PiÃ³ro » Portugal

On a Golden Shoestring Maybe

Martha Heckman — Fri, 21 Jun 2002 10:54:45 +0000

So our lonely planet has been helpful, don’t get me wrong… it’s just that I’m not so sure about their idea of a shoestring budget. Either that, or the prices have gone up in the past year. We haven’t had much success, or enjoyment out of the places that the book recommends, accommodation and mostly food wise (they’re pretty good at suggesting an itinerary, the obvious places to hit). But maybe this is a good thing, as we have had lots of enjoyment when we find something on our own, or through word of mouth.

Such as when we finally got instructions to the good restaurant in Lisbon by the French speaking construction worker… lto Minho… where the food, which was all ordered for us by our friend who knew what we should eat better than we did, was incredible. When the bill arrived, we had to do a double take as we were sure that there was no way it could be right, or that maybe the rest of the bill was coming later…

Or Flamenco for instance.

We were inundated with advertisements for Flamenco shows in Seville, but the price just wasn’t right, though it did sound like fun.

So, when we heard about the free Flamenco shows at a local bar, we were all over that… problem was, we couldn’t find the bar. Many people had been there, but usually after a lot of drinking, and if you’ve been to the old city, the streets can confuse even the most sober directionally-enhanced people. On our last night in the city, we hooked up with some Canadians from our hostel (see: This just in: Canadians are the new Australians), who had been there already, and we managed to find it without too much difficulty. The sets may have been a little short, but the performances were genuine, and the price was right! Flamenco is something to see. We sat right up close, were you could really see the expressions… so serious… almost angry, or painful… very passionate… not really supposed to be funny, but for me was on the verge of farce as I kept picturing an inebriated Tim Wilbur up on stage.

The bar was something too, a good mix of locals, tourists, young and old. And on the back patio, which felt like one I’d been to in Montreal, we reminisced about College street (see: This just in: Canadians are the new Australians), and felt a little silly.

We were very happy to have met our fellow College/Dufferinite though, as when discussions turned to Granada, it was she who told us about Rambutan…

I forgot my pipe

Matthew Pioro — Sat, 15 Jun 2002 18:46:58 +0000

In Toronto, I was never offered pot. Never. I say this because every time Mar and I walk through the main squares of Lisbon, we are offered hash. Countless times a man would walk by, and quietly blurt out “’ash?” In the time it took him to utter that syllable, he’d flash a chunk the size of two zippo lighters. For all I knew, the stuff was chocolate. We always declined, subtlety and politely. I guess carrying a backpack in Lisbon is like sporting dreads in Toronto.

My Travels in Hyper-reality (with apologies to U. Eco)

Matthew Pioro — Sat, 15 Jun 2002 18:27:35 +0000

A few days ago, Mar and I were at the Mosteiro des Jeronimos in Lisbon. This 17th century monastery has a great courtyard. Full on Manueline architecture. We were wandering around with. Mar was taking pictures. She then turned to me and said, “I wish those garbage cans weren’t there.” I could understand. Although the discrete little cans would keep the place orderly and clean, they did detract from pictures. The picture wouldn’t seem authentic. After all, how are you expected to travel back in time if you have 20th century chrome in the picture?

Knowing that the pictures are digital, I said, “Hey, you can just PhotoShop them out later.” A contemporary bit of software could make the real picture more authentic by doctoring the image. The fake would be more real than the original. So the end result would be the courtyard, as it really looked in the 17th century, not how it really looked in the 21st. Not that I really know how the courtyard looked in the 17th c. Really, I’m just guessing.

(This, grasshopper, is what happens to a mind that took its BA studies too seriously.)

For the PhotoShop Eggheads, PSD is the acronym for the Portuguese Social Democratic Party. I never thought software would lean to the left!

Did you see me waving?

Martha Heckman — Mon, 10 Jun 2002 16:44:55 +0000

We were at Cabo Roca yesterday (I think that was what it was called).

The most western point on continental Europe. Very, very high up. On a cliff. No guard rails. Not even a sign saying “be careful”, or “watch your step” or “don’t stand so close to the edge, what are you crazy?!”

I love Europe.

Yearning for Flatter Ground

Martha Heckman — Sat, 08 Jun 2002 18:20:17 +0000

Portugal breeds strong calf muscles. My mind and eyes are saying “Yes. Yes. More!” while my legs and feet are threatening mutiny. ‘Spose I better get used to it.

Globalisation and Constipation

Matthew Pioro — Sat, 08 Jun 2002 18:16:26 +0000

When Mar and I arrived in Lisbon, after an over-night train ride (love the couchette), we were feeling a little, hum, corked. Martha thinks it was due to the magnesium enriched bottled water we picked up in Paris. Anyway we needed to do something. And what get’s the body movin’ better than Rotten Ronnie’s. So I went to one of the main squares in Rossio, in the centre of Lisbon, to the Golden Arches. Two Big Mac meals later, I was hurrying back to the pensao, hoping I wasn’t attracting too many disdainful glances.

When I walked in to the pensao, there were two construction workers or labourers doing some tile-work. The older one made many noise of disapproval. The one I understood was “Merde!” I responded in my best French that I knew it was merde, but I needed something fast. He said something to the effect of, “Well of course shit is fast.” I don’t think he knew how close to the truth I hoped he was.

After some chit-chat (he thought I was from Belgium!), he said he’d take me to a true Portuguese restaurant. Still hasn’t happened yet, but we’ll see.