com amor de portugal

a week in portugal filled with amor 💕, comida 🐟, and bebidas 🍹!

bom dia baby!

i alluded to my vacation in my last post (year 30) but i am at the tail-end of my travels for this wondrous week in portugal. i am currently lounging around in terminal 3 at london's busy heathrow airport with more than 4 hours until my flight. this seems as good as any time to reflect and write down a list of everything i got to do. photos have been great reminders for the dates and the geolocation (thank you gps/apple) but as i've grown older, i wish i wrote about the feelings i had in the various moments. looking back in hindsight seems to skew what i experienced because i only remember them as a fleeting memory. i already have a short memory so i have to get this in fast before i forget.

i'll be naming most locations in portuguese so if you're interested, do some research or ask me directly.

travel day? (mon 19 oct 26)

do people usually talk about this? i'm not sure but i am sure that i slept through half the flight, had an empty seat next to me (score!), and finished up mickey 17, a rob pattinson movie i'm surprisingly okay with. i had some distractions and thoughts about world domination, which was really just owning a plot of land and growing tons of tomatoes, living well, eating good, and just maybe have some romance along the way.

landed in lisboa pretty late at night but my good friend T was able to secure a cool tapas bar to get some bacalhau paté and pica pau and start the trip off with a house special drink, "the original sin" which was probably the best drink of the trip! truthfully i perhaps imbibed too merrily to remember the ranking of the other drinks on this trip.

i checked-in to my hotel and realized that a cruise ship was fully blocking my tagus river view but thankfully it was supposed to be gone the next morning.

day 1 officially! (tue 20 oct 26)

the cruise ship was not gone in the morning but i was still in high spirits about the day ahead. to be honest i had no plans but just vibes. prior to leaving vancouver i was a bit busy with finishing up the ubc farm practicum and finishing up some work so my only planning was doomscrolling instagram for things to do in lisboa before my flight.

no issues though because i know the way i travel is better unplanned and unfettered by expectations (you'll see that as a recurrent theme in my life) so walking around town was mostly the plan. also luckily the flea market and mercado santa clara were by my hotel and open only on tuesdays and saturdays, a happy coincidence.

before i got the flea market, i was first greeted by the first of many hills in lisbon. whatever travel bloggers say about the hills in lisboa, they are TRUE! so many hills, mostly cobblestone, and it is definitely not recommended for walking with new shoes or heels of any sort. however, that did not deter me because i knew i was going to be eating and drinking ALL week so a little exercise is only fair to balance the week ahead.

before the mercado de santa clara, i was happily stopped again by the panteāo nacional (the national pantheon) which houses the bodies of very famous portuguese nationals and also has some of the most incredible 360 views of lisboa from it's rooftop (yes it's part of your ticket access!). the unhinged thought i had here was how lucky i was to be alive to experience this view and how cool it would be to have a mausoleum built in my name or on my property or be so famous and do something so positive for my nation that my decaying bones would be housed in a national landmark. just some casual food for thought.

anyhow, minutes away from the panteāo nacional is the mercado de santa clara and the flea market that showcased local artisan wares, antiques, and everything in between. it was bustling with activity and interesting knickknacks. it was a beautiful sunny day to do some shopping and see some of the local culture.

obviously had to finish the afternoon with my first pastel de nata from manteigaria. it was quite creamy but was warm and overall pretty good. 7.8/10. perhaps a pastel de nata ranking list is incoming but only with numbers that are ultra subjective and an unhinged thought attached.

for the evening, i got to enjoy the company of the groom, family, and his friends where we discussed plans for the future, businesses, and immediate plans to drink more at this cool rooftop parking lot bar. this bar concept could never in vancouver.

the cruise ship did end up leaving by the time i was back, good riddance.

day 2 (wed 21 oct 26)

unfortunately since my hotel is located on top of santa apolónia station, the oldest running railway station in lisboa, and i forgot to close my window before going to bed, i had the distinct pleasure of being woken up to the hustle and bustle of city workers. nevermind that, i just simply reframed that i got to catch sunrise from my hotel room which upon seeing the sun rise above the tagus river made it so worth it. i also got productive and wrote my first blog post as well so that's cool.

the only concrete plans i had for the day were to make it to R & A's cocktail hour. hardly a tough timing to meet, so i had the whole morning and afternoon to continue exploring town. i had a simple breakfast and strong espresso at cafe guadalupe, where everyone was a local, to seize the day. i think i momentarily felt shy and embarrassed ordering but sometimes you just need to embed yourself fully into the local cafes to appreciate the culture. while sipping on espresso, i looked on google maps and saw a landmark known as the castelo sāo jorge which you might guess is a castle sitting on top of lisboa therefore up the hills i went. it is also named after the patron saint of cavalrymen and soldiers, st george. what a coincidence!

i thought the views from the panteāo the day before were good, but there is nothing that quite beats a view from the highest point of a city. this castle truly had views spanning kilometers of the surrounding area including the tagus river and beyond the pont 25 de abril. the retaining walls/safety walls for the fortifications and towers were exceptionally low, reaching up to my knees so it comes as no surprise people fell to their deaths quite easily during sieges and fort battles. firstly, i would hate to do any close quarter combat on those ramparts and secondly i would hate to be drunk and have to walk through those ramparts to get to the other side.

after the castelo, i had a nice local delicacy known as pastéis de bacalhau which is a fried codfish cake. it was spongy inside and crispy outside but i think i would pass on the extra queijo the next time i get it. it was a good pick me up for the all the walking i had already done in the morning.

by the time i got down to the water, it was time to get ready for cocktail hour. i always love getting dressed up for an event, but what i love even more is celebrating two special lovebirds, R & A, and the people they bring together. i think it is a testament of those that they keep in their lives and how special it is to congregate in a beautiful destination to celebrate their love (they're renewing their vows). it was also a pleasure to catch up with some people i hadn't seen in over 8 years and see what kind of people they've grown into. what a treat.

the open bar meant a quickly devolving situation as i found a new love for a white port and tonic cocktail. i did recuse myself earlier than usual since i wanted to be in tiptop shape for the actual ceremony and dinner the next day.

day 3 (thu 22 oct 26)

there was a self-induced rush in the morning to get to lx factory and see the local wares and artist/underground scene which i actually felt wasn't as hip as i thought. it felt very commercial and more touristy than not. alas that's how it goes sometimes. the livraria del devagar was interesting and filled with discourse and literature on revolution and the plight of the working class which is so fair. that was all the sight-seeing time available for the day as the renewal ceremony started in the afternoon.

R and A's renewal ceremony was held at herdade de perú at the quinta de perú golf course. it overlooks the beautiful country side and was extra special when the sun came down. the renewal vows themselves were the star of the show. witnessing two people chose each other again for the rest of their lives is quite inspiring and makes me hopeful for the future. for two people to end their vows the same way is a great reminder that when you find the one, you just know. romance isn't dead!

felipé, the lead singer of the live band, was just too charming and i may have consumed one too many espresso cocktails too quickly so i became unwell during the dinner. i most definitely had a second wind and came back just in time for the dancefloor. we closed it out but not before tacos and shin ramen were offered as an midnight snack. that was sick.

overall 10/10 day witnessing my friends renew their vows.

day 4 (fri 23 oct 26)

again no plans other than vibes. somehow i was able to wake up early and make my way to belém to do some sightseeing. i inputted the wrong address for the uber so it took me to the palace instead of the touristy fort (which was my intention). that worked out quite in my favour because i got to walk around and actually see most of belem. i somehow made my way to pasteis de belem and obviously got another pastel de nata, sat down by the jerónimos monastery and took a trendy pastry photo. the lines for the monastery were long and looked crowded so i opted to skip the visit and walk to the river instead.

across the jerónimos monastery by the river is the monument to the discoveries which is dedicated to the portuguese explorers of the past. honestly i was in awe of it's grandeur as it showed the people necessary to make the journey into the unknown and uncharted territories. took lots of photos there and then walked towards the fort.

fort tickets were sold out to so i simply walked past and into the museum of combatants which was dedicated to portuguese veterans. i guess i went on the right day because there was no one there or perhaps i'm missing some sort of political sentiment but the museum itself had some of the best views i've seen by the river, cool artifacts from the grand war (wwi), and really interesting exhibits (namely the trench exhibit).

after the museum, i took the scenic route and bike ride to a reservation booked at the famous ramiro for some seafood. the ride itself was mostly along the river and was such a treat except when i got shit on by a bird. i'm not sure how to explain it but i felt like i was in slow motion when i saw the bird in my peripheral and the incoming onslaught of poop. i was dressed nicely for the reservation and there was no time to go back to the hotel to change so i did what any normal person would do, bother the closest available establishmen, which was the marine safety building and got enough water and paper towel to wipe everything off. actually a big shout out to cider for making great dresses that don't stain easily. while it generally sucks to get pooped on, i recall a superstition that getting pooped on by a bird is good luck so i'll take it in stride as i need all the luck i can get.

i finally make it to ramiro and only 15 mins late to the reso. the scarlet shrimp is a must. don't be intimidated by the €100/lb price tag since one shrimp, which is large, juicy, and flavourful, costs about €16.5. i genuinely think it was the star of the show and really worth trying out. most of the sauces were garlic butter. i love razor clams so i'm biased about getting those when they are available fresh; some people may be thrown off by how phallic they look. haha. after ramiro, it was a walk back to the hotel through the bustling streets and through the praça do comércio which previously held the royal ribeira palace.

you would think the day was over but actually it was just beginning. after a quick siesta, it was back to the streets for dinner. unbeknownst to me, i booked a hotel that was situated in the historic working district of alfama which is also home to fado traditional music that encapsulates longing, fate, and the daily struggle so of course i had to experience the music once at a local taverna. we stopped at a local taverna that was still open and ordered a picanha and a seafood rice which was decent. three different fado singers performed which was delightful because each of them seemed to sing very different songs. i don't know portuguese but based on the vibes the young female singer seemed to sing about love and longing, the older gentleman seemed to sing local classics since the audience sang along, and the older female closed the show with what seemed to be romantic notes.

oh the dichotomy of man because after listening to the romantic fado, we immediately hit the luxfrágil club for some underground techno music. i danced the night away until the wee hours (6am) so i can finally say i've had my european club experience! the experience was not without a very large and intimidating croatian man asking if i wanted to go to the next club to which i respectfully declined.

i suppose day 5 has already started but first a quick nap.....

day 5 (sat 24 oct 26)

i can't say i had much sleep since i woke up at 9am to continue the adventure. i had a much needed shakshuka breakfast and latte to revitalize the spirit. i wanted to do some souvenir shopping and check out dona ajuda at the mercado do rato. dona ajuda is a big thrift shop and social entreprise similar to our salvation army. thrifting is quite the scene in lisboa so naturally it showed up in my insta algorithm and i was behooved to check it out.

not going to lie, i wouldn't recommend walking all the way from my hotel to dona ajuda simply because the elevation gain and distance was already quite long and i was operating on two hours of sleep and 3 coffees already. otherwise, dona ajuda was exactly what i expected. i didn't get anything as i was surprised by how little the collection was. i took an uber back to the hotel because my phone was getting dangerously low so i needed a charge.

you might think that i would pass out at this point but in the back in my mind there was a lingering thought. someone at the ceremony told me how beautiful sintra was and like the unhinged person i am, an intrusive thought popped in my mind telling me i should just uber there without a return plan and figure it out. i goggled possible locations and immediately felt called to the palace and garden of monserrate, not to be confused with montserrat which is my favourite font. i booked the uber, let fate take the wheel, and took an hour nap in transit before arriving at the destination.

my intrusive thoughts would serve me well. the palace and garden of monserrate would become one of my favourite places on earth. there's nothing i've experienced quite like it. the garden spans a couple of acres through lush fern forests, agave trees, and rolling hills with an overlooking view of sintra and the atlantic. the palace itself was opulent and a dream home. if i ever make it big in life, you'll be seeing a replica of the palace on my property somewhere in the mountains. the property itself is very hilly with lots of ups and downs so walking shoes are highly recommended.

it was getting very close to sunset so i thought it would be time to start heading back to lisboa. i had no bus ticket nor any change but i waited for the public bus anyways. there were uber drivers hollering about €5 trips to the sintra train station but i felt indignant about spending that on an uber even though my trip to sintra was $50. and that feeling was correct, i got on the bus that i had no change for and the bus driver was kind enough to let me on. as it drove through the valley and hill sides of sintra, you could see the sun setting against the hills. the bus, the number which eludes me now, takes the scenic route through cabo da roca before making it's way to sintra station.

when it stopped at cabo da roca, the most western point in continental europe, i instinctually knew it was time to get off even though i had less than 20% battery and a race against time with phone navigation. looking back at it, it was probably the best idea i've had all trip. as i walk around the restaurant towards the cliff, the setting sun in the horizon peeked through. i'm not a religious person but in that moment i could understand how people find god. the warm tones of the sun setting against the atlantic followed with the wind painted a vivid picture i don't think i'll ever forget. the only other breathtaking sunset i've experienced was in 2022 against the baltic sea in the gulf of riga. immaculate.

i spent a good half hour until the sunset continued to disappear in the horizon and no longer felt any indignation about getting an uber. with the remaining 8%, i called an uber straight back to the hotel because life is too short to waste on transport and not having a charged phone.

dinner was at sala rosa which they graciously sat me at the bar since i had no reservation. the carbonara was little too salty for me but alas the vibes were good and i had a great time enjoying a nice dinner with myself to end my last night in lisboa.

day 6 (sun 25 oct 26)

you thought my travels were done? wrong! i was born to run it back. first thing in the morning, i haul myself to the museu militar de lisboa (luckily it was right next door) which actually had free entry. not sure if it's a sunday thing or a special day. either way it was also very empty and i got to go through each of the rooms by myself. the portuguese love their artillery so that felt like a main focal point throughout the museum but they saved a little spot for the cavalry folk and a room with the portuguese infantry patron saint, st nuno álvares pereira. to me, the attention to detail to the sculptures and wall reliefs rivalled to those i saw in versailles many years ago. they were opulent, rich in colour, and carefully crafted war scenes. once the tour came to an end, the nice gentleman at the front desk gave me a free postcard which depicted a cavalryman so it tied together the museum experience poetically.

i still had a couple of hours till my flight. to get around quicker, i enlisted the help of my good friend lime bike and lime scooter. i stopped by pastelaria alcôa and had the yummiest egg dessert called castanhas de ovos. if you've ever had the japanese hiyoko manju, it was like that flavour but chewy and marzipan like. on my stroll, i also got to enjoy and see the oldest running bookshop according to the guinness book of records, livraria bertrand. i celebrated by performatively purchasing a book of poems by fernando pressoa (translated). pressoa was a celebrated poet, writer, and activist who wrote about existential daydreaming, fragmented identities (well documented by his various heteronyms/pseudoynms), and saudade (the longing).

my main effort for going into town was to go to this restaurant i found just by clicking on random spots on google and searching for restaurants in the area. turns out taberna da rua das flores is actually quite well known. it's cash only so don't be like me and only have €30 on hand. i made it work by only getting two small plates but truly this was the best meal i had throughout the trip. i ordered a garlic butter and salt baked scallop and a red sauce squid. the scallops were phenomenal with the perfect balance of garlic butter and salt, not rubbery and perfectly cooked. after each bite, there was a bit of blanched seaweed you could have to clear the palate and experience the scallop all over again. the squid was equally phenomenal and the red sauce had a subtle kick at the end and was served with a buttered toast. not surprisingly, it was more than enough because i had previously stuffed my face with pastries while on my walk over. i wish i had more cash though because i would have loved to try everything on the menu.

the lady dining solo next to me also recommended the scallops. her name is debbie and she's from texas. we chatted about her travel plans, what i've done so far, daddy carney, and what travel apps we use. not to continue with the poetic trend but i think it's quite serendipitous to have small conversations like these during travel because it brings things into perspective; we're all just people going about our lives. we didn't exchange information and that's the bittersweet beauty of travel. we just go on our own ways. i hope you have the best travels to southern portugal, debbie!

and that's pretty much all the time i had left in lisboa, i prebooked an uber so i wouldn't be late but turns out most check-in gates at the airport don't open until 2 hrs before flight or at least that was the case for my flight through london. security and customs were both fairly quick and the rest is almost history.

travel home (26 oct 26)

i had a 19 hour layover in heathrow so i booked a hotel in the local area with the intent to go to legoland or windsor castle before my afternoon flight. the weather decided no to cooperate so i ended up checking in early. turns out sitting around for more than 4 hrs is the best time to start writing this post. and that's it folks!

"i am the size of whatever i see" - fernando pressoa

this aptly describes everything i felt and perceived during my trip because life is so much more than being a brainless meat bag and going through the motions. my heart and brain are filled with gratitude and appreciation for this life i get to live.

tchau!

thanks for reading. say hello at hello@adeleka.ca.