Culinary Regions of Portugal= Lisbon (Lisboa)

As we make our way through the Culinary region of the Estremadura Region of Portugal, I would like to make a stop over in Lisbon (The Capital), known as the City of the Seven Hills. Let's walk over cobblestone streets and explore a city mixed in ancient history and modernism. Known as a world class city, it is both affordable, beautiful, lively, and elegant. Because it is built on seven hills, you can expect to find yourself walking up and down and all around ( a good workout, I'd say). Lisbon is divided by travellers into three distinct neighborhoods. Bairro Alto, Lisbon's Latin quarter; Alfama, medieval with its castle on a hill and Baixa, a flat gridded street neighborhood in the middle of the city. The Alfama is known as the Sailor's Quarters where one can enjoy a delicious cup of coffee on a Tuesday or Saturday morning and watch the goings on at the busy flea market of Feira de Ladra. At Bairro Alto you can enjoy a 10 minute hike or use a funicular elevator to go from the Alto to downtown. Here you can sight see and at the same time taste test the Port Wines at the Port Wine Institute. Here you will find 300 different ports and try a glass for anywhere from $1 to $15 a glass. Three miles from Downtown Lisbon in the Belem District, you can indulge in the medieval. It is a city of sidewalk cafes and bars. You can drink a Bica (an espresso like coffee) and nibble on a Pasteis de Nata (Creme tart) or try Arroz Doce (Sweet rice pudding). If you prefer something more on the liquor content, you can try Ginjinha, a sweet liquor made from the cherry like ginga berry, sugar and schnapps. The Feira Popular bustles in the evenings. Families gather to enjoy such delicacies as fried duck. It is a city where you can spend morning until the wee hours of the night and never get bored. Once we have had our cameras filled to over flowing with the many beautiful sights, our ears still echoing the sounds of the Fado, the traditional song and music of Portugal haunting and mournful ballad of broken hearts, lost sailors, and sad romance, danced to the traditional or the modern, not eaten until at least 9:30 or 10:00 at night and watched all the people enjoying themselves as much as we are, we can make our way wearily to our hotel rooms for a good night's sleep, because from here we will enter the Estremadura region and discover yet another culinary region full of delicious delights as was mentioned in my previous article. For now, let's sit and have one more cup of coffee and listen to one more Fado under a sky full of stars.

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