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Portugal’s Sweetest Contribution to the World Was Love at First Bite
It took me decades of traveling before I made it there and I am so happy I did
In case you haven’t been to Portugal yet, let me say this — be careful when it rains. The intricately beautiful sidewalks are made of paving stones.
Chunky cubes of sturdy basalt and limestone form the mosaic squares, sturdy enough for thousands of feet and durable enough to last centuries (The Mosaic Sidewalks).
While Lisbon is definitely famous, and infamous, for the slippery-when wet (and sometimes even when dry) works of art, the sidewalk art can be found all over the country. I found the sidewalks in Coimbra to be especially dangerous but I am sure everyone who has ever been to Portugal has their own favorite danger spot.
So when the droplets begin to fall from the sky, which is not so often in many parts of the country, and if you are not experienced at identifying the more treacherous spots beneath your feet, pop into one of the many cafes known as “pasteleria” in Portuguese.
In all fairness, I could go on for an hour or more just telling about the vast array of cakes, pastries, cookies, and meringue-y type things but I will leave them for you to discover on your own one day. The pastry that…
