Easy Lisbon to Go

Reaching Lisbon was an easy six-hour non-stop flight from Philadelphia.  That was a big advantage for Julie and me compared to many of our new friends traveling from other parts of the country to join our cruise tour.  Their air itineraries came with at least one extra stop, surprisingly often in the wrong immediate direction.

It would've been wise to sleep through our redeye flight and wake up refreshed as we touched down in Portugal, but that was not to be the case despite skipping the complimentary late-night dinner.  Before takeoff I started watching an interesting but not exactly relaxing Chris Pratt movie called Mercy.

Wide awake, I proceeded to watch the last four episodes of Bad Monkey, Apple TV's Vince Vaughan vehicle, and the first episode of another Apple series, Acapulco.

I dozed off occasionally, but no more than 90 minutes of sleep, I would surmise.

Immigration wasn't terrible, and we soon left baggage claim to join four other Viking River Cruise guests and our host for the included transfer to our luxury hotel, Corinthia Lisbon.  Early check-in was available at no additional cost, so we went up to our lovely room on the 16th floor for a two-hour nap before lunch.

Online, Julie found Sabor Chinese restaurant about a mile from our hotel.  We were soon off into the sunny afternoon for a brisk walk along busy streets to what turned out to be a modest eatery geared to the local Lisboans.

$8.95 for Mushroom Chicken was a good deal, especially when we realized it was a family style serving.  We ordered two, plus a side of rice and two Diet Cokes.  For about 25 Euro total, it was a good substitute for Burger King, which was a couple of miles away.  We had way too much food to finish.

Later, our Viking host gave our group a quick tour of the local neighborhood, pointing out various stores and restaurants, including helpful reviews and advice on avoiding ATM fees.

Hugo recommended a new wine tasting experience offered by an Italian restaurant near our hotel, Napoli, as a new service.  We asked him to reserve spots for Julie and me at 4:45.

We met Cynthia at a bar counter inside a storefront on a side street that seems to be primarily used as wine storage for the restaurant a block away.  She said her boss liked wine so much that he always ordered too much, and this was to be one solution.

Ten tastings of Portugal's wine, including Port, for ten Euro was a fantastic deal.  Cynthia put out several snacks to have between sips.

When it turned out to be only Julie and me who took Hugo's advice to set up a tasting that first day, I would have to call it one of the best excursions deals ever.

Having already enjoyed plenty of sips, Julie passed on the Rojos offered, but she loved the Vinho Brancos.

The stars in Portugal tend to be the fortified wine for which they're famous, Port, of which there are several variations, including White Port, which is clear.

Cynthia provided friendly patter and knowledgeable comments about the wines. She asked if we would like to try some of their liquors.  We had already drank plenty, but we accepted the delicious cherry liqueur, which we had actually sampled in chocolate cups and loved a few years ago in Obidos.

Back at the hotel, we had a meet and greet gathering in a large meeting room.  Wine and non-alcohol beverages were served as we learned a bit more about what to expect for our stay in Lisbon.

Ready for dinner (or actually more like lunch on Philly time zone), Julie and I decided to simply split a club sandwich ordered from room service (20 Euro) rather than going to a restaurant on this 80 degree-plus evening.

I walked down to pick up some Lay's Potato Chips at a market down the street, just in case we got hungry later on.

Selection for English-speaking television programs was poor.  We fell asleep relatively early, awaking fully refreshed the next morning for our full day in Lisbon, beginning with a guided tour of Belem.