Returning To Lisbon

Over 15 years ago, I had a chance to travel to Portugal and stay with a Portuguese family I grew up with. This December I will be returning to that country again, to see it with a different set of eyes. I wanted to post the story of my first visit there so I can compare it after I return the second time.

so full of youth, so full of promise

Most people are not lucky enough to go to a European city once. I however am one of the lucky ones who has travelled to many cities in Europe a few times. This year my husband's family and I will be travelling to Lisbon, a city I travelled to 15 years ago. This got me thinking of all the things I did there and what I really enjoyed the first time.

I was 20 years old and I was going to Europe on my own. I had gone to Italy and France a couple years ago on a group trip, but this was going to be my first time going away by myself. When my friend told me her summer plans and asked if I wanted to join her, of course the answer was yes. Her family had a house near Sintra just outside of Lisbon and they would be doing some work on it that summer. My friend had told me she was going to help her family take care of the house but that she would probably need someone to come visit since she would be there for 2 months.

Waiting for the sun to set in Lisbon

The family had booked a house in the Algarve for 5 days, but that was pretty much the only thing they had planned outside of duties to the house. I would be there to tag along on their adventures and see the country from people who knew it best.

The family house was located close to the train station near Sintra and we would go for daily trips into Lisbon. We would walk the cobblestone streets and see the historical monuments in the day and return by regional train for dinner at night. We roamed the streets with shops and cafes and enjoyed our young independence away from home. It was summer and the city was so colourful, baking in the sunshine.

Along with seeing the Lisbon, we did many driving trips away from the capitol. We visited little towns that dotted the coast, where we ate fresh seafood and let the salt water blow in our hair. When we rented the house int he Algarve we saw Albufeira, Villamoura and Tavira to name a few. We also made the drive to Sagres, the point of the old world that most thought was the end of the actual world.

Please note the footwear. Would not suggest a full day in Birks anymore

I recall eating seafood on a lively patio well past 9 o'clock at night and partying on the streets after the parents had retired for the evening.

While in Lisbon we used the family car to travel outside to Fatima, Coimbra, Obidos and Nazare. All the little towns on the coastline where we saw beautiful old fortresses and museums and watched the waves crash onto the beach. I can remember drinking really cold beers for 50 cents in the sunshine after we walked the walls of the city of Obidos.

During this trip, we never had a chance to go to the North together, so this time I told my husband I wanted to go to Porto. As a person who's life revolves around food and wine, Porto is a very interesting point of travel for me, so I will give my review of that city on my return.

Sagres. The end of the world

Portugal has a special place in my heart because of being there at a very happy and carefree stage of my life. I feel connected to it, because I also travelled with people who knew the language and the land.

This time will be a new experience as an outsider, but I cam excited to see it again with older eyes. I think I'll see things that I missed the first time and discover things that I couldn't comprehend as a young person. I look forward to being off work and travelling the winding streets of the old world during the festive time of year.

If anyone has any recommendations on what to see and do, please feel free to let me know and I will try and get there!