Portugal & France — “Paris is always a good idea”

Wanting to visit a dear friend in Paris, my son and I booked an 11-day trip to Europe at the end of May; 4 days in Portugal and 7 in France. Of course, it’s not long enough but it’s never long enough so I have to go anyway or there will be only dreams instead of memories.

First stop, Lisbon! We stayed at Hotel da Baixa near the waterfront and this plaza, Praca do Comercio (Commerce Square), not far from Rossio Square where the train station is located. There were street performers in the plaza with a mood of international fellowship and peace. What a fun city for walking, but a bit challenging to navigate. Completely unlike New York where streets and avenues are numbered, Lisbon has winding streets that change names multiple times. This is fine when meandering but make it tricky when looking for something specific. Driving wouldn’t be easy because a lot of the narrow roads are one-way or pedestrian-only during certain hours.

We also took one of the many “free” walking tours that provides a lot of history and education about the architecture and various occupations that left influences on the land and people. (Travel tip: It helps to register for the free walking tour in advance.) Known as the “sunniest city in Europe,” there was great weather every day — 70s during the day and 60s at night.

Like many (maybe most) European cities, there’s an old fort and castle way up on a hill overlooking the town. We walked up and paid the entrance fee for Castelo de Sao Jorge (St. George Castle) but were a bit surprised to find that it’s only the fort walls. There’s no building inside!

Still, the view from the top is worth both the hike and the entrance fee to support it. On another day, we walked back up the hill for a view of the setting sun over the harbor.

On our first full day, we took the train to Sintra. It’s an easy and cheap ride about 40 minutes out of town. The UNESCO World Heritage town is full of beautiful castles and parks like a real-life Disney World. It’s magical to see from a distance but also incredible when you get close enough to see all the details.

Visitors are recommended to arrive about 9:30 AM when the parks open which we did. Each area requires a separate ticket but entrance tickets are timed and we weren’t able to gain access to some at convenient times. We could have purchased tickets online in advance but, no worries. We were happy going in a few and just walking around for about three hours.

Early afternoon we hired a taxi to take us to Estalagem Muchaxo, a romantic, small hotel built into the side of the cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean where I honeymooned many years ago. It’s almost unchanged. The swimming pool is ocean-fed and everything about it is full of charm. Next to Muchaxo is Fortaleza do Guincho Hotel & Restaurante, Michelin rated and widely considered the best restaurant in Portugal. Daniel and I sat on the terrace and enjoyed an absolutely amazing lunch in the sunshine. As every place we visited in Portugal, the price was very affordable.

I mean, really! I was sitting in the sunshine with this view enjoying excellent service, food, and wine with my fine son. What better way to spend a Wednesday afternoon?

After lunch we got an Uber (they’re easy and cheap) to Estoril which is about 15 minutes south. We peeked in the lobby of the casino where the James Bond movie “Casino Royale” was filmed then walked along the coast to the commercial center of Cascais.

This area is sweet but not especially unique in that it’s much like a lot of other beach towns with souvenir shops and CBD stands. No THC is allowed. We were told the laws are becoming more liberal and cannabis is legal for private use, just not for sale, which resembles Virginia law back home. Portugal doesn’t have a medical exception. There was no problem getting directions or finding people who speak English. But trying Spanish doesn’t work at all. At the risk of stating the obvious, Portuguese is a completely different language. We took the train back to Lisbon which was cheap, fun, and easy.

Before dinner we enjoyed aperitivo, the European version of happy hour, then opted for tapas–several small dishes meant to be shared. The fried balls are cod fish which is a local specialty and found on most menus.

Thursday afternoon we enjoyed one of the best meals of the trip at Leonetta on Pink Street (R. da Rosa, 321). A reservation is preferred but we got lucky in every regard when we found this little restaurant and were seated for a culinary delight!

Daniel loved his seafood while my pasta with mushrooms and black truffles was amazing! The photo of my pasta is a tad blurry; probably because of the delicious wine that I couldn’t turn down.

Friday night we went to the Taylor Swift concert at the Lisbon Football (Soccer) Stadium holding 70,000 people. It was definitely an adventure! I wrote a separate blog post on the show so will skip the details. The entire show was a notch above anything I’ve seen before.

Leaving Saturday morning was challenging. The small concern was that our street is pedestrian-only most of the day so we needed to walk to the square for an Uber pick-up.

The real issue was that the French Air Traffic Controllers were striking (not uncommon) so our flight was cancelled and we had to find a different way to get to Paris. After considering many options, we booked flights to Brussels, Belgium then took a train to Paris. The last-minute re-routing cost extra money, time, and stress but we arrived safely and were met by my treasured friends of more than 40 years, Pierre and Monique.

Sunday we drove through the French countryside, past the town of Le Mans famous for the auto race, and arrived at a castle with peony gardens in full bloom. Chateau de Sourches is in the Pays de la Loire region and was built in 1763.

The day was spent with interesting, fun friends, old and new. Quite un-American, the castle has no restaurant so we enjoyed a picnic on the lawn as only the French can do; good wine, delicious baguettes, homemade jams, cheese & sausage, fresh fruit, and more. Many of these castles and chateaus scattered about Europe are handed down through generations but some are for sale. Depending on the location, one can buy a small castle for about $3 million, so I’m told. I expect it would take a lot to renovate it to bring it up to acceptable living standards but it would be such a fun project.

Monique and I had been reunited less than 24 hours but it felt like we had never parted. This is the kind of friendship that stays warm and close even with separations of years at a time. It’s the kind of friendship that’s worth flying across the ocean to maintain.

The next day (Monday, May 27th) we caught a train to Caen then a bus to Ouistreham. How special to be riding bikes on the beach at Normandy on Memorial Day.

Eighty years earlier, on June 6, 1944, the American and allied troops came ashore freeing the French from the Germany occupation during WWII. To this day, it’s still the largest seaborne invasion in history.

The Americans came ashore a short ways down the beach. This specific section of the beach was where the British disembarked. Gratitude for the liberators is prominent throughout the town.

It was an absolute honor to visit with Mme. Dilly who was 17-years old during the liberation. She invited us in for champagne then we took a stroll down the lovely, pedestrian streets. We all laughed at our shared memories of meeting more than 40 years ago.

There’s a ferry that takes 8 hours to cross the English Channel and a heavy British influence with pubs serving fish and chips but we opted for crepes for dinner. Given the choice, French food seems safer than British, even if it is the one thing the Britts do well. Thanks to all the walking, I didn’t gain weight but, seriously, I ate bread every meal of the entire trip beginning with croissants for breakfast.

Tuesday we took the train back to Montgeron and enjoyed a slow day reading by the fireside while it rained. Wednesday we shopped for fresh food at the market which is always fun and colorful. The fruits are smaller but taste better. We were told it’s because they don’t allow growth chemicals or pesticides like we use in the States plus they don’t have preservatives added. I’m not sure if this is true but I was told the same thing in Israel.

In the afternoon, we drove the short distance to Yerres where we toured the Maison Caillebotte, home to three notable men. Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894) was a reknown painter and boat designer.

His brother was a noted author and his half-brother was a priest at Notre Dame. The decor was well-maintained and quite beautiful.

Thursday morning we went in to Paris for the last leg of our trip. After dropping our backpacks at Hotel Pont Royal on the Left Bank, we walked to the Rodin Museum.

One of the many great qualities of this museum is that it isn’t overwhelming like the Louvre and some of the bigger museums.

I especially enjoyed the room dedicated to the work of Auguste Rodin’s student, mistress, and, ultimately, his rival, Camille Claudel (1864 – 1943).

As a young girl, Camille’s mother did not approve of her “unladylike desire to become an artist” and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts barred women from enrolling, at that time. Her father supported her but after he died, she relied on Rodin for financial support. Many said Rodin was angry because he couldn’t control her art as she explored new directions and the medium of marble that he never mastered. After their affair ended, she completed “The Mature Age” (below) and he, believing it was about him, cut off all support forcing her to beg on the streets for money. Her mother, brother, and sister had her committed to an institution based on their opinion of her immorality. I wish she was alive today to see how respected and loved her work has become.

For lunch we had an absolutely delicious meal at Cinq-Mars. I’m pescatarian but never had a problem finding something good to order. To be honest, the bread and wine were so good that I didn’t really care what the main course was but it was always excellent. Before dinner we sat at a stylish cafe on Les Champs Elycees with our new friend, Celine. Celine is a highly-respected veterinarian and business woman. Fortunately, we’ve moved past the 19th century in women’s roles but we still have a long way to go if we hope to have equal opportunities and rewards.

Dinner Thursday was at Cafe Varenne where we found quite a few Americans. When I asked a fellow diner how he heard about it, he said Ina Garten, the “Barefoot Contessa” lives in the area and talks about it on her show.

Although it was the last day in May, the weather Friday was quite cool, much the same as all our days in France — mid 60s and a light rain. We made the best of it — walking, enjoying the famous scenery, and popping into boutiques and chic stores occasionally. Notre Dame is still being repaired from the fire in April 2019. People gather outside but it’s not possible to enter. It’s expected to reopen in December this year (2024).

The olympic rings are everywhere in preparation for the upcoming summer games in July. All locals seem to have negative feelings about it. They say it’s very disruptive and will cost the citizens a lot. I hope it brings them national pride as well as traffic problems and increased prices. Even the metro is going up next month.

Time for one last delectable dinner. We ended the dinner with their signature dessert, Amadeus Au Chocolat — chocolate cake full of hot fudge sauce that exudes all over the plate mixing with the cake and vanilla ice cream when the cake is pierced. To say it was delicious seems so understated.

Alas, time to return home after a great trip. Honestly, I was thrilled to be in Europe walking and talking with my son who lives almost 2,000 miles from me. Every day was a treasure. Shared new experiences made it priceless.

“Beauty is everywhere.” Auguste Rodin

“The language of friends is not words but meanings.” Henry David Thoreau

“A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty and in the point of life.” Thomas Jefferson

“There are only two places in the world where we can live happy: At home and in Paris.” Ernest Hemingway

“Paris is always a good idea.” Audrey Hepburn, Sabina

“We’ll always have Paris.” Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca