onto the ´real´europe - first stop: portugal

I have arrived here in Lisbon! it is my second day and my mom has just now flown in from the US. she is bubbly despite being jetlagged.

I am staying with John, a musician and friend of the Moreland girls who lives here in Lisbon. His place is lovely, very modern and comfortable, and he could not be a kinder or more generous host. i don´t think i´ve paid for one thing since i arrived nor been once uncomfortable or bored. yesterday we had lunch (the national dish of bacalhau com patatas- codfish with roasted potatoes) overlooking the water at a place called Portvgalia and i explored the old town districts of Barrio Alto and Chiado (also the shopping district). The buildings are old and classic, and the vibe is very European, think well-dressed men and women of all ages drinking espresso under lined umbrellas on cobblestone streets. It feels Parisian, but smaller and hillier, geographically similar to San Francisco but much older and historically richer. The center of town is absolutely beautiful. We saw an opera, a modern interpretation of Don Quixote, which continued to baffle even after the standing ovation. Particularly because it was all in Portuguese and I didn´t get a word.

We then went to dinner (at 11pm, I was dying) at a restaurant called La Brasserie de la Entrecote, which only serves one dish- steak and frites. You sit down, order a drink, and tell the waiter whether you want it medium rare or well done. After a month of strictly vegetarian food, I welcomed this cow moment with open arms. It was very worth it.

We then went to a club called Lux, where we saw a performance by a band called Orelha Negra- a group of Portuguese guys mixing funk, soul, and jazz with samples to make for a raucous performance. It was awesome. After the show, the crowd went upstairs to the disco bar that awaited and the party went on until 3am when we left. Butch´s French girlfriend from Pulp Fiction ("Fabiaaaan!") was standing next to me at one point!

It´s definitely been a 180 from ireland. Leaving there was sweet. Lorna and Frani took me to the airport and stood and watched until I was out of sight at the security checkpoint. Things ended on a very good note, and with an open invitation to return. And here, the pace is a little different! I noticed it yesterday when I was exhausted at 4pm- things certainly move a bit faster in Lisbon, especially hanging with John!

Tonight the three of us (mom, john, me) will go see a Fado performance, traditional Portuguese music with one singer and one guitar. I have photos that i will put on the Book, or perhaps here, later on. Adeus (adayoosh)!