While in Lisbon I stayed at the Home Lisbon Hostel which was absolutely amazing! The staff there is friendly and personal, it's easy to meet people, there is a huge selection of English movies, and they have Mamma's dinner every night. Each evening for 10€ "Momma" (one of the staff's mom) cooks a full three course dinner. The night I joined the main entree was s steaming helping of the traditional dish of creamy codfish and rice. The meal also includes endless sangria and a glass of port for the toast at the end of dinner. The meal was done family style with long tables set complete with candles and bread. All the guests sit together eating and drinking and at the end Momma chooses someone to make a toast and everyone cheers and drinks their port. Port is a strong sweet fortified red wine that is made only in Portugal.
After dinner a few of us sat around talking and eventually made our way to the bars. Apparently the bar district of Lisbon has more bars per square meter then anywhere in the world. We went into a small quirky place where some Brazilians soon had all of us dancing to the Portuguese music.
I did a walking tour one morning in Lisbon. Walking tours are typically free through hostels and are an interesting way to see and get to know a city.
I learned that a massive earthquake hit Lisbon on All Saints Day in 1755. The earthquake was a 9.0 and lasted for about six minutes. (For comparison, the earthquake that hit Japan in 2011 was also a 9.0 and lasted for about a minute). After the earthquake hit the candles lit for the dead for All Saints Day caused massive fires to erupt through the city. The survivors gathered to the edge of the city in the open square. They watched as the large Tagus river receded and disappeared before their eyes. An enormous tsunami then hit wiping out all those seeking refuge in the square. Two more large waves hit the city and fires continued to burn for five days after.
The next day a friend and I took the train to a nearby beach town, Cascais. We took a hostel worker's advice and enjoyed a delicious lunch of small grilled squids that were coated in a sauce of olive oil, garlic, and cilantro. So good!
Lisbon holds Fiera Da Ladra or "Thieves Market" every Tuesday and Saturday. It was fun to walk around looking at all the goods. There was everything from ancient artifacts and jewelry to knockoff sunglasses to toothbrushes and CDs. It's a giant flea market where you can find just about anything.
Lisbon was a beautiful city and the hostel was the best I've stayed at so far. After a few days there I then took the train to Porto where I stayed at the Poet's Hostel. I didn't spend much time in Porto but it was a lovely city by the sea with plenty of Port wine and delicious pastries flaky and buttery or soft and doughy filled with custards or spices.
One night in Porto I signed up for the hostel's dinner. It was just me, a Finnish girl, a German boy, and the staff. We enjoyed tapenades of cheese and olives, a vegetarian lasagna (filled with a light cheese sauce, zucchini, mushrooms, and peppers), and for dessert, a warm mango crisp with a rich crumbly crust filled with warm mango and drizzled with sweet mango sauce. The staff made jokes all night and everyone spoke English. Whenever there is a group of people who all speak a different language English works as the medium that mostly everyone understands. This works out nicely for me.
After Porto I jetted off to Paris since I had to work in France in a couple weeks.
Paris was very nice and very expensive. Hostels and hotels are ridiculously priced for only decent places. I saw all the sights and picnicked outside the Eiffel tower but mostly sat at cafes drinking coffee with a friend people watching.
Paris was lovely although I spent way too much money. I should also note that I had the most delicious tiramisu of my life. It was served cold and the cream was thick and sweet with a perfectly spongey center and a dusting of cofee Now off to work in Western France!
I learned that a massive earthquake hit Lisbon on All Saints Day in 1755. The earthquake was a 9.0 and lasted for about six minutes. (For comparison, the earthquake that hit Japan in 2011 was also a 9.0 and lasted for about a minute). After the earthquake hit the candles lit for the dead for All Saints Day caused massive fires to erupt through the city. The survivors gathered to the edge of the city in the open square. They watched as the large Tagus river receded and disappeared before their eyes. An enormous tsunami then hit wiping out all those seeking refuge in the square. Two more large waves hit the city and fires continued to burn for five days after.
The next day a friend and I took the train to a nearby beach town, Cascais. We took a hostel worker's advice and enjoyed a delicious lunch of small grilled squids that were coated in a sauce of olive oil, garlic, and cilantro. So good!
(Sandcastle at Cascais)
Lisbon holds Fiera Da Ladra or "Thieves Market" every Tuesday and Saturday. It was fun to walk around looking at all the goods. There was everything from ancient artifacts and jewelry to knockoff sunglasses to toothbrushes and CDs. It's a giant flea market where you can find just about anything.
Lisbon was a beautiful city and the hostel was the best I've stayed at so far. After a few days there I then took the train to Porto where I stayed at the Poet's Hostel. I didn't spend much time in Porto but it was a lovely city by the sea with plenty of Port wine and delicious pastries flaky and buttery or soft and doughy filled with custards or spices.
One night in Porto I signed up for the hostel's dinner. It was just me, a Finnish girl, a German boy, and the staff. We enjoyed tapenades of cheese and olives, a vegetarian lasagna (filled with a light cheese sauce, zucchini, mushrooms, and peppers), and for dessert, a warm mango crisp with a rich crumbly crust filled with warm mango and drizzled with sweet mango sauce. The staff made jokes all night and everyone spoke English. Whenever there is a group of people who all speak a different language English works as the medium that mostly everyone understands. This works out nicely for me.
(Poet's Hostel)
After Porto I jetted off to Paris since I had to work in France in a couple weeks.
Paris was very nice and very expensive. Hostels and hotels are ridiculously priced for only decent places. I saw all the sights and picnicked outside the Eiffel tower but mostly sat at cafes drinking coffee with a friend people watching.
Paris was lovely although I spent way too much money. I should also note that I had the most delicious tiramisu of my life. It was served cold and the cream was thick and sweet with a perfectly spongey center and a dusting of cofee Now off to work in Western France!
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