England Baby

So I went and I saw and I breathed in the English air...

I ate English asparagus and all the biscuits I'm deprived of here. I ate Cadburys buttons and Galaxy till I could eat no more, and I spent time with all the wonderful people back home.

Normally when I leave England, I leave with a longing for Lisbon...

But this time England held tight with all its charm.

Whenever I talk about England with a foreign person, I'm chatting away, waiting for the sentence..

 "But the weather!"

It wasn't until I lived there with N that I realised how much we do go on about the weather. We will happily watch the morning news, the 6 o'clock news, the 10 o'clock news, every day!

As N put it once, 'What's the point of always checking when you know it's just going to rain..' Gee, thanks.

And everybody I know says the same thing, 'England is such a beautiful place, if only the weather would allow you to enjoy it.'

I remember when I was little, the distinct shifts in the seasons, the drifting in of spring smells and blossom, the gradual chill in the air signaling winter. Now it seems each season is drifting into each other. But this time we were lucky. The sun was warm on our shoulders and everything was full of English summer and holidays. Not a care in the world, miles away from work and papers.

I was back to see new beginnings, and to be surrounded by love and comfort from family. There is a new spring in their step and a new love in their eyes.

**

I am now back to the heat and tangible feelings of August holidays and beaches. Summer has arrived.

The windows are open wide and the hot air is flowing in. It feels like Lisbon.

I'm watching, 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe', which feels like England.

A mix of the two, feels like home.

**

Places to eat in Lisbon

I was chatting with a few friends the other day about a restaurant one of them went to, and we got to talking about this other one I recommended and then this other one someone else had heard of....

So I began thinking -
If there is one thing I think everyone needs and wants, its good restaurant reviews.

And ideally from;

a. Someone who you trust / know has good taste.
b. And ideally has been there or lived/lives in the city/town.

I know I for one search endlessly for restaurant reviews and recommendations for cities that I am due to visit or holiday in.
If its Paris, than without doubt I would head straight to David Lebovitz's blog and read his many posts on Top 10 places to visit, to see and to do in Paris.

Last year we spent a weekend in Madrid during Easter and I trawled the web trying to find places to eat at. I ended up reading the Guardian newspaper travel section to find a source that I could trust.

I have lived in Lisbon now for nearly 3 years, and although I am not a 'local', working in a place with lots of locals and speaking to lots of friends I have over the years tried a fare few restaurants.

I have made a list below of the restaurants (and 1 famous cafe) that I would and do recommend to people if I get asked for a good place to eat. They vary in food type, Portuguese, Italian, Mediterranean, and location around Lisbon.
There are a few that have especially nice views/features of Lisbon if you were a visitor. But in general they are places that I turn to if I am going out for lunch or dinner.

***

Sunshine Friends

The last few weeks the weather has warmed up enough for t-shirts, walks on the beach and picnics in the park.

(Jardim de Estrela, Lisbon)

I was introduced to the beautiful park, pictured above, that nestles into the busy, hilly streets of Lisbon city centre. Once I was inside I realised how much I'd missed the parks from where I lived in England.
I remember saying once to N that I imagined them getting really busy in the summer, and he replied, "Well yeah, but then everyone goes to the beach?" Obviously...

But being still somewhat from the countryside, vast, open, green spaces are what I like best, and what I've gotten used to as my weekend jaunt.

Don't get me wrong, I love to walk by the sea but still being on top of a hill, looking out over open space and feeling the chilly wind is a wonderfully free feeling.

(Stanage Edge, Peak District)

Autumn to Winter

From yesturday, suddenly its winter.

Its dropped to 8-10C here in Lisbon, which for us is cold, freezing.

Especially since days before this, it's been 16-18C most days.

Ok, its not freezing.

But i must admit i was abit envious when I heard there is snow in England now.

Autumn Festivites

Today is November 11th...

Dia de S.Martinho, as its called here in Portugal or St. Martin’s Day, also known as the Feast of St. Martin. 

It is a day celebrated by drinking, and eating Chestnuts..

AKA the best day ever!

Saint Martin, was a Roman soldier, who later became a monk. The most famous legend is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold.

Across Europe people celebrate this day and here in Portugal the day is commonly associated with the celebration of the maturation of the year’s wine, traditionally the first day when the new wine is tasted. It is celebrated around a bonfire, eating the magusto, chestunuts roasted under the embers of the bonfire (sometimes dry figs and walnuts also), and drinking a local alcoholic beverage called água-pé (literally “foot water”), by adding water to the remaining grape bits (pomace) once they have been pressed for wine.