Lisboa Constrictor

The night train to Lisboa was rough without a couchette, but just as comfortable as a long flight. I was in a compartment with cushiony leather benches and I ended up taking two spots (neither of which were assigned to me) so I could lay down. I found that if I pretended to sleep, then people would take other seats and allow me to take up all the room. A bitch move, but it worked. No one in my compartment spoke English and I was really lonely. That homesickness kicked in and I just wanted to get Lisboa over so I could meet my mom in Madrid.

When I got off the train and into sunny, warm Lisboa, those feelings dissolved. I found that I slept better than Clara and Raewyn, two Canadian girls who had also been on my night train from Paris to San Sebastian. They had a couchette, but Spainish trains don't have very good ones. I immediately felt better about not spending the extra 20 euros. I used my Spanish to help them book a night train to Madrid, one night after mine, and was feeling very cool and bilingual until later when I was told that Portugese people hate it when people speak to them in Spanish. It's an identity thing.

Clara and Raewyn settled in their hostel and I found mine. It was much improved from the last one. First of all, there was actual backpackers there. And it wasn't some sketchy apartment. I met back up with the girls and we wandered around until it started drizzling and we decided to turn in for siestas before going out that night. Spain and Portugal are known for their night life. Around midnight locals head to a bar or a friend's house for chill pre-party drinks, then around 3am they go to a dance club and around 7am they go to after hour places where they party till about noon. This happens on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I had forgotten and told the girls I would meet them at 8pm.

Luckily at the hostel I met a group of Candaian guys, Darren, Dave, Angelo, Fabio, and Nick, who had been out the night before and a Canadian girl traveling by herself, Lea. So we all went out together and it didn't matter that no where was hopping yet because we were a party all on our own. We wandered looking for a place for about an hour or so, climbing a thousand stairs and about six hills, until we ended up at the bar the guys had been to the night before. We danced, watched Fab try to pick up Portugese school girls, and just had a good time until about 5am when we hailed a cab (they are cheap in Spain) and climbed into bed. At least I did, the guys stayed up even later. Crazies.

The next morning it was cloudy and chilly and I slept in. I ended up going out with the guys to find Castelo de Sao Jorge aound 5pm. The ruins were really cool and provided tons of picture opportunities. On the way tere, we had to circumvent a religious parade that was going on in honor of the saints. It was very cool to just randomly stumble upon.

We stayed in, because Sundays the clubs aren't really going and I struck up conversation with a guy from Brazil. I keep forgetting that they speak Portugese in Brazil. But apparently it is difficult for Brazilians to understand Portugal portugese. Talking to him I ralized how much I enjoyed non-nothern Americans. On one hand it is awesome to be able to speak to someone with no language barriers, but talking to this guy I learned so much more than I had in my two days with the Canadians.

So today I branched out, hanging with this group of guys was starting to become a safety net. I took off on my own and didn't wait for them to get ready. It was great, I found real Portugal today. In the peeling buildings and hanging clothes and savory smells and brick stairs that lead you no where but you don't know that until it is too late. I found gardens and the harbor and small shops with cheap clothes. I also found that there are book stands everywhere. In the city center there was a huge book fair, in the metro station there was a book market, and in the middle of a garden there was a book stand. So they love to party all night and read all day.

Now I am waiting at the hostel, back with the guys, until our night train to Madrid. I cannot wait to see my mom in the morning. I am so excited, I could pee and throw up everywhere. Which makes me really attractive right now. I have all our hostels booked, plans to see a bullfight and a recommended restaurant in Madrid, have Aaron show us around and take us out in Sevilla, and amazing seats booked for an opera in Rome. But tomorrow she will be jet lagged and I will be exhausted from stying up every night in Lisboa and taking a night train so we will spend the day cuddling and napping. I am way ready for that.

My mommy is coming, my mommy is coming, my mommy is coming!