Phase 2 of my trip is underway
1172 days ago by Jared Hodak
Monday I flew from Praha, Czech Republic to Lisboa, Portugal (by way of Geneva, Switzerland) and have begun the Iberian portion of my tour. Leaving behind Eastern Europe, I fully expected to enter super hot weather, but have been pleasantly surprised by Lisboa’s moderate temperatures.
On the bus ride into town I was floored by Lisboa’s beauty. Of all locations on my itinerary, Lisboa was the location I had researched the least so although I had been told it was pretty, I had no idea what to expect. Just around every 100 meters there is some grand monument to a deceased leader.
Its fun trying to learn Portuguese, but a little frustrating since it’s so close to Spanish. Alot of words are exactly the same, but I have read that it’s insulting to assume someone can speak Spanish (thus implying it’s a part of Spain).
I had a chocolate Crossaint and espresso today at a stand up restaurant. Even if you wanted to sit down, there were no chairs available. Apparently its typical Portuguese style, in contrast to what I had understood to be the European “relax and enjoy life leisurely” spirit. I talked to the owner and he taught me how to say “very good” in Portuguese. Muito Bem!