So, the other week I realized I'm almost done with my time abroad!! Portugal had been on my mind since it's so close and relatively cheap, so semi-last minute I booked a flight and a week later packed my bad and headed off not really knowing what I would find. The hostel I booked in Lisbon had amazing ratings and now I know why... it's the best place I've ever stayed at, including hotels! (photo: the view from MY room!)
The place was a Portuguese "mansion" that was converted into a hostel, it was perfect as a solo traveller. The staff treated me like a friend visiting their house for a weekend rather than a temporary guest and I met so many interesting and fun people! My first evening I met 2 girls from New York who have been living in heaven in Lisbon for the week and had a lot of insight for me. We got a fancy seafood dinner at a nearby restaurant (yes, I ate fish and yes, I liked it!) and I crashed early, preparing for my big day ahead.Friday morning I headed out on a roadtrip with a local named Ricardo, 2 Aussies, a Brazilian, and another Cali native. I was the only girl, but definitely kept up with the boys!
"We Hate Tourism Tours" was started similar to how my dad started his business, so I liked the idea the moment I heard about it. Bruno, the founder, was working st the hostel and in meeting travelers he realized that they didn't know what to see when they came to Lisbon or only did the touristy things. He started taking people around to see his favorite things, then his friend and mechanic Ricardo helped him fix up more vehicles, and viola, the tour company was started!So, Ricardo took us around in their bright yellow bus to show us the best of the Lisbon area from a local's perspective.
First we went to Sintra, a historic place with many castles and (enchanted) forests. We had the local tradition of Ginja, a cherry liquor which you drink from a tiny chocolate cup that you eat with it! In Sinta we mainly saw the Palacio de Pena, a huge colorful and funky castle on the top of the main hill of the Lisbon area. It overlooks everything, from the Moorish castles and ruins to the big city to the ocean. It was like being in a wooded fairy land, despite the heat, and I'm so glad we got so much time there! After that we got a simple lunch and ate it at the most Western Point of all Europe, Cabo de Roca. It was the most spectacular views of the Atlantic for miles and miles as well as the coastlines, so awe-inspiring yet I had no idea it existed! 
We went to the pristine sand dune beach of Guincho where locals relax, and then explored the rocky areas. We went to Cascais for the best Gelati in the area, but didn't stay too long. We finished with Belem to see a few of the impressive monuments and a monastery. They were nice, but we were REALLY there for the infamous pastries at Pasteis de Belem! These things are world famous and have been around since 1837! Normally it's packed with people out the door but we actually sat down to enjoy it. My mouth will never be the same...! After that, our trip was over and we got back to Lisbon. There was so much more to the day in between the events that it felt like such a full and complete experience. The people were fun and we joked around a lot, plus everyone had the same desire for a "backdoor" kind of experience of the place. It was nice to be around like-minded people and not do the tourist trap thing. That night, I met up with my new Australian friends plus some German people from my hostel and we just enjoyed the warm and breezy city at night! In one of the major plazas there was music playing and performers, as well as spectacular night views!
Saturday my New York girlfriends and I went to Cascais to lay out on the beach. It was the cutest little cove area with gentle waves, clear water, and a small harbor. I later walked around to explore the shopping, then went back to Lisbon for a bit. There was a big-deal European soccer championship on TV so while everyone in the city was watching it, we went to a delicious dinner then back to the hostel to hang out and talk with everyone.
We relaxed and swapped travel stories and jokes into the night. Woke up at 5:30 for my early morning flight and went back to Madrid with amazing memories!Going to Portugal was the best thing I've done on this trip as a whole, but going alone really made it worthwhile! It was so nice to be able to plan what I wanted to do on my own timing and not waste my time doing things I was just "eh" about. I could meet up when I felt active and stay behind when I was tired and have some time to myself even when surrounded by so many people. Meeting new friends helped out a lot, and I now have people to visit in other parts of the world!
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