Lisbon, Portugal; My Favorite European City?

The journey to Lisbon started very early in the morning, around 1am. My flight didn’t leave Barcelona until 6:30 but that would have meant leaving my hostel between 4-4:30am which I wasn’t really comfortable with. I booked a shuttle to take me instead thinking I could leave a bit later than I would on public transit and that it would be faster and more convenient. Convenient, yes, faster and later, no. I was picked up at 2am and we made several other stops along the way, finally arriving at 3:20am.

Since I really enjoy airports I wasn’t too bothered by arriving over 3 hours before my flight. I was able to sit and have a good breakfast, take my time getting through security and relax for a while before boarding.

Boarding the plane to leave Barcelona brought me a lot of joy but touching down in Lisbon and the possibility of this new city being amazing (especially in comparison,) was even better!

The Lisbon airport and metro were both really easy to navigate and thanks to my offline maps it wasn’t too hard to find my hostel either. As soon as I stepped out of the metro station and felt the cool breeze I was instantly happier than I had been in days! I knew I wouldn’t be able to check-in but this place had a huge locker room for luggage storage and I had no problem at all going back out into the breeze for a bit of exploration.

I had no idea what was around me and with only one “must see” in the city it didn’t really matter. While I wandered the streets, climbing up and down hills I couldn’t help but smile. Lisbon is beautiful, clean, bright, breezy and safe feeling. Beyond that it feels so charming with all the colourful tiles and cobbled streets. This is what Paris wishes it could be.

Time Out Market was really the only thing in Lisbon that I had to do. A food hall lined with all varieties of food. Sushi, pastry, fresh fish, cured meat, pizza and pretty much anything else you could want. Coincidentally I happened to stumble on the market during my walk and it made for the tastiest afternoon break. I took quite some time walking up and down, weighing my food options before I found what I wanted.  Travesseiros, puff pastry filled with almond cream and topped with sugar. It was locally made and truly one of the best pastries I’ve ever had (maybe I’ll even try to recreate it!) I followed my pastry with a quick slice of pizza so I could continue my walk.

I walked about 18km’s before returning to my hostel and saw everything and nothing. When I have no plans to go anywhere and no expectation of arriving anywhere specific it really allows me to experience a city, so that is what I did.

Exhausted from my walk I went back to explore the inside of the hostel, which for the record is one of the best I’ve ever stayed in. I got a tiny bit turned around but eventually found my room, had a shower and took a nap.

When I got up it was supper time and after a long walk I settled on Empanadas stuffed with veggies and cheese followed by the best ice cream ever, strawberry and avocado flavoured.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for day 2 when I got up in the morning. After breakfast and getting ready I made the snap decision to take a free walking tour of the Alfama area of Lisbon.

I’ve done many free walking tours before and really enjoy them but I never know if the facts are fully accurate. Case in point, this particular guide told us that the Harry Potter books were written in Lisbon and most of J.K. Rowlings inspiration came from this city. I’m not prepared to full discount it but I also don’t believe it having heard almost the exact same thing from my guide in Edinburgh.

Beyond that I also learned and saw many other things.
-Lisbon has a bridge that looks almost identical to the Golden Gate Bridge but it has absolutely no pedestrian access as a way to prevent suicides.
-As one of the top street art cities in the world there are designated areas where people can create massive art pieces anytime, other graffiti is illegal.
-Lisbon is the second oldest capital city in Europe behind Athens. Another fact I am unsure of..

After the tour ended I went for lunch with some people I met along the way and had a very tasty seafood stew. 3 of us decided to continue our day together and caught a train to Belem. I really enjoyed speaking to people in English and not being alone, that was the real highlight of the day. Belem was a pretty area to walk around but I was a bit disappointed to miss the one thing I wanted to see there.

We ended the day playing cards at the hostel and chatting with more people we met on the tour. When they decided to do a pub crawl it was bed time for me.

I'm so pleased that Lisbon was such a gorgeous city and that I could really enjoy myself there, it has quickly joined the top of my list for favourite European cities.

1 day in St. John's, Newfoundland

Being in St John's marked the true beginning to my 18 day solo trip and was a great start. Having the trip begin in a Canadian province (that I've wanted to visit for a while now) really allowed me to feel comfortable on my first day alone. No language barrier, crazy temperatures, foreign currency or long flights.. yet. 

I specifically chose my flight based on having an 11 hour layover and therefore a tiny extra trip inside my already exciting travel plans. In the beginning stages of planning I was thinking that I would be able to walk, take transit and maybe a taxi or 2 but I'm so glad that I decided to rent a car instead. Not only did the car allow me the freedom to go farther and see plenty outside of the city, but it also doubled as a storage locker for my backpack which I would otherwise have had to carry.

First thing that happened when I arrived and went to pick up my car was finding out that I actually rented from Saint John, New Brunswick and therefore had no car to pick up. That rental company also had no available cars left. Though it ended up being double the price, I was still able to get a last minute car from another company. I re-checked the website after and it automatically defaults to New Brunswick and doesn't even offer Newfoundland as an option despite typing St. John's and not Saint John.

Next thing that happened was my phone died, my charger didn't work in the car and I went for a drive in an unknown direction with no map hoping to find, anything really.

I drove myself to a gorgeous place called Portugal Cove where I did nothing but enjoy the lovely scenery around me. I wasn't there long before I realized that my 11 hour layover would only allow for about 7 hour of actual sightseeing and I got driving again.

Somewhere along the way I stopped to buy what would be my first of 3 new chargers that I would purchase during my vacation. This particular one saved me from driving aimlessly for many hours without a map or any chance to research places worth visiting.

Whales, Puffins and icebergs have a season, much like everything else, but I still felt hopeful that I could see some. I found a place online called Witless Bay that is apparently one of the best places near St. John's to view all three.

I noticed along the way that Newfoundland looks quite similar to Nova Scotia and also that the speed limits on the highway are perfectly unreasonable.

Witless Bay was a lovely area but didn't offer much in the way of my desired trio. There were tiny white birds all over one of the islands in the distance but they were too far to see what type they actually are. I think we can pretend they're Puffins though.

Fortunately for me, I unknowingly chose the best route for my little road trip and everything lined up really well. Petty Harbour was my next stop and turned out to be a charming place for some photos and a break from driving.

I almost missed Cape Spear, which was the place I wanted to see most, but I happened to see the sign for it on my way out of Petty Harbour.

The whole Cape Spear area was just perfect. I walked along the paths from the car to the point that would be the true edge of North America, I used my iPhone compass and everything! This is the closest you can get to Europe without getting in the water or taking a flight.

Once I got around to the upper area where the lighthouses are and looked down over the cliff edge I noticed several pods of Orcas swimming together! Much like the "Puffins" they weren't super close so I didn't see much detail, but when they came up to the surface I could see the distinct black and white colouring.

The actual historic site inside the lighthouse was closing when I arrived so I didn't get to go inside, but with plans to return in the semi-near future I wasn't too disappointed to miss out this time.

When I couldn't take anymore of the Cape Spear wind I drove back through St. John's to Signal Hill. It was just as windy there.

Signal Hill and Cape Spear look clearly across the water at one another, making for a lovely view, but Signal Hill also has the bonus of looking over the city of St. John's. It's a bit bizarre considering how little they have in common, but looking at St. John's reminded me of a similar view point in Athens, Greece.

The hours said that Cabot Tower was already closed for the day but the open door and people inside would suggest otherwise so I went to have a look around. I didn't take the time to read anything in the museum part of the tower because then I'd have been here all day, but I did climb the many narrow stairs to take in the view from the top.

To finish up my whirlwind trip to St. John's I figured I should actually see a bit of the city! I parked near the water in what I assume is downtown and walked in the liveliest looking direction. George Street was different than I expected but still fun to see and the city in general had way more hills than I was prepared for. I actually had no idea that St. John's was a hill city.. should I have known that?!

During my walk I stopped for supper and had my very first ever meal alone in a restaurant. I can't be the only one who is incapable of doing things solo, can I? And yes, I realize that this was day one of me doing EVERYTHING solo so we'll see if I learn how along the way!

Barcelona Nearly Killed Me

Waking up in Paris on this day was by far the start to my worst day in a long time. For the first time in the history of me using my iPhone as an alarm clock it didn’t go off and of course it was on the day that I needed to be up at 5:00am to catch a train.

By the time I woke up on my own, around 6:45, there was no chance at all that I could make it to the station in time. I had missed my train.  I didn’t get mad and I didn’t cry but I felt pretty defeated. Despite having missed it I went to the station anyway to see if there was anything I could do.

As soon as the train leaves the platform the window of “doing something about it” closed. My $270 ticket became nothing more than a piece of paper and wasted money. The money part really isn’t the end of the world for me since I planned a budget to allow for “emergencies,” however, the actually getting to Barcelona part needed to be remedied since my hostel was already booked and paid for.

I spoke to a ticket agent who informed me that the next 3 trains going from Paris to Barcelona were already sold out. After looking at the timetables I realized that even if I could get on a later train it would have me arrive after midnight and I’m just not comfortable with that.

Now I cried. Options were limited and I was frustrated and tired. All I could come up with was taking a last minute flight from an airport that was over an hour away. Not only that but the metro line that goes to the airport was having work done and extra delays were to be expected. Would I even get there in time to catch the only viable flight?

That was a chance that I felt no option but to take. I purchased the ticket on my phone, eventually found the proper metro platform and kept my fingers crossed that I could make it on time.

I did! In fact, I even had about half an hour to waste in the airport because of the way flights board. When I did finally board I guess the universe realized how horrible it had been to me this morning and it gave me a full row to myself.

Upon arriving I took the opportunity to charge my phone in the airport in hopes that I wouldn’t get lost trying to find my hostel. I downloaded offline maps at home and thus far they hadn’t been any use to me.

I managed to get off at the correct metro station but after that it got a little harder. Not every street corner has a sign so I couldn’t find the one I needed and when I did find it I also realised it’s on both sides of the main road going in opposite directions. I tried to ask someone but she spoke very little English. Eventually I had to hope my map was really accurate and I just followed the road that looked closest to the right curvature.

I walked for about 25 minutes, entirely uphill in 40 degree heat before stumbling in the door. I can’t think of a time in my life where I was sweatier or redder in the face.

After check in I expected to walk into a room with AC where I could just relax for a bit and cool down. That did not happen. No AC and no cooling down for the next 2 days, my personal version of hell. Besides taking a shower I did absolutely nothing else until I went to sleep, hoping tomorrow would be better.

Day 2 did start off better. I was determined to enjoy myself in Barcelona and see the sites, despite the fact that I hadn’t stopped sweating in nearly 24 hours.  In between site seeing it would be my day’s goal to purchase a hat and not get sunburned.

La Sagrada Família was the one place I really wanted to see in Barcelona and my first stop. I had breakfast across the street and then stood casually next to an English tour guide so I could learn a little along the way.

Here’s what I found out:
-Construction on the basilica started in 1882 with a projected completion date in 2026.
-Gaudi, the architect, saw less than ¼ competed in his lifetime.
-There are 4 sides to the basilica, three of which represent the life and death of Jesus.
-Many of Gaudi’s design drawings were destroyed so no one knows exactly what the completed structure should look like.

I didn’t go inside since there was a 0% chance of me surviving hours in line under the hot sun and also because I just really don’t like that religious buildings have become money grabs.

I got back on the metro and did my best to figure out which stop would be closest to the sea, hoping that walking in the water would keep me cool for a while.

I never did find the beach but the air conditioned mall may have been even better. I shopped for a bit, mostly to cool down, and found myself a hat before changing plans and going to the aquarium next door.

The aquarium was exactly what I needed. Inside was dark and cool and the more tanks I looked into the more excited I was to be there. They have a massive tunnel tank full of sharks, rays, sunfish and many varieties of other fish. One room has penguins. And one very small, very dark room is dedicated entirely to jellyfish! I think they were my favourite.

After the aquarium I took myself for supper alone in a restaurant (!!!) The decision was no less difficult than when I did it in St John’s but in the end my hunger won and I had to stop being such a wimp.

My final stop of the day was to the Maritime Museum. I walked past earlier in the day and saw a giant sign about recreating the Titanic; I couldn’t pass that up. The museum had free entry when I arrived, and it’s a good thing too since I didn’t see one single thing about the Titanic in there and left a little disappointed.

Day 3 in Barcelona was a total write off. I really tried, but I just couldn’t get excited about this city.

My one and only plan for my last day was to visit Park Güell. I used the map to find what I thought would be the closest metro stop, knowing that I would have to walk a bit anyway. On the corner was a directional sign to help people like me find the park and so I followed it. I followed signs for about an hour, going in what seemed like pretty erratic directions before I finally clued in. Some signs are for cars and others are for pedestrians. Barcelona has many one way streets and therefore the driving directions are quite significantly different than the walking directions.

Eventually I decided to stop looking for it and that was about 5 minutes before I found it by accident. By this point I was so overheated and frustrated that I no longer cared that I had found it and didn’t have any desire to go inside. I felt a tiny bit guilty giving up and spending the rest of the day in the hostel but there is only so much heat and humidity I can take before I lose my mind.

I know I’m a minority, being the only person ever to have this opinion, but I didn’t like Barcelona. I didn’t want to be there from the time I arrived until the time I got on my flight to Lisbon. To be honest, I considered leaving many times and also considered not going at all when I was still in Paris.

This is what Barcelona taught me.

Shit happens. I don’t have to, nor will I enjoy somewhere just because everyone else does. Changing plans wouldn’t have been the end of the world, it’s just money. I don't like extreme heat. I don't like extreme humidity.

1 day in Paris

Much like London, Paris cannot be properly seen in only 1 day, especially when you consider that I visited in July and no matter where you go line ups are a guarantee.

I hadn’t realized before leaving home that my plug adaptor was only for Europe and not the UK so I wasn’t able to charge my phone at all while I was in London. Fortunately I had a printed version of all my tickets and reservations as a back-up because I had about 5% battery by the time I needed to board my train.

The EuroStar train is a quick and fairly inexpensive way to get from London to Paris but it’s a bit of a boring ride.

About three hours after leaving London I arrived at my Paris hostel. I knew I couldn’t check in yet but I haven’t ever stayed in a hostel that isn’t willing to hold luggage and allow you to hang out before, so that’s what I did. It turns out my plug adaptor wouldn’t work in Paris either and therefore I had no good reason to hang around the hostel lounge.

I took my camera and went for a walk having no destination in mind and no real sense of which direction I should go. My aimless wandering got me nowhere special so I checked the map, hopped on the metro and found myself at Notre Dame.

I was disappointed to have missed Notre Dame during my first visit, only having seen it as a blob in the distance, so it was a priority this time. I didn’t go inside, that would have taken hours of waiting in line, but the outside was gorgeous just the same. The amount of people just standing around outside taking selfies and simply staring at the cathedral eventually got to be a little much so I took off.

It should tell you a bit about how I was feeling at the time when I say that one of the top highlights of Paris for me was a simple Nutella crepe. The I’m alone feeling was starting to set in and everything around me felt a bit unreal, like I was looking through a window; I can see these beautiful places but I’m not really experiencing them. My excitement level was not super high because of that.

Despite that, I continued on. The Louvre is not a terribly long walk from Notre Dame so that’s where I went next. I spent quite a while just walking around the central square outside the museum; people watching, enjoying the architecture and trying to avoid being in anyone’s photo.

By this point it was making me crazy that I couldn’t check-in with home because of my dead phone. It also made me a bit crazy that I had to spend 10 Euros on a new adaptor when I already have 2, but it was necessary. Adaptor in hand I made my way back to the hostel, checked in and had a little lay down while my phone charged.

Perched atop the highest point in Paris was Sacre Couer which I had no idea even existed last time I was here and was the first stop after my nap. The views from the basilica are nothing short of amazing, allowing you to see much of the city. Of course you have to look through the sea of people on the steps around you, but it’s pretty amazing anyway.

From there I got on and off the metro to see Moulin Rouge, picked up Macarons in Laudree and walked along Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe.

Though I had originally planned to go to the top of the Arc de Triomphe I simply wasn’t feeling like it by the time I arrived and decided to go straight to the Eiffel Tower instead.

I had it in my head that it was a short walk between the two and therefore didn’t even consider the metro. I was wrong. Granted, my feet and back were quite sore, it still took ages to walk there.

Everything about Paris felt so different this time versus last and the Tower was no exception. I was underwhelmed and over tired, the long walk felt like such a waste and all I wanted was to go to sleep. I managed to walk around the area for no more than a few minutes before I headed for the closest metro and back to the hostel.

By 8pm I was ready for bed and another early morning train ride, this time to Barcelona.