X is for... X'mas in Prague

There was a life before Covid19. A life in which we were working crazy hours, travelling the world and planning an exciting 2020. I was there too.

But before 2019 ended, the Boy and I decided to take an impromptu trip to Prague. Normally, we plan our vacations one year in advance, but 2019 was different. We went to a Naturecare Institute for 13 days and badly needed a vacation after that. We did not have any leaves left so had to utilize just the four days of public holidays in December. Luckily, we had a valid Schenghen visa.

Can you blame us for loving this city?

So, we scouted for the cheapest ticket, which wasn’t so cheap considering school holidays had already started, and landed in Prague, for the second time in four years.

We based ourselves in a different area, it was freezing cold and every nook and corner was decorated in Christmas spirit. It was a very different Prague that I had seen last time. Only this time, it was more magical!

Different squares were decorated and there were a lot of Christmas markets.
The food and the wine was incredible.

Prague is a city out of a fairytale, Christmas makes it more dreamy.

Anyway, I was keen to take a photo in the same spot as I did on my last visit. That particular picture had won me 500 USD, so it was special. Also, it was my most favourite picture from all my albums.

We took the exact same tram and walked over to Letna Park. Since the daylight hours were much less, we could not reach the spot on time. When we reached the place, I took a hundred pictures but it did not come out exactly the same. Then the Boy searched for the last one and then matched the scenery! We walked a bit more and found the exact same spot!

In four years, I seem to have aged more, and the light is less, other than that, everything looks picture perfect!

Me in  Dec 2019

Award winning, fave picture, me in Oct 2016

The next day, the Boy went to exchange some money in a shop. We had walked a lot so I decided to sit on a bench while he hunted for the best rates. Prague can be pretty tricky when it comes to exchanging Koruna. Anyway, while he was gone I was just looking at my phone when a man came and sat rather close to me. I felt he was staring at me and I did not like the vibe.

I immediately got up and walked close to a mother who was sitting on another bench with her three children. There was no space on the bench and so I just stood there praying that they don’t leave before the Boy comes. I was so scared that I didn’t even try to check if that man was gone or if he was still following me. The family stayed for a bit and then walked away. I immediately found another spot I could go to if the man came back!

I was sitting on one of these benches during the day..

So, these things happen when you are travelling! Unpleasant experiences are a part of the travelling game. Nonetheless, they make you smarter, like I was the moment I saw the man sit next to me!

On another note, do visit a European city in second half of December. The Christmas markets are beautiful, and the weather is not too cold to handle. Prague is my last travel memory before Covid, and certainly one of the best ones. 

Please, please, please visit these cities once during Christmas time.
You won't regret it!

Plitvice National Park - A hike to remember!

As someone who is not completely independent physically, Plitvice was never meant for me. That's a harsh line to start with, but that's how it is. Although I was completely in awe of Dubrovnik in the south and taken by the beauty of Plitvice National Park, I had several lows during this vacation which continue to haunt me. I was obviously questioning myself continuously - how can I not like a vacation? And so I tried to have the best time that was possible. Writing about it, well, not so easy!

You see it was not the location's fault. Plitvice National Park has 16 waterfalls and several small ones. One of the most beautiful ones lets you feel its mist when you pass by it. It is no Niagara falls, but here you are on foot and you can stay as long as you like. 

The mountains around it gives the National Park the most beautiful views. You can choose from several routes depending on your ability to walk and hike. I did my research really well. I spent hours over the Internet reading how this area was for elderly. It was not wheelchair accessible so that should have been my first clue about the effort it takes to walk around - I ignored it.

We took the most downhill walk - Route E for Upper lakes on Day 1. We started at 4.30 in the evening so that there are fewer crowds - it was ideal. We stopped a hundred times - I did! We took in all the love nature had to give us. It even rained a bit while we were walking. We were literally walking above the falls and lakes which is so rare in this world.

The most beautiful moment for me - where I could feel the mist.

I am a nature lover. I love to get lost amongst the trees even if there are just 5 of them. So Plitvice was high on my priority list. Croatia is not the richest country out there yet they have tried to maintain this place in all its natural form. There were paths that were uneven clogged by small stones. The wooden tracks were really well-maintained. But there were far too many steps for me. I have never climbed this many in a single day in my entire life. It was hard - very hard, especially at the end. 

I hardy took any pictures and I couldn't do the Lower Lakes the next day because I thought that my body won't be able to take it. Wise decision! 

At the end I was pleased with myself. This route takes 2.5 hours at max, I took 5. But I did it. It was like running a marathon for me. Or climbing Everest. Really, it was! I have to give it to the Boy, I can't imagine anyone else with the amount of patience and love he has. He was there - at every step, every climb, every resting spot - with a smile on his face and a joke to make me laugh. Have I told you he is an angel?

Howeverrrrr, being proud is not good enough! This hike took a toll on my body and my muscles are yet to recover from the fatigue even after 3 weeks. My only fear is what if they don't recover and I have this new low for life? I am trying to do all that is in my capacity to get back to normal - including wining, dining, dancing, laughing and standing on one leg.

I still don't blame the lakes, I don't even blame my health for how I am feeling. I love this beautiful life in all its glory. And I love the fact that I am strong in the mind and happy in my soul. I am grateful for the capacity to travel and I am thankful for having the most patient and most giving partner. Is there anything else we need in life? 

P.S. Since I am not the right person to give tips on these lakes, I would refrain from giving you any. To anyone else who is normal physically - do make an overnight trip to Plitvice Jezera. Do half of it after 4 and the other half at 8 in the morning. The paths are really narrow, and the crowds are humongous. You will love the space and time you get in the evening. Don't make a day trip - that's so boring!

Trip Report - 5 days in Magical, Magical Prague

Prague is not a city; it is a chapter from a fairytale which everyone should read, re-read, memorize and learn by heart. It is also not a place that you can visit in 3 days and be done. Believe me, we stayed there for 5 nights and wished for more. No other city that we have visited in the past has had that impact.

My most favorite picture from the trip - taken from Letna Beer garden. I will never get over this one!

Our October visit had many firsts. We booked our flights two weeks in advance without any plans to do so. We were going at a time when the weather wasn't our favorite (7 to 10 degrees). We had planned to stay there for 5 nights and just be in the city without any excursions (except Bratislava for sixth night). We were obviously skeptical, but we went ahead anyway.

There were a few areas which were ideal for our stay - Old Town, Mala Strana (Lessor Town), Wenceslas Square and New Town. Both Old Town and Wenceslas Square had an upbeat vibe which we prefer. Staying at Wenceslas was obviously cheaper and so we stayed at EA Rokoko. The hotel was a few metres away from tram and metro (which had the steepest elevator and so we didn't use it more than once!! Yes, chickens!). From pictures it looked like an old hotel, but it exceeded our expectations. It was clean, had amazing staff, good breakfast, a 5/5 really. We also got a good deal from Dnata.

View from our upgraded, top-floor room at EA Rokoko

I wasn't feeling too well on the first night and so, after our dinner, I slept in at 8 p.m. itself. The next morning, after a 12-hour deep sleep, I woke up so fresh that I walked the walk of my life!

We walked from our hotel in the direction of Old Town to start our day from the Astronomical Clock. It was drizzling a bit and so, after strolling around the area, we took a tour in the Eco Express. Worst tour ever, really! The only thing that came out of it was the Absinth Ice-Cram shop that we saw on our way and planned to come later.

After a long journey we took a coffee break at one of the cafes facing the Old Town square. Even though it wasn't that cold, we loved the warmth from the blankets and heaters. Some coffee and conversation later, we started walking towards the iconic Charles Bridge.

There is something spectacular about this bridge. There are hundreds of people walking over it during the day, still it continues to magically awe you. No matter where you stand, the views are brilliant. I think it is the colours, the dark shades with flickering greens in the background that make it special. Or maybe it is the statues, or the river, or the church beyond. I really can't say.

Ah, coming back... we crossed the bridge and entered Mala Strana to see these pretty buildings. I loved the colors in each neighbourhood I visited in Prague - like every structure was planned. So, so beautiful.

John Lenon wall in Lesser Town. Someone had mentioned - May the best of your past be worst of your future - Amen to that.

We (I) was super excited on this particular day and so we continued our walk towards Petrin Hill. A short Funicular ride later we were in the midst of beautiful gardens and some picturesque views. The trek on this hill reminded me of Black Forest. The trees stood tall covering every inch of land. Why, oh why, I didn't come here before!

So after a lottttt of walking, we decided to take a break. We went back to the hotel by tram and took a short nap. I had read about a lot of bars in Prague that serve great beer. On this particular night, we decided to go to the most iconic of it all - The Golden Tiger or U Zlateho Tygra.

It was a no nonsense bar. You go, you sit, and they serve you the one thing they serve - Pilsner beer! We had actually checked it in the afternoon as well, but it was closed. It seems it opens only at 3 or 4 p.m. We were lucky to find a seat at 10 in the night on a weekend. The buzz was quite unique and we had fun sharing stories with a local who came with his daughter and had been coming here for the last fifty years. Now I don't have a better picture of this place but I would still want to share it. We again went to the Old Town square and the bridge before heading back to the hotel. What a day!

As one can expect, our legs were aching the next day. The excitement had been just a tad too much it seemed. We decided to take it easy on Day 3 by just visiting a microbrewery, a beer garden and a bar!!!

However, the thing in Prague is that even if you do pub hopping, you would be passing through such beautiful places that it will take your breath away. No, seriously.

So after an hour at the Museum of Communism, we took a tram to Strahov Monastic Brewery. It is here that I had a beer with a hint of chocolate in it. We ate some nice chicken, took pictures and then headed over to take in some amazing views. The monastery library is suppose to be very beautiful, but since it involved steps, I thought of avoiding it.

Choco Beer at the Strahov Pivovar

We again took a tram and headed over to Letna Park via Letenske Namesti stop since it did not involve steep climbing towards the beer garden. Since we didn't want to walk, I could not go to the spot where we could take THE views I wished I could. Nevertheless, it was an amazing sunny day, the park was bright and beautiful, there was beer and coffee, there were locals and tourists, the river and the bridges looked gorgeous. We just lazed around and time just flew.

In the evening, we had a delicious and light Indian meal at the Golden Tikka. It was so flavourful and homely - I just loved it. And then we opened our GPS to take us to Anonymous Bar where we had fun drinks and a lovely time. It's a touristy place and definitely good for one drink.

Funfare  came with a game, Scrap came in a trash can. Menu came in a camera. Interesting place!

After a relaxing Day 3, Day 4 needed to cover a lot of ground! We took a tram to Pražský hrad for easiest access to the Castle area. Our first stop was St. Vitus Cathedral. Now having seen my fair share of Cathedrals accross Europe, I thought this had by far the best interiors. Also the setting was such that it seemed like we were in some other century. The Golden Lane was okay. Again, the views from here were amazing.

We walked down to Mala Strana in search of the Absinth Shop (in the above picture) that we had seen from the train on day 2. It involved a steep climb, but I wanted the Boy to taste the ice-cream! Well, even though the shop was funky, it didn't serve anything that could make you high! The ice-cream tasted fine though.

As my friend mentioned, most of our discoveries were while finding alcohol! From next time, I would again try to have an agenda, it makes wandering around streets so much fun!

Our next stop was the Charles bridge again from where we went to the hotel to take rest. For dinner we tried another famous restaurant with its own brewery - U Medvidku. Again, the food here was fine - nothing extraordinary, nothing bad.

Day 5 was for Bratislava which didn't have anything noteworthy except the SkyBar. A must-must do if you unfortunately plan to go there!

Sunset views over Danube

The Old Town of Bratislava

Lovely views from SkyBar

We had so much to do on Day 6. Time was running out and I wanted to roam around so badly. I wanted to go to Vysehrad, see more districts, walk along the river, see the Jewish quarter, go to ...ah, maybe next time.

On this day we took a Beer Spa which we had booked two days in advance. I was again impressed by the neighbourhoods on our way from Wenceslas to Prague 2. I was falling deeper and deeper in love!

The spa was quite a fun experience. They run hot water in a tub, pour some yeast-hops mix and let you take a bath for 30 minutes with unlimited fresh beer that you can pour yourself from the tap. The heated bed later seemed like a waste of time, but interesting nevertheless.

Hard to show you more!! :p

We walked towards Naplavka after this. I had read a lot about Prague on this blog and took a lot of tips. A walk along the river was on top of my list. We went to Restaurance Vlatava for a quick drink and some appetizers. after a short stroll, we went in to another restaurant and had the best tiramisu. Then we walked some more, took the views of Charles bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral and had the sweetest Corn on the Cob. My moment of ultimate bliss was this. It was evening and it was drizzling a bit, yet it felt so beautiful...

I wish we had come here on a sunny day, but well, some things are for our next trip. And well, Prague is as beautiful in the night as it is in the day. Aaahh, Prague, you bowled me over.

Trip Report - 4 Days in Munich for Oktoberfest

As they say, better late than never, and so, I recount our experience from the biggest party on the planet - Oktoberfest 2015.

We booked our hotel as early as December 2014. Even then, we got it in 160 Euros a night and that too outside the city. LetoMotel was a very clean and convenient hotel. It was right above the train and tram station. There was a mall next to it with supermarkets. There were plenty of cafes around. I wish there were a few restaurants as well, but you can't have everything.

We arrived at Munich central bus station from Wuzberg (our previous stop in Europe) and got our 4-day unlimited transport pass straightaway. It was so cheap and useful. We took a subway directly to the hotel and settled our stuff. A tram was right in front of us and we went to the city centre without losing any precious time.

Every woman we saw on the streets was wearing a drindl. There is no way you wouldn't be tempted to buy one. I bought one too from C & A at Kaufingerstrasse where they were available in plenty. I came back to Bahrain and sold it at the same rate (smug smile!).

Our first stop was Marienplatz where we sat to warm up with our first beer. It was a bustling square and a nice introduction to Munich as a city. We just wandered around later and called it a night.

The next morning we were extremely excited to visit the fest. Our lack of attention to our breakfast needs was going to cause us a lot of trouble, but we did not pay any heed to that. We took the train at 12 noon to Goetheplatz which is very close to Theresienwiese festival grounds. After a comfortable ride, we walked to our destination.

It was a disneyworld for adults. Plenty of rides, colourful attires, happy people, multiple food stalls, tents, the works. We wandered around a bit and decided to enter Augustiner tent for our first beer.

It was just two of us, we were here on a weekday, and we entered before lunch. We comfortably found a seat when escorted by a bier frau to an empty table.  We ordered our beer and a chicken and enjoyed the lively music.

The tent had a relaxed atmosphere. We were joined by Taiwanese girls and a couple from Italy. We had fun conversations and had a real good time. After one yum beer we thought this tent was a little too decent for us and so we headed to Hofbrau Festzilt.

Now this tent was something else. It seemed full of energy and a had younger, more fun-loving crowd. People all around were chugging beer and just enjoying a very entertaining band. There was a place in the centre near the band where you could even stand and drink. We looked for a place to sit and joined a few people from America.

                                   

It is here where the Boy had a little too much to drink. After having 3 mugs of beer between the two of us (I kept pouring mine into his mug!), we left the tent. He was swinging in all directions and so we thought it was best for us to go back to the hotel.

Ah, I hated the journey back. I had to hold it together till we reached our hotel where he passed out. I was so annoyed that I left him and went to a cafe downstairs! I stayed there for more than an hour and then bought some dinner from a supermarket nearby. When I went back, the Boy was still asleep. When he woke up he had massive nausea and felt extremely guilty.

Obviously our next day was spent touring around Munich!! We went to see the BMW welt, the Englishcher garten and some other places which I can't remember now. Frankly, I loved our Oktoberfest experience (nevermind the hangover!), but other than that there wasn't much to see in Munich. And yes, I bought my drindl this evening just for one visit.

Our Day 4 was a Friday. We had to go to Oktoberfest ground again to see the weekend madness and for people watching. This time we took the train to Theresienwiese itself at around 4 p.m. which was our worst decision. I am scared of very crowded places and this station was a nightmare. It was so full of people, you can't even imagine. When we got out, I just sat on a bench so that I get out once the crowd leaves! On people watching, we noticed a girl was lost and her boyfriend was all over the place hunting for her. It was scary and amusing at the same time.

We thought we will enter some tents and try our luck. Man, were they crowded or what!! Everyone was on the benches dancing. There was no place to stand, leave alone sit! We were here only to have radler though (even after 36 hours, the Boy had hangover from the hangover!), yet a seat wasn't in sight.

Nevertheless, we strolled around and had a great time. There were people sitting on floors. Some were happy, some were crying. Some were being escorted by the police for first aid. Groups around were laughing. People were high, dancing on the grounds. The devil's wheel ride was so fun to watch. The atmosphere was fantastic and we vowed to come back again with more preparation and a few friends.

We went to Marienplatz again in the evening to have dinner with a friend who lived in Munich. After eating, we wandered in the streets and enjoyed the weather. The vibe on a weekend was totally different. There were several street musicians in the city centre and it was so romantic. On our way back, we had a drunk crowd on our tram. One of the girls was singing loudly throughout the journey and entertained everyone!

I will never forget her. And I will never forget this experience as well. I think even non-beer drinkers should go to the fest because ultimately the goal is to have fun which you will have in plenty at this amazing place. Beer drinkers, however, please eat well before going to the fest!

Until next time, Prost!

I chanced upon this blog which has quite a detailed trip report and nicer pictures. Hop over and enjoy!

Trip Report - 3 days in Ibiza

"These are the days we won't regret. These are the days we won't forget."

We are frequent travellers with single income. My husband, the Boy, spent all the little savings he had on our wedding and then we started afresh. On our first holiday (honeymoon), we counted every single penny and made the best of what we had. It was an amazing holiday.

It has been 7 years to that and now we can afford to live in 5-star properties. It is a surreal feeling. It is a proud feeling. We don't stay in 5-stars though. I want to have a comfortable old age and plenty of holidays before that - we save for that!

Anyway, why I wrote about this is because when we went to Ibiza, we stayed in our first luxury hotel on a holiday. I had my eye on this hotel which was all inclusive in the area we wanted to stay in. I kept my eye on the fluctuating rate hoping it will come down and I would be able to book it. Yes, we can afford them, but we are still thrifty and smart!

We cancelled our previous booking just 4 days prior to our visit (we always book cancellable hotels), and pounced at the first opportunity at Grand Palladium. It spoiled us rotten with its huge rooms, three massive meals a day, and unlimited drinks before we could head out! Playa d'en Bossa is expensive, this deal actually turned out to be very economical.

We reached around 9:30 p.m. and didn't feel like going out. Yes, we were in Ibiza. The party here starts at 12. But we are 34 years-old and have been there, done that. Now we like to chill! So we just had our dinner at the buffet and were entertained by live performers in the hotel. With an open bar, our evening was set!

The next day we decided to go to the most famous beach for parties in Ibiza - Bora Bora beach club.

A very happy me at Grand Palladium :)

Now this beach is at one edge of Playa d'en bossa and clearly an adult only beach club. To the amusement of the Boy, nearly half the women here were topless. It had expensive sun beds and umbrellas but you could buy your own drinks from the super market outside and have them. They were kind enough to adjust whoever came in by putting in more beds. The music was quite nice but the beach isn't the best we've seen so far.

Bora Bora was shallow and had gentle waves. But for some reason, it wasn't very clean. We did walk in the water up until Ushuaia, but we didn't really enjoy the water as much.

Ibiza was not living up to its standards!

Bora Bora beach club

Well, we didn't know what we were going to witness in the evening! We had bought our tickets online for Avicii's opening night at Ushuaia. It was suppose to be from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. I had read that the main guy come at around 10 p.m. in such nights, but in order to find a decent spot to stand, we must go a little early.

We landed there at around 9 and walked around the whole place. It seemed that it would be impossible to get a spot. We then walked between the VIP area and the pool railing and found ourselves some space. We thought we will find our way near the pool as soon as someone leaves to buy a drink. Btw, the beer there is 18 Euro and very hard to get because the bar is so crowded. Although we had already had our drinks at the open bar at our hotel, this was not acceptable!

Nobody left but we did squish our way near the pool railing. At around 10 the whole place went silent. We waited for Avicci with bated breath.(!) He came, he played and boy, did he conquer!

The entire show was mesmerising. I have never danced so much in such a crowded place. We could hardly move our hands, but it was so worth it. Every song he played, the laser lights at Ushuaia, the firecrackers, it all made our night. Or, I would say, our entire 15 days in Spain and Portugal.

David Guetta was on for the next evening, but I didn't want my experience to fade. Yeah, I am crazy like that. So we decided to let it go!

We did think about going to Space after the show but we were too tired and our feet were literally swollen! Yeah, 34!

The Boy wanted to go to a nude beach on day 3. So we hired a cab and rode to Es Cavallet. Much to my happiness, there were no beach beds available. We had to take the cab back to our original Bora Bora! Ha! It was indeed fun. And the only nudist the Boy could spot in the beginning of the beach were a very old couple. Ibiza, indeed, did not disappoint!

We did not go to the other beach clubs at Playa d'en Bossa simply because they were way too expensive and probably not as casual as Bora Bora. We had another chilled out day with our free drinks at the beach watching the world (and gorgeous topless men and women) go by!

In the evening we had dinner at this picturesque mexican restaurant, La Dona, at The Grand Palladium followed by a visit to the Old town.

That's how Mexico will be when we go there? I so wish the food is like that atleast!

The Old town of Ibiza is so pretty with its port, winding lanes with cutesy homes and petite windows, and restaurants and shops at every corner.  We could have easily stayed here and gone to Playa d'en Bossa or St. Antonio by bus or taxi. I would highly recommend people to stay in the Old town and visit other parts of Ibiza from here.

It was a very relaxing and memorable trip for us. I think had we gone with friends, we could have partied more. Nevertheless, we enjoyed every bit of it. I always wanted to go to Ibiza after 'THAT' song and so this was like a dream! Ibiza is the best party place we have ever been to. We thought the beaches in Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus were much better, but the vibe here was great too. It's not a cheap place to visit because of all the hype. It was in our bucket list though, and I am so glad we have been to Ibiza, yeahhh, we have also partied...yeahh...

Cheesyyyy!!! :p

Trip Report - Lisbon, Portugal

I was very skeptical before going to Lisbon. I like my vacations luxurious with little hard work. On paper, Lisbon seemed like a run down city with steep hills. After visiting, it has become one of my favorite cities in the world.

I did go with a proper plan. I knew exactly which areas had steep slopes since I have trouble walking on them. I knew which buses dropped us on the top so that we can walk down. You see, I need my holiday perfect. I don't want to upset the Boy by being cranky and tired all the time. Planning to the T helps me overcome all obstacles with ease. I do reach the place like I've already been there (I see Google maps/Earth all the time), but I don't regret it one bit. This is the way I am comfortable; deal with it!

We booked ourselves into a hotel at Rossio square so that we are close to everything. In terms of location, I don't think we could have done better. Our hotel was where Rua Augusta, the pedestrian only shopping street, ended. We were next to Praca de Figueira where the most important buses/trams had a stop. And we were in a hotel that was absolutely perfect!

We landed in Lisbon after a day long journey from Bahrain via Dubai at 7:30 p.m. We took the cheap aerobus (book online for cheaper rates) because it had a stop 100 mtrs from our hotel. After leaving our luggage we took the Santa Justa elevator to Chiado district to have our first meal in Lisbon. We came back early through the winding streets of Baxia and retired for the day.

I had planned day 2 with much elan! We went to the topmost and most famous spot of Lisbon - Castelo de Sao Jorge. This castle stands on a hill promising the best views of Lisbon. We took the 737 bus which is the only mode of transportation that drops you near the entrance so that you don't have to climb a steep hill. Although the castle has a lot of steps inside, there is a vast area you can see and take in the amazing views of Lisboa. We did just that.

View of Lisbon from the Castle.

The Old town of Lisbon - Alfama District

We then walked down to the Se Cathedral for lunch. The lanes of Old Town are quite pretty and give you a glimpse into the real Lisbon. It was our first day and since we were quite excited, we ventured into the western district of Belem after this. We took the famous tram 12 and sat in a crowded vehicle to reach our destination! Here we saw the monastry, the tower and the Discovery monument from the outside! This area did not fascinate us enough and we were back quite earlier than expected.

An East Asian structure in a European park where we saw a performance on a Hindi number. The world is truly becoming Global in every sence of the word!

A famous custard pie that we found too sweet for our taste.

Our next stop was Praca do Comercio - the most fun yet pretty square I have seen in the world. On one side it had an archway to pedestrian shopping street. It had restaurants all around it. On the other side it had the river and a tiny beach. And in the centre, it had a huge screen playing the Euro Cup. There were beer stalls and thousands of people just chilling and making merry. 

We had had a long day and so we went back after dining in one of the restaurants and watching some part of the match. In Lisbon, you get a transport card for unlimited travel for the day in 6 Euro. We bought that and made good use of it.

On Day 3 we took the Hop-on-Hop-off bus thinking we would get a good glimpse of the city with it. Although we did see more than we could have seen on our own, the HoHo bus was a disappointment. The real charm of Lisbon is in its alleys; the HoHo stays far from them.

Devouring the map! :p

We checked into the Oceanarium area and a beautiful corniche. We then took the Hoho back for a siesta in the hotel. 

The evening on Day 3 was the most beautiful we had in Lisbon. We took the Gloria Funicular to Barrio Alto, the party area of Lisbon. We went atop Jardim de Sao Pedro de Alcantara for yet another beautiful view of the city. This viewpoint had a stage with a live singer, lots of stalls serving food and drinks, and a very nice atmosphere. There were young and old lovers, children and group of friends making merry. When they say that most amazing things in this world are free, they are not lying.

After dinner at one of the restaurants in the by-lanes, we went to Praca do Comercio again. Now this square had turned into a night club at 11 in the night. There was a DJ playing where they were showing the Euro Cup. Everyone around was dancing. We got ourselves a quiet, romantic spot on the beach front and danced. I mean, I danced! This was indeed my Lisbon moment.

The next morning I did something totally unexpected. I woke up at 8:30 and told the Boy lets run and catch the train to Porto! We had to take a shower, have our breakfast, take a taxi to Orient station, buy the ticket and catch the train. This journey takes 3 hours and was not adviced for a day trip. We did it anyway.

I had heard that Porto is better than Lisbon - I disagree. Porto is a city of six bridges. It seems more vast, less rustic. The alleys are not as charming as Lisbon. We took a Tuk-Tuk tour since we were short on time and saw what we could in 1.5 hours. What worried me in Porto was that no matter what, you could not avoid the slopes. It drained my energy.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed our trip and made the best of our limited time. The waterfront was beautiful and the views were breathtaking. 

Maybe if we had stayed overnight we would have liked this city more. Anyway, I don't regret our decision to go here, so we must have seen something nice!

We were to leave Lisbon the next day and I was definitely sad. It had been the most amazing four days and I would definitely love to go back. Even though the summer heat was sometimes unbearable, the evening breeze made up for it.

Well, the greatest compliment I could give Lisbon is I can actually see myself living there. The country is fabulous and the people are extremely warm. Do visit it to see another side to Europe.


Coming up: Trip reports from San Sebastian, Ibiza and Barcelona!