Dia 1: Dreaming as a Portuguese Princess

Today marks my first official morning in Portugal, and I can already sense that I am going to love it here! Maybe it’s the beautiful Italian-sounding rhythm of the Portuguese language with the recurring soft ‘ch’ sound. Or maybe it’s the cobble-stoned streets and relaxed, European vibe that exudes from Lisbon. Or perhaps it is the long list of Yelp reviews applauding the bacalhau and seafood near the coast. The list goes on...I am feeling at home in Portugal.

I have to get to our hotel’s breakfast before 11am, so I will keep this blog concise. I am writing this blog for my u family members who will hopefully soon be on the same journey in Portugal with me in the near future. This blog is written especially for my mom, my sisters, my aunt, my cousins, and now my dad who also found out from his DNA swab test that he is about ⅕ Portuguese.

So here my journey begins…

At SFO airport, after a five hour delay, our airline, Air Portugal, began to board its passengers. I was fortunate to see the delay notification before getting dropped off at the airport, so I took my time packing, researching, and spending some more quality time with Cecil and Sohil. At the airport gate just in time for the new boarding hour, I was called over the loudspeaker to the airline desk (this has never to happened to me before), to verify identification. They printed out a boarding pass for me and gave me a $30 voucher for the delay that I promptly used at the restaurant next door on a glass of sauvignon blanc and an asparagus soup and salad.

It gets better...the seat next to me on the flight was empty. Perhaps a passenger had cancelled their reservation after the delay. Regardless, the plane seemed a bit empty and I was grateful for the extra space and easy access to the bathroom. The flight attendants spoke Portuguese and English. I tried out Obrigada (thank you, feminine form) and Agua, por favor (water, please) when they served us our dinner and breakfast. (I had created a Duolingo account prior to flying out so that I could learn some expressions before getting here. The language is a lovely mix of French, Spanish, and Italian - all the Latin roots!) I hope to learn and use some basic expressions while I am here. Also, random note about the flight food - the meal served a side salad with packets of oil and vinegar, which I found interesting and wondered if this dressing is sort of specific to the Portuguese culture. I thought my family was the only one that dressed their salads with olive oil and red wine vinegar growing up.

I give the Lisbon airport two thumbs up! Upon arrival, we descended the plane out on the tarmac and boarded a shuttle to the main airport. Everything was labeled brilliantly - I had no problem getting through passport check and to the metro without asking anyone. The metro itself was also clean and easy to use, just like the metro system in Paris. I purchased a reloadable card. For 2 euros, I was able to take 11 stops to the Saldanha stop just outside of the hotel I am staying - Chalet d’Avila. I found the style of the people on the metro to be approachable, yet elegantly European none-the-less. Pushing my carry-on roller suitcase over the cobble-stoned streets was a little tricky, so I am grateful that the metro entrance is so close.

Chalet d’Avila is super charming, clean, and old. No elevator, so anything you bring with you had better be light enough to carry up the stairs. (The more I travel, the smaller my suitcase gets...I save money and most importantly, I save time when my load is light.) Luis, the front desk attendant, said that the old tiles and floors are original from over 100 years ago, and that all buildings that are renovated in LIsbon are required to preserve their original tiles and features as best as possible. My room is just over $40/night with free wifi, a free breakfast, and a shared bathroom and living space. It is perfect for me. The room is small and clean with a view over a narrow courtyard. I made myself a tea in the shared kitchenette and peered outside the window to see people heading home from work or school on the sidewalks wearing backpacks, another man flicking his cigarette into the street, and a couple riding a moto with helmets on. Very European!

Since our flight arrived closer to five o'clock, by the time I was settled in my room, it was nearing 8pm and I was getting tired. I decided to dine at a nearby Indian restaurant that had great Yelp reviews and whose paneer tikka masala with garlic naan tasted comforting and filling and helped put me right to sleep an hour or so later. I wanted very badly for my first meal to be Portuguese, but I am satisfied with this choice. Most of the cevicerias and seafood places are a longer walking distance away and closer to the water, so I will be patient. On my walk home, I saw an outdoor pop-up cafe where people go to have an evening drink or smoke. The dining time is later in Portugal - I noticed that many dining establishments are open until 11pm or later on a Monday - so even at close to 10pm, people were ordering drinks and taking a seat in the outdoor spot. I hope to sit there a couple times during this trip.

  

With that being said, I need to head down to breakfast and get my day started.

Tchau!

Alana