Walking in My Shoes

“What are the opening hours for the swimming pool?”

He looked at me with open curiosity that I could not understand at the time.

I am checking in at the hotel on the outskirts of Lisbon and going straight to the outdoor pool area. There was no one there. Ok, it was April, but it was 20 degrees outside, and the sun was shining. The pool is just outside the hotel restaurant, which is empty this time of day. But the whole team at the restaurant is watching me get into the pool.

When I put my foot in the water, I can finally understand why. The water is just freezing even for me (and I am used to swimming in cold water).

But I have to save my dignity somehow, so I jump into the pool and swim for about 15 minutes. Portuguese just accepted as some crazy British woman who doesn’t often see swimming pools.

It was a short trip to Portugal, but it was definitely very memorable.

The country really surprised me with the quality and sophistication of food and wine.

 Portugal is home to more than 250 indigenous grape varieties, making it one of the countries with the highest diversity of native wine-producing in the world. That was the best hidden gem, and I keep exploring Portuguese wines in the UK. I have not seen such a wide variety of cheeses even in France.

Lisbon is, without a doubt, a beautiful and vibrant city, but it was Cascais that took my breath away.

It is a super stylish town on the Atlantic coast, historically a summer retreat for the Portuguese royal family and European nobility. Once a quiet fishing village, it transformed in the late 19th century and now has an elegant presence, a rich history, and stunning beaches. And all within an easy reach of Lisbon.

https://www.cascais-portugal.com/index.html

The 2 things that impressed me in Lisbon:

Lisbon Oceanarium https://oceanario.pt/en/ is just outstanding and one of the largest indoor aquariums in Europe. I have never seen so many marine species in one place.

Four tanks around the large central tank represent habitats with their native flora and fauna: the North Atlantic rocky coast, the Antarctic coastal line, the Temperate Pacific kelp forests, and the Tropical Indian coral reefs. These tanks are separated from the central tank only by large sheets of acrylic, which create the illusion of a single large tank. It is truly amazing!

And for all the gin lovers and people who prefer unusual bars, there is https://ginlovers.pt/

Gin bar, restaurant, and a collection of little quirky shops under one roof, all in the beautiful, historic building with outstanding architecture and a sense of light. Worth checking out!

And then there are many handmade Pasteis de Nata, little cakes from heaven!

Portugal is definitely calling me back, watch this space!

With Love as Always,

Yana De Lilac