we went up stairs from a very average street front to see this gorgeous Moorish looking courtyard which led into another courtyard with no ceiling with tables set around an old  olive tree.  Here Luciana ordered Chorizo, which was cooked by fire by Greg and Ian (we did think either of them could have been burnt, it was quite hairy!) with sangria.  I had cheese, olives and bread.  Our final stop: a Portuguese tart.  A  lovely evening.  Then a 30 minute stroll home!