Sights of Lisbon

As my health and energy continue to be about as consistent as a Portuguese toilet, the urge to explore this great little city (and great little people) is lower than normal.

That said, a walk around the neighbourhood of Graca still provides some good photo opportunities and hopefully provides the reader with an idea of what this city looks like in one of its many small neighbourhoods. It's about 10 minutes by bus, scooter or car to the old city center called Rossio, where some of these other photos were taken.

On many sidewalks it's single-file only

The city is filled with lookouts, vantage points to relax, read, or have a drink

Travel Inspiration

As part of the Lonely Planet Blogsherpa team, I recently contributed to a "Blog Carnival", where a number of sherpas write about their experiences regarding a particular place or topic.

This current carnival simply asked the LP sherpas: What is your favorite place on earth?

The answers were diverse, well-written, and very inspiring.

If you want to take a virtual trip and also make some mental "must go there" notes along the way, check out the entry from our host at Sophie's World.

Lisbon, Ink.

My first outing in the new town? Visiting a tattoo festival in Lisbon. As one does.

The 6th annual Lisbon Tattoo & Rock Festival wasn't in some gritty, urban enclave however. It was in a carpeted, sterile conference center, with renowned international and local tattoo artists each in their respective booths. Next week, the exact same setting could see a dental trade show or a book fair.

My inner tattoo yearnings, thus far unrealized, were itching though. These guys (and girls) were pros. Not one of the people getting inked were grimacing at all, despite some pretty sensitive areas getting the needle. I was tempted to go full sleeve, or maybe with a giant back tattoo.

But what to get? What symbols would resonate, as adequate lifelong representations of my life? A football, perhaps. A pen, a beach, an overly sensitive stomach, or maybe a giant head portrait of Oprah Winfrey? It was all too much to contemplate, so I passed.

A beer for 1.50Eur and a slow photo-taking stroll around the area seemed to suffice for now...

Amid skulls, skin, and serpents, a somewhat incongruous kid's area