Bom dia!

We left you last weekend as we were heading off to a farmers’ market in Lisbon. We picked up some focaccia bread and a handful of flat green beans that we’d eaten fried in a dish called Peixinhos da Horta. It reminded Shruti of Indian pakoras.

The weather was so nice that we just stood for a while and admired the market, the park, and the genial morning buzz.

That was, until Shruti pointed out that we looked like a creepy, childless couple staring into a playground.

With veggies in tow, we wandered further up the neighborhood toward a large park called Parque Eduardo VII. It’s a long, sloped lawn with zig-zag hedges and a fountain at the end. The view from the top was fantastic - another miradouro where we could rest and get our bearings.

After a long day of walking, it started drizzling, and we ducked into a little hole in the wall. It turned out to be Ginjinha Sem Rival, a landmark 1930s bar selling local cherry liqueur. We were handed two little cups of Ginjinha, which we sipped happily in the rain before running back home.

On Sunday, we hopped on a short train to Belém, a district in western Lisbon that’s home to Torre de Belém (Belém Tower). The tower is a 16th century fortification that defended the town from enemy ships on the Tagus River. These days, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and unfortunately for us, it was closed for repairs.

We didn’t mind, because the walk along the river toward the tower was breathtaking - both because of the sharp coastal wind and an unexpected encounter with a giant 52 meter (170 foot) stone structure called the Monument of Discoveries.

Our other consolation prizes were a charming weekend craft market and a local custard pastry called Pastéis de Belém.

Monday was our big day trip up the coast. We woke up early to pick up a car rental at the airport, and Nate made sure it was an automatic transmission (not the default choice here). We set out onto the highway, taking in the sights as the suburban sprawl gave way to countryside.

Our first destination was Nazaré, a seaside town that’s known for its huge surf, with waves reaching a record height of 26 meters (82 feet) in 2020. Unfortunately for us, it was flat as a pancake that day. We didn’t mind, though, because the town itself justified the visit.

The name Nazaré is the Portuguese version of Nazareth, the biblical city in the Holy Land.

We started in the neighborhood of Praia, which stretches along the beach and leads up to a dramatic cliff. We rode a funicular up the steep hillside (a 42% slope) to the neighborhood of Sítio, which contains a miradouro from which we could see the staggering, panoramic view of the town and ocean below.

It began to rain as we made our way back to the car. We set our course to the next destination, Óbidos, with a pitstop for lunch at Solar Dos Amigos.

What began as a last-minute addition to our itinerary turned into the highlight of the day. Óbidos is a walled town that began as a Moorish fortification in the year 713. The center of town is completely surrounded by picturesque castle walls straight out of a medieval legend.

The interior features a collection of shops and alleyways that one can easily imagine peopled with citizens of a bygone era. Nate says you have to go if you visit central Portugal - especially in the off-season, since the quiet atmosphere adds to the magic.

On Tuesday we had two causes for celebration. The first was Ashwin’s 30th birthday. Happy birthday, Ashwin! The second was meeting family friend (and Lisbon local) Rebecca for brunch. It was great to see a friendly face in a foreign place, and we chatted over coffee, breakfast burritos and chia pudding at Neighbourhood Coffee.

After Rebecca headed back to resume her workday, we wandered through the neighborhoods of Graça and Alfama while video-chatting with the family to watch Ashwin light the candles on his birthday cake.

Wednesday was our last full day in Lisbon, so we set out to have lunch at A Obra, a cozy restaurant that our Airbnb host specifically recommended. Unfortunately it was closed for renovations, so we wandered into a random pastelaria with a broad glass counter showcasing pastries galore.

The man behind the counter had his own ambitions for our meal, and we needed only to glance at an option before he swept it onto our plates. We were too hungry to say no!

On Thursday, we bid farewell to Lisbon and embarked on our flight to Seville, Spain. We’ll miss its rambling hills, diverse neighborhoods, and family-owned tascas. We’ll also miss saying “obrigado” - Nate thinks Portuguese has a slightly Russian twang to it.

We’ll wrap up this (slightly longer) edition of the newsletter; Nate has a tendency to get a bit wordy. It’s Sunday afternoon in Seville, and we’re off to get some paella for lunch.

Hasta luego!

P.S. Shruti posted a video of our time in Portugal: 13 days in 30 seconds!