The good luck I had with the weather so far had finally run out as I awoke to the sound of rain brushing against my bedroom window. I relaxed in bed for a bit and the rain finally subsided a bit.

I walked down the street to a cafe that had previous caught my eye. It was already full of people speaking in several different languages, escaping the rain for some coffee or lunch.

The menu was full of interesting options but one truly stood out. Savory waffles with Parmesan, smoked salmon, fried eggs and pickled red onions with a honey mustard sauce. It was also supposed to come with hummus but since that’s a no no for me, they gave me an extra egg. This was simply Heaven on a plate. The smoked salmon paired beautifully with the surprisingly light waffles and the perfectly fried eggs. I then tried it with the honey mustard and the pickled red onions, which added some nice acidity to all of the richness. Sublime.

It was starting to rain again but had to meet up with my friend Ray to go across the river for a port tasting and tour. He had selected Cockburn’s – a port house started in 1815 but recently sold to a large distributor. However, they had promised to keep the history and tradition of the namesake.

Our guide, Victoria, was very knowledgeable and friendly, taking us through the history of Cockburn’s (Scottish so pronounced “co-burns”) and port making in general. Their port house was the largest in Gaia, as the pictures above show. In the last image, Victoria explained how they can check to see the current color of the port inside. This was becoming a tawny due to its now rich light brown color.

One of the cooler parts of the tour was stopping by the cooper workshop. There an apprentice was hard at working repairing a 100 year barrel. The trade had sadly all but disappeared in recent years due to changes in the industry and Cockburn’s had the last remaining group of them. Victoria explained her grandfather was a cooper but now it essentially no longer exists as a full time job except for here.

We continued the tour, passing the seemingly endless rows of massive barrels, some of which were standing upright on large white blocks. The reason they were painted white so that they can see if any liquid is leaking out of the barrels. Victoria also explained the cobwebs were a good thing as the spiders eat the insects attracted by the sweet liquid of the port.

We were finally led to the very nice tasting room where our requests were already laid out for us. Ray and I, both fans of tawny ports had decided to splurge a bit and get the 20, 30 and 40 year old option as neither of us had one older than 20. The 20 was a familiar taste but the 30 especially tasted completely different, lots of dark fruit notes and not so much the usual nutty caramel tastes. The 40 was similar to the 20 with a slightly longer mouthfeel.

Her talk about the vintage ports, which are much more like wine, had me curious so she gave us a taste of a 2008 vintage. It reaffirmed to me once again I’m just not a fan of ruby and vintage ports although it was a very good version of that. To finish off, she gave us a bit of a vintage white port, which was one of her favorites. This one I actually quite liked as it wasn’t too sweet at all. A nice way to close things out plus to add to our impressive assortment of empty glasses.

Ray suggested walking down to the World of Wine complex, which consisted of bars, restaurants and museums. Our destination was Pip, which was known for its good pizzas but when we got there, it hadn’t opened yet. So, we rounded the corner and headed upstairs to one of the bars for a glass of wine.

This turned out to be a great idea as the bar had a spectacular panoramic view of Porto. We both tried a Pinot noir from the Dao region as neither of us had had a single varietal Pinot from Portugal. It was very similar to a French Pinot, lighter and drier than its American cohort. But even better was the popcorn with smoked paprika and thyme – a topping I had never had before but now want more in my life.

It was finally dinner time so we made our way back to restaurant and ordered first their couvert which was an olive focaccia that was warm and very tasty. For our meal, we decided to split their prosciutto pizza with mushrooms and arugula. This was a very good pizza with a light fluffy crust and the spice of the arugula went great with the salty prosciutto.

It was getting late so Ray and I said our respective good byes, and I headed back across the bridge via a very friendly Uber driver named Ana who was happy I was enjoying her great city so much. Tomorrow was going to be a light day but a long night so it was time to sleep.

The alarm rang at the very displeasing 7:30am, but I had no choice as I was to be picked up at 8:30am for my day tour exploring the Douro wine region. I had booked a seat on an 8 person private tour so I made my way to the meeting point and was soon greeted by our guide, Vasco.

The Mercedes van was already full of the other guests – 3 older women from just outside of London, a couple from Italy and soon to round out with a couple from Germany. Vasco declared us his family today and as Papa he would make sure we were taken care of.

We were soon out of the city and on the way to our first stop (“not a gas station, I promise”) Vasco explained that the city of Amarante was known for two things – a 13th century church on the river and a pastry modeled after the fact that the town was home to the Patron Saint of fertility.

We took our snaps and soon climbed back into the van to make our way up and over the mountain that led to the Douro Valley, stopping at the top for some breathtaking views.

Near just on the other side of the mountain was our first winery (Quinta) where we would also have lunch – Quinta do Santa Julia. We greeted and led through a very pretty garden which overlooked the valley below.

We were led into the cellar where a table had been set up for our tastings. Our cheerful host explained the winery had been in the family for 8 generations and featured both wine and port.

The massive oak barrels, she explained, had to be cleaned every couple of years. The process involves climbing into the barrel through a small entryway and then can stand up inside. They have to wait an hour for the alcohol fumes to subside and even with that, the person doing the scrubbing has to stop every hour to avoid the toxic fumes and has a spotter outside of the barrel to ensure they are ok. It’s a laborious task that can take up to 3 days to complete.

We sampled their white, reserva red and a vintage port (a designation that can only happen on a particularly good year but no more than 3 per decade.) All 3 were quite good and after finishing we were escorted to the adjoining kitchen for our lunch.

The three course meal consisted of a very tasty vegetable soup, a hearty beef stew and a local egg tart. Simple but satisfying. I decided to add a glass of their 20 year old Tawny port for an aperitif, which was superb.

We made our way now down to the river across a bridge that had been designed by Gustavo Eiffel’s firm (yes that Eiffel) and to our next destination, an hour cruise along the Douro River. Our very friendly captain explained the river was brown because of all of the recent heavy rain the region had been experiencing.

He offered us a shot of a port that friends of his had made recently – not bad – and pointed out the now familiar looking boats which, back in the day, were using to transport the port wine barrels to Porto, which would take about 3-4 days to get there. However, due to going against the currents, it would take 3-4 weeks to get back due to the currents and required mules to help pull the boats through.

He also explained that the orange trees that dotted the landscape weren’t for eating but rather to attract the bugs away from the grape vines. Also, if we saw a terrace without any vines, that means the landowner had given up making wine, which happened a lot after a devastating wave of pylloxera wiped out most of the vines in the 1870s, causing some to believe the land was cursed.

We said goodbye to the captain and headed to our final stop – Quinta do Beijo (kiss) which was a much smaller producer. Our guide, Cara, was just delightful, combining deep knowledge with genuine hilarity.

She explained that all wine produced there was done the old fashioned way, with their feet. The whole winery gets involved as well as friends and neighbors. Like Julia, they have both wine and port. Sara noted that their port is what they used to be known for but that about 10 years ago started making wine as well.

The barrel on the left was 187 years old and used for their tawny ports. She was also proud of their vintage white port, which she said was not to be mixed “I will murder you if I see you do that!” and gave us some to try. It was a bit too sweet for my tastes but not bad.

Like at Julia, Sara covered the cleaning process of the barrels but went further by showing us a sample of what they have to remove. The ridges are crystallized sugar which will eventually throw off the balance of the wines so need to be cleared every couple of years or so.

Sara then said it was our time in the barrel and had each of us, after showing us the proper technique to go in head first and twist, go inside. I thought there was NFW I could possibly fit but amazingly I did and could even stand completely upright. After a couple of minutes, she showed me how to reverse the process to get out “like birthing a baby” and as I twisted my way she kept saying “push! push!” When I finally freed myself she exclaimed “it’s a very big boy!”

I ended up buying a couple of bottles of their very interesting rose and headed back to the van one more time. Most of the “family” was now asleep but I chatted with Vasco the entire ride home learning even more about Portuguese history both ancient and current. He eventually dropped me off, and I thanked him profusely for being such a great guide.

After a brief respite, I ventured out for dinner. Given my long day, I picked somewhere very close to my place. Scarlett was a mere 2 blocks up from me, and the menu had intrigued me earlier. I needed to use the bathroom and was escorted into the very cool lobby of what turned out to be the attached hotel.

One of the starter that had caught my attention earlier was a beetroot “tartare” with crackers and dill. It truly did taste a tartare, with the diced roasted beets mimicking the usual beef and the familiar flavors, just without the egg as it was a vegan dish.

I decided to stay on the vegetarian tip and ordered another meatless starter – Shroom Wings. It consisted of oyster mushrooms, shaped into “wings” and deep fried. The thick mushrooms were not greasy at all and nicely seasoned. The kicker though was the absolutely perfect remoulade. Delicious.

The long day had finally taken its toll on me so I declined dessert and made the quick walk back to my penthouse. Tomorrow was supposed to be cold and rainy, which would be perfect weather for some tawny port tastings.

I knew the next 2 days would be the last good ones of my stay so today seemed like a great time to check out my new surroundings. First up, I had to have the local staple – francesinha – and Mico insisted I had to try it at his favorite spot O Alfonso.

From the twin shrines to Anthony Bourdain (who filmed his show there once) and racing legend Senna to the walls filled with all kinds of awards and portraits, this place was a trip. They also had 6 different types of the ubiquitous Super Bock beer so I tried their sweet stout. Nice and refreshing after my hike up the hill to get there.

There were several options for the francesinha but Mico had suggested the pork version. I had purposefully not looked up what it was so it would be a surprise. And soon… surprise!

The best way I could describe it is a Croque Monsieur on steroids – pork loin, ham, mortadella, sausage open face with two types of local cheese and pan sauce. This thing was ridiculous but oh so tasty. It was a good thing I planned to go on a long walk after this.

I started walking with the goal of reaching the river, passing through a couple of different neighborhoods until I got to the Crystal Garden park.

It was slightly surreal hearing roosters crow loudly and a couple of peacocks wandering around the gardens. I walked over to a terrace with another garden and thought it had a path out to the street but it was blocked.

I finally found the exit and kept walking down the cobbled streets, taking in views of the river along the way as I kept going down increasingly steeper pathways.

Finally, I found the main drag along the river and eventually a throng of people enjoying the weather and getting on various boats for a river cruise.

I kept walking towards the bridge to Gaia (which would be my focus on Thursday) and eventually came across a funicular which would spare me of a truly steep climb back up to the center of Porto. Note: no pics of the funicular as it arrived right after I got there so had to hurry to catch it in time.

I was pleasantly surprised how far up the hill it went and appreciated the break on knees for a bit. I was now in the center of the city and only a mere few blocks from my place.

Looking at the map, I veered a bit off course so I would have a slightly more gradual climb and finally made it back to my place. According to Apple Health I had climbed 15 stories – sounds about right.

Exhausted and knowing I had an early day tomorrow, I walked up a block to an old school-looking restaurant called O Manheiro. I ordered a glass of the house white and looked at the nice assortment of seafood options – from grilled squid to salt cod in 3 different preparations. Knowing it was squid season thanks to my meal at 100 Maneiros, I asked my server if she preferred that or a preparation of bachalau I hadn’t seen yet. She quickly said the squid so that was done.

My attitude towards squid had fundamentally changed when I had it in Croatia, and this version was just as good – firm but not too chewy, perfectly seasoned. The simple sides of boiled potatoes and oil & vinegar dressed salad paired nicely too.

After my first dessert choice was sold out (milk and coconut cake), I ordered my server’s favorite. It was basically a dulce de leche custard with some cookie crumbles mixed in. Simple but delicious.

It was still a bit early so I walked across the street to the FE Wine & Bar I had passed a few times already. It was empty but that was fine as I only intended to have one glass. My friendly server explained they had several Douro reds and after telling him I’m not a big fan of dry reds, he returned with 2 ones to sample. Unfortunately, I wasn’t too crazy about either one so he pivoted and poured me one from Dao.

This was a winner. Full bodied, bursting with flavor and not dry at all. Not bad for 6 Euros. Knowing the very long day of touring I had tomorrow, I finished up my glass and made the short trip back to my pad to get some rest.

My train to Porto wasn’t until 4pm so I lounged in bed and then eventually headed down to the hotel restaurant where I still had some credit left. I had read they featured an “anytime Eggs Benedict” so seemed like it was indeed time for that.

Of course, no eggs Benedict is complete without a mimosa.

One curious thing about this version was lack of ham. Still, the hollandaise and the poached eggs were pretty much perfect so I didn’t mind. The hash browns were also exceptional and the perfect vessel to sop up the yolk and sauce that spilled over. A very proper way to finish this sprint of my trip.

I took my last Uber to the Santo Apolonia train station, the oldest in Lisbon, and located the 3rd platform where it indicated my train was now coming about 10 minutes late. I went to the shop, got some water for the trip and sat down at a bench. Something felt off so I walked up to a worker and asked in Portuguese where I should be for the front car. She looked at my ticket and said my train was actually over there. Mierda.

I took off running as fast I could dragging my bags behind me. I could hear the train starting up but fortunately, the conductor saw me and told them to stop. Whew that was close!

Panting heavily, I took my seat in the first class cabin and tried to calm down. We took off shortly thereafter and on route to Porto with a few stops along the way. The seat was fairly comfortable and just enough legroom so I relaxed and watched the scenery go by in the rain flecked window.

This was also a great time to finally have the creme caramel tart I had been toting around with me. It was worth it as the rich creamy filing paired beautifully with the slightly burnt caramel and the flaky crust.

We arrived at the main train station in Porto, but I decided to abandon my original plan of transferring to the metro to get to my Airbnb in favor of just taking an Uber directly there. I had dinner plans with a local friend so only had time to dump off my luggage and briefly check out my home for the week. More on that tomorrow.

My friend Ray, who has lived in Porto for almost six years, suggested we meet up a local tapas spot called Popina, which was only a few blocks from my place. By this time, I should have known better that meant uphill. I hiked up and entered the restaurant to find Ray already there with a table. He suggested we share a few plates and I told him to go ahead and pick.

We ended up with some local sliced tomatoes, some really good cod fritters, braised beef cheeks with potatoes and some herbed fries. Ray also picked out a bottle of white from Douro which was perfectly chilled.

We ate, drank and reminisced about days of yore. It was interesting speaking so much English for the first time in a few days but a welcomed change of pace.

We decided to split a dessert and settled in on the cheesecake, which as shown above was definitely not typical. Dare I say though almost superior this way – almost like a soft serve cheesecake and absolutely delicious.

We heard a gasp from a neighboring table and saw it was now pouring outside. Well, we still had some wine to finish along with the cheesecake so we continued to chat until about 30 minutes later it stopped. Using that as our cue to say goodbye, we left and went our separate ways until Thursday, when we would meet up across the river for some port tasting. Tomorrow had the best weather of the week so I planned to explore the city and indulge in a local delicacy.

I woke up to surprisingly sunny skies and slightly cooler temperatures which meant it was perfect weather to walk and explore. I wanted to check out a different part of the city so I eschewed the typical path down Liberdade and crossed over a couple of streets.

My ultimate destination was a brunch spot that had been recommended to me called Seventh Brunch. However, in veering off the beaten path, I now found myself in unfamiliar terrain and my Maps had given up. I put the name back in and once again had a route, although to my chagrin featured a pretty steep climb. Not entirely sure how that happened as the normal path is straight downhill.

Eventually, I arrived at the restaurant and gave my name for my reservation. It was then that I discovered I was at the wrong branch, which explained why I had to hike up a hill versus what had looked like a downward path. Fortunately, they had space for me. I had been told pancakes were the thing to get there and after struggling to choose, I finally landed on this magnificent creation.

It featured 3 of some of the lightest, fluffiest pancakes I had had in ages with a delicious lemon cream and apple jam topping. I was almost sad when I finished them but also quite full.

When I was walking up to the restaurant, I had noticed the familiar tram tracks and also heard a few trams go by when eating. It turned out I was a couple of stops from the beginning of the tram that goes through the old part of town. I had been reticent to take it as I expected it to be quite crowded but when it pulled up to the stop, it was virtually empty.

I took a single seat by the window and off we went. Having lived in San Francisco I was, of course, quite familiar with cars like this but this was an entirely different kettle of fish as we veered around corners and went up and down the steep hills. Wheee!

A few stops later the horde arrived, a mixture of locals and tourists cramming into the now packed car. Still, I had my seat with the open window so it wasn’t too bad.

We whipped along the now familiar sites from my tuk tuk tour and eventually landed at our final stop in a quiet corner of the old town. I had read that not too far from there was the famous Elevador tower, which I knew wasn’t working at the movement but still wanted to at least see it.

There was also some sort of street market going on with various stands of both food and wares. I strolled around a bit but was too full for any snacks nor did I care to schlep around any wares.

I continued to wander back towards one of the main plazas but this time I went to the other side after noticing a narrow pathway, which turned out to be their theater row.

My feet needed a break so I took an Uber back to the hotel to rest for a bit. My next destination was a new part of town by the river called Belem, home to a famous pasterie and my restaurant for the evening. It was a bit outside of the city center so I figured it was a good chance to try the other ride share app called Bolt.

In a slightly different change of pace with Bolt I had to pay in advance and then I was paired with a driver. I ended up getting boosted to a higher service – a Tesla (fancee) at no extra charge. After the freeway for the first time, we drove down a steep pathway until it flattened out along the water.

I had chosen to stop first at the Pasteria de Belem to pick up their world famous creme caramel tartes, which they had been making since 1833. Even though it was about 7:30pm on a Sunday there was a line out the door but fortunately moved very quickly and soon I had my tartes.

The restaurant I was going to, Canalha, was about a half mile from there so made the quick walk up the hill and eventually landed at its crowded doorstep. The restaurant had recently won a lot of awards, including a Micheline Guide stop so I had fortunately made a reservation weeks ago.

I was escorted to the long counter and took my seat, watching the action unfold in front of me. Known for its charcuterie, I selected the Ibérico pork jowls as a starter.

Despite the generous portion, I ate the entire plate of buttery soft and smoky goodness. A nice start.

While there were fancier dishes on display, my eye had been drawn toward the flank steak with fried egg and fries. Food is a sense memory and my mind was immediately drawn back to my stay in Valencia as a college student where this was a weekly staple.

This was a slightly elevated version, especially the pan sauce but still had that old school charm. The steak itself was a bit tougher and under seasoned than expected but the fries were perfect so overall a solid dish.

Continuing down memory lane, I opted for the flan, curious to see if Portuguese flan was any different. Turns out, nao. But this was an expertly done version of the classic. A great way to finish the meal.

I walked along the river path and made the steps up to the Hyatt, which featured a rooftop bar. However, when I approached the hostess stand, I was informed that there was a 30 Euro minimum cover per person. Given I had just eaten and only wanted one drink, I said no and left. I crossed over pedestrian bridge, which was about the same height as the bar so got my view anyway.

The only other option was a large club just on the other side of the walkway. I entered into a dead space with a few scattered patrons having dinner and since I was only there for a drink, was escorted to a corner table. Next to me were to 2 guys who had ordered a bottle of wine but quickly realized there was no action to be had. They were gone in 10 mins after chugging down their wine. In fairness, I’m sure the club was poppin the previous night.

I decided to get a ginger mojito and was soon presented with a much larger version than expected. To my surprise, it was absolutely delicious and the perfect nightcap. I finished up my drink and headed back to the hotel for a final night of sleep. Tomorrow was getaway day and for now, the end of my time in Lisbon.

The weather had improved a bit but that was moot for the time being as I planned to spend the next few hours in culinary land – 100 Maneiras. Run by a chef known as “Portugal’s Gordon Ramsey”, including the fact he stars in their versions of “Hell’s Kitchen”, the restaurant is his crown jewel nestled on a side street of the bustling Bairo Alto.

I was warmly greeted by Mico, the sommelier and lucky for me, also my host. I took a seat on a comfy corner table and was soon offered some sparkling water while I decided on wine. My original plan to do the wine pairings no longer seemed as pleasing so I opted instead for a Portuguese sparkling wine Mico liked and said would go great with the first few courses.

Soon after an assortment of items appeared and Mico said “welcome to Bosnia.” He explained that the chef is originally from there and anytime someone enters into a home, they must be fed immediately. He said he wouldn’t tell me what anything was yet. It was meant to be discovered.

I started with the bread and assumed that was to be used as the vessel for the other items. The bread was warm and dense with a slight cheesy taste to it. I took what I assumed was some sort of dried meat, added this red paste (tapenade maybe?) and took in a bite – a lovely combination of flavors and textures. Next I tried scooping up what appeared to be some sort of butter – nice and creamy. I was pretty sure to the far right was a pate (not my favorite) so I only had a small bite of that. The final dish looked like some sort of melted butter – yep.

Mico soon came back and asked me what I thought each was. The meat turned out to be beef (Bosnia is mostly Muslim so no pork) that is dry aged and sliced. The tapenade was fermented red peppers and the butter was a special cream that greatly reduced from the original milk. And the pate was chicken liver.

The next bite was called “Bite a Beet” which consisted of both roasted beet and a beet puree with a dill cream underneath. I popped it in my mouth and the intense beet taste exploded through. A very nice amouse bouche.

Next up was my “cigar” – a favorite of the chef – except in edible form. Inside was dried shavings of pork and cheese wrapped around a cracker like texture. Very clever and delicious.

To this point I had not been given any silverware and this continued with the next dish called “The Mess.” Mico explained that it was to be eaten with my hands – a Caesar salad with truffles and Parmesan cheese. He said there’s no one way to eat and not to worry as they had all of the wet cloths I needed to clean up.

I first cleared away some of the top layer so I had a better sense of what to do. The cheese was light and very flavorful, and revealed what was basically a lettuce boat underneath. Aha that’s how I can do this. I picked up the bottom of the lettuce and bit into the center where now the truffle and anchovies came to the fore. Definitely one of the most interesting salad courses I had ever had.

After I cleaned up, I was presented with this beauty. Mico explained that in their bistro restaurant their most popular dish was the “spicy octopus” which had been distilled down into a couple of bites for this course.

I couldn’t quite get it in a single bite but the octopus was perfectly cooked and the avocado gel with the crispy cracker was nice as well.

On the other side was a “savory octopus mochi” that the chef had fallen in love with while visiting The Azores. The old woman who served it to him refused to give him the recipe so he eventually tried to recreate the best he could. I was finally given some utensils – chopsticks in this case – so I could break open the mochi and see the octopus in the center. The familiar chew of the mochi was offset by the briny octopus flavor. Very unique.

Next up was squid “pasta” in an Ibérico ham broth. Mico explained that the chef’s favorite restaurant in town serves Ibérico ham and one time he had just eaten a mouthful of it when a friend wanted him to try his fish. His mouth still had the salty ham taste but went great with the fish. A lightbulb went off and he decided to recreate that experience combing seasonal seafood with a rich Ibérico ham broth. Today it was squid which had been sliced into strips like noodles. This was an inspired choice as there wasn’t much flavor from the squid but more than made up for by the broth. Very creative.

The last savory course was one of the only memories of father when he was a child, when he used to make a dish using the whole head of a cow, slow cooked. For this version, he focused on the tongue, sliced thin into strips and using a Bosnian crepe like shell. The “poison” I had been presented earlier turned out to be a hot sauce from their former sous chef who was from Mexico.

Mico told me to basically pick it up and eat it like a taco. I folded it in half and took a bite. I’ve had a lot of cabeza and lengua tacos but this was on another level. Incredibly rich, bursting with complex spices. I said I’m from the land of damn good tacos, and this was a damn good taco.

Mico asked if I wanted another glass of wine, and I told him to surprise me. He smiled and said “I love when I’m told that.” He soon returned what he called an “old white”, which had become an obsession of his. In this case, it was a Portuguese white wine from 2015 that transformed over time in the bottle. It indeed had and now had almost some tawny-like nuttiness to it but not overly sweet.

To cleanse the palette, I was offered a pineapple sorbet with a lemon membrane over the top and a pineapple sauce. Breaking through the membrane revealed the tart sorbet and the pineapple goodness. A nice transition.

The next dessert was a stunner. Mico explained that during the massive wild fires in Portugal a few years ago, the chef was helping out get some horses to safety and entered a barn where the smell of burnt hay engulfed him. As someone who believes in confronting his traumas through cooking, he worked to create a dish with burnt hay. After failed attempts as a starter or savory course, he landed on a dessert – a burnt hay ice cream with caramel tuile.

The ice cream did indeed have some smoky notes but not overpowering and offset by the candied nuts and the cracked tuile. Very interesting.

Finally I was presented with “The Tree of Life” which were 3 petit fours that represented where the chef had been (the classic Portuguese creme caramel), where he is now (his version of baklava) and where he’s going (miso dark chocolate) All 3 were delicious but the miso dark chocolate was the standout.

I was beyond full at this point so I waved off coffee or an aperitif, thanked Mico and headed out. A couple of blocks away was a cool lookout point where many people were taking pictures so I joined in the fun.

Needing to walk off that epic meal, I wandered down the steep streets and soon made my way to the plaza I had first seen during my tuk tuk tour. The weather had turned a bit so I decided to Uber back to the hotel and rest for a bit. And of course, blog!

It was a good thing I had such a massive meal for lunch as my dinner reservation wasn’t until 10pm at another famous Lisbon chef’s speakeasy concept called Mini Bar. Located in the back of a sprawling restaurant complex behind a faux bookcase, Mini Bar featured both experimental “bites” and more traditional bar food like burgers.

The reason for my late meal was because at 11pm it would become a cabaret so I didn’t want to miss out on that. I was lucky to get a great corner table, close to the raised stage and also able to look across the room.

After initially choosing a cocktail my server said was not a good starter, I opted for his suggestion – Primo Basilico – Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru, lemon, basil and egg white. He was right as this was indeed a perfect starting cocktail, smooth, flavorful and just the right amount of foam.

I wanted to try at least one of the bites so I selected the roasted chicken and avocado. This turned out to be roasted chicken skin with avocado cream and a piri-piri powder, which I mostly brushed off given its heat. It was an interesting bite of food with still a slight kick of the spices. Paired nicely with my cocktail too.

I didn’t really want a burger or any of their mains and having enjoyed a unique Caesar salad earlier, decided to give this one a shot – Caesar mille feuille salad with anchovies and crispy chicken skin topping. I hate to say, dear readers, but this was the superior version. It was so good I even eagerly ate the large anchovy on top. The salad was indeed layered like the famous pastry and the crispy chicken skin added a nice salty note with all of the cheese and anchovy flavor. A masterpiece really.

I ordered another one of the same cocktail as the show started. The two women danced and sang along to slightly jazzed up versions of various pop songs and were quite talented. It was both slightly cheesy but pretty much perfect for the room. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it and stayed for both of their sets.

Soon it was time to head back to the hotel and after battling some late night traffic, crashed into my bed after my requisite Alka Seltzer. Tomorrow would be my last full day to explore Lisbon but at a much slower pace.

I slept in to shake off the rest of my let lag as well as avoid the rainy morning but eventually headed out into the now drizzle for a short walk to an old skool place for traditional Portuguese seafood – O Cubo.

It was bustling with the lunch hour crowd from all walks of life and nary a word of English – exactly what I wanted. The menu had several fish options but I decided to simple but hopefully delicious – grilled Seabass (róbalo) with roasted potatoes and a salad.

Grilled with just olive oil and salt, the fish was super fresh and cooked perfectly, especially the crispy skin. And the potatoes were soft and creamy inside. Simple but very satisfying.

The rain had stopped so it was time to explore. I had purposefully selected a spot close to the Parque Eduardo VII, which is also across from my hotel. Created in 1903 in honor of King Edward’s visit to Lisbon, the sprawling park is on a steep angle that goes all the way through to the adjoining plaza on the other side.

A bit past the halfway point, I saw a large covered structure that looked like maybe a space for concerts. However, I soon heard the familiar thwacking sound of tennis balls being hit. Sure enough, as I rounded the corner, it was indeed tennis courts.

I walked back to the main path and came to the end of the park along the hedge maze. The statue I had seen in the distance was now in front of me – the infamous Marques of Pombal, who helped rebuild Lisbon after the earthquake and created a new autocracy.

I walked around the plaza and rejoined Avenida de Libertade (Liberty Avenue) to continue to my stroll, noting the various statues along the way.

The slant continued all the way down the avenue until I reached another large plaza, this one as a tribute to Portugal’s liberation in 1640, with some stunning tile patterns.

Now, I was clearly in the tourist zone, with hawkers trying to lure saps into any number of I’m sure terrible restaurants. I quickened my pace to get around that mess while snapping some shots of the area above it.

I was getting pretty tired plus the wind had picked up so I went in search of a spot for some hot chocolate. I turned onto a side street and eventually came across a quiet square with a coffee cart at the end, which also served hot chocolate.

This was exactly what I needed and sipped my very good hot chocolate and enjoyed the quiet for a bit. I decided to use time to write my day 1 post and eventually took my now standard $5.98 Uber ride back to my hotel.

Soon enough it was time to head for dinner at a small restaurant that had developed a loyal local following for its take on traditional Portuguese food with Latin American flavors – Trinca.

I always know I’m in a good spot when the menu is on a chalkboard. My server suggested a glass of red from the Dao region of Portugal so I had that along with their very interesting take on pozole, with wild mushrooms and of course hominy.

The mushrooms were nice and meaty and pared well with the slightly spicy broth. The homemade tortilla chips added a nice textural element as well. A good start

For the main course, I chose the slow roasted pork ribs in a fermented red pepper sauce and roasted cauliflower. The ribs and cauliflower were perfectly fine but the sauce is what made the dish exceptional. It was incredibly flavorful and unique, with both sweet and sour notes balanced together. I couldn’t get enough of it.

I wasn’t originally going to get a dessert, but I was intrigued by the mint panna cotta with lemon curd. My server insisted it wasn’t too “minty minty” and counteracted with the lemon curd. She was right. It was a great combination and the perfect way to finish my excellent meal.

I had read about a natural wine bar that happened to be a mere 3 blocks away so I headed out into the now blistering wind and ran up the street to Nat Wine Bar. After being disappointed by the lack of Portuguese options they were serving, the owner decided to open a red from the Dao region. I thanked her and took a seat watching the youngish crowd of what seemed to be a mix of ex pats and locals.

It was soon past the witching hour and given the epic meal I had planned for lunch tomorrow, stopped at a single glass and headed back to the hotel. I needed to be in top form for that.

(Tap) (Tap) is this thing on? Yes, it’s been a minute since my last adventure but that drought is finally over. Besides Italy, Portugal was the last major European country I had never visited and decided to change that thanks to a great miles deal I found. I had planned to go a bit later in the year to avoid the rainy season but this was too good to pass up.

The trip was long but uneventful and eventually made my way to Lisbon. Battling jet lag, I slept late but eventually headed over to the Time Out Market food hall.

The hall was bustling with tourists and local alike wandering the vast space filled with all kinds of tasty treats. I took a lap soaking it all in and then circled back to a stand featuring something I simply had to have – the octopus hot dog.

There were actually several varieties- from BBQ to topped with kimchi – but I opted for the original – grilled with smoked Japanese mayo. This was decidedly a fork and knife version and was soon digging into to the tender and slightly charred octopus, which was cooked to perfection. The homemade potato chips were nice and crispy, and washed it all down with a quite good local beer called Super Bock. A great first meal.

I made my way over a couple of blocks to the meeting point for the reason I was in that area – a tuk tuk tour of Old Lisbon. They were everywhere but I had reserved a private one and soon was greeted by my guide for the next 2 hours, a friendly chap from Bangladesh called Maru.

Soon a very bumpy ride up the cobblestone streets began with Maru joking that this was the massage chair part of the tour. I was jostled back and forth/up and down as we traversed up the narrow pathway to our first stop, a church from the 1100s – the Cathedral of Lisbon.

Just past the cathedral was a lookout point with the old city and harbor now visible.

Back into the tuk tuk and more winding roads and soon we reached the next spot – St. Vincent Church – a mere 400 years old.

There was another lookout point here but Maru said there was a better one at the highest point so back into the tuk tuk I went to go even further up the hill.

The National Pantheon was teeming with people taking pictures or just hanging out along the walls enjoying the perfect sunshine. Now I could see the entire city – A cidade das sete colinas – the city of 7 hills – all beneath me. I even allowed for a rare picture of yours truly when Maru offered.

We eventually made our way through the Alfama district, the oldest part of the city slowly descending once again. Maru explained this area was one of the only not affected by a massive earthquake that destroyed most of Lisbon in 1755, on All Saints Day no less!

We finally arrived back where we started, and I said thanks to Maru as I hauled my tenderized body out of the tuk tuk. I took an Uber back to my hotel and rested for a bit – but no siesta as that would seriously screw up my jet lag.

To that end, the combination of wanting to take it easy plus the fact I had a $100 hotel credit to use made me decide to just go to the bar in the hotel for a cocktail and some bites.

To my chagrin, some of the boisterous American tourists I had run into leaving the hotel had perched at the bar (trucker hat and overalls, really??) so I picked a spot as far away from them as possible.

I had spotted a very intriguing cocktail on the menu called Smokey Thing – which was lapsang souchong infused brandy, Pernod, dill syrup and bitter lime. The nose was like a campfire but unfortunately, the Pernod completely overpowered. Sensing my dislike, the bartender offered to make me another one with less Pernod. This was much better and more balanced. A great choice.

I couldn’t go to Portugal and not have one of their signature small plate – bachalau – salted cod fritters – and this version was way better than expected with a surprising smokey element mixed within the soft filling. Muito delicioso!

Next the bartender recommended the sirloin sliders and fries which sounded great to me as well. The first bite was a bit chewy but eventually got into the tender parts and scarfed both down. The spongy Portuguese bread was lightly toasted and helped sop up the tangy steak sauce. Way better than expected and free!

It was good timing too as now the bar was filled with more of the Ugly Americans barging their way in. I took that was my cue to leave and headed back to my room. The weather wasn’t going to be nearly as nice as today but the cooler overcast skies would be a good time to explore the city more on foot.

Having successfully navigated by alcohol intake, I woke up relatively refreshed and ready for the last hurrah. Because there was football to watch later, it was time to do one final big meal and a Sunday brunch fit the bill. Fortunately, what seemed like a very promising spot – brown bakery and cafe (yes all lowercase) – was a stone’s throw away.

I grabbed a table in this small outdoor patio and was soon presented with a menu full of delicious brunch items. I wanted to start with my usual mimosa, but my friendly server explained that their Prosecco order didn’t come through. “No Prosecco, no mimosas!” He instead recommended their sangria with “red fruits.” It was a good choice and damn fine sangria which I had use great restraint not to chug.

Of all of the items, the one that immediately stopped me in my tracks was the carrot pancakes with sweet cream and candied nuts. I was first surprised by the lack of syrup, but after I dug in, I understood why. It was basically like eating a carrot cake in pancake form. Amazing.

In what turned out to be a miscommunication, what I though I had ordered as a side of German sausage turned out to be well a bit more. The hot plate contained not only the sausage but also a mount of crispy potatoes and a poached egg. The sausage had a nice snap and very flavorful, and the perfectly poached egg mixed together beautifully with the roasted potatoes. Brunch perfection and $15 all in.

It had started to rain so I made my way back home and got ready to watch the first of two NFL playoff games on my great TV. It was a nice way to wind down my stay here. The first game didn’t turn out to be much of a contest – congrats Iggles – so I mostly worked on prepping for my next blog post. Suddenly, I started getting news alerts and texts from friends about a potential major trade war about to start between the US and Colombia.

I’ll spare the particulars as it turned out to be short-lived. However, it served as a reminder that while it was nice to escape the news onslaught of our new president was generating, the consequences of his actions will affect the entire world. We can try to avoid it and seek shelter, but there will be no safe spaces in reality.

I joked with some friends that it was a good thing I had decided to come back tomorrow before possibly not at all. As noted, while the issue was resolved relatively quickly, I imagined what would have happened if this had occurred a week ago. How many uncomfortable conversations would I have had with friendly locals why my country was trashing the one of the most important trade relations in South America?

I had been lucky to not have many of the “Trump WTF?” discussions I had dreaded. “Yo soy de California” usually took care of that. Yet if this had been exacerbated and earlier during my trip, I guess I would have had to break out my German accent. OK, off my soap box.

The second game was, unfortunately, smack dab in the middle of dinner time. This, of course, was part of the reason I had eaten such a huge brunch. My options were already limited given it was Sunday night, but I had been curious about a local chain called El Corral which had many different types of burgers. I walked a few blocks to the nearest location only to discover the restaurant door closed with a group of motorcyclists/food delivery milling around a patio.

Suddenly, a worker came out to the patio with a large stack of to go orders. After she called out the orders, I flagged her to try to order as well. She first told me that I needed to use their food delivery app to do so but relented after I asked if I could order from her since I was already here.

I decided to keep it simple and eschew the various monster burger concoctions that dominated the menu in favor of a chicken sandwich combo. About 10 minute later, she returned with my order and I booked it back to my place to catch the second half of the game. The combo consisted of the sandwich, which had mozzarella, lettuce and honey mustard on a potato bun alongside some fries and a bottle of sparkling water. While not the most aesthetically pleasing meal, it was very tasty, especially the nicely grilled chicken with the tangy honey mustard.

After the game, I took my final jacuzzi in the cool, damp air. Soon enough it would be time to pack up and get ready to depart this great city. My body and stomach were definitely excited to get a break for a bit – salads would be in my future fosho.

I was very glad I had decided that 2.5 days wasn’t nearly enough to experience Bogota. This is vast and diverse place full of great people and superb food. While I’ll probably never be back, I’ll never forget the sights, sounds and tastes of this “Athens of South America.” Hasta próxima vez.

I woke up a new man and very grateful I had decided not to push it yesterday. I had been interested in going to this recommended spot, Nueve, for dinner but they only had lunch available. It was only about a mile away so I tested out my rejuvenated body and walked in the cloudy cool weather to the restaurant.

Known as a “puerta cerrada” which means it’s actually in a house versus a traditional restaurant space. I was very familiar with the concept having been to many of them during my time in Argentina. In this case, it seemed to be a lot closer still to a typical restaurant.

Nueve focuses on small plates to share. This worked for me as I wanted to try a few different things anyway. First up was a crab cake with shrimp tartare on top. The crab cake was flavorful and crispy but the shrimp tartare took it to another level. A great start.

Next was what they called a flank steak and creole potato taco but to me upon first bite brought me immediately to a classic taco al carbon. It was a small but packed a ton of flavor. I would easily have eaten many more of these if offered. But in this case, onto the next.

The final savory course was a Hearts of Palm “pasta” carbonara with crispy guanciale. I wasn’t expecting the “pasta” to be pickled so it took me a bit of time to get over that acidity although the sauce was nice and creamy. Solid if slightly disappointing despite the great plating.

My final course was anything but that – semi-bitter dark chocolate with peanuts and raspberries. Before I dug in, I had assumed it was basically a brittle but soon learned it was closer to an ice cream. Dark chocolate and peanuts is one of my favorite combos so that was a given to be good, but I was surprised how well the raspberries worked with it, adding some needed acidity to the richness.

I headed back home to rest up before my last big night out. I had yet to visit the bustling Zona T district so seemed like the perfect time to do so. Despite being only about a 15 minute walk from me, Zona T felt like a different world. Interesting local shops were now replaced by familiar global brands and depressingly sterile.

I made my way through the large outdoor mall to my first stop – Barra Chalaca. The small restaurant focused on classic Peruvian fare and faced out towards the main thoroughfare which was a cacophonous mess of competing music by the various bars.

Fortunately, soon thereafter my first course arrived – tiradito of tilapia with sweet potatoes in an aji amarillo sauce. This was an excellent tiradito – the fresh fish thinly sliced for the flavorful sauce and broken up by the needed sweetness of the potatoes. Like I was back in Lima.

Since it was getting cold outside, the fish soup with pasta, potatoes and lemons sounded to good to me. The flavorful broth with the lemons worked great with the chunky potatoes and pieces of fish. The only dessert option was chocolate cake so I declined given my lunch.

A few spots down was my next destination – La Huerta, a cocktail bar which had been recommended to me. Featuring over 100 cocktails from local ingredients (Huerta = orchard or vegetable garden), I was soon presented with basically a book of options.

Since I knew I was only going to get one (you’re welcome Morning Guy) I decided to go for something different which they had named cacuyo – whiskey, Tío Pepe sherry, toasted rice and pandan leaf. I didn’t really taste the rice per se but this was a very pleasant cocktail, which I would have enjoyed even more if hotter out. As I sipped my cocktail, I was entertained by the DJ who couldn’t mix to safe his life but was playing decent tunes. Still, after finishing my drink, I was very eager to get the Hell out of Zona T.

My final stop was back towards my place at the microbrewery I had passed several times during my walks. It turned out that it was magic night as I slid into the last available seat at the small bar. I was informed 2 of the beers were tapped out so I selected tasters of amber and American stout. Both were surprisingly good as was the 3rd magician up. In fact, he was so good I ordered a taster of the blonde, which was decent.

Wanting to take advantage of the colder weather with a nice soak in my jacuzzi I left to do just that. This turned out to be just what my aching body needed and soon I headed for bed. Tomorrow would be the last hurrah with one more Sunday brunch and some (American) football to watch.