Our Last Day in Lisbon...

Hi Readers,

Our last day in Lisbon today and the city turned it on weather wise, not a cloud in the sky after a few days of constant fog. Thank you Lisbon!!

The day started with a relaxing walk down one of the main streets as we were hunting down a supermarket that specialised in Gluten Free foods. If only we had found it a few days earlier!! We ended up getting some pasta and sauce for tea that was just superb. Even I found the GF food sensational. 

Today was the day to try out many of the things we had heard about but hadn't found yet, so you could say I was on a bit of a mission.

One of the first things was to try out the roasted chestnuts that are very prolific on the streets. I was really looking forward to this and I must say Readers that it was an absolutely underwhelming experience. They were chewy and bland and it felt like I was eating chaff. I tried a few more just to be sure, as did Jen, and we both were not that impressed. I'm not really sure what I was expecting, maybe something with some actual flavour perhaps. The rest of them went into the bin.

We then went to a tram stop to get a tram up the mountain to the Monastery where we could get a great view over the city now that the fog had lifted after a few days. Imagine our horror when we got to the queue to see that it was very long and hardly moving. We calculated we would have to wait at least an hour for a tram.

All the while the Tuk Tuk drivers are wandering up and down the queue looking for people to swap to a ride with them.

Jen and I left the queue and started planning a walking route, when a driver wandered past and was very polite in asking us if we wanted a ride. Whether it was because of his politeness or not, as many of them are quite rude, we got a price and were very clear in the price he was giving.

It turned out to be a very wise investment, as it only cost a few more Euros than what the tram would have cost, and the driver was very interesting and conversant for the whole trip that took only 10 minutes.

It also meant we finally had a Tuk Tuk ride.

After getting around the mountain and getting the shots that you see below, we started the walk back down to the foreshore, which was a very easy walk.

Apart from stocking up on GF food on the way back to the hotel, I was continually on the lookout for a cherry liqueur drink that I had been told about.

We found a little bar that was serving it and went in. I was given the choice of one drink in a shot glass, or two smaller shots in a chocolate shot cup. The trick here was to drink half of the shot first, then do the second half and the cup together, combining the chocolate with the cherry liqueur. 

This drink was absolutely beautiful, and it is probably a good thing that I first tasted it on our last day here!

Rest assured, I'll search for it when we get back to Australia.

Along the way back to our digs I also passed another pastry shop, and you guessed it, another attack on some of their traditional custard tarts that I have taken a liking to.

Just as well there are some good hills near our digs, as when we got back I was straight into running them as the diet had been rather ordinary today!!

The fog gave way today in Lisbon and we have had just the best day exploring the city and really getting some amazing views. 

We will definitely miss this place, and already we are talking about coming back to explore more of Portugal at some other time.

Tomorrow we are on a plane again to a new place, and who knows, it may turn out to be just as fantastic as all of the other places we have been so fortunate to have visited so far.

Looking towards the Monastery.

What's a daily post without a selfie!!!

A ship waiting in the river to unload.

We gave in today and paid for a Tuk Tuk rather than wait in a queue for an hour for an overcrowded tram.

A mix of the new and the old overlooking the city.

The view over Lisbon from the Monastery.

This is how close the tram tracks are to the footpath. Keep in mind that the tram is wider still, meaning pedestrians have to squeeze up against the wall when the tram goes past.

A car sneaks down the street before a tram comes along.

It must be washing day.

In the background is the 17km long Vasco De Gama bridge, the longest in Europe.

A Winters day in Portugal, the jumpers are off and the diners are out.

Looking out towards the open sea.

The main square on the foreshore.

The traditional custard tarts. I've demolished a few of these so I've made up for it by running extra hills each night!!

Much of Lisbon is just loads of high rise buildings wherever we have been.

Just some of the high rise buildings that are just everywhere.

Blue sky and overlooking the river on a majestic day.

Jen relaxing after a coffee.

Trying the traditional cherry liqueur that comes in a chocolate shot cup, that is then eaten.

For best results, drink half the cup, then consume the cup and the other half of the drink together. One of the nicest things I've tasted.

The cherry liqueur was so good I went back for more!!

And to make up for yesterday's no show photo of my sock, here is a double whammy today.

This is at the top of a steep street we just walked up on the way to the Monastery in Lisbon.

And here we are again with the Monastery in the background on such a beautiful day.

Well Readers, tomorrow we are off on a plane again, and by now you know I don't tell you where we will be visiting next, so if you want to know you'll just have to log in again.

Until my next post...

Cheers!!