Lisbon, Portugal

We were really excited to get to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. We came here in 2008 and really enjoyed it. The last time we were here, we were mistaken for locals and this time was no different. Portugal is the only Portuguese speaking country other than Brazil, and Lisbon has a decently sized black population. Once we got to Lisbon, we took a shuttle from the cruise port to the city’s main square where we stumbled upon the end of a local road race. After watching the runners, we wandered around the Alfama area of Lisbon. We stumbled upon the Lisbon Cathedral and headed inside to watch mass. Lisbon is very hilly and we did some extreme hill walking that reminded us of being in San Francisco. Toward the tops of the hills were some amazing views of the ocean, the cruise port, and the red tiled roofs and white washed walls of thousands of homes below. Further up the hills and at the top of the city sits a fortress which was built in ancient times to protect the city. We toured the fortress for 5 Euros and walked along the narrow stone walkways and slippery staircases. While here, be sure to watch your step, but also be sure to pay attention to what’s around you, because these are the best views in the city. Other than the view, the best part about the fortress is being at the top of the hill so the walk was all downhill from there. After visiting the fortress, we made our way back down the hill, through the winding streets and past extremely small European cars and the street car, picturesque windows with clothes hanging on the line, and other tourists trying to take it all in. After spending hours visiting one of our favorite European cities, we made our way back to the port and walked along the waterfront. The waterfront was lined with authentic restaurants serving Portuguese favorites and it also had a great view of the statue of Jesus that is the sister statue to the one in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The Lisbon statue stands near a bridge that reminded us of the Golden Gate Bridge, which we thought was very fitting for a city nicknamed the San Francisco of Europe.


The early morning road race through the city


Kim walking one of the many hills


Lorenzo stopping to admire the view


Lisbon Cathedral in Alfama


Kim taking a much needed break on the Cathedral steps


Overhead view of the city


Arch of Augusta

Ponta Delgada, Portugal

Upon arriving in Ponta Delgada, the western most isle of the Azores, we perused the small fisherman’s town full of intricately laid black and white narrow cobble stone streets. We toured the town’s main church, peered in the windows of local shops, and watched the locals in their daily routines, like the teenagers mingling in the courtyard of a high school and playing soccer. It was surprisingly cold outside, and the cloudy sky that just made everything seem that much colder. After wandering the island and people-watching, we made our way to a shopping mall where we were able to pick up a wifi signal that enabled us to email our family and let them know that we are safe and sound. After all, it has been 5 whole days at sea since they’ve heard from us. They are just as happy to hear from us as we are to finally see land. Overall, Ponta Delgada is a very charming town where everything moves slowly and is stress free. Maybe we can bottle some up and bring it back to the States with us. After boarding the ship again, we spotted two whales, which are very common in the Azores. Our next port is Lisbon, Portugal.


Lorenzo and the Azores sign. The island chain where Ponta Delgada is loacated.


The perfect view of the island


The island's main church


Street view of the small city


A Carolina blue building. You know we had to take a pic.


Kim enjoying the day, with our ship in the backgroud.