Love Child

 

If Madrid and San Francisco got really drunk one summer evening and hooked up, Lisbon is the love child that would appear nine months later.  It is both spirited and relaxed, with undertones of so many cities we've come to know and love that it evokes a certain nostalgia, as if we've known and loved Lisbon itself all our lives.  Plus, it has its own Golden Gate Bridge, so I can't help but fall for the place and want to drop everything to move here.

We loved smelling the salt in the air, listening to the seagulls circle overhead, and finding vibrant art around every corner,  whether it be painted on walls, decorating trollies, or in the street mosaics.

We spent our first day exploring the main neighborhoods of town: Baixa (where we were staying), Chiado, Bairro Alto, and The Alfama.  There are so many gorgeous lookout points in the city, and we stumbled upon a handful of them on our day-long stroll.  The first pictures are from the Elevator Sta. Justa, designed by the same architect as the Eiffel Tower.  Have you ever ridden in a five euro elevator with just as many stories?  I have.  The view at the top was worth it, though!  The last two pictures are from atop Alfama, near the castle.

 
We owe all of our cherished gustatory experiences to our good pal Rick (yes, of course I mean Steves), including a free wine tasting, sponsored by the Portuguese government and wine producers, where we learned about wines from a few different highlighted regions, including the Algarve and the Azores, from our new friend Isabel.

 

One can smell bacalhau (salted cod) just walking down the street, and this was a particularly special(ized) little bacalhau store around the corner from our hotel.  

We were also very close to Rossio square, the heart of the city, with its particularly recognizable station, with horseshoe entrances, neo-Manuelian architecture, and purple highlights.

This was part of the view from our balcony at night, over Praça da Figueira.  The ocean is just a few blocks down, and we could also see the castle lit up to the left.

  

Dinner was at the very traditional Casa do Alentejo Restaurante in a Morrish building with fantastic ambiance, tiled walls, and super-fresh food.  We couldn't believe in what a gem we had found ourselves dining!  We started with choirzo and fava-bean salads, and then I ordered the traditional pork and clams dish with french fries.

Not wanting the night to end, we went to the dock below the 25 de Abril Bridge (aka Golden Gate) and got mojitos at a really chill outdoor bar playing awesome ocean-side music, where we sat and chatted for hours before moving on to the club Lux, which didn't quite live up to its reputation (we must have been there on an off-night), but was on the waterfront and had a wrap-around balcony with top-notch views.

We were shocked at how clean and safe and fun it was under the bridge.  We even had our own private dance party next to the supports and the rest of the time we got to take in the calm of the moonlit water while soaking in the vivaciousness of the bars and restaurants lining the docks.  Just as Lisbon copied the bridge from San Francisco, so should San Francisco copy this festive bridge-side habitat from Lisbon.  In fact every city should take a lesson from Lisbon's casual yet vibrant approach to entertainment and culture.