I arrived in Portugal just before Christmas, preparing myself for a lonely holiday season away from my family and friends. Lucky for me, I ended up at the most friendly and adorable hostel in Lisbon! Home Lisbon Hostel was packed with at least 50 travelers. It was a warm and cozy place decorated festively for the holidays, Christmas music filling the air. Thoughtful touches made to make us all feel a little less lonely for our loved ones and homelands. "Mama", the owner's mother, cooked a big, Portuguese-style dinner every night to be had for a pittance. Christmas Day guests were served roast chicken, salted cod, fruit salad, new potatoes, homemade bread, rice, pie and unlimited pitchers of sangria made with local red wine. Travelers, representing at least 15 different countries, sat at long wooden tables bathed in candlelight and somehow communicated with each other while sharing a delicious meal.

I wish I could say that I checked out a museum or two but I didn't. I spent a week wandering the streets that were all decked out for the holidays, visiting several beautiful, old churches, admiring the Romanesque, Baroque, and Gothic architecture, gazing at the buildings covered in cheery blue and yellow tiles, watching the Elevator de Bicas (cable cars) labor up steep hills, sitting on benches people watching in the Aerea do Rossio, shopping, feasting on the best fish and shellfish I've ever eaten, and stuffing myself with delectable pastries. I had discovered a tiny custard cup with a light, cruncy crust and sprinkled with cinnamon called Pasteis de Nata and I couldn't get my fill of them. I could live on Pasteis de Nata and cappucino, I'm sure of it.

I adored Lisbon and could easily see why it's been compared to San Francisco (my favorite city), or the other way around, with its steep hills, cable cars, mild weather, bridges, and abundance of fresh seafood. Could have stayed much longer but I was anxious to move on to the Algarve, Lagos in particular. Once a small fishing village with a large harbor and gorgeous white and pink buildings, it's now a happening tourist spot with lots of great seafood restaurants, bars, and shops. Found a small, quaint hostel and proceeded to wander the streets, consuming a different variety of delectable fish every night. Ran into Guilan, my Canadian dormmate from Home Lisbon Hostel in a church and we took a fantastic trek high up on the cliffs overlooking the sea at sunset. It was difficult not to compare Portugal to Spain, and I found myself doing it time and again, as much as I resisted. Portugal was quieter, more peaceful. It was less crowded, cleaner, greener, more rustic and untouched than Spain. The people were friendly but markedly more reserved than the gregarious Spaniards. I found it was a nice break from the frenzy of Spain.

While hiking, Guilan and I decided to travel to Morocco together. We both wanted to go but didn't necessarily want to go alone! I jumped at the chance to travel there with someone as fun and crazy as Guilan and she's a fluent French speaker too! Tangier, here we come!

I Miss:

My family, friends, co-workers

My cats

My bed

Tap water I can drink

Cooking

Making my own coffee and tea

Big salads

Mexican food

My washer and dryer

MSNBC

Hot baths

My Most Useful Travel Items:

Sleeping Bag

Sleep Sack

TP

Pocket Knife

Elastic Clothesline

Wet Wipes

Sewing Kit

Eye Shades

Imodium

Headlamp

More Lessons Learned the Hard Way:

Always check your boots and shoes before putting them on.

Wash your laundry in plenty of time before your departure to avoid either having to wear wet clothes or carry them.

Always flush the toilet in a new place before using it the first time.

Never put valuable clothing items that you want to see again in the laundry.

Never look at the kitchen where you're eating.

Never use a squat toilet in complete darkness.