Portugal

Portugal was another one of those places that I didn’t know enough about prior to visiting and therefore wasn’t thinking too much of it. That sounds bad, but I just was kind of looking past it. However, I’ve definitely fallen in love and will surely return.

A rather large group of us (too large to be traveling efficiently) wandered right from the port in Lisbon to the train station. Our desired destination was Cascais, the cutest little beach town. Once we arrived, we spent quite some time attempting to find accommodations for our large party. After hours of acquainting ourselves with the city, it all worked out.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing with sun, sand, swimming, and sangria. It was touristy, yes, but totally necessary. Eventually we went exploring to find this popular cavern thing called ‘Boca de Infierno,’ which stands for “mouth of hell.” It’s basically rock structures shaped by the weathering of the ocean. It has to be one of the greatest spots on this planet to watch a sunset.

The next day we spent a bit more time on the beach and then headed back to Lisbon. There we just walked around the city center and attempted to find another sunset spot. We got a few tappas for dinner and made sure to avoid eating the bread and olives they put on the table. THEY'RE NOT FREE. 

I don't know how I did it, but the next morning we got up for the sunrise. We headed to the S. Jorges castle but were disappointed to learn it didn't open until 9. We wandered some more, found a good spot, but it was a bit too cloudy. Still a fantastic view. 

Once it opened, we walked around inside the castle for quite a while. The views of the city from up top are amazing. The castle sits above and in the middle of everything. 

Next stop, the oceanarium. It's one of the largest aquariums in Europe. So cool. Sea turtles were the traveling exhibit, and they were AWESOME. I can't think of any sea creature (besides whales and dolphins) that we didn't get to see. Afterwards we walked right onto the ship and watched Finding Nemo. 

I would have really enjoyed a bit more time in Portugal. I thoroughly enjoyed the small towns and the extremely relaxed atmosphere. The people were friendly and helpful, and I even retained a few Portuguese phrases. I can't wait to go back.