Lisbon - Belem Tarts!

Lisbon is amazing! Just my opinion of course but I have found it to be just about the most charming and laid back city ever! Maybe it's just because it's the weekend and the weather has been perfect, but my experience here has been nothing short of fantastic. I spent months researching and planning my time in Barcelona, Madrid and Paris - and I spent about 10 minutes planning my time for Lisbon. I have heard good things about it - but my only agenda item was to eat Belem Tarts - check!! And they exceeded my expectations! My plan was to just go where the wind blew me here - and rest and relax while looking at the ocean. It has turned out to be a great plan. So I'm just going to post a bunch of pictures with very short explanations of what they are - I'll start with food!! Happy to report the food here has been great! 

Egg tarts - I expected them to taste like quiche but the filling is like a delicious vanilla pudding - fantastic! Who knows when I'll be back - better have two!! You can get them elsewhere in town but this place is the best! Some days they sell 150,000 - that is not a typo!! 

Dinner last night - gnocchi with fresh shrimp and zucchini. Brownie with gelato for dessert - Yumm! 

Finally got my paella - went with the veggie. 

Hi from Belem Tower!! I'm really here!! 

Padrao dos Descobrimentos - Age of Discovery Statue. Honoring the Explorers.  You can actually take an elevator up to the top but it's very high so I passed!

Commerce Square - beautiful square right by the water. You can take an elevator to the top of the arch but again I said nope! I'm not big on high open spaces. It's pretty from the ground too. 

Santa Justa Elevator. Build in 1902 by Raoul de Mesnier du Ponsard - apprentice to Gustave Eiffel. Guess what he built??? I did go to the top of that! 

Saint Jerome Monastery - built in the 1500's and withstood the earthquake from the 1700's - beautiful gothic church. 

Alfalfa - oldest area of Lisbon. Very narrow cobblestone streets and all uphill!  The castle of St George up on the hill bottom right.

Baixa - the downtown district. Big squares, cobblestone streets, pedestrian friendly!

Bairro Alto - the upper district. Restaurants and good shopping! 

Lots of styles of transportation- my favorite are the 100 year old trams!! They remind me of San Francisco cable cars. They grind and lurch up and down the hilly narrow streets - quite an experience. Lots of the 3 wheel motorized carts as an option along with subways and regular buses.

The top is my favorite picture of the day. I sat in the cafe looking out at those beautiful rooftops and the water and had a big glass (maybe 2) of wine. I love the pink, blue and yellow houses! And if after climbing the big hill to get there you feel like laying down and having a drink - that's ok too! 

This one is for Keeley - prettiest Starbucks I've ever seen!! 

Tomorrow I have planned something that I think will be a real highlight - so check back in if you have time.  

 "Travelling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller." Ibn Battuta

Thanks for reading my story!!