We had a really nice time exploring Lisbon, despite the fact that it rained quite a bit during our visit. The people were very friendly and there was a lot of good seafood and pastries. Our hotel was located right next to a huge (10 stories, I think) El Corte Ingles, with a complete grocery store, several restaurants and a bakery/sweet shop. Needless to say we indulged on pastries during our stay; our favorites were the coconut bonbons and a traditional Portuguese Christmas treat that was kind of a cross between pecan pie and toffee.
We visited the Cathedral, which had beautiful, gigantic doors, with little doors cut out of them that people are meant to actually pass through. It was a beautiful church, very similar to many of the other Cathedrals we have seen in Spain and France, with lots of gold artistry and ornate fixtures.
After the Cathedral, we went up to the castle, which had amazing views of the city. Here you can see the beginnings of a baby bump.
The city was beautifully decorated for Christmas and, although it was a bit chilly in the evenings, the weather was nice enough for people, including us, to sit at the outdoor cafes and enjoy a meal. In Lisbon, they always seemed to offer tapas-style appetizers including bread and cheese (often sheep's cheese) before a meal and one of the most popular menu items was an extremely salty cod with boiled potatoes and vegetables.
We spent our last day at the Lisbon aquarium. It was really neat for us to see some of the amazing underwater creatures, including huge stingrays and sharks, but the most fun was watching Elijah being mesmerized by all the amazing sites and the glowing lights at the aquarium.
