Is everything backwards in Portugese?

In the morning, we ate a leisurely breakfast, checked our e-mails, checked out and headed for the airport. Ross would be taking an overnight train to Lisbon but he was staying an extra day so that he could see Seville. So he said.

At the airport, we had lunch and listened to American business men lecture each other on what was appropriate to say in an important meeting they were to attend today. Matt realized that he did not like blue cheese. I had a delicious vegetarian sandwich and a candy bar that tasted like all of the best cookies smashed into a bar and then covered in chocolate. When we made it to the gate, Matt and I went on a hunt at Relay for some Spanish porn. It was a goal we had promised to fulfill by the end of the trip. Alas - only Vanity Fair showed an almost naked Gisele Bundchen on its cover and I bought that as a poor excuse for porn. Matt found what appeared to be a business man's magazine and opened it to find real articles ... AND a small inner booklet full of racy pictures. Still not exactly what we were looking for, but at least we know that the Spanish are more discreet than originally thought.

The flight into Lisbon was the worst yet, with a rather shaky take-off and another shaky landing. We were let off onto the tarmac and we were shuttled to the exit, where passport control did not care about us, again. If you want stamps on your passport, fly major airlines. We took an aerobus to the Praca do Comercio, or so we thought. We got off a stop too early and had a bit of confusion finding the "big arch" mentioned in the e-mail. Eventually, however, we found it and ended up at a stylish and clean hotel. After the heat and dirt of Spain, breezy, fresh Lisbon was welcome. However cold I was finding it ...

Our red-haired hostess greeted us, gave us a tour, showed us to our room, and invited us to free guacamole and sangria at 8pm that night. How could we refuse! The beer and water was free. The hostel was a modern art museum, with postcards and letters flattened between the tablecloth and its glass covering. The stools were fashionably upholstered and color-coordinated to every other piece of furniture. Bean bag chairs lined the windows and laptops were available for use in the common room. There is no place without music in Lisbon - there is always singing. There is always an iPod pounding out tunes through impeccable speakers. We rested in our room for a bit before going for an exploratory walk.

The Tagus River is right on the street! Steps will take you directly into the river, which washed up onto the sidewalk in welcome. Small, colored pods held trees and people riverside on the promenade. Palm trees and poplars swayed in the evening breeze. Quaint stores watched us walk by and we drank in the architecture of the buildings. We stopped for pasteis at a small pasteleria, which was custardy, sugary, and cinnamony in all the right ways. Back at the hostel, guacamole was flowing, as were white wine and red wine sangrias. We sat, ate some of the best guacamole I have ever tasted on crusty bread chunks, and listened to Matt tune an old guitar with needlenose pliers. We attempted to play, but it did not sound very loud at all.

At 9:30pm, we walked up to Bairro Alto, where the sidewalks are like everywhere else in Lisbon - made of small pieces of ceramic. The Lisboas are so well dressed and we know why now - you can shop for clothing any time of night! Even after our meal that night, Pepe Jeans was open and brightly lit! We stopped for dinner at an Indian place which could not seat us right away. It was alright, though, because I could listen to the sound of Portugese. It is a bit frustrating for me because I cannot wrap my tongue around their L's. We order cheese and garlic naan and our own dishes. The curry is delicious, the naan is soft and hot, and the chai is authentic. Matt has his first Super Bock, which will never show up again outside of Lisbon.

We walk back to our hostel, refusing the many people pestering us to buy "hashish", and go to sleep in the cool air of Portugal.