MIKE AND JESS' TRAVEL DIARY
Slovenia and Portugal Trip
Day 10 - May 13 2023
Late last night my right foot started really hurting when I put any weight on it. Very early in the trip, the tendon below my ankle bone started acting up. Since we are on vacation and on vacation “Nothing else matters!,” I ignored it and pushed through. That caught up with me after another 30,000+ step day on hilly, cobblestone streets. The side of my foot was swollen and hot. 🙁 Our plan for today was to catch an early train out to Sintra to check out the old town and a few of the many castles and manors in the city. We still set our alarms for 6:30 to see how my foot felt and it was a no-go. So, we got back into bed and slept some more, determined to find a solution today so we can do Sintra tomorrow.
In the late morning, Mike was wonderful enough to walk a couple blocks to the closest pharmacy. Thankfully, even though it was a small shop, they had everything we had hoped for. Suited up with Icy Hot, a soft ankle brace, and a cane (I look SUPER COOL), we tried walking to breakfast. We chose Heim again because it was the closest cafe and we knew it would be good. They were busier than last time since we got there around 10, but after only 5 minutes waiting, we got a table.
This time, Mike got the Mushroom Toast breakfast and I had to go for the Turkish Mood breakfast again. We took our time, ordering a couple coffees and juices, getting some rest before more walking.
We had a very cool spot to check out that we did not hit yesterday called Time Out Market. It’s a big indoor food hall that serves all kinds of food and desserts. However, once we made it there, being a Saturday, it was packed. The patio tables spilling out of the hall were all full and we had forgotten to bring our masks. Since there were surely a hundred people jammed in the indoor space, and we weren’t hungry, it seemed unnecessary. When we come back to Lisbon, we will hit it on a weekday for sure.
As consolation, we went to a coffee shop a block away, but tucked into an alley so it was nearly empty. We got some coffees and small desserts (they were 3 Euro for the 5 small dipped pastries) and rested a bit.
We headed back home to enjoy some time on our rooftop patio. On the way, we popped into a pastry shop we didn’t even see on google, and ordered some pasteis and a palmier. It was the first time we had to order by pointing and saying thank you in the local language. On this whole trip. English is so common in both countries, but this tiny pastry shop run by an older couple hasn’t changed. It was great.
After some sun time on the balcony, I needed a nap (I never take naps!) and Mike relaxed on the couch until just before the time we needed to leave for dinner.
We had one restaurant that was a “must-do” for us in Lisbon. It’s called Bairrices and it’s an amazing concept. All-you-can-eat tapas. They serve 22 tapas dishes to every table. No ordering necessary, except drinks. After seating, they just start bringing out tapas in phases in small dishes, until you have received all 22. Then, you can re-order any of them again, as many times as you want. I don’t think we could have dreamed up a better dining experience.
Many of the reviews mentioned needing reservations, but we are hesitant to call and they did not have a website, so we figured we would get there when they opened and cross our fingers. Worst case, we would make reservations for tomorrow in person.
We walked into the courtyard, filled with greenery and patio tables. The area is shared with many restaurants, and this one only had a handful of outdoor tables. We asked if we could be seated without reservations and they checked their books and said yes. Yay! After one more table came in without reservations, they started turning everyone else away. If you didn’t book ahead, you were not getting in. We got very lucky. And, they are closed Sundays, so we could not have booked them for tomorrow if we came any later.
On to the food. Many pictures below including the menu provided. Many of the dishes were seafood, and I was determined to try some of the less fishy ones and some of the types I have never eaten before, including octopus, squid, and chicken gizzards! Mike has previously eaten all the food types except the gizzards.
Once done with the savory dishes, they brought out the desserts on a board. All were called mousses, but in reality, they were creams. Good creams, though!
The whole meal is 22 Euro a person, not including drinks. Which is a VERY good deal. Our meal last night was 10 Euro each tapa. Given the price and location in a relatively touristy place, the food was all very high quality. The seafood seemed very fresh and all the dishes were well prepared. We don’t have a gauge on what is authentic for Portuguese food, but we had flavors we have never experienced before and almost every dish was completely new to us. So, it was an awesome experience and we are very glad it worked out!
We ended our day on the balcony again, hoping my foot cooperates tomorrow and we can see some cool castles!