Last updated on May 4th, 2017 at 08:06 am

Our Portugal visit continues!

Portugal photo Portugal photo  

As promised in the previous post I have decided to include our stolen GPS story into this post making it two in one. Read my Portugal travel tips right after it.

Portugal photo Portugal photo

Our GPS Story:

As we bid good bye to my relatives on the 10th day in Portugal, Mr K and I were into some surprise. Two hours after their 5 am flight had just taken off we made a rookie mistake. Parked right under our apartment the car was broken into and a gps, that was not carefully hidden, stolen. Nothing else was missing besides our dignity and comfort that day.

I should have listened to the rental guy who said and then mentioned several times again about the possibility of a stolen GPS. Turns out people break in to cars even at a small sign that there could be a GPS inside. Anything that would give it away, like prints on the window, would be a good enough reason.

It was completely our fault. Two hours were enough for someone to find it and break in to it.

500 Euros in damages later we were glad everything ended the way it ended. An expensive lesson was learned.

Fortunately, that was the saddest part of our stay there.

The end. 🙂

Portugal photo

We also got scammed by a dishonest taxi driver who did “charge” us the late, after 10 p.m. fee of 2 or 3 euros. It wasn’t much but no one likes a feeling of being lied to. There is no such thing as a late taxi fee in Portugal.

Our stay in Lisbon lasted for 30 days. We rented a spacious and bright apartment with awesome style and quirky interior design. It was a good choice for us for many reasons. I even got used to the famous church next door ringing its bells every hour of the evening, night, and day.

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Alfama district is an old and picturesque neighborhood with lots of good photo opportunities. I only wish I did take more pictures of it. Would recommend staying there despite the church bells. As annoying as they were in the beginning, they added more charm to the overall feeling. It was also close to everything by foot. Other neighborhoods, a tram stop, a grocery store, a subway stop, and a train depot were all within the walking distance.

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We took our sweet time on going everywhere by foot. It became one of our favorite time passing activities. Safety was never a concern so we wandered late into a night.

Portugal photo

Now sitting and reflecting there are so many things that we did not do in there that I am kind of ashamed. Better planning next time!

Tips:
  • If you are staying in a historic district and a light sleeper make sure there is no church in sight. For some it can be a part of an experience for others a nuisance.
  • When renting an apartment do make sure that it is close to a grocery store. Eating out is good until you see an owner changing prices just as soon as you appear on the horizon.
  • We decided to take it easy this time in Lisbon and just walked in different neighborhoods, observed the sights, and enjoyed some nightlife. However, do plan your itinerary with some “must-see” spots. I regret not doing more research.
  • As I said before: There is no such thing as a late taxi fee in Portugal. 
  • Make sure that bedrooms in your rental do not face the historic tram. Buildings and windows are old, the cobble stone does create a lot of noise that you just can’t adore at 5 a.m.
  • Never leave anything in a car! Not even a sign that there is/was a GPS inside. 🙂 Wipe your windshield and take an insurance when renting a vehicle. Out of many countries that we have visited I wished we took insurance in this one.

Hope you found this article helpful and entertaining! Leave your comments and thoughts right down below. Would love to hear if you ave any tips or stories. 

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Always improving one's surroundings.

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