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| Exploring the sights on the streets of Lisbon |
Deb and Kim go horseback riding while Jim, Bob and I take the train into Lisbon for a day of touring.
When two heads are not better than one. Or none.
We take a cab from the train station to the Castle at the top of the hill. Rather than tour the castle, we start with refreshments at a little cafe just outside of the castle wall...
...and raise our glasses in solidarity with the oppressed worker repairing the cobbled street one brick at a time.
Slowly. Carefully. Ever so slowly.
Then spent the day exploring cafes, bars, and stores on the walk back down.
Perhaps the most interesting stop was at the
Napoleao wine shop:
Where we sampled some ports and received a tutorial on port vintages and nomenclature. Then on to another sidewalk cafe. This one called
Moma:
Where we enjoy more beer, wine, foie gras, wild boar pastry, caprese salad and fries. After meeting the girls at a downtown beer garden, we visit the
Institute of Port, but not without a bit of navigation difficulties. Bob's guidebook and map could only get us to the neighborhood. After wandering in circles, we were about to give up when I accosted some locals on a street corner:
MW:
"Pardon me. Do you speak English?"
Locals shake head:
"No. Very little."
MW pressing on:
"Do you know where the Institute of Port is located?"
Locals: Blank stare.
MW applying his intuitive linguistic skills:
"Institut-OH Port-OH?"
Locals break into big smiles and point:
"Two blocks. turn right."
That actually happened. We found it. True.
It was fun and interesting, but a bit stuffy for this crew. So off to find a suitable eatery.
Cocheira Alentejana fit the bill. Fine food. Good service. A great finish to a fine day in Lisbon.
We even managed to avoid missing the last train back to Cascais.
