It is 11 pm here in Lisbon, and Cutter and I have had a great day of exploring. As we were leaving our hostel to walk the city, we ran into a friend we had made as we were checking in earlier named Chris, a 22 year old black student from NY. He joined us as we looked for a bank, and having exchanged some of our travellers checks at a local square, we spent the next couple hours aimlessly wandering the bustling streets. The cobblestone walkways wound from square to square, up hills and down narrow alleyways full of locals and tourists alike. We walked some of the beach, took in the salt water, and watched local fishermen cast their lines into the swells. There are monuments and gigantic sculptures everywhere, interspersed with quaint boutiques selling everything from futuristic electronic gadgets to high-end designer clothing stores like Gucci and Hugo. Though the people don´t seem to be the friendliest, they are nice nonetheless, and seem to be everywhere. The traffic is crazy, with narrow one-ways and 5 lane roundabouts with stoplights. Cutter and I can´t help but feel a little in over our heads, but its a fun kind of excitement that I am sure will ease with time. Around 8 we found a nice little pizzeria streetside cafe type resaurante that had margherita pizza, so of course Cutter sat down before I had even noticed the place. Chris, Cutter and I shared some of the local Porto wine and enjoyed our pizza as local musicians passed by playing guitars and accordians in the local style. Street vendors also tried to sell their handmade items to us as we ate amongst the window shopping crowds. After a great meal, we meandered back to the hostel where Cutter collapsed on the bed and I began planning the next day and updated the journal. With so much on my mind, I am surprised I haven´t forgotten my name yet. Tomorrow we are planning to walk the more historic district and see the ancient St George Castle that overlooks the city on a treed hilltop a few blocks down from our hostel. Then we´ll check out and hopefully catch an overnight train to Madrid, where the adventure will continue.