Sunday, November 17, 2024

Learning to play guitar

After some deliberation, I decided to learn to play a new musical instrument - an acoustic guitar.

I researched available guitars, looking at Craigslist for used instruments, but purchased the highly rated Yamaha FG830 acoustic guitar from Amazon.com for $349.



Although I used to play the piano, I have no prior experience playing guitar, so I decided to find the best available online lessons.

I received the guitar on Friday, November 15, 2024. After unpacking it, I tried to tune each of the six strings (E-A-D-G-B-E). I tried various tuners (I was not too fond of the D'Addario Eclipse tuner). Some of my strings were way out of tune, and I had difficulty figuring out which way to tune them (up or down).

The GuitarTuna IOS app was the best acoustic guitar tuning application. It immediately showed how far each string was off its ideal frequency, and the guitar sounded beautiful after tuning.

I asked Perplexity.ai for guitar lesson advice, and it recommended the following (which I found to be excellent): 

Beginner Acoustic Guitars
Beginner Electric Guitars

Guitar Lessons
  • Guitar Tricks - Guitar Lessons  - $99 / year of lessons (Black Friday Special)
  • GuitarTuna - tune a guitar to the standard E-A-D-G-B-E scale
  • Guitar FBA Lite - Guitar Fretboard Trainer (a bit buggy)
  • Guitar Blast - Learn Guitar Fretboard game ($6.99 for the pro version)
Voice Lessons
  • Vocal Coach - Learn to sing
Music Apps
  • Ear Trainer
  • Notes Trainer
  • Music Tutor
  • ReadRhythm
  • Metronome
Luthiers (for setting up guitars)
  • Mike Reynolds

Fretboard Learning Technique (see this YouTube video):
  1. Pick a natural note, then play it on each string (down and up) on frets 1 through 12. Do this 3 times, and move to another note. Then do this for frets 12 through 20. Once you have done all the natural notes twice, go to Exercise #2. 
  2. Use a metronome at 40 BPM. Play one note per beat, and repeat Exercise #1. 
  3. Repeat Exercise #2 for accidentals (sharps and flats) 
  4. Choose any two notes. Play UP using one note (across each of the six strings) and DOWN on the other note (without stopping). Use the metronome @ 40 BPM. When it feels easy, go to Exercise #5. 
  5. Write seven 7 notes in random order. With the metronome @ 40 BPM, play the first note going up, the next note going down, etc., for all seven notes (without stopping). When it feels easy, go to Exercise #6.
  6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 at BPM speeds of 50 / 60 / 70 / and 80. You are finished when you can do Exercise #5 at 80 BPM.

Frets ("E","A","D", "G", "B", "e")
  • A: 5,0,7,2,10,5
  • B: 7,2,9,4,0,7
  • C: 8,3,10,5,1,8
  • D: 10,5,0,7,3,10
  • E: 0,7,2,9,5,0
  • F: 1,8,3,10,6,1
  • G:3,10,5,0,8,3







Thursday, November 7, 2024

Review: Joe Bonamassa

I discovered Joe Bonamassa a few years ago on Spotify (with songs like Drive) being one of my favorites. I especially enjoyed listening to his collaboration with Beth Hart on Don't Explain.

When I learned that Joe would play at the San Jose Civic Center, I was excited to see him live and purchased excellent seats for the 8:00 pm show.

We arrived about 15 minutes before the show started (we inadvertently drove to the wrong Civic Center). We found parking nearby and parked our Tesla in a garage.

According to Wikipedia:

Joseph Leonard Bonamassa (born May 8, 1977) is an American blues rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He started his career at age twelve when he opened for B.B. King. Since 2000, Bonamassa has released fifteen solo albums through his independent record label J&R Adventures, of which eleven have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Blues chart.

Joe started with a loud instrumental (and most of his other songs were new to me). His band was excellent (and the drummer awe-inspiring). I hoped to hear some of my favorites, but Joe did not play any of them I could recall. 

He would start playing normally on almost every song but eventually get into the jamming groove, playing high notes very fast. While technically impressive, this was not to my liking. 

After listening for 90 minutes, Inna grew frustrated as the loud music irritated her. We left before the concert ended.

Here is "I'll Take Care of You" with Beth Hart:


Here is "I'd Rather Go Blind" with Beth Hart:


Here is "I'll Play the Blues for You":


Here is "Drive":



Tuesday, November 5, 2024

The Bucket List

Is human knowledge only to be found in books?

As wonderful as books represent, document, and express human thoughts, they are not a substitute for direct, personal contact that comes from seeing, hearing, feeling, and experiencing things for oneself.

Can any book truly capture the exhilaration of windsurfing on Mauisnowboarding on freshly fallen powder at Whistlerpiloting a Cessna single-engine aircraftswimming with sharks in Bora-Boraracing a sportbike at Laguna Seca, or seeing Fiddler on the Roof musical on Broadway?

"The business of life is the acquisition of memories. Ultimately, that's all there is" - Carson of Downton Abbey.
 
As part of my self-development, I have created a list of experiences and travel destinations I want to see.


Ideas to Do
  1. Visit the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
  2. Explore Tokyo and the temples of Kyoto, Japan (Done, 6/22/2018)
  3. Hike the Trolltunga Trail near Bergen, Norway
  4. See an Opera at the famous Teatro Alla Scala and Vienna State Opera
  5. Walk the Great Wall of China
  6. Explore Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls in Brazil
  7. Attend Mardi Gras in New Orleans
  8. Attend ABK or Pritchard Windsurfing Camp in Baja or Maui (Done, 7/26/2018)
  9. Motorcycle around Europe with Edelweiss Bike tours
  10. See Northern Lights (in Alaska or Norway)
  11. Dive into the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
  12. Visit Hallstatt, Austria (Done, 7/5/2017)
  13. See the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
  14. Go on a Safari in Kenya
  15. Visit Machu Picchu, Peru
  16. See the Seven Wonders of the World:
  17. See the Seven Wonders of Nature:
  18. Visit Every Continent
    • Visited: Europe, North America, Asia/Middle East
    • Not Visited: South America, Antarctica, Australia, Africa

Places to Visit
  1. Thailand (Bangkok, Koh Samui)
  2. Greece (Crete, Athens, Meteora, Vasiliki)
  3. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
  4. New Zealand (Christchurch)
  5. Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin)
  6. Machu Pichu, Peru
  7. Croatia (Dubrovnik, Plitvice National Park)
  8. China (Beijing, Great Wall, Shanghai, Hong Kong)
  9. Switzerland (Done, 1/1/2019)
  10. Blue Lagoon, Iceland (Done, 10/2/2017)
  11. Southern Italy (Naples, Pompei) (Done, 9/24/2023)
  12. Sicily
  13. Buenos Aires and Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
  14. Rio de Janeiro (and Iguazu Falls)
  15. Southern France (Dijon, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Gruissan)
  16. Fiji Islands
  17. South Africa and Cape of Good Hope
Musicals to See
  1. Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812
  2. Crazy for You
  3. My Fair Lady (Done, 9/22/2018)
  4. Gypsy
  5. Guys & Dolls
  6. Funny Girl
  7. Avenue Q (Done, 9/24/2018)
  8. A Chorus Line
  9. Wicked (Done, 8/31/2019)
  10. Anything Goes (Done)
  11. Kiss Me Kate (Done)
  12. 42nd Street (Done)
  13. Hamilton (Done)
Operas to See
  1. La Traviata
  2. Rigoletto
  3. Tosca
  4. Turandot
  5. Otello
  6. Falstaff
  7. Porgy & Bess
  8. Nabucco
  9. Carmen
  10. Madame Butterfly
Restaurant to Try
  1. French Laundry, Napa (if I can ever get in)
  2. Pizza in Naples (supposedly the best pizza in the world) (Done, 9/24/2023)
  3. Sushi in Japan (done, 6/13/2018)
Windsurfing/Wing Foiling Destinations
  1. Bonaire (Sorobon Resort, Jibe City, Duckerbeck Pro Center)
  2. Cabarete, Dominican Republic (Vela Windsurf Cabarete)
  3. Lake Garda, Italy (Duotone Pro Center Torbole)
  4. North Shore, Maui, Hawaii (Hi-Tech Surf Sports) (Done, 10/24/1998)
  5. Tarifa, Spain (Surf Center Tarifa)
  6. Vasiliki, Greece (Nefeli Vasiliki)
  7. Crete, Greece (Freak Surf Crete)
  8. Columbia River Gorge (Big Winds), Oregon (Done, 6/5/1999)
  9. Guisson, France

Ski Resorts to Try
  1. Verbier, Switzerland (done, 1/1/2018)
  2. St. Anton, Austria
  3. Niseko, Japan
  4. Vail, Colorado
  5. Breckenridge, Colorado
  6. Snowbird, Utah
  7. Revelstoke, Canada
  8. Nozawa Onsen, Japan
  9. Meribel, France
  10. Zermatt, Switzerland
  11. Nevados de Chillen, Chile
  12. Mammoth Mountain, CA

100 Things to Do Before You Die
  1. Visit all 7 Continents (visited Europe, North America, Middle East)
  2. See the Grand Canyon (done)
  3. See Northern Lights in Alaska or Norway
  4. Visit Australia
  5. Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef (Scuba dived on Wailea, Maui)
  6. Swim with Dolphins (Inna swam with Dolphins in Xel-Ha, Mexico)
  7. Go on a Safari in Kenya
  8. Walk the Great Wall of China
  9. See the Seven Wonders of the World
  10. New Year's Eve in Times Square, NYC (visited Times Square)
  11. Visit Brazil
  12. Visit Greece
  13. Visit Machu Picchu
  14. Visit Galapagos Islands
  15. Go to Mardi Gras, New Orleans
  16. Celebrate Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
  17. See Iguazu Falls, Brazil
  18. See Amazon Forest and River
  19. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Ireland
  20. See Stonehenge (was nearby but did not stop)
  21. Sleep in a Castle
  22. Stand on the Equator
  23. See Victoria Falls in Africa
  24. Write a Book
  25. Visit Blue Lagoon, Iceland (Inna did so in 2017)
  26. Attend the Olympic Games
  27. Travel to all 50 U.S. States
  28. Attend Oktoberfest in Germany
  29. Visit Mount Everest Base Camp
  30. See the Pyramids and Great Sphinx in Egypt
  31. See a play at the Globe Theater, London
  32. Halloween Horror Night at the Universal Studios, Orlando
  33. Visit South Africa
  34. Mountain bike at Soquel Demo Forest
  35. Blackpool
  36. Dirt bike the Rubicon Trail near Sacramento
  37. Be an extra in a TV Show or Movie
  38. Ride a Camel (Boris in Israel)
  39. Ride an Elephant (Inna rode an elephant on Bali)
  40. Run a marathon
  41. Walk on the Edge of C.N. Tower (Toronto 2015)
  42. Surf on Maui's North Shore (Maui 1998)
  43. Windsurf on Maui (Spreckelsville, Maui, 1998)
  44. Race a motorcycle on a race track (Laguna Seca)
  45. Learn to ride an off-road Motorcycle (Hollister)
  46. Learn to Water Ski (Lake Tahoe)
  47. Pilot an Airplane (Cessna 172SP)
  48. Fly on an Ultralight (Birds in Paradise, Kaui 2008)
  49. Learn to sail a large sailboat (J/24 at OCSC Sailing Club)
  50. Hike Half-Dome, Yosemite
  51. Ride a Helicopter (Maui, Hawaii)
  52. Dive in a Submarine (Oahu)
  53. Go on a Road Trip
  54. Shower in a waterfall
  55. Travel to Italy
  56. Get Married
  57. Learn a Foreign Language (French)
  58. Go Whale Watching (in Alaska)
  59. Visit France (Paris, Niece, Lyon, Honfleur, Etretat, Mont St. Michel)
  60. Go White Water Rafting (Sacramento River, White Salmon River)
  61. Attend a Broadway Show (Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, Cats)
  62. Go Camping (Vancouver Island, Olympic National Park)
  63. Kayaking (Lake Tahoe, Bora-Bora)
  64. See the Mona Lisa (in the Louvre)
  65. Visit Yellowstone National Park
  66. See an Iceberg (Alaska Cruise)
  67. Visit Louvre Museum
  68. Visit the Sistine Chapel, Vatican
  69. Climb a Mountain (Mt. Tallac)
  70. Go to a Drive-in Cinema (Sacramento)
  71. Eat at a 5-star restaurant (Manresa)
  72. Ride a jet ski (Lake Tahoe, Bora-Bora)
  73. Float in the Dead Sea, Israel
  74. Visit Walt Disney World, Orlando
  75. Ride on the London Eye
  76. Fly First Class
  77. Play paintball
  78. Rock Climbing 
  79. See Cirque du Soleil
  80. Ride in a Limousine
  81. Ride a Roller Coaster (Disney, Great America, 6 Flags)
  82. See NYC Times Square at Night (NYC 2016)
  83. Snowboarding (Whistler, Mt. Hood, Mammoth)
  84. Go to a Concert (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, History of the Eagles)
  85. Start Your Own Business
  86. Try Paragliding
  87. Caribbean Cruise (Emerald Princess 2007)
  88. Get a passport
  89. Visit Spain
  90. Swim with Sharks (Bora-Bora)
  91. Attend a Wedding
  92. Ride a Horse
  93. Learn to Play Piano
  94. Go on a plane/train by yourself.
  95. Madame Tussauds
  96. Learn to Skateboard
  97. Learn to Dance
  98. Visit Las Vegas, Nevada
  99. See the Rock of Gibraltar (Celebrity Constellation Cruise from Dover to Barcelona)
  100. See Niagara Falls, U.S./Canada (Niagara Falls, 2015)






Saturday, October 12, 2024

Review: Mariza at SF Jazz

Mariza is a world-famous Fado singer, and I was surprised and delighted that she was visiting San Francisco. Having just recently returned from Portugal, where Mariza usually performs in large stadiums, I was happily surprised that I could purchase tickets to hear her live.

Here is a sample YouTube video of her singing:


According to Wikipedia: 

Mariza was born in Lourenço Marques, Portuguese Mozambique, to a Portuguese father, José Brandão Nunes, and a Mozambican mother, Isabel Nunes.[3] When she was three years old, her family moved to Metropolitan Portugal, and she was raised in Lisbon's historic quarters of Mouraria and Alfama. While very young, she began singing in various musical styles, including gospel, soul, and jazz. Her father strongly encouraged her to adopt fado; he felt participating in traditional music would grant her greater acceptance in the Portuguese community. Mariza has sold over 1 million records worldwide.[4]

I purchased front-row seats (row  AA, 103/104) and saw Mariza close. She was much taller than I expected and sang beautifully. I enjoyed the concert and was glad to hear her sing in person.

I liked her band, which included the accordion, guitar, Portuguese guitar, bass, and drums. I especially enjoyed the acoustic guitar (and far less the accordion—I would have preferred a piano instead).

One of my favorite songs Mariza sang is "Quem Me Dera", see below:

Quem Me Dera

Que mais tem de acontecer no mundo
Para inverter o teu coração pra mim
Que quantidade de lágrimas devo deixar cair
Que flor tem que nascer
Para ganhar o teu amor

Por esse amor meu Deus
Eu faço tudo
Declamo os poemas mais lindos do universo
A ver se te convenço
Que a minha alma nasceu para ti

Será preciso um milagre
Para que o meu coração se alegre
Juro não vou desistir
Faça chuva faça Sol
Porque eu preciso de ti para seguir

Quem me dera
Abraçar-te no outono, verão e primavera
Quiçá viver além uma quimera
Herdar a sorte e ganhar teu coração

Quem me dera
Abraçar-te no outono, verão e primavera
Quiçá viver além uma quimera
Herdar a sorte e ganhar teu coração

Será preciso uma tempestade
Para perceberes que o meu amor é de verdade
Te procuro nos outdoors da cidade, nas luzes dos faróis
Nos meros mortais como nós
O meu amor é puro, é tão grande e resistente como embondeiro
Por ti eu vou onde nunca iria
Por ti eu sou o que nunca seria

Quem me dera
Abraçar-te no outono, verão e primavera
Quiçá viver além uma quimera
Herdar a sorte e ganhar teu coração

Quem me dera
Abraçar-te no outono, verão e primavera
Quiçá viver além uma quimera
Herdar a sorte e ganhar teu coração

Quem me dera
Abraçar-te no outono, verão e primavera
Quiçá viver além uma quimera
Herdar a sorte e ganhar teu coração

Quem me dera
Abraçar-te no outono, verão e primavera
Quiçá viver além uma quimera
Herdar a sorte e ganhar teu coração

Quem me dera
Abraçar-te no outono, verão e primavera
Quiçá viver além uma quimera
Herdar a sorte e ganhar teu coração

Quem me dera

I Wish

What else has to happen in the world
To turn your heart towards me
How many tears must I let fall
What flower must bloom
To win your love

For this love, my God
I do everything
I recite the most beautiful poems in the universe
To see if I convince you
That my soul was born for you

It will take a miracle
For my heart to rejoice
I swear I won't give up
Come rain or shine
Because I need you to go on

I wish
To embrace you in autumn, summer, and spring
Perhaps live beyond a chimera
Inherit luck and win your heart

It will take a storm
For you to realize my love is true
I look for you in city billboards, in the headlights
In mere mortals like us
My love is pure, as big and resilient as a baobab tree
For you, I go where I would never go
For you, I am what I would never be

I wish
To embrace you in autumn, summer, and spring
Perhaps live beyond a chimera
Inherit luck and win your heart

I wish
To embrace you in autumn, summer, and spring
Perhaps live beyond a chimera
Inherit luck and win your heart

I wish
To embrace you in autumn, summer, and spring
Perhaps live beyond a chimera
Inherit luck and win your heart

I wish
To embrace you in autumn, summer, and spring
Perhaps live beyond a chimera
Inherit luck and win your heart

I wish
To embrace you in autumn, summer, and spring
Perhaps live beyond a chimera
Inherit luck and win your heart

I wish

Saturday, October 5, 2024

Vising Cascais, Portugal

At around 9:30, I ordered UberX from Torel Palace Hotel to Cais do Sodre Train station, which regularly departs for Cascais. We arrived at about 9:57, missing the 10:00 train for Cascais. However, we boarded the next 10:20 train and arrived 40 minutes later.

According to Wikipedia (see more about Cascais):

Cascais is a town and municipality in the Lisbon District of Portugal on the Portuguese Riviera. The city has 214,158 inhabitants[1] and an area of 97.40 km2.[2] Cascais is an important tourist destination. Its marina hosts events such as the America's Cup, and the town of Estoril, part of the Cascais municipality, hosts conferences such as the Horasis Global Meeting.

Cascais's history as a popular seaside resort began in the 1870s when King Luís I of Portugal and the Portuguese royal family made the seaside town their residence every September. This also attracted members of the Portuguese nobility, who established a summer community there. 
Cascais is known for the many members of royalty who have lived there, including King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom when he was the Duke of Windsor, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, and King Umberto II of Italy
Exiled Cuban president Fulgencio Batista was also once a resident of the municipality. The Casino Estoril inspired Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel, Casino Royale.[3]
The municipality is one of the wealthiest in Portugal and the Iberian Peninsula. It has one of the most expensive real estate markets and one of the highest costs of living in the country, and is consistently ranked highly for its quality of life.

On arrival, we started exploring downtown Cascais. The weather was initially foggy and cloudy. However, the fog cleared by noon, and the sun came out, with clouds disappearing. It also got quite hot outside (especially when walking in the sun).


We saw many interesting shops and restaurants and stopped at Palácio Seixas to take photos. We saw a few people swimming and paddle-boarding on the beach. 

We decided to continue exploring and stopped at Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães. At first, we toured the beautiful gardens with a large tower built up. Then, at around 12:30, we purchased tickets to see the inside. We toured the three-story building and saw some notable paintings and furniture.


According to Wikipedia (see also Palácio dos Condes de Castro Guimarães):

The Palácio dos Condes de Castro Guimarães, originally known as the Torre de São Sebastião (St Sebastian's Tower), was built in 1900 as an aristocrat’s summer residence in Cascais, Lisbon District, Portugal
It became a museum in 1931. The building follows an eclectic architectural style, while the museum includes paintings of national and international significance, furniture, porcelain, jewelry, and a neo-Gothic organ.

Our next stop was the Cascais Lighthouse (Farol Museu de Santa Marta), which was closed. We continued our long walk, stopping at the famous Boca do Inferno, described as:

These scenic oceanfront cliffs feature a natural archway & open cave created by pounding waves.


It was past lunchtime, so we stopped by Mar do Inferno for seafood. After sitting down, we ordered a seafood platter for two, which included fresh seafood (sea bass, large shrimp, clams, and broccoli).
The seafood was delicious!


After lunch, we walked back downtown, looking at various shops. In the Cascais Marina, we found a mall with high-end stores. We looked around for some time but did not purchase anything.



We decided to get a light dessert and stopped by a nearby Paul bakery for pastries. I had an espresso with a couple of pastries. The pastries were delicious!
 
Outside, people were playing volleyball and relaxing on the beach.



We also tied coffee at the highly rated Coffee Cascais Centro. I tried the mocha while Inna explored the shops around Cascais, while I relaxed.

We saw a few people sailing in the bay. The wind was light, and just barely enough to fill out the sails.

We enjoyed our time in Cascais. It reminded us of other seaside towns (like Carmel-by-the-Sea). In the late afternoon, we ordered UberX to return back to Lisbon.



Cascais Trip Report

Highlights

Lowlights
  • Hot, muggy weather




Friday, October 4, 2024

Visiting Sintra, Portugal

Friday, October 4, 2024

Inna arranged a private tour of Sintra, and we met our guide - Nino (from Vangotourism) - at 09:20, just outside our Torel Place Hotel. He had arrived in a Mercedes-Benz van, and we were quickly on our way to Sintra. There was heavy traffic on the way, but we arrived around 09:30. 

Nino is a local Portuguese guide who lives in Sintra and speaks English, French, Italian, and Spanish (in addition to his native Portuguese). He showed us all of the major sites (and saved us a lot of time), as we bypassed most long lines to attractions.


Upon arriving in Sintra, we first stopped at Casa Priquita, a small, historic bakery founded in 1862 that sells specialty pastries. After a light snack of queijadas and espresso, we walked around downtown. (I still prefer the Pastel de Nata.)


The weather was quite foggy, with light, misty rain throughout the day. Our guide mentioned that this is typical Sintra weather (though when Inna visited last time, she lucked out with sunny weather).


Our first stop was the Sintra National Palace (Palacio National de Sintra). We walked around the palace, taking many photos. It was a beautiful palace with sections built in various centuries.

According to Wikipedia (see also Sintra National Palace):

The Palace of Sintra (Portuguese: Palácio de Sintra), also called Town Palace (Palácio da Vila), is located in the town of Sintra. It is a present-day historic house museum.

It is the best-preserved medieval royal residence in Portugal, being inhabited more or less continuously from at least the early 15th century to the late 19th century. It is a significant tourist attraction and part of the cultural landscape of Sintra, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our guide had pre-purchased tickets for Quinta da Regaleira at 10:30, and we hurried to arrive on time.


We started our visit with the Initiation Well, a long, winding staircase to the bottom.

At the bottom, we walked through multiple deep caves. 


We continued our tour through the Regaleira Palace and saw many beautifully decorated rooms.

According to Wikipedia (see also Quinta da Regaleira):

Quinta da Regaleira is a Quinta (farm) located near the historic center of Sintra, Portugal.

The property consists of a Romantic palace and chapel and a luxurious park that features lakes, grottoes, wells, benches, fountains, and a vast array of exquisite constructions. 
The palace is also known as "The Palace of Monteiro the Millionaire," based on the nickname of its best-known former owner, António Augusto Carvalho MonteiroThe palace was designed by the Italian architect Luigi Manini.

We loved walking around Regaleira and wished we had more time to enjoy the palace, park, tunnels, wells, and fountains. It's truly a magical place that's worth visiting.


Around noon, we walked back to Sintra's downtown for lunch. Our guide suggested Cafe Paris, and we sat down outdoors (with a lovely umbrella blocking any light rain), ordering the following items:

  • Appetizer: Tomato & Buffalo salad
  • Boris: Crepe with Chicken, Espresso
  • Inna: Crepe with Ham, Hot Black Tea
  • Dessert: 2 Pastel da Nuta
The crepes were delicious, and the waiters were very fast. The Pastel da Nuta was first-rate (warm and tasty, freshly out of the oven).


After lunch, we drove to the top of Sintra to see the famous Pena Palace. Due to heavy congestion, it took some time to get there. Our guide found parking, and we walked to the entrance gate. We then boarded a small bus to the very top. We toured the beautiful palace, taking lots of photos.


According to Wikipedia (see also Pena Palace):

The Pena Palace (Portuguese: Palácio da Pena) is a Romanticist castle on the Portuguese Riviera, located in São Pedro de Penaferrim, municipality of Sintra. 
The castle stands on top of a hill in the Sintra Mountains above Sintra. On a clear day, it can be easily seen from Lisbon and much of its metropolitan area
It is a national monument and one of the world's major expressions of 19th-century Romanticism. The palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. The president of the Portuguese Republic and other government officials also use it for state occasions.

After touring the palace, we walked downhill about 900m to the enormous garden to see the five beautiful lakes.  There was a beautiful tower in the middle of one lake. We also saw a grey rabbit munching on some leaves nearby. He was used to people and did not hop away when we approached him.

We also briefly stopped by the Moorish Castle but did not stay long due to poor visibility. 

According to Wikipedia (see also Castle of the Moors):

The Castle of the Moors (Portuguese: Castelo dos Mouros) is a hilltop medieval castle in the central Portuguese civil parish of Santa Maria e São Miguel, in Sintra, about 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Lisbon
Built by the Moors in the 8th and 9th centuries, it was an important strategic point during the Reconquista and was taken by Christian forces after the fall of Lisbon in 1147. It is classified as a National Monument, part of the Sintra Cultural Landscape, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I would have liked to climb some castle walls to take photos of the surrounding castles. As the light rain started to turn heavier, we decided to shorten our time at the Moorish Castle and return to the van for our return trip to Lisbon.


Sintra Trip Report

Highlights

Lowlights

  • Foggy weather with occasional light rain and low visibility

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Back to Lisbon, Portugal

Monday, September 30, 2024

On Monday, September 30th, at 18:00, when we finished sightseeing the Budda Eden Garden of Peace, we drove to Lisbon (LIS) airport, where I was scheduled to drop off my rented Nissan Qashqai at Hertz Car Rental.

There was some traffic on the way there, but we arrived at 19:00 and found the Hertz Rental car return near the airport. My fuel tank was about 50% full, and I did not have time to fill it up to 100%. I dropped off the Nissan, and Hertz did a thorough inspection and found no issues.

We returned to the arrival terminal, and Inna ordered an Uber to take us to the Torel Palace Hotel in Lisbon.


We checked into Torel Palace Hotel and were taken by our hostess to room #19 in the Blue Building (which also houses the Black Pavilion Restaurant).

As I felt tired and sweaty, I decided to shower while Inna unpacked her suitcase. Afterward, I unpacked my suitcase (our room had plenty of storage for various items).


We decided to eat dinner at the hotel's Black Pavilion restaurant (as we did not need to make any advance dinner reservations). After looking at the dinner menu and asking our waiter for recommendations, we ordered the following items:

  • Appetizer: Tomato & Burrata, Fresh Bread & Butter
  • Drinks: Pellegrino, Hot English Breakfast Tea
  • Boris: Bacalhau "Pil-Pil" Cod and Chickpeas
  • Inna: Pork Cheeks & Mushrooms
  • Dessert: Chocolate Cake & Red Fruits

We liked the Tomato & Burrata and the fresh breadMy Bacalhau "Pil-Pil" Cod was not impressive (I am not a cod connoisseur), but Inna loved her Pork Cheeks and Mushrooms. The Chocolate Cake dessert was excellent. Service was fast, polite, and efficient.


Tuesday, October 1, 2024 

After waking up at 07:30, I took a shower and dressed. We walked downstairs for breakfast at the Black Pavilion restaurant buffet. 

We selected the following items from the buffet:

  • Scrambled eggs (not very soft; next time, we will order an omelet)
  • Roasted tomatoes
  • Multi-grain Bread (needed to be toasted)
  • Yogurt with Jam (delicious!)
  • Various Pastries (but not Pastel da Nuta)
  • Espresso
Overall, the breakfast was delicious, and the service was excellent.



After breakfast, we met Hugo - our Took-took guide - on the street at 09:20 (he was running late).
He took us to the following sites on an electrically powered 3-wheeler:
  • St. Vencent Monument
  • Sao Pedra de Alcantara Viewpoint
  • Graca Viewpoint
  • Rua Augusta Arch
  • Jeronimos Monastery (there was a huge line to get in)
  • Belem Tower
  • Discoveries Monument
  • National Maritime Museum
  • Time-out Market (where we stopped for lunch at Liberta Pasta Bar)
According to Hugo, St. George was secretly practicing Christianity and keeping records of other practicing Christians. When Romans discovered him, they tortured him in the hope of getting the names of other practicing Christians, but he refused and died from the torture. His ashes were lost until a ship was sent to retrieve them. The sailors were able to find St. George's dead body, as it was marked by a pair of birds circling overhead. The birds continued to circle overhead as the body was returned to Portugal.



Our guide also stopped by Pastéis de Belém, the best pasteria, and purchased us a freshly baked Pastel da Belem pastry (original recipe - before Pastel de Nuta). It was so warm and delicious!



After our tuk-tuk tour, we were dropped off at the Time-Out Market for lunch. We did not like the crowded and noisy conditions inside and decided to eat outside. We selected Liberta Pasta Bar and ordered a few dishes, including:
  • Appetizer: Burrata 
  • Drinks: Sparkling Water, Lemonade
  • Boris: Ragu Bolognese
  • Inna: Ravioli di Manzo
The Burrata was delicious, but the Ragu Bolognese was mediocre. Service was also slow. 



After lunch, we ordered a Bolt to take us to the Belem Tower. I hoped to go inside, but the tickets were all sold out. Next time, buy tickets well in advance.



Instead, we decided to visit the National Coach Museum. On the way there, we stopped by for a rest at an Italian Gelateria, where I ordered the following:
  • Boris: 3 Scoops: pistachio, chocolate, hazelnut
  • Inna: Affogato
After our short snack, we decided to visit the Monument to the Discoveries (instead of continuing to the National Coach Museum) as we were exhausted. We rode the elevator to the top of the Monument, which had excellent panoramic views of Lisbon, with the April 15th Bridge (like the Golden Gate), Christ the King Statue, Belem Tower, and the entire waterfront.



On our way down from the top floor, we saw a short exhibit on African immigrants to Portugal. We were tired, so we ordered an Uber to take us back to our Torel Place Hotel to rest.



At our Torel Palace Hotel, we first considered seeing Fado and asked the hostess to try making reservations, but all of the popular Fado restaurants were booked (or the opening times were too late for us).



Instead, we hung out at the bar, and I pre-ordered tickets for other events.



We decided to stay in the hotel for dinner, as we truly liked our Black Pavilion restaurant. We ordered the following items:
  • Appetizer: Tomato & Burrata, Fresh Bread & Butter
  • Drinks: Pellegrino, Hot English Breakfast Tea, Martini
  • Boris: Steak with Mushroom Sauce
  • Inna: Pork Cheeks & Mushrooms
  • Dessert: Creme Brulee with Olive Oil

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

After waking up at 07:30, I showered, shaved and dressed. We walked downstairs for breakfast at the Black Pavilion restaurant buffet. We selected the following items:

  • Yogurt with Jam (delicious!)
  • Omelet with tomatoes and mushrooms
  • Various Pastries (but not Pastel da Nuta)
  • Espresso
Overall, the breakfast was quite good, and the service was excellent.

After breakfast, Inna ordered an UberX to Jeronimos Monastery, for which I had tickets for admission at 09:30. We arrived at around 09:40, and I queued up in a very long line. Despite having tickets, I had to wait almost an hour before being allowed entry. 

We were finally admitted into Jeronimos Monastery at around 10:30. I thought I had visited the monastery during my Celebrity Cruises' stop at Lisbon, but I was mistaken. I had previously visited the nearby St. Maria of Belem Church.

The Jeronimos Monastery was quite large, with many elaborate stone carvings. We started on the 2nd floor and then walked down to the first floor. It was quite beautiful and peaceful. 

When we finished with the Monastery, I also wanted to visit the nearby Maritime Museum, as I was interested in learning about ancient Portuguese navigators. I purchased the 8.00 euro ticket while Inna waited at the nearby Maritime Cafe (she had no interest in the Maritime Museum).



The Maritime Museum told the story of the ancient beginnings of Portuguese expeditions and voyages of discovery. It displayed models of the Caravels used by Vasco de Gamma and Ferdinand Magellan, as well as many old navigational instruments (astrolabes, compasses, sextants) and ancient maps.

I enjoyed learning about the famous explorers and their daring exploits. Some old barks were also on display.

After I finished with the museum, I met up with Inna at the Maritime Cafe, and we ordered an Uber to take us to the National Tile Museum.

We had an enjoyable 30-minute Uber ride with a young Portuguese driver who drives Uber for a living. He speaks multiple languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese) and is also learning Russian. He had previously worked in northern Italy and eastern France (around Lyon) and thought that people in France were friendlier.

Once we were in the National Tile Museum, we purchased tickets and strolled around the two floors of tiles. There were some unique tiles, but I found the museum less exciting than Inna.

After the museum, we stopped by Hell's Chicken for a quick lunch. I had barbecue chicken with salad while Inna drank some sparkling water. It's a whole-in-the-wall place, but the chicken was pretty good.

As it started raining, we ordered an Uber to take us to Lisbon's oldest bookstore (founded in 1732), Livraria Bertrand—Chiado. There, I had an espresso while Inna had tea, and we looked at various books. We decided to purchase Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.



We strolled around the narrow streets, looking at various shops, and listened to a street musician singing popular songs (Adele, Bee Gees) at A Brasileira



While there, I ordered some local rose wine, and Inna drank some tea.


Here is a video of San Oliver singing Bryan Adams' "Heaven":



We also noticed the following Cruise Ships docked in Lisbon:
  • Seven Seas Mariner
  • Azamara Journey
  • P&O Iona
  • Virgin Voyages Resilient Lady
When in port, substantial tour groups from the ships visited the famous sites, and entry became difficult. 


We could see the organized tours at the National Tile Museum, Jeronimos Monastery, and other venues. By the way, Portuguese college students wear black robes.



We thought about dining out at the highly recommended Pinoquio restaurant (by our Tuk-Tuk driver), but the long line discouraged us.



We returned to our hotel and rested before going downstairs for dinner at Black Pavilion, ordering the following:
  • Appetizer: Tomato & Burrata, Fresh Bread & Butter
  • Drinks: Pellegrino, Hot English Breakfast Tea
  • Inna: Steak with Mushroom Sauce (125 grams)
  • Boris: Tagliatelle with Tomato Sauce

We enjoyed some of the art in Lisbon.




Thursday, October 3, 2024

After waking up at 07:30, I showered, shaved and dressed. We walked downstairs for breakfast at the Black Pavilion restaurant buffet. 



We selected the following items:

  • Yogurt with Jam (delicious!)
  • Omelet with tomatoes and mushrooms
  • Various Pastries
  • Espresso
We had plans to visit the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, and I ordered UberX to take us there.



Calouste Gulbenkian, an Armenian businessman, amassed vast wealth in oil and collected many paintings, statues, and other fine art. This museum holds his fine art collection, organized by regions:
  • Ancient Egypt
  • Ancient Greece
  • Ancient Persia and Armenia
  • Ancient China
  • French Painters
  • Antique Furniture
  • Silverware
  • Renee Lalique
I especially liked the Egyptian, Greek, Chinese, and French art.



After a few hours admiring the collection, we ate lunch at the museum's cafe. We ordered the following items:
  • Boris: Salad with chicken (Salada Frango)
  • Inna: Quiche
  • Dessert: Almond Tarte
  • Drinks: Water, Lemonade, Latte, Espresso
The cafe was inexpensive, and the food quality was acceptable for a museum.
After lunch, we stopped briefly at the Gulbenkian Modern Art annex. I didn't like any of the modern art pieces shown there.

I ordered an UberX to take us to Lisbon's Oceanarium, and after a 30-minute ride, we arrived. I purchased two tickets (23.00 euros/person), including the pass for the Teleferico cable car.

The Oceanarium was excellent, and we spent about three hours looking at various fish from different oceans (Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, Arctic). Our favorite, by far, was the Common Seadragon. It was so beautiful and unique. Many sharks, including Black Tip, and countless varieties of fish species were swimming in the main tank. We also saw penguins feeding (some of them were being fed like babies)



When we finished with the Oceanarium, we rode the Teleferico along the coast, with beautiful views of the surroundings (Oriente Train Station).


We returned to A Brasileira cafe to listen to street musicians, drink tea or wine, and rest. I ordered a local Rose, while Inna ordered Hot Tea with a couple of Pastel da Nuta. The street musician playing was not as entertaining as the one from the day before (and I was also annoyed by the couple next to me smoking cigarettes)




After we finished our drinks, we paid and returned to the Torel Palace Hotel. We considered eating dinner elsewhere but could not find a reasonably-priced restaurant that did not require a reservation. Our first idea was to try Pinoquio, but it had a huge line.




We returned to our hotel and sat down at Black Pavilion, ordering the following:
  • Appetizer: Tomato & Burrata, Sea Scallops, Fresh Bread & Butter
  • Drinks: Pellegrino, Hot English Breakfast Tea
  • Inna: Steak with Mushroom Sauce (125 grams)
  • Boris: Steak with Mushroom Sauce (125 grams)
  • Dessert: Creme Brulee

Friday, October 4, 2024

Since we had arranged a private visit to Sintra, we had to wake up earlier than usual. After waking up at 06:30, I showered, shaved, and dressed.

We walked downstairs for breakfast at the Black Pavilion restaurant buffet. We selected the following items:

  • Yogurt with Jam (delicious!)
  • Omelet with tomatoes and mushrooms
  • Various Pastries
  • Espresso
I write about the Sintra visit in a separate blog post.

When we returned to Lisbon from Sintra, we rested and ate our last dinner at the Black Pavilion:
  • Appetizer: Tomato & Burrata, Sea Scallops, Fresh Bread & Butter
  • Drinks: Pellegrino, Hot English Breakfast Tea
  • Inna: Steak with Mushroom Sauce (125 grams)
  • Boris: Steak with Mustard Sauce (125 grams)
  • Dessert: Creme Brulee
As usual, we loved our dinner at the Black Pavilion.


Saturday, October 5, 2024

I woke up at 07:55 and dressed. After breakfast, we traveled to Cascais, which I wrote about in a separate blog post.

When we returned to Lisbon from Cascais, we rested and ate our last dinner while sitting at the outdoor tables of the Black Pavilion. We ordered the following:
  • Appetizer: Guacamole & Crab Toast, Tomato & Burrata, Fresh Bread & Butter
  • Drinks: Pellegrino, Hot English Breakfast Tea
  • Inna: Steak with Mushroom Sauce (125 grams)
  • Boris: Steak with Mushroom Sauce (125 grams)
  • Dessert: Creme Brulee
We enjoyed our dinner at the Black Pavilion and hope to return.

Sunday, October 6, 2024

I woke at 06:30, showered, shaved, dressed, and packed. After a quick breakfast, we checked out of the Torel Palace Hotel, and  I ordered UberX to take us to the airport (20 minutes away). Unfortunately, my driver dropped me off, and I asked Inna to order (as she has a higher Uber rating). We were picked up at around 8:08 and taken to Lisbon Airport, arriving at 08:25. Inna got way over-charged on her UberX ride (it should have been 14.24 euros - not 74.24 euros) and she had to work to get the charge reversed.

Fortunately, our return flight on Air Portugal TP247 from LIS to SFO was delayed. To get to gate 47A, we needed to go through three separate queues (ticket, security, and passport check). Priority boarding was painless, though we needed to board a bus to get on the plane.

While on the Airbus, I also re-read my favorite, The Incredible Life of Hubert Wilkins: Australia's Greatest Explorer by Peter FitzSimons, on my Kindle.

I also watched the following movies: Joker and Goldfinch (though my headphones had the left speaker broken):

Joker: A somewhat depressing take on mental illness (Rating B)
Arthur Fleck, a party clown and a failed stand-up comedian, leads an impoverished life with his ailing mother. However, when society shuns him and brands him as a freak, he decides to embrace the life of crime and chaos in Gotham City.
Goldfinch: An exciting but unrealistic mystery (Rating: B)
A wealthy family takes in a boy in New York after his mother is killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In a rush of panic, he steals 'The Goldfinch,' a painting that eventually draws him into a world of crime.
I also tried watching Elvis (Rate: C), Death on the Nile (Rate: C), and Anyone But You (Rate: C), but I could not complete watching them, as they were not very stimulating.

We landed in San Francisco at 15:00, breezed through immigration and customs, and Alex picked us up at the International Arrivals terminal.

Lisbon Trip Report
Highlights

Lowlights
  • Huge crowds and sold-out tickets at Belem Tower
  • Long lines in restaurants (dinners require reservations)
  • Getting ripped off on Hertz Auto Insurance on my Nissan Qashqai car rental
    • Next time, use the credit card's free auto rental insurance