Oh that first August in Portugal, how I worked hard to save euros. I had savings enough, but not knowing when my next paid gig would come, I fretted a lot.
But the weather shined upon us, even if opportunities seemed to bubble up and pop. So we took long walks in the park, finding roosters running free amongst the roses and pathways, along with peacocks and other birds whose songs I couldn’t yet identify. I still can’t.
We found a little beach tucked away near the main lighthouse by the marina, where a creek trickled out of the park, under a bridge, and into the ocean. I looked for sea glass and found enough pieces to start a mosaic on the kitchen table.
We still held our happy hour at a civilized time—for that alone I love Lisbon–the least expensive beer outside of Manila. In fact, we discovered a little hole in the wall with two plastic tables outside. We’d throw the ball to the pup and sip on our copos de vinho branco that only cost 80 cents each.
-
- The cheapest happy hour in Cascais…all this for less than 2 euros
-
- A clutch of roosters strutting the park in Cascias
-
- A gorgeous view under the bridge to the lighthouse in Cascais