November 18

Lisbon:  Morning Excursion

"Panoramic Lisbon"

After a great evening dinner with our pals Dennis & Mary, and new acquaintances Rick & Dianne, we were off to bed around 9 pm local time.  But we were tired and didn't wake up until the alarm went off a little before 7 am.  We had the complimentary buffet breakfast and then met up with our group in the lobby around 8:45 am before heading out on our first excursion.  We drove around the city.  We learned a lot about the city and saw several notable buildings before making our first stop at the The Tower of Belém which sits right on the river.  This was a fortification centuries ago to protect the city from raiders, but for us on this picturesque morning (crisp 54 degrees with bright blue skies) it made for an ideal photo op.  After about a half an hour stop we were back on the bus with our very bubbly guide "Felipe."  She had greeted us at the airport yesterday and her personality and knowledge made for a great morning.  Next stop was the maritime museum which is housed in what used to be a monastery in the 14th century.  We walked around and saw some models of ships and original ships, all very interesting.  But then came one of the highlights of the morning.....Felipe had told us that one of the things Lisbon is known for is their custard pastry.  But THE original custard pastry, and "THE BEST" according to Felipe - who is a local resident (and is confirmed by all her past guests she said) is to get one from the original bakery where they were first made in 1837.  It was a short walk to get there and as Dennis remarked, "If we're IN Lisbon and this is the ONLY place to get the REAL custards why would we NOT go there?"  Well, WELL worth the walk.  They were amazingly good.  The pastry very crisp and flaky and the custard itself was to die for.  We had them plain, with cinnamon, and with cinnamon and powdered sugar.  DEEEEE-liscious.  Back on the bus to an overlook of the city down to the river and then back to the hotel for a couple hours before heading out on our second excursion of the day!  What a great way to start the trip.