Quite an interesting first day here. It is currently 5:45 PM here and the last time I slept it was 7 am on October 2nd back in the States. I am so exhausted I cannot even wrap my head around how long that is between the 5 hour time difference.
Before take-off in Philly I was having a few drinks with my classmates and one suggested we pay up since it was 7:45 and our flight departed at 8:30. We walked around the corner to them closing the gates because our flight was early - really glad Ewan (the guy I'm rooming with the entire trip) decided that it was time to leave the bar. The flight wasn't terrible considering it was 7 hours. The in-flight movie was State of Play. A modern day D.C. political suspense/thriller - a very good movie. I tried to have a glass or two of wine on the flight in order to properly "medicate" myself so I could sleep but when I realized that wasn't happening I drank a few cups of coffee and got some work done.
**I must say that I cannot recall a more euphoric time in my entire life as when we were coming down through the clouds as the sun was peering over Spain shining its purple/orange rays on the Portuguese coastline and I had "Dazen Miles" by Pressing Strings pumping on my BlackBerry in my ear.**
On a good note the weather here is perfect. It's a bit humid but it's in the upper 70's. Hopefully it will cool down a bit at night because there is no air conditioning in the hostel, let alone in Europe from what I hear. On a not so good note, this group is an INCREDIBLY slow moving group. We landed in Lisbon at 8:00 am local time (a bit early) and didn't leave the airport until nearly 10:00 am. At the airport we were greeted by Professor Carlos Machado (who I've come to find out is the absolute man) who had a luxury coach bus waiting for us. Before we left I got a sim card for the phone that Monica was so nice to donate to me. Thanks Mo, and thanks for the 10 Euros for the sim card Natasha (Monica's Sister)!! - my number for this phone is 91 39 58557. Yes I have no clue how to call that number from home but if you get a calling card I'd imagine it would tell you. I do not believe it includes the country code.
After leaving the airport we took a quick tour through the city first stopping a a monument overlooking a sweet mall like thing covered with awesomely manicured bushes (left.) Professor Machado had us guess what this monument represented for quite some time. Being a 24 year old guy a few things popped into my head but I quickly realized that this was a professional setting. He went on to explain that in '74 the Carnation Revolution led to the toppling of the authoritarian dictatorship in Portugal. This was a military coup, though Machado said that the uprising began with 
the youth. If I took a cross-sectional photo (which I unfortunately did not) you could see it looks like a statue that has been toppled over. The monument is a water fountain but had been turned off for the season - I guess 75 degrees is cold here? He told us to imagine it like it would be in the summer - with water spraying out of the top of the main point in the middle. I really wanted to speak up at this point but thought there could be no way. Finally he told us that the Portuguese felt oppressed by the dictator in many ways one of which was sexual oppression. He explained, in good but broken English that this was to represent a phallus during orgasm - the youth bursting out of oppression if you will. I feel like I could extend this metaphor further but it would not be terribly appropriate for this venue. I think we all know that this would never fly in the States and I personally think that we really need to reconsider our sexual modesty in this country.
From here we toured Lisbon by bus for a bit before stopping smack in the center of downtown at the Rossio Square. The square has been the site of many revolts, celebrations, bullfights, and executions in the past and now has the statue of King Pedro IV (left) in the Center, the National Theater on the northern end, and a sweet fountain (right) on the south end. This also happened to be where our hostel - The Rossio Hostel - was located. At this point it was 11 am and once we got our things upstairs the hostel told us that with the exception of my and Ewan's room that everyone's room would be ready at 2pm - our room was available now. Miles/Ewan (1) - Rest of Class (0).
After putting our things in the room and getting settled for a minute we made our way down to a cafe right outside the hostel to wait for everyone. As prescribed by dear friend Monica I ordered a pastry and an espresso (top right - very delicious). Behind me I took notice of a woman selling something from what seemed to be a hot dog stand (left - smelled awful.) I asked Professor Machado what she was selling and he told me roasted chestnuts. She was constantly sprinkling cane sugar on them and stoking the wood fire beneath that cone there. When I came down
to take a picture (I couldn't resist- thanks Nat King Cole.) I must have looked like a tourist because this hunchbacked gentleman (bottom right) - to be henceforth known as The Hunchback of Coke Mountain - hobbled over to me and gave me what I can now only assume is the international symbol for cocaine (putting a finger on one nostril and sniffing with the other) while at the same time asking me if I'd like some coke. This man had the worst cocaine nostril that I have EVER seen - the inside of his nose was basically dripping out of his nostril. Apparently the never get high on your own supply rule that applies in the States doesn't apply here in Portugal. I politely declined but he didn't seem to be having any of that so he proceeded to ask about hash and then pot. When I declined again he said that it wasn't a big deal and that everyone in Portugal 
smokes. At this point in time I was now sitting back at my table with a few classmates and the two professors. I politely declined again suggesting that I was going to stick to my espresso and he went away.
I now realized again how ridiculously slow this group I am with was moving. Ewan and I had to check in, take our things up to the room, unpack them and we even sat down for a minute or two. The others had to take their luggage to the luggage room. We had been at the cafe for 30 minutes before they came down from putting their luggage in the luggage room. What they were doing I don't have any clue. Professor Machado along with his wife Isabella led us on a stroll through town. I cannot stress how amazed I was by the level of American popular culture that has entirely infiltrated Lisbon. There are many American stores, everyone is wearing clothing with English on it, there is American music playing in the stores and everyone can speak English. If you haven't realized the declining political and economic influence the U.S. has on the world you might want to take a look at that. In my eyes, however, our social influence on the developed and developing world is only growing.
While walking around Lisbon we came across the building (left) where the declaration was made that King Manuel II had been deposed, establishing the Portuguese First Republic. Monday marks the 99th anniversary of this declaration. The building doesn't normally have the red tapestries hanging from its facade - they were only there to commemorate the holiday. I suggested to Prof. Machado, who I can tell at this point likes to indulge in the finer things in life, that we should skip our trip to Mafra and Ericiera Beach on Monday so we could truly experience the Portuguese culture by partying in the streets with everyone. He said it's not a holiday that people really celebrate like that. I suppose its due to the fact that the Portuguese First Republic oppressed the people for the next 64 years but that's just a guess.
Eventually we made our way down to the river and over to Cafe Martinho da Arcada for lunch where Fernando Pessoa, a famous Portuguese poet would sit and have coffee and write his poetry. Today they still have a table where he would sit with a shot of espresso and a shot of his favorite liqueur on it. Carlos and Isabella happen to know the owner of the restaurant so we got special service - free Port desert wine and an English server. I was incredibly hungry and asked Isabella who was sitting next to me what "Porc scallops grilled Lisbonese style" (the menu was in Portuguese but had English translations beneath each item.) She tried to described what it was to me but her English is pretty broken so I said why not I may as well try it - I love scallops afterall. Everyone else's meal came out in a very extravagant fashion being presented to the table, dished out of the container it was cooked in onto their plate at the head of the table and then walked over and served to them. I was the last to be served, my grilled pork chops and french fries came out not in an extravagant fashion - strait from the kitchen already plated. I asked Isabella where the scallops were she said that is just a way of cutting the meat - very thin, almost like butterflying it. Despite the fact that I was absolutely exhausted I still had what I consider to be a very logical thought process in thinking this was not a pork dish. I recognized many of the dishes on the menu that were pork chops and beneath their Portuguese names the English word used for them was pork with a "K." My dish was the only one that spelled it with a "C" so I assumed it was something different. I don't think I need to go into what happens when you assume.
Carlos gave me a hard time asking me how my expensive red wine and french fries were. I was hungry and the pork chop was delicous and very tender nonetheless. I hadn't eaten since linner the day before so after the first of three pork chops filled me up (damn shrinking stomachs.) When it came time to clear the plates I, having 3 hours of sleep in 48 hours or so and not thinking, asked the gentleman if he could kindly wrap the remaining pork chops up for me to take home. The girl across from me instantly got bulging bug eyes and gave me the hand to the throat "stop that" motion and whispered "they don't do that here" at the same time the waiter said "excuse me sir?" I responded with "oh I'm finished, obrigado, it was delicious." I guess they don't have doggy bags in Portugal?
Two, "I'm an uncultured American," moves right in a row - not my style at all, clearly time for a nap. We walked back to the hostel and on the way I was approached by not two but THREE more people asking if I wanted to buy marijuana or hashish. I kindly declined every time. I'm no sure if I look like I do drugs, which I don't, but I was the only person in my group who got them offered by random people in the street whole day - and I was offered them four times in, in a four hour period. I guess I just give off the vibe? Who knows. If I want some coke, hash or pot I know where to go now I suppose.
When we got to the hostel I decided to get some essentials before taking a nap so I asked the receptionist where I could find a grocery store. Fortunately there was one right behind our hostel. Laura Isenberg (there are two Laura's on the trip with us) and I walked around the block to the store and found what we came for - the wine section. I first saw a bottle of red wine for 2,49 Euro (approx $3.25) and was amazed. Then I looked down and saw "red table wine" for ,99 Euro ($1.50). I don't think further explanation is needed on which I purchased. I'm going to take a shower right now and have a $.25 glass of "red table wine" before going out this evening. We will be going to a nice traditional Fado house to meet Mr. Jose Lucio, have dinner and hear Fado for the first time. I'll be sure to get some these Fado players on video and upload that tomorrow evening (late morning your time.)
'Til then,
Miles.
P.S. Good news and bad news. Bad news: Carlos' daughter who was going to take us out tonight decided to go to Venice, Italy for the weekend instead (can't blame her.) Good news: I'm staying in a six person room with Ewan and two cute girls. One girl, Mary from Ireland, has an 8 foot longboard that she will be taking up a bit north to catch some waves and then head back this way. She's going to be in Portugal for 3 weeks and has no agenda for the 2nd two weeks. The other girl I haven't spoken to yet but said hi to when I was in the middle of my nap this afternoon and then passed back out.
P.P.S. I have more pictures than this but they didn't quite fit into the blog so I'll just keep them for a slide show when I get back.
Before take-off in Philly I was having a few drinks with my classmates and one suggested we pay up since it was 7:45 and our flight departed at 8:30. We walked around the corner to them closing the gates because our flight was early - really glad Ewan (the guy I'm rooming with the entire trip) decided that it was time to leave the bar. The flight wasn't terrible considering it was 7 hours. The in-flight movie was State of Play. A modern day D.C. political suspense/thriller - a very good movie. I tried to have a glass or two of wine on the flight in order to properly "medicate" myself so I could sleep but when I realized that wasn't happening I drank a few cups of coffee and got some work done.
**I must say that I cannot recall a more euphoric time in my entire life as when we were coming down through the clouds as the sun was peering over Spain shining its purple/orange rays on the Portuguese coastline and I had "Dazen Miles" by Pressing Strings pumping on my BlackBerry in my ear.**
On a good note the weather here is perfect. It's a bit humid but it's in the upper 70's. Hopefully it will cool down a bit at night because there is no air conditioning in the hostel, let alone in Europe from what I hear. On a not so good note, this group is an INCREDIBLY slow moving group. We landed in Lisbon at 8:00 am local time (a bit early) and didn't leave the airport until nearly 10:00 am. At the airport we were greeted by Professor Carlos Machado (who I've come to find out is the absolute man) who had a luxury coach bus waiting for us. Before we left I got a sim card for the phone that Monica was so nice to donate to me. Thanks Mo, and thanks for the 10 Euros for the sim card Natasha (Monica's Sister)!! - my number for this phone is 91 39 58557. Yes I have no clue how to call that number from home but if you get a calling card I'd imagine it would tell you. I do not believe it includes the country code.
After leaving the airport we took a quick tour through the city first stopping a a monument overlooking a sweet mall like thing covered with awesomely manicured bushes (left.) Professor Machado had us guess what this monument represented for quite some time. Being a 24 year old guy a few things popped into my head but I quickly realized that this was a professional setting. He went on to explain that in '74 the Carnation Revolution led to the toppling of the authoritarian dictatorship in Portugal. This was a military coup, though Machado said that the uprising began with 
the youth. If I took a cross-sectional photo (which I unfortunately did not) you could see it looks like a statue that has been toppled over. The monument is a water fountain but had been turned off for the season - I guess 75 degrees is cold here? He told us to imagine it like it would be in the summer - with water spraying out of the top of the main point in the middle. I really wanted to speak up at this point but thought there could be no way. Finally he told us that the Portuguese felt oppressed by the dictator in many ways one of which was sexual oppression. He explained, in good but broken English that this was to represent a phallus during orgasm - the youth bursting out of oppression if you will. I feel like I could extend this metaphor further but it would not be terribly appropriate for this venue. I think we all know that this would never fly in the States and I personally think that we really need to reconsider our sexual modesty in this country.
From here we toured Lisbon by bus for a bit before stopping smack in the center of downtown at the Rossio Square. The square has been the site of many revolts, celebrations, bullfights, and executions in the past and now has the statue of King Pedro IV (left) in the Center, the National Theater on the northern end, and a sweet fountain (right) on the south end. This also happened to be where our hostel - The Rossio Hostel - was located. At this point it was 11 am and once we got our things upstairs the hostel told us that with the exception of my and Ewan's room that everyone's room would be ready at 2pm - our room was available now. Miles/Ewan (1) - Rest of Class (0).
After putting our things in the room and getting settled for a minute we made our way down to a cafe right outside the hostel to wait for everyone. As prescribed by dear friend Monica I ordered a pastry and an espresso (top right - very delicious). Behind me I took notice of a woman selling something from what seemed to be a hot dog stand (left - smelled awful.) I asked Professor Machado what she was selling and he told me roasted chestnuts. She was constantly sprinkling cane sugar on them and stoking the wood fire beneath that cone there. When I came down
to take a picture (I couldn't resist- thanks Nat King Cole.) I must have looked like a tourist because this hunchbacked gentleman (bottom right) - to be henceforth known as The Hunchback of Coke Mountain - hobbled over to me and gave me what I can now only assume is the international symbol for cocaine (putting a finger on one nostril and sniffing with the other) while at the same time asking me if I'd like some coke. This man had the worst cocaine nostril that I have EVER seen - the inside of his nose was basically dripping out of his nostril. Apparently the never get high on your own supply rule that applies in the States doesn't apply here in Portugal. I politely declined but he didn't seem to be having any of that so he proceeded to ask about hash and then pot. When I declined again he said that it wasn't a big deal and that everyone in Portugal 
smokes. At this point in time I was now sitting back at my table with a few classmates and the two professors. I politely declined again suggesting that I was going to stick to my espresso and he went away.I now realized again how ridiculously slow this group I am with was moving. Ewan and I had to check in, take our things up to the room, unpack them and we even sat down for a minute or two. The others had to take their luggage to the luggage room. We had been at the cafe for 30 minutes before they came down from putting their luggage in the luggage room. What they were doing I don't have any clue. Professor Machado along with his wife Isabella led us on a stroll through town. I cannot stress how amazed I was by the level of American popular culture that has entirely infiltrated Lisbon. There are many American stores, everyone is wearing clothing with English on it, there is American music playing in the stores and everyone can speak English. If you haven't realized the declining political and economic influence the U.S. has on the world you might want to take a look at that. In my eyes, however, our social influence on the developed and developing world is only growing.
While walking around Lisbon we came across the building (left) where the declaration was made that King Manuel II had been deposed, establishing the Portuguese First Republic. Monday marks the 99th anniversary of this declaration. The building doesn't normally have the red tapestries hanging from its facade - they were only there to commemorate the holiday. I suggested to Prof. Machado, who I can tell at this point likes to indulge in the finer things in life, that we should skip our trip to Mafra and Ericiera Beach on Monday so we could truly experience the Portuguese culture by partying in the streets with everyone. He said it's not a holiday that people really celebrate like that. I suppose its due to the fact that the Portuguese First Republic oppressed the people for the next 64 years but that's just a guess.Eventually we made our way down to the river and over to Cafe Martinho da Arcada for lunch where Fernando Pessoa, a famous Portuguese poet would sit and have coffee and write his poetry. Today they still have a table where he would sit with a shot of espresso and a shot of his favorite liqueur on it. Carlos and Isabella happen to know the owner of the restaurant so we got special service - free Port desert wine and an English server. I was incredibly hungry and asked Isabella who was sitting next to me what "Porc scallops grilled Lisbonese style" (the menu was in Portuguese but had English translations beneath each item.) She tried to described what it was to me but her English is pretty broken so I said why not I may as well try it - I love scallops afterall. Everyone else's meal came out in a very extravagant fashion being presented to the table, dished out of the container it was cooked in onto their plate at the head of the table and then walked over and served to them. I was the last to be served, my grilled pork chops and french fries came out not in an extravagant fashion - strait from the kitchen already plated. I asked Isabella where the scallops were she said that is just a way of cutting the meat - very thin, almost like butterflying it. Despite the fact that I was absolutely exhausted I still had what I consider to be a very logical thought process in thinking this was not a pork dish. I recognized many of the dishes on the menu that were pork chops and beneath their Portuguese names the English word used for them was pork with a "K." My dish was the only one that spelled it with a "C" so I assumed it was something different. I don't think I need to go into what happens when you assume.
Carlos gave me a hard time asking me how my expensive red wine and french fries were. I was hungry and the pork chop was delicous and very tender nonetheless. I hadn't eaten since linner the day before so after the first of three pork chops filled me up (damn shrinking stomachs.) When it came time to clear the plates I, having 3 hours of sleep in 48 hours or so and not thinking, asked the gentleman if he could kindly wrap the remaining pork chops up for me to take home. The girl across from me instantly got bulging bug eyes and gave me the hand to the throat "stop that" motion and whispered "they don't do that here" at the same time the waiter said "excuse me sir?" I responded with "oh I'm finished, obrigado, it was delicious." I guess they don't have doggy bags in Portugal?
Two, "I'm an uncultured American," moves right in a row - not my style at all, clearly time for a nap. We walked back to the hostel and on the way I was approached by not two but THREE more people asking if I wanted to buy marijuana or hashish. I kindly declined every time. I'm no sure if I look like I do drugs, which I don't, but I was the only person in my group who got them offered by random people in the street whole day - and I was offered them four times in, in a four hour period. I guess I just give off the vibe? Who knows. If I want some coke, hash or pot I know where to go now I suppose.
When we got to the hostel I decided to get some essentials before taking a nap so I asked the receptionist where I could find a grocery store. Fortunately there was one right behind our hostel. Laura Isenberg (there are two Laura's on the trip with us) and I walked around the block to the store and found what we came for - the wine section. I first saw a bottle of red wine for 2,49 Euro (approx $3.25) and was amazed. Then I looked down and saw "red table wine" for ,99 Euro ($1.50). I don't think further explanation is needed on which I purchased. I'm going to take a shower right now and have a $.25 glass of "red table wine" before going out this evening. We will be going to a nice traditional Fado house to meet Mr. Jose Lucio, have dinner and hear Fado for the first time. I'll be sure to get some these Fado players on video and upload that tomorrow evening (late morning your time.)
'Til then,
Miles.
P.S. Good news and bad news. Bad news: Carlos' daughter who was going to take us out tonight decided to go to Venice, Italy for the weekend instead (can't blame her.) Good news: I'm staying in a six person room with Ewan and two cute girls. One girl, Mary from Ireland, has an 8 foot longboard that she will be taking up a bit north to catch some waves and then head back this way. She's going to be in Portugal for 3 weeks and has no agenda for the 2nd two weeks. The other girl I haven't spoken to yet but said hi to when I was in the middle of my nap this afternoon and then passed back out.
P.P.S. I have more pictures than this but they didn't quite fit into the blog so I'll just keep them for a slide show when I get back.
No comments:
Post a Comment