Lisbon, 22.12.2024: Pricey Azulejos and Bright Peacocks

Avenida de Liberdade, December morning sunshine

A lazy Sunday with warm December sunshine in Lisbon. We began it with breakfast at the hotel’s breakfast room, since we couldn’t find a way to buy coffee to go with the cheese, bread, sausage, and fruit we have in the room. The little place we’ve gone to two days now for breakfast, Docelândia, is closed on Sunday. A restaurant right next to Hotel Florida told us yesterday they’d sell us take-out coffee, but they open only at 10:30 A.M., and we were up well before that and wanting coffee. A few steps away is a McDonald’s. Steve walked there to see if he could get coffee and found they offer only espresso. So the Hotel Florida breakfast room it was….

Lisbon, 19.12.2024: Ramshackle Colors and Chocolate Cups

Christmas Market, Rossio Square

After arriving in the morning on the 18th, we were so exhausted from a day’s air travel that we showered and slept several hours once we’d reached our hotel, Hotel Florida on Duque de Palmela off Avenida de Liberdade near Parque Eduardo VII. The hotel is pleasant, though seems to have seen better days. Our friend Mayson B., who was formerly a travel agent in New Orleans and helped us make arrangements for a number of trips, recommended it to us. It’s where he has stayed when he’s been in Lisbon.