Certain things about this Shirleyfest are different than prior Shirleyfests. I’ve been in Lisbon just one week, but I’ve been gone from California for three weeks. I did a hiking trip in Scotland prior to arriving in Portugal. The hiking was amazing and made even better because Laura and Mallory joined me.

Therefore, I arrive in Lisbon fully on local time. That makes getting going in my new city really easy. However, I’ve never done a Shirleyfest starting in August. It is much warmer and much more crowded than my fall Shirleyfests. Nonetheless, Lisbon is stunning and I have a wonderful apartment in a great neighborhood.

I actually arrive from Inverness, Scotland well after midnight, so I book a room at the airport hotel for the first night. I don’t want to deal with getting into a new apartment at 2 am. I can see the airport hotel right in front of me when I exit the Lisbon airport and google maps says it is only a 5 minute walk, but for the life of me I cannot see how I can walk there.There are lanes and lanes of traffic in front of me.

However, I don’t dare get in the long cab line and tell the taxi driver to drive me 2 minutes. So I finally figure out I have to roll my roller bag thru multiple busy intersections crisscrossing left then right then over again. I am very happy to reach my lovely bed after that harrowing experience.

The next morning I arrive at my new home at 10:00 am and let myself in with a code. The building is delightful. It is right on a corner of a quiet street. The place is fairly new and it has beautiful furnishings and top of the line appliances (all Bosch: dishwasher, induction burners, oven, washer and dryer). And most importantly strong air conditioning. There is a large patio to sit and have wine and cheese (hopefully with my new friends).

I unpack quickly and head out to explore. Estrela Park is in my backyard so I start there and order a beer to sit and people watch (and dance).

Afterwards, I explore a bit before getting ready to walk to dinner at Café De São Bento. I always have a nice dinner reservation made for my first night on Shirleyfest. I had read good things about this restaurant. It is opposite the Portuguese parliament with a little red door on Rua de São Bento where I have to ring the doorbell and wait until someone lets me in. Once inside, I see the color red is a major player in the decoration, similar to their famous medium rare steak that’s been bringing locals back to this spot for the past 40 years. This is a great spot for people watching, since it’s a popular place for politicians to celebrate the deals they just sealed across the street. I enjoy a wonderful meal.

I discuss with David, the charming server, how best to cross the river to view Lisbon from the other side. Just as I am finishing, a young woman next to me, who had been chatting in Portuguese with everyone, follows up with me (in perfect English) about what David has told me. Her name is Catarina and she lives nearby and goes to school. We chat and she loves the idea of Shirleyfest. She offers some great Lisbon suggestions. One suggestion is that since it’s my first night here she will show me the famous Lisbon miradores ( lookout points). Off we go traipsing through nighttime Lisbon. We walk for hours and I see the most beautiful nighttime sights and sounds.

The next day I head out for a walking tour I have booked with a local PhD archeology student. The meeting point at 11am is near the famous 13th century Igreja de São Domingos, so since it is Sunday, I go early and attend mass there. I really love going to mass in foreign countries. Even though I cannot always follow the homily, the order of the mass remains the same and I just say in English what the other participants are saying in their native language. This is the oldest church in Lisbon and has a difficult and storied past. It was the site of the Inquisition, murdering thousands of Jewish citizens in 1506. It has also been destroyed by an earthquake and fire which locals say is punishment for the Inquisition. The ceiling of the church is red, memorializing the bloodshed of the event.

I meet Kate, my guide, and we traverse Lisbon, seeing many of the archeological sites in several neighborhoods.

Afterwards I head to the Lapa area for lunch at Le Boulangerie.

Sated, I walk up the enormous hill to my apartment. Tonight I have dinner at Senhor UVA, a vegetarian restaurant one block from my apartment. The street runs between two dining rooms and I sit at the bar and had a delicious meal and discussed travel with my server Adrian who is from Florianopolis, Brazil. He is making the case for a Shirleyfest there.

Monday I walk to the main Metro station and make an application for a monthly transport card. Fortunately I know to always bring extra passport photos on Shirleyfest, as sure enough one is needed to complete the application. Handing it over, I’m told to come back the next day to pick it up. Given how far I’ve walked, I decide another 30 minutes will bring me to the Gulbenkian Museum. Along the way I stop for a nice lunch along a lake in Eduardo Park. I was at the Gulbenkian 8 years ago and recall it fondly. It does not disappoint. My favorite is the Portrait of Sara by Frans Hals. His paintings always look so realistic.

Tonight I hit another neighborhood place….. Pinot Bar de Vinhos. I’m surprised to learn it is owned by the same people that own Senhor Uva, where I ate the prior night. It is right on Estrela Park and a unique wine store. There is no wine by the glass menu. You just tell Jems, the server, what you feel like and he selects from the various bottles he has available. I end up with a Sicilian red from the Mt. Etna area and some very tasty small plates. I have a great conversation about the Japanese art islands with two people from my neighborhood who have also stopped by.

Tuesday I walk back to pick up my transit card. I’m surprised to find out it works not only on Lisbon buses, Metros, and trams, but the ferries, the trains to many nearby cities and even the elevadores ( funiculars). Not only is it a financial bargain, the ease of never having to go to a ticket machine or ticket agent is invaluable. So let me start using this valuable card!

First I take a bus to the Mercado de Campo de Ourique. Getting off, I see a lovely church called Saint Condestable and mass is beginning so I decide to head in. Gorgeous.

I stroll around the market wishing we could get these plump fresh anchovies in California.

A stop at Copenhagen Coffee Lab fuels me to take a tram to the ferry depot where I catch the ferry cross the river to Christ the King statue. The ferry ride is so calm ( and short—8 minutes). Christ the King statue is almost identical to Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio. I get off the ferry and see a shuttle that I’m guessing must go to the statue. I hop on and 15 minutes later I’m there, overlooking what suspiciously looks like San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Approaching the entrance I’m waved to a ticket line. I oblige, though I see many people bypassing the ticket line. I figure I want to support the economy so I buy a ticket. Later I realize that the only reason to buy a ticket is to go to the top of the statue. Ok, well I have the ticket so up I go. Amazing views and it is quite spiritual way up there.

After reversing courses, and returning via ferry I look at my pre- prepared personal Lisbon map and realize I m near Taberna de Rua das Flores. Famous for it fresh fresh seafood I head over not sure if I’ll get in. But I do! Fantastic octopus and beetroot salad and of course Portuguese wine. I decide to walk home but not before stopping for a drink at the rooftop bar of Hotel Chiado. I just love this rooftop bar. Great views, good wine list and friendly waiters. Ahhh. I have a little chat with Sofia, a student, who has the same birthday as me ( I’ll need to go back there on our day!).

Wednesday I decide to try my new transport card on the train and head to Cacais. I’m so glad I do as this is a stunning town. Think of it as Carmel with a fortress. I read the food blogs on the train and so I head straight for Malacopa for fresh fish tacos. Walking around afterwards is so delightful. The beach, the marble streets, and adorable shops. When I get to the fortress, I find that once you enter the courtyard it is an artist colony with many art galleries. What a great idea. I think I could easily live in this town. On the train back I sit next to a Brazilian woman who tells me she came for a visit to Cacais about 8 years ago and never went home! She lives in a bungalow where she walks to the beach each day.

I WhatsApp my new friend Caterina to see if she wants to meet me for Greek food tonight. There is a place recommended by Eater 38 only two blocks from my place. Luckily she agrees and we have a wonderful meal at Kefi Greek Bistro. Afterwards we stop by Pinot Bar for a night cap. What great day.

Thursday it is 96 degrees. I decide to go out to Factory FX. It’s a concept area with several streets of bars, restaurants and shops. Very hipster. I feel like I’m in Brooklyn. I have a nice salad and stroll around a bit before jumping on a tram and heading to the MAAT museum. It is the Museum of architecture, art and technology. It’s along the river and part of the museum is in an old power plant. The architecture is beautiful and the setting is stunning. The curation of the exhibits does leave me puzzled on several occasions. I do like this one exhibit on the various colors we find in the oceans. A small child is mesmerized by it as I sit there.

Friday it is still very very hot. I do a walk down Avenue Liberdade where old phone booths have been turned into kiosks. It is refreshing to stop for a cold drinks all along the wide boulevard. Next I brave the heat and do a self guided walking tour of Barrio Alto neighborhood, including a ride on the Elevador Bica.

Later I meet two new people that my friend Nick introduced me. Nicole and Tova meet me back at Pinot Bar. A bottle of bubble and wonderful conversation flows easily. These are extremely interesting people who I hope to see again in England or Norway ( their respective homes).

I finish writing this first trip report on a flight to Oslo. I decide spur of the moment to be very European and go to Oslo for the weekend. It will be much cooler there.

So this is my first week of this year’s Shirtleyfest. Adeus as they say in Portugal…..until my next report. Thanks for reading along.