What I bought in Portugal

I didn’t go to Portugal for the shopping, but I managed to find a few unique things that could fit into the small backpack I brought. 

From left to right:

Tote from Livraria Lello

Coasters from Nescafe (they look like Portuguese tile)

Clothes from Zara - all maternity friendly

Books from Livraria Lello

Sardines – a popular Portuguese treat

What I Ate in Portugal

Portugal at 12 weeks pregnant was touch for me. I was still experiencing morning sickness on a daily basis and my smells and tastes were far from normal. I was also unable to eat many Portuguese staples like Serra da Estrela, a soft cheese made from goat’s milk, or Presunto, Iberian pig (prosciutto) which could be contaminated with listeria. I wish I could have been more adventurous in my eating, but I was just grateful not to be throwing up. Once I found things I liked to eat, I tended to want them every day. Simple, carb-heavy foods like sandwiches, pizza, and pasta were my go-to eats on this trip.


1. Food I wished I had but didn't: soft cheese and cured meat (both pregnancy no-no’s)
2. Food I had but wished I didn't: Franchesina. Once in a lifetime is enough.
3. What should have been on the list: Orange juice and Gelato
4. Biggest surprise: the delicious pizza and pasta we had!
5. Most delicious meal: Pizza from Pizzaria Lisboa or the seafood we had at Ramiro’s

Foreign Food

Sandwiches

Italian Food

Pasta

Pizzamostly from Pizzaria Lisboa

Asian Food

Taiwanese food from Bao in Porto

Japanese curry from Namba in Porto

Pad Thai and Malaysia curry from Boa Bao in Porto

Sushi and Poke from East-West in Belem

Local Eats

Seafood

Clams and Crab from Ramiro's, Stew from Donna Cafe, and Octopus from Taxa

Franchesina 

Bifana

Soups

all vegetarian, from Taxa and Conga in Porto

Desserts

Egg Tart - Pasteis de Nata

Gelato

Cookies and Cakes

Orange Juice 

 

Photo Diary: Best of Lisbon

I fell in love with Lisbon at first sight. Even though I was incredibly sick and had just stepped off a flight delayed five hours, I was still in love with the tiny winding streets and tiled walls of the houses. Many of these photos are also from Belem, which is just 20 minutes outside central Lisbon and has it's own history and charm.  

A Tour of Lisbon's Tile

One of the first things you'll notice in Lisbon are the beautiful ornately painted tiles decorating the walls of many buildings. These tiles, called azulejos, have been around since the 13th century and made a come back in the mid-twentieth century when the city decided to preserve these buildings. Now they are iconic in Lisbon, and can be seen on practically every street. Here is my photo diary of the tiles I saw: