Lisbon

After living here for 6 months we finally made it down to Lisbon for a weekend. The husband of one of Dan's colleagues works in Lisbon 3 days a week, so they offered us their apartment for the weekend, which was great to have. With just a quick weekend visit, we only had time for an overview, but hopefully this will be the first of several trips to the area. We started our morning Saturday in Belem, visiting tourist sites like the Torre de Belem and the Monastary of Jeronimos, walking around a shopping district, and of course eating Pastel de Belem, a yummy little pastry from the area. In the afternoon we explored the Castelo Sao Jorge, a large castle at the top of one of the city's tallest hills. It offers beautiful 360 degree views of the city and the Tagus river, with peacocks roaming the grounds and a large castle in the middle.

Saturday night we wandered around one of the restaurant districts. A lively area, full of outdoor cafes, pedestrian squares and walking areas, and considering it was the middle of February, lots of people. It was a warm enough night for us to sit outside and to people watch and to listen to the accordion player who stopped to play us a song for a couple of coins. It definitely gave the feel of the total European experience.

On a drizzly Sunday morning we drove up the coast to the seaside resort towns of Estoril and Cascais. Some grand old (and new) homes are found there, and in the summer months I imagine the traffic from Lisbon on the weekends is at a standstill. Along the way there was some beautiful coastal scenery, though with the rain we didn't capture it with the camera this time.

Our last stop on the way home was the walled city of Obidos. The ancient city walls and castle still surround the city, and it makes for a stunning view as you approach from a distance. We happened to arrive during their annual two week chocolate festival, so the town itself was packed with visitors, and everything was decked out for the occasion. We are looking forward to returning when the weather is a bit nicer and the crowds a bit thinner.

Once again, for the photo tour, click here.