After almost two years, the long-distance travel bug bit me again. Last summer, I stayed local in the US to play golf and coach tennis. It was a blast, but traveling is what I still long for. As I'm writing this, I am in my hotel room in Rome. I spent all day seeing the splendors of the old city, and getting my Italian phone and internet hooked up. This is, however, my second stop on the trip.
On Tuesday, I started my journey with a red-eye flight to Lisbon, Portugal, where I had 9-hour layover. Armed with two bad knees and a must-see and taste list provided by ChatGPT, I spent the day taking rides with Bolt drivers to a few of the different sites. In Baixa, I saw the Praca de Comercio and the Rue Augusta Arch. Then I took a ride up to Alfama and saw the outside of the Lisbon Cathedral, and got a red roofed panoramic view from Miradouro de Santa Luzia. After a quick stop for lunch and souvenirs, I headed off to Belem to witness the Belem Tower. I stopped back in Baixa on the way back to the airport for a little treat. The pastel de nata custard cups have a special place in my heart.
I got into Rome last night after 25 hours of traveling with almost no sleep. Slept in today, still hit the town running, and am getting ready for a nice Italian dinner. I hit the rails in the morning for a three-train trip to my little oasis, Campomarino Lido.
