Our morning began with a short drive to the quaint, cobblestoned village of Sintra where a royal palace was built for a queen who missed growing up in England. The bonds between the two superpowers extend to the tradition of afternoon tea, which here is called “cha,” short for chai. Our guide, Rafa, set us loose for lunch in the seaside getaway Cascais. Tarts and seafood are delicious here, treats for those seeking savory or sweet. Men played paddle board on the beach or competed in “volleyball” using a soccer ball and no hands. The weather has been astounding and is predicted to show us favor for the next several days.
Portugal’s capital is the resting place of Vasco de Gama (we saw the tomb) and suffered a large earthquake in the 18th century. Today, it is a very clean metropolis of over 2 million inhabitants, 20% of the country’s total population. Our day ended downtown Lisbon, old town, where International Women’s Day was being celebrated with marches and our dinner awaited. We squeezed into a place off the beaten path for several courses of Portuguese fare served in a close-knit (literally) environment.
P.S. Pastiere Belem serves amazing tarts. Thanks for the treat, EF!
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