We didn’t have any particular agenda for today. We included six days in Lisbon in our itinerary because 1) we really like Lisbon, 2) we’re starting to know our way around this part of the city, and 3) it seemed like the perfect place to get over jet lag. So today, our objective was to wander around enjoying the Lisbon ambiance and wonder what to do until it was time for beer club.

We did have one important housekeeping item (getting my European SIM card) but once that was done, we stopped for coffee in a pleasant outdoor square. I was thinking “latte” until I saw “espresso with gelato” on the menu, and decided I needed to check it out. It’s quite good – a little on the sweet side for me, but definitely worth trying.

One thing we often wonder about when traveling is where to have lunch. We spotted a pleasant outdoor cafe with an open table and I went for something with local character – sardines with potatoes. Again, really quite good.

After lunch it was time to wander again, and of course, to wonder … what to have for lunch tomorrow. Last year we walked through Time Out, a giant food hall featuring local chefs. It was interesting, but overwhelming. We had another look today. The central court has seating for hundreds, with booths around the periphery showcasing local food and wine.

Many booths highlight the chef and feature a different signature dish every day of the week.

We’ve penciled it in for a late lunch tomorrow. With tomorrow’s lunch taken care of, it was back to wandering. It was a warm day and the cool breeze coming off the water was wonderful. We headed along the river toward the city center and came across a small village of stones stacked and painted to look like people. One incorporated a basin for tips and the artist was collecting them as we walked past.

Our wandering wasn’t completely random. While I was getting my local SIM card, Jan spotted a fabric store and (I know that some of you who know Jan will be shocked … shocked to hear this, but…) she checked it out. A couple of fabrics with local themes caught her eye and we were heading back for another look.

The plan is to make place mats and a tote bag. I think they’ll look fantastic.

When we got back to our hotel it was beer o’clock, and I was anxious to check out the beer tasting menu I mentioned yesterday. The plan was to sit outside, but I was informed the beer tasting menu was only available when sitting at the bar. Serendipity strikes again. While enjoying our drinks, we were treated to a show watching the bartender prepare large seafood platters – not something that most bartenders do, but fascinating to watch. And the room was richly decorated with eighteenth century painted tiles by local artists. The building has been declared a Lisbon heritage site, and it clearly deserves the designation.

The beer was excellent and the fish croquettes were fabulous. We ended up ordering two more (croquettes) as we enjoyed our drinks.

I included this picture for those who might be interested in trying the beers. I’ve already recommended the Vienna lager to Stu, but all three were very well done. I interrupt this travel blog to bring you an interesting beer-geek digression: our local brewer is very negative about IBU (International Bitterness Units) as a meaningful measure of anything. All three of these beers were rated at 25 IBUs but an independent tasting expert (aka Jan) thought they had radically different bitterness levels. So there you have it. Proof that you should ignore IBU ratings.

I’m closing with a picture of me pondering my beer with Jan’s vino verde in the picture, and behind me a tiny hint of the tile work that adorned the walls.

I think that wandering and wondering is an excellent strategy. We highly recommend it.