Happy Days

[Adawn47]

4 hours ago, Eddie99 said:

Sailing up the Tages is one of my favourite repeat cruise experiences

The first time we went to Lisbon was on Oceana. We went out of the Plaza to the bow and it was amazing coming up the Tagus and watching the bridge appear. I held my breath as we went underneath it as the ship seemed too big. It was just as spectacular when lit up at night. Love Lisbon. 

Avril 

[batholiver]

14 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

The first time we went to Lisbon was on Oceana. We went out of the Plaza to the bow and it was amazing coming up the Tagus and watching the bridge appear. I held my breath as we went underneath it as the ship seemed too big. It was just as spectacular when lit up at night. Love Lisbon. 

Avril 

Me too. Beautiful city, lovely place to wander. And of course those Pastéis de Nata!

[Adawn47]

3 hours ago, batholiver said:

Me too. Beautiful city, lovely place to wander. And of course those Pastéis de Nata!

That is something that can't be missed on a visit Portugal. I was a bit confused the first time I tried them. They came with two little shakers like salt and pepper. They were icing sugar and ground nutmeg. Delicious. We tried them in Obidos too. Different but just as lovely. Always accompanied with an espresso of course.

Avril 

[SeaJane]

4 hours ago, batholiver said:

Me too. Beautiful city, lovely place to wander. And of course those Pastéis de Nata!

We love Lisbon too! We always have lunch in the same restaurant - butterflied grilled sardines served with a fresh tomato risotto and washed down by a bottle of Vinho Verde. Delicious! 

 

[zap99]

4 hours ago, batholiver said:

Me too. Beautiful city, lovely place to wander. And of course those Pastéis de Nata!

I prefer the little custard tarts

😁

[Adawn47]

26 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I prefer the little custard tarts

😁

Yes they're just as nice. You can't tell the difference really 😉

Avril 

[happy v]

Two of the photographs remind me of when we left Lisbon once. The setting sun touched the sea just as we approached the bridge.........and 3000 people took the same picture!

[emam]

We've only been to Lisbon the once, the other times we have been we have been to Oporto.

 

We've got to laugh. The first time we went to Oporto, we came out of the port building to where the buses were parked. One was to take you to the gates at the end of the port and the other said Oporto. So just thinking we were going into the town a few minutes away,  we hopped onto that bus (or at least that was what I thought, don't know if hubby knew). Now we aren't very well travelled and a bit nervy of missing the ship (though we are getting better). Well when the said bus had been travelling for about 10 minutes and we hadn't reached our destination and was travelling further away from the port, panic started to set in. I didn't have a clue where we were going. Eventually we reached Oporto and when we got to the bus stop there was a big queue for the return journey. 

 

By that time it was early afternoon and we had been hearing all of the holiday about the last buses being at a certain time. I said to hubby, there's no way I'm not getting off in case we can't get a bus back. So we stayed on the bus. The lady letting people on must have been counting the people getting on the bus. I could see that she couldn't understand why there wasn't enough seats. 

 

The next time we went we just stayed in Lexioes. We really will have to go and visit Oporto sometime.

 

 

[SeaJane]

3 hours ago, emam said:

We've only been to Lisbon the once, the other times we have been we have been to Oporto.

 

We've got to laugh. The first time we went to Oporto, we came out of the port building to where the buses were parked. One was to take you to the gates at the end of the port and the other said Oporto. So just thinking we were going into the town a few minutes away,  we hopped onto that bus (or at least that was what I thought, don't know if hubby knew). Now we aren't very well travelled and a bit nervy of missing the ship (though we are getting better). Well when the said bus had been travelling for about 10 minutes and we hadn't reached our destination and was travelling further away from the port, panic started to set in. I didn't have a clue where we were going. Eventually we reached Oporto and when we got to the bus stop there was a big queue for the return journey. 

 

By that time it was early afternoon and we had been hearing all of the holiday about the last buses being at a certain time. I said to hubby, there's no way I'm not getting off in case we can't get a bus back. So we stayed on the bus. The lady letting people on must have been counting the people getting on the bus. I could see that she couldn't understand why there wasn't enough seats. 

 

The next time we went we just stayed in Lexioes. We really will have to go and visit Oporto sometime.

 

 

We had a stop at Oporto cancelled a few years ago due to bad weather, but eventually visited last year. It is a lovely city and well worth seeing. The port lodges are interesting and the tiled walls in the railway station are spectacular although it’s a steep walk to get there. There are lots of restaurants along the river front to enjoy a drink or lunch and you can also take boat trips along the river. Plenty to do next time you find yourselves there! 

[P&O SUE]

4 hours ago, emam said:

We've only been to Lisbon the once, the other times we have been we have been to Oporto.

 

We've got to laugh. The first time we went to Oporto, we came out of the port building to where the buses were parked. One was to take you to the gates at the end of the port and the other said Oporto. So just thinking we were going into the town a few minutes away,  we hopped onto that bus (or at least that was what I thought, don't know if hubby knew). Now we aren't very well travelled and a bit nervy of missing the ship (though we are getting better). Well when the said bus had been travelling for about 10 minutes and we hadn't reached our destination and was travelling further away from the port, panic started to set in. I didn't have a clue where we were going. Eventually we reached Oporto and when we got to the bus stop there was a big queue for the return journey. 

 

By that time it was early afternoon and we had been hearing all of the holiday about the last buses being at a certain time. I said to hubby, there's no way I'm not getting off in case we can't get a bus back. So we stayed on the bus. The lady letting people on must have been counting the people getting on the bus. I could see that she couldn't understand why there wasn't enough seats. 

 

The next time we went we just stayed in Lexioes. We really will have to go and visit Oporto sometime.

 

 

 
Oh it’s beautiful, you should get off! Mind you I went with my friend that cruise and we went round on the open top bus, got off at the river and had a lovely boat trip. Then got back on the bus and my friend got anxious and was staring at the map the whole time trying to work out where we got off! I was oohing and aahing at the views and she had her head stuck in the map!

Mind you the stop for the shuttle bus was in a square and I assumed we’d recognise it- oh no Porto has 3 or 4 squares! We nearly ended going round again but luckily managed to get off at the right one!

Here’s a view from the boat trip 

 

 

[Adawn47]

22 hours ago, SeaJane said:

We love Lisbon too! We always have lunch in the same restaurant - butterflied grilled sardines served with a fresh tomato risotto and washed down by a bottle of Vinho Verde. Delicious! 

 

That sounds like a lunch we would enjoy. You wouldn't like to tell me where your little restaurant is would you? 

Avril 

[zap99]

10 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

That sounds like a lunch we would enjoy. You wouldn't like to tell me where your little restaurant is would you? 

Avril 

There's a Portuguese restaurant in Woking. I'm guessing that's the one.🦀

[SeaJane]

1 hour ago, Adawn47 said:

That sounds like a lunch we would enjoy. You wouldn't like to tell me where your little restaurant is would you? 

Avril 

It’s called Maria Catita and is in Rua dos Bacalhoeiros. It’s quite rustic but in my opinion seems a bit more traditional than some of the ones on the main tourist routes and the staff are very friendly. There’s a website which gives more information. Hope you give it a try when you are next in Lisbon Avril. 

 

Sadly it’s not the one in Woking Zapp. We live near enough to visit if it were! 

57 minutes ago, zap99 said:

There's a Portuguese restaurant in Woking. I'm guessing that's the one.🦀

 

[Adawn47]

38 minutes ago, SeaJane said:

It’s called Maria Catita and is in Rua dos Bacalhoeiros. It’s quite rustic but in my opinion seems a bit more traditional than some of the ones on the main tourist routes and the staff are very friendly. There’s a website which gives more information. Hope you give it a try when you are next in Lisbon Avril. 

 

 

Thank you. I'll make a note of that or I'll lose it when these threads dissappear. 

We much prefer to eat in traditional restaurants. The food is so much nicer than tourist restaurants where they often 'Westernise' the food. We were due to go Lisbon on November's cruise but it's seeming less and less likely as the weeks go on. Next year hopefully. 

Avril 

[Adawn47]

On 5/11/2020 at 4:34 PM, SeaJane said:

We love Lisbon too! We always have lunch in the same restaurant - butterflied grilled sardines served with a fresh tomato risotto and washed down by a bottle of Vinho Verde. Delicious! 

 

I've been onto their website. Just the kind of place we like and the food looks lovely. Had a look through the menu. Unfortunately I only understood a few words but that's half the fun. I've bookmarked it so I don’t lose it. 

Avril 

[P&O SUE]

34 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Thank you. I'll make a note of that or I'll lose it when these threads dissappear. 

We much prefer to eat in traditional restaurants. The food is so much nicer than tourist restaurants where they often 'Westernise' the food. We were due to go Lisbon on November's cruise but it's seeming less and less likely as the weeks go on. Next year hopefully. 

Avril 

 

 

A few years ago we were in Brittany and visited Mont St Michel. We went into a very nice looking restaurant that boasted views over the water.
Anyway we couldn’t get a table by the window and had menus thrown at us and were left for a good 10 minutes. Other people were seated and bought drinks and still we were ignored - it was a very hot day and we really wanted a drink.

So - we got up and left and found a small more rustic place. The food was delicious and the service excellent!

[SeaJane]

1 hour ago, Adawn47 said:

Thank you. I'll make a note of that or I'll lose it when these threads dissappear. 

We much prefer to eat in traditional restaurants. The food is so much nicer than tourist restaurants where they often 'Westernise' the food. We were due to go Lisbon on November's cruise but it's seeming less and less likely as the weeks go on. Next year hopefully. 

Avril 

We were last there in April last year and were due to go back this October. Sadly we are resigned to that not happening now, but hopefully will get there again before too long.