Portugal (2) - Ericeira | A Traveller's Serendipity
You must have heard Einstein’s famous saying:
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”
I am no Einstein, though, as 2018 was coming to an end, I decided to leave my insanity behind and do things that I had never done before. There were two things that topped the list: a) Surfing, b) Scuba diving. Both related to water, which somehow has always had cleansing and rejuvenating impact on me. They also challenge me in different ways, which made them perfect to discover a different version of myself.
So I consulted my best advisor: Google - “best places to learn surfing”
My initial plan was to go to Tenerife in December and celebrate the end of 2018 by returning to water. But life got in the way - as it always does, and other priorities took over. In the meantime, Ericeira started appearing in my search results.
After seeing an Instagram post from a friend on her surf experience in Ericeira, I made up my mind: I was going to Ericeira. At this stage, being the rookie I am, I still had no clue what a little gem this town was.
I first tried to book my stay with the surf house that my friend recommended, but they were not going to be open until 15 March and I wanted to celebrate my birthday surfing the waves on 9 March. So I booked my trip with another school I found online. Yet, another happy surprise came my way and I had to push back my stay by one week, which meant that the first surf house that I heard of on Instagram was going to be open during those days.
Oh life, how much fun do you have when you destroy our carefully designed plans?
“Go with the flow” I said to myself and sticked to the original plan.
So in the end, I was going to celebrate my birthday in London (not on the waves) and go to Ericeira the week after (not during the week of my birthday), staying at the surf house I found online (during the dates when the original surf house I wanted to stay in was going to be open).
I arrived at Ericeira on Friday evening following a day in Lisbon. I took the bus from Campo Grande bus terminal, which costs less than €7.
Ericeira bus terminal at the town centre… Only minutes away from famous surf houses & beaches
When I arrived in Ericeira it was around 10pm. The surf house offered to pick me up from the terminal, which I was grateful for. After settling in, I quickly fell asleep. The next day, I was fully rested and ready for the week ahead at Chill in Ericeira, which, by the end of my trip, became on my favourite places on the planet.
So what’s so special about Chill in Ericeira? Well, it is decorated in a colourful, quirky and artistic fashion, has a great ocean view, a backyard and a small bar. It is located very close to the town. But more than anything, it is the people! The guests, the staff and the surf teachers - every one I have met came from very different walks of life, but were all so very inspiring in their own way.
Ericeira, also called by many as “happy place”, “heavenly home” or “a magical place”, is a beautiful town. I was mesmerised by the shades of blue in the day and the size of starts at night. The town has so many faces - old buildings, surf shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, independent local shops, beaches… Bring your camera and you won’t be short of good Instagram-worthy pictures. I, personally, loved it so much there, my one-week holiday was extended for another week.
What turned out to be a complete serendipity in terms of timing, location and people was the best thing happened in my life for a very long time. It was like reaching heaven and falling back on Earth with the best heavenly experiences.
“How about surfing?” you may ask. Well, I do not need to vouch for this world-known surfer town. I, on the other hand, am at the very beginning of my surfing journey, still finding my balance, falling often, learning slowly… Yet, it is a journey that I am willing to commit to and let’s see where it takes me. Just going with the flow…
I am going back to Ericeira on 27 April, yet I often find myself wondering whether I will feel the magic again. Or was it a one time thing? I shall see…
Portugal (1) - Lisbon | Where the Restless Go for a Rest
As I grew up in a Mediterranean climate/culture, I always find myself at home in other Mediterranean countries. Having said that, for some reason, Portugal has never made it to my list of places to see. I have never felt too keen to see Lisbon, which has become very popular recently. I guess the main (subconscious) reason was my doubt on what new discoveries I would make in Portugal which would be different to Spain.
Oh, how little I knew and how wrong I was!
After seeing an Instagram post from a friend on her surf experience in Ericeira, I made up my mind. I was going to Portugal. I will post a separate post on my surf journey in Ericeira. But now it is all about my first stop: Lisbon.
My trip to Portugal started following a very long and (both physically and emotionally) exhausting period at work. After arriving late at night, I spent the first night and the first day in Lisbon, working remotely from various cafes that Lisbon offers.
My Airbnb was at the historic and commercial heart of the city, which is known as Baixa.
This vibrant shopping/bar destination and tourist attraction is walking distance away from the port. I am a happy person as long as the sea/ocean/river is easily accessible and as long as I can get a glance of blue water from the hills or in-between houses. In that sense I was based in a perfect spot.
On the first day, I wandered around to find a breakfast spot. Dismissing all the recommendations my friends offered ahead of my trip, I have asked Google - best breakfast places near me. And the rest of the day followed a similar pattern - Google and I started strolling around the city, checking out places spontaneously.
My Google-recommended breakfast spot (shown as the third picture on the first row and first picture on the second row above), Fábrica Lisboa was beyond my expectations. With a modern cafe menu and old school decorations it reconnects present and the past in one place. Staff was extremely polite and helpful. One thing to bear in mind is that this (seemingly) obscure neighbourhood cafe gets very popular very quickly. As I was looking for a place to work from during the day, it dawned on me very quickly that I was not at the right spot - people were queueing up to get a table and leaving as soon as they finished their food. So I started cafe-hopping around the city centre to find a better place to work from.
My second best find was Pois Café, located in Alfama. Vibrant colours, relaxed atmosphere, great food for every meal occasion… I spent the second half of my day there, had my work calls (with a beer -or two) and had an amazing salad for lunch.
Once all the work was done, I was in a perfect location to get back on the road again and immerse myself with architectural texture, colour, the blend of old and new, great wine and great food.
I spent the entire day getting lost and discovering new and equally amazing parts of the city. I guess, Lisbon is one of the most open cities I have seen. You don’t have to plan anything, the city offers its beauties to you unconditionally.
The other discovery I made was that the city was secretly conquered by birds. Lisbon birds know where the best spots are, deploy themselves among humans with no shame and potentially plot against the rest of the world. I wonder if this would lead to a modern interpretation of Hitchcock’s The Birds one day. But that’s an idea for Netflix.
One week later I made a second visit to Lisbon and spent another day and night there. While I still had no plans and was just following my “get-lost-and-discover” strategy, I was more focused on the street art. Lisbon is just full of amazing artwork, hidden messages, jokes, beautiful drawings. If you are a fan of street art, you certainly won’t be disappointed here.
If you are going to Lisbon for the first time, here is a brief description of some key area:
Bairro Alto/Chiado: This area is know for its nightlife and shops. Bairro Alto has plethora of restaurants and bars, which makes it perfect for people to take their drinks outside and enjoy warm summer nights!
Belem: This is a major neighbourhood with plenty of monuments dedicated to the Discoveries period. Definitely one of the most beautiful areas in Lisbon – Mosteiro dos Jeronimos and Padrao dos Descobrimentos are must-see places!
Baixa and the Castle: This is where the major hotels, major brands shops and theatres are. It’s beautiful to just walk along the street and check the architecture and experience the vibe of the city.
Parque das Nacoes: The neighbourhood is located in the eastern part of the city and was revamped during the 1998 World Expo. It is worthwhile to visit for its nice buildings and gardens.
Alfama: This typical Portuguese neighbourhood has been my absolute favourite. Steep hills, narrow streets, old houses, boutique shops and fado houses at every corner… Oh, lots of street art.
What else to do while in Lisbon?
Go to a fado house
Try Vinho Verde
Go to the top of Elevador de Santa Justa and enjoy the view
Go to the Pasteis de Belem to buy the best pastel de natas in town
Check out LX Factory for cool and exciting art studios, bars and restaurant and live music