“The imagination is a palette of bright colors. You can use it to touch up memories —- or you can use it to paint dreams.”

Robert Brantley

Lisbon or Lisboa- both are correct. The English call it Lisbon, the residents call it Lisboa. I like Lisboa. To me it speaks to the vibrant, colorful city that I’ve been walking around for the past two days. The traditional buildings are an array of pinks, yellows, blues, greens, and reds. The new modern buildings just don’t fit in. Many of the younger generation speak English which makes it easy to get around. Although it was busy, it wasn’t crowded. Surprisingly they are already starting to decorate for the winter holidays. The local tour guide told us in two weeks lights will be lining the streets – they love the winter holidays.

Let me tell you about my arrival into Lisbon. After a delayed flight from London, and having not traveled abroad since the pandemic, I felt like a fish out of water. So much has changed. No more paper, just scan your passport, a gate opens, get your face scanned, another gate opens, immigration stamps your passport and off you go. Once I got my bags, I followed the Uber signs to the pick-up spot, used the free Wi-Fi provided by the airport, ordered my ride, and 2 minutes later Anibal was loading my bags in his Peugeot. So quick, easy, and cheap. Taxis are cheap in Lisbon; Ubers are cheaper. It was about a 15-20 minute ride to my first hotel, €9.90.

I stayed at the Moxy Lisboa City. I’ve heard about this Marriott brand, but this was my first stay, only 21,000 points. It has a fun, hip vibe. From the colorful, playful first floor area that houses the reception, bar/restaurant and meeting space, to the friendly staff that couldn’t do enough for you. Not to mention the welcome complimentary cocktail was perfect touch after 20+ hours of travel. The rooms are modern and simplistic, but have everything you need. The roof top pool gave me my first views of Lisbon before I headed to breakfast the next morning. I had a “bat phone” in my room in case I needed anything. I would definitely stay at a Moxy again.

At dinner I ordered a “cab”. What was I thinking? I’m in Portugal, such great wines, and thankfully the staff didn’t treat me like an idiot when they informed me they only served local wines. They then proceeded to pour me a few samples to find the perfect red, €6. For breakfast, I ordered what many would eat as an afternoon treat, Bolos de arroz (Portuguese rice muffin), Pastel de nata (Portuguese egg custard tart), and coffee. Have you ever noticed how much better the coffee is in Europe? I can drink it black here. It was heaven.

After breakfast it was off to the Corinthia Lisboa to meet up with my cousin Lynne and the rest of the group. Another cheap Uber ride, €5.65 with Paulo. He was a great driver, and we talked about the changes over the past couple years in Portugal. Much like I have experienced in Arizona with the great migration of those from the west coast driving up home prices and the cost of living in Arizona, the Portuguese have experienced it worse in their larger cities. The real estate in Lisbon is now out of reach of the typical Portuguese citizen, and the residents are being forced to leave the city they grew up in. One of the oldest and most traditional districts, Alfama, is now a neighborhood full of expatriates. Still beautiful, but not the same vibe or culture it once was. Our tour guide told us housing prices have tripled over the past three years, and the “golden visa” which was set-up to attract foreign investment has been paused.

With the afternoon to ourselves, Lynne and I headed to Liberdade Avenue for a leisurely stroll on a beautiful sunny day. Before our intended walk, we took a detour with a loop around Parque Eduardo VII. At the top of the hill, the views of Lisbon waterfront were off in the distance. It was beautiful.

At the start of the park is “the Champs Elysees of Lisbon”, Liberdade Avenue. The limestone sidewalks are a work of art. The tree-lined street is filled with shops, cafes, apartments, and theaters. Up on the hill you can see Castelo de Sao Jorge. As you continue to make your way through the Avenida and Baixa districts you’ll pass the famed Elevador de Santa Justa, and eventually you’ll come to Praça do Comercio on the waterfront.

We ended the day with some tapas and red and green wine. Green wine is not actually green. Vinho verde refers to the region of Portugal in which the grapes are grown. As we tried to make our way back to the hotel for the group meeting, Uber wasn’t cooperating and twice gave us new drivers 9 minutes out. We ended up hailing a cab which is still a very cheap option for such a populated city.

Tomorrow we start our tour. Rain is in the forecast, but a rainy day on vacation exploring a new city, is still better than a day at work.

Ciao 💕