Dia 8: Obrigada, Lisboa!

My last day in Portugal didn’t turn out as planned, but may have turned out better than I could have even expected.

I began the day with a tour of Berlengas Island, the main island of an archipelago that has a centuries-old fortress and allows for camping in the summer. It is a national park and protected as a reserve. The boat ride over was a bit tumultuous and the weather was fairly cold and foggy. When my tour guide asked if I would like a sea-sickness tablet, I immediately took one. With memories of the tour around the Kauai Na’pali coast when I was certain I wouldn’t need a sea-sickness aid and felt terrible by the day’s end, this time I didn’t even flinch before accepting the medicine. By the time we arrived at the port and got on the boat, I was feeling a bit drowsy, but at least not nauseous. One young boy and a few other passengers ended up vomiting into plastic bags during or shortly after our trip to Berlengas.

Once on the island, the reason we came became clear. The views were absolutely stunning. We took a hike down to the fortress and walked around. Some brave teens who seemed to be camping with their family were cannon-balling into the clear water, some with full-body wet suits, some with only their shorts. The tour guide explained that the color of the water is so ethereal because it is combining the Mediterranean sea from one side of the island, and the Atlantic on the other. My favorite part of the day was when we received a boat cave tour. Our guide took us in the caves where the water almost seemed to glow in the dark under the rock formations.

For lunch I ate at the restaurant and was excited to see people sharing a seafood stew out of big pots. I was disappointed that three of the items I had asked for - a smaller version of the fish soup, fried cuttlefish (calamari?), and their baba camelo (Portuguese caramel pudding) - were not available or sold out. Alas, this is a privileged person’s problem, and I didn’t let it bother me for long. Instead, I had Portuguese-style clams with bread for the dipping sauce, spiced olives, and a panna cotta with compote. For the ride home on the boat, I was nice and full and even able to relax into a snooze inside the roomy orange raincoat provided by the boat.

Something that has struck me about Portugal is how multicultural it is. Almost everyone you meet knows three or more languages. I know most places in Europe are multilingual, but Portugal seems to be even more so. I love it. I really want to spend some time learning Portuguese. Did you know that the population of Portugal, islands included, is only about 10 million? Anyway, the reason I bring up the multicultural thing is because our tour guide was telling us how he knows five languages - Basque, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. Also, I was able to speak French with two teachers on the tour who are from Montreal. It was awesome to catch up in French and ask them questions about the Montreal culture after my trip there this summer. I learned some things about their education system, their healthcare system, and the politics surrounding the Quebecois flag that I didn’t know.

After the tour, I took a nap for several hours to sleep off the drowsiness and calm down my head that seemed to have synced with the up-and-down motion of the boat. Then, I ventured out late, or rather, on time to dinner at Sr. Lisboa, a recommendation of Portuguese tapas from Johanna. There, I saw the two men she had made friends with last night who also went there on her recommendation. I decided to have the best meal possible in Lisbon for my last night, and this place didn’t disappoint. There is a reason this place has perfect reviews on Yelp. I had the gazpacho with a rose wine to start, and this gazpacho was almost like a sorbet that melted into the water that the server poured around a bread crust topped with chopped summer vegetables. Delicate, flavorful, and delicious. Then, I asked for a red wine pairing with the pork and asparagus that I ordered. (I would normally never order pork, but I have heard it is delicious in Portugal and this dish was cooked perfectly.) For dessert, I had a pineapple and basil sorbet with a jam and a Portuguese pudding that almost seemed flan-like. This meal made up for the missed dishes at lunch and more! I am taking my family here when we come back.

Well, I am signing off after my last full day in Portugal. Tomorrow, I hope to write a reflection post while at the airport about my time in this heritage country and how important and meaningful it has been for me. I hope that my family members have felt a connection with the blogs and pictures I have been able to share. I truly wish you were all here and look forward to a future trip with the island of Madeira included.

Bon noite,

Alana