Overall, Lisbon is my favorite European city. I wasn’t expecting it! The cobblestone roads, rich history, fun people, tasty food, pastel coloring, beach, port city, the weather, monuments, cost of living, coffee/beer, and castles have captivated me. My tour guide was the most engaged passionate one of the 13 I’ve done in Europe and I had a very fun hitchhike experience. 30 minutes from Lisbon is Sintra, a town of many castles. Go to Lisboa!
Duration
3 days
Accommodation
Couchsurfing (2 nights)
Favorite Food
Codfish “bras style” (mixed with potatoes and onions)
Favorite Site
Castle of the Moors
Cool Person I Met
Gui. Gui picked me up on the side of the road when I stuck out my thumb. I needed a lift to a coffee shop to make a call back home on wifi. After getting wifi, he took me out for pizza with his friends and then bowling. He’s lived in Lisbon his whole life and is a self-proclaimed “computer geek”.
Highlight
Randomly finding the most beautiful view of the city (known as a miradouros) with live music, hundreds of people and the sunset
Big Takeaway
As I hiked 500 meters up to see the Castle of Moors, I thought about the contrast between Disney’s magical portrayal of castles vs. the reality of historical castles. I, like most American kids, grew up with a mystical view of castles. “Wow, a castle! I want to rescue a princess from one.”, I’d think. Now, I’ve seen around 20 castles/palaces in my journey. They’re super cool, some not as cool as others. I am impressed with the architecture and combination of materials. Disney made castles magical. They created a brand, which is not a representation of today. Just an interesting thought. Today’s portrayal of history isn’t always the most accurate.
Your Turn
What’s the coolest castle you’ve seen?
What’s another example of a business changing the perception of something else we talk of in society?
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