Remote Year: Photos of the Week, Lisbon, Portugal, Week 1

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Remote Year offers an opportunity to break from routine and see what the world has in store for you. Our first week in Lisbon, Portugal was a chaotic whirlwind of new people, new spaces, new adventures, and a whole lot of eye candy for this food & travel photographer!

I captured well over 1,000 images in just over a week! At this rate, I’ll fill hundreds of external hard drives in a year of travelling. But Lisbon is such a riot of colour and chaos, beauty in decay, old vs. new—you can’t help but stop and snap every few moments. Here are some of my favourite food & travel photos from our first week in Lisbon, Portugal.

Eat With the Locals

The Portuguese people do it right. Mealtimes are special bonding times, not to be rushed or ordered for “takeaway” (which is a relatively new phenomenon here, I’m told).

Spending leisurely time at the table with friends and family is a way of life here, and I like it! Sharing stories and experiences, learning about the new culture you’re immersed in, and enjoying expertly created, local food is a luxurious treat.

I often do get to enjoy this type of meal at home with my “foodie meetup” group. And I was excited to recreate the experience in Lisbon. So I was one of the first to register for what is known as a “plus” event with Remote Year.

Our local Experience Manager, Goncalo Regalado, created an exceptionally delicious multi-course meal for a small group of Remotes. His life partner, Teresa, assisted in the preparations and our local General Manager, Ligia Gomes, a well-known food blogger here in Portugal, joined us as a co-host.

The dinner was a huge highlight for me, and I managed to capture some shots while enjoying the company, the food, and the expansive view of Lisbon’s skyline.

Walking into Goncalo’s apartment was like walking into the pages of Architectural Digest magazine.

Goncalo explains the origins and traditions behind Portuguese food to our group of hungry participants, while Teresa keeps our glasses filled with Sangria.

The appetizers were gobbled up quickly. Try adding bubbly-hot homemade pumpkin jam to soft cheese and Portuguese bread. Oh my!

Below, Goncalo prepares a traditional Portuguese appetizer called Chourico Assado, a flaming sausage cooked over rubbing alcohol.

A toast to the memorable experience! With locally-made Rose wine from a small producer in the Duoro region that flowed copiously throughout the hours-long dinner. Our hosts Ligia on the left, and Goncalo in the middle.

Sir Mix-A-Lot

As if eating and drinking until the wee hours of the morning the night before wasn’t enough, I also registered in another “plus” event the next day. Who doesn’t want to learn how to mix cocktails, and compete with your fellow Remotes, in a popular Portuguese cocktail bar??

Marcus & Tania, owners and bartenders at 4 Caravelas Cocktail Bar in the heart of Lisbon, gave expert instruction on the art of mixing cocktails, and injected a ton of fun by staging some creative competitive action.

Maria starts us off with a shot!

Ever tried mixing cocktails while blindfolded? You need a good coach to win! Igor & Alex, Alyssa & Natasha go head to head in friendly competition.

Dylan shows off his winning shaker style while his mixing partner Kaydee looks on.

One-handed cocktail mixing with a partner can conjure up some goofy facial expressions. Nikki and Whitney do their best while Marcus coaches from behind.

Scooter Sunday

A wide open day with plenty of heat and sunshine. What to do? Could have done some blogging, photo editing, bookkeeping, laundry… or could have jumped on the back of Adam’s motorcycle and joined the other scooter-ers on a #SundayFunday.

So many #level3fun stories evolved over this day, from people getting separated and almost lost, to a couple of Remotes who toppled over and needed a hospital visit, to another group who wisely chose to stay overnight in Cascais after enjoying the post-lunch beach time just a little too much….

For me, the highlight of the day had to be the wonderous meal we enjoyed at the Café Galeria House of Wonders, in the beautiful seaside town of Cascais. When the big group of us arrived on the rooftop patio, the restaurant’s owner offered to create a family-style feast for us. And what a feast it was! Everything was so fresh, local, and delicious. And the sangria helped it all go down. 🙂

Heading north to Cascais on #SundayFunday. Photo credit: Andrei Beno

Just a few of the many dishes we devoured at Café Galeria House of Wonders, Cascais, Portugal

Some my new amigas and amigos hamming it up at Café Galeria House of Wonders, Cascais, Portugal

That’s it for this week…

Week 1 of my Remote Year Curie was all about food & fun! And a whole lot of wine. Chaotic days and nights, creating new bonds with new people, exploring new places and adventures.

Honestly, it was all a bit overwhelming. In a good way. But I had moments, sometimes waves, of loneliness and grief over missing my home and my people.

I’m pretty sure the organizers know we will all be off-kilter in our first week on Remote Year, so they throw many distractions at us to keep us putting one foot in front of the other. Wise.

This week is all about settling in to work and routines. So my next blog will give you a peek into the reality of being a #digitalnomad.

Please share your comments about these food & travel photos in Lisbon! Drop me a message in the comments below.

#RemoteYear #RemoteYearCurie #RYCurie

Any questions about preparing to be a digital nomad?

Drop me a message in the comments below!

Are you thinking about joining Remote Year and want to know how to prepare?

Check out this blog: Remote Year Prep: How to Organize Your Life