Before coming to Portugal, I wasn’t quite sure to expect. Obviously, I had a small idea based off of what I’ve seen in movies and TV shows, but I didn’t know to the extent of how different it would be. First of all, I noticed that all the cities seem to be within walking distance of everything. This is nice because you don’t need a vehicle to travel to dinner or shop, you can just walk down the street. In America, everything is so spread apart and it’s rare to be able to walk anywhere. Also, the buildings are all so beautiful with some sort of rich history that makes it so captivating. In America, everything is all fairly new therefore the buildings aren’t as old and doesn’t hold a story like the ones here. The whole city of Lisbon has tile everywhere which is so beautiful. I think I am used to concrete, so the fact that everywhere we walk to is on a tile path is so unique to me. Even some of the buildings have tiles on the outside walls which give it a unique style. I even got a souvenir from the gift shop with a piece of tile that replicates the tile that is on the walls and the floor. The restaurants are so fun to go to because there is way less fried food. Half of the food that I order, I’m not quite sure what I’m going to get but it is all very fresh food that has been very fun for me to step out of my comfort food and try some foods that I would not have tried if I was home. The euro’s have also been interesting to me because they have one euro and two euro coins, which is so different as I can pay for a meal with a few coins that just feels so different. Overall, this trip so far has been such a cool experience as I have learned so much about Portugal and it’s culture and have gained a deeper appreciation for the culture.
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