Portugal, Kind of Like Spain, Only Different

I would like to apologize for my previous post´s misnomer, I got very lazy and did not explain the title. When I was in Portugal, we were in Lisboa for one day, two nights, and then in Lagos, a coastal town for one night and two days. When we swam in the waters off the coast of Lagos, we all discussed how surprised we were that the Medditerean was so cold. Later, we were informed that it was infact the Atlantic Ocean, not the Med, and feeling like stupid geographically disabled Americans, we laughed and laughed. So, there is the reason for the title. Also, I know, I won the geography bee in Junior High, I should know that, the shame! Oh the Shame!!

Continuing about Portugal, well, there is so much to be said. Alas, I overslept today and while running out of my house, I forgot to pick up a cord to connect my camera to the computer, so no pictures today. Tomorrow, if I remember, I will do it. I apologize but I am trying my best.

So, Lisbon was beautiful, hills and old buildings. I always imagined Portugal to be very dreary, shades of blues and grays, but yet charmingly dirty buildings, aged in a Romantic sense. Although one did see this, the grays of dried water dripping after years of rain, the cobblestones barely holding ont the ground inwhich they are buried, the majority of Lisbon was surprisingly bright and colorful. Yellow buildings, clean, starchy white walls, and a warm sun that reflected off the coast. A good way to describe Lisbon would be if San Francisco and Paris had a baby. There are sprawling plazas, much like the one in front of the Louvre, and there are colorful buildings built on hills, much like San Francisco. The streets are tiny and winding, like Paris, and the buildings are designed in a very neoclassical style. As soon as I can, I WILL post pictures! I promise!!


Let´s talk about Hostels and how strange they really are. The hostel we stayed in in Lisbon was first, inexpensive, about 17 euro a night, and also, nicely located, off of what appeared to be the Michigan Avenue of Lisbon, lined with Louis Vuitton and Ferragamo. Do not think that this was a shady or risqué area, because it was not. It was clean and new and the entire hostel was filled with Ikea furniture down to those mugs that we have in our kitchen, the green and black ones. The people in the hostel were friendly, a few people from America, a lot of Austrialians and some Spanish and Portuguese people. The average age I would guess was about 24 but one woman appeared to be about 40. I slept in a room with eight people, all sleeping in one place, and not knowing eachother, and listening to half the room snore. I realized, if you are a light sleeper, do NOT stay in a hostel. It is impossible to sleep. There were two showers in the entire place and about three toilets, there were about 25 people staying in the place per night. That made the morning schedule a bit tedious and frustrating, but all in all, it was not as strange as I expected. There was also a free breakfast of coffee and bread with jam. Some very delicious portuguse bread.. (side note: I did in fact have car sandwiches, my señora packed me some for my drive to Lisbon and I ate them happily! haha..the rest of the trip, I munched of bread but I was too cheap to buy cheese or meat!) Well, all in all the hostel was nice.



I saw a lot of surprising things in Portugal, primarily a transgender prostitute outside our hostel. Yes. You heard me right¡. I don´t know why, but I feel like I saw a lot of strange things in Lisbon. I saw two homeless men snort lines of coke while I was walking with my friends (everyone says the same thing upon hearing this: "that´s why they´re homeless!"). Well, I guess that is really about all, but it was odd nonetheless. Do not worry about my safety, by the way, although there were some shadier people, I was always walking in well lit, highly populous areas with large groups of people. Although it seemed like I stumbled upon some higly risky activity I did not get involved with it...obviously! (haha...this is clearly for the parents, I don´t think anyway else is worried about me, more laughing at the oddity of it)...


Yes. That was Lisbon...I need to post pictures.

Alright, A little SPAIN news. I have a job! For my Culture of Spain class, I am required to work outside of my class with Spanish people. And I got a job tutoring Spanish kids with English. I think I make 5 euors an hour, for two hours a week, so not much, but hey, money is money!!! I guess that is about all.

Uff...I´m sick of typing, but soon, I will return and tell more more more!!

Miss you all! Love you all!!!!