Leaving Lis Boa

I´m about to take a bus out of Lisbon to the walled and white washed city of Evora in the Alentejo Region of Portugal. There's something about light and the city of Lisbon. The way the sun hits the tiled sidewalks and buildings and the light just shimers away. As the sun sets, the shadows comes out in this city of seven hills and the lit areas slowly shrink away. Even late at night walking around, these tiles make the city glow as it reflects the night street lamps on the streets, plazas, and walkways.

Touring around Lisbon, I recommend skipping the tourist trolley and take the much cheaper public No. 28 trolley that makes it´s way through the city center and up the Alfama barrio, slowly winding pass the Se (Cathedral), Porte de Sol and Castelo de Sao Jorge. Sometimes the trolley barely has enough room to go through the streets and almost touches the buildings, sign posts and parked cars. It cracks me up, but occasionally kids still jump on and hang off the back of trolleys to avoid paying the fares.

There´s also a little pastry in the Belem barrio worth mentioning. It´s called "pasteis de nata" from the shop, Pasreis de Belem which has been making these egg custard pies since 1837. Warm, smooth and sweet custard filling inside and a crunchy, philo-like crust. It´s so similar to Chinese egg custard which I have an obsession for but I´m not sure if it was the Portuguese who thankfully introduced it the Chinese in Macau or the other round. Supposedly, a monk invented the Belem recipe and passed it onto a pastry chef in the 1800´s. It´s still made by hand, and only one pastry chef and two assistants (sworn to secrecy of´course) knows the exact recipe. Absolutely delicious straight from the oven with a strong cup of coffee!

I can´t believe tomorrow will be five years since 9-11. The Portuguese television have been running documentaries all week about that day involving the hijacking on the planes, the jumpers from the world trade center, and other events of that sad day. Watching the plane crash into the building and the two towers collapsing still seem surreal. Those poor people in the buildings and planes.