The first day or Fado and wine

Why not? Book and two days later you're on your way to Lisbon... The day is dragging on, but I still have the opportunity to visit Mareike and then I drive to the airport. It's quiet, eerily quiet, as if you were in a monastery of silence instead of an airport. The nice lady at the security counter reminds me of how to pack my liquids in my hand luggage. To my shame, I have to admit that even though I fly a lot and have been on many flights, I still get it wrong every time. Whatever. I can't make a stop for food or drink because I have to go to the other end of the airport. Boarding begins (right away with racial profiling at its best: They see you and think you can definitely speak Spanish or Portuguese and help us...😂).

I have to say that I was really looking forward to sitting cramped in an iron devil again.

Lisbon welcomes me with some rain and very friendly people. I am assigned the wrong room at first - I am already naked in front of the shower when the phone rings and the receptionist tells me that he made a mistake - but then I get my correct room and am happy about this nice accommodation Residencial Florescente (http://www.booking.com/Share-38ZsCA)

5 hours, I can't sleep any longer. After a delicious breakfast, I decide on beans and bread and take in the first impressions of the city. Lisbon presents itself to me as multicultural, sunny, friendly, and unintrusive. I stroll aimlessly through the streets for now, at 12:00 I should be at Rossio Square, which is right next to my hotel, where the walking tour booked on Airbnb begins

https://abnb.me/VYlnt8JoCmb

So I still have time and walk to the water, sunbathe, make myself laugh by a man in a Spider-Man costume, and locate the train station where I have to go on Friday. That's where I meet Milo. Then I wander to the appointed meeting point:

Luis, the guide, is a history nerd, former surfer (I always imagined surfers to look different.😀) and lived in Mozambique for two years. Well, well. A couple from Belgium also participates, they want to get to know their temporary new home better. Then they probably want to go to Canada - I'm a little jealous of the opportunities they have because of their jobs, both work for startup companies or he, Timothy, has his own startup.

But now we are here and want to learn something about the city.

So we learn among other things:

• - Lisbon is 3000 years old and, after Athens, the oldest city in Europe
• - It had the longest fascist dictatorship period
• - Castle of Saint Jorge was the first attraction in Lisbon
• - In 1755 there was an earthquake measuring 9.7, followed by a tsunami
• - Bertrano is the oldest bookshop in the world
• - Portugal was the first country in the world to decriminalize drug use in 2001 (well, we could have taken something when it was offered to us on the street) and thus got rid of its heroin problems
• - The word Fado comes from Latin and means 'fate'. Having something as heavy and serious as fate as its origin has shaped its character. That's why it likes to sing about strong feelings, love affairs, the end of love, betrayal, jealousy, revenge, and misfortune. But contrary to popular belief, Fado is not always sad. It is often cheeky and bohemian-like and no one else knows how to sing about the spirit of its people - the fishmongers, the sailors, the layabouts, the rogues, ultimately the entire nightlife of Lisbon. In recent times, a new generation of Fado singers and instrumentalists has brought new sound elements to Fado, giving it unforeseen facets without changing its character. In November 2011, Fado was declared intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO.
• - Ginja is a sweet cherry liqueur that is offered in the bars of the same name or sold privately in the backyard. But only one person or two people can fit in such a bar. So you buy the liqueur there and stand outside at the standing tables.
• - Oh yeah, and a lot of historical facts that I couldn't remember 😃

After 3.5 hours we are done, I decide not to correct my exams in a café afterwards, I am a little tired but above all sweaty and just want one thing first: to take a shower.

Said and done, and off to bed for a short while. Then Milo gets in touch, we arrange to meet for a liqueur at half past seven. He brings socks - because I obviously forgot my socks at home, also forgot to buy some here, and the floor in my accommodation is quite cold. Now my umbrella also comes in handy because it is raining lightly, so it gets too uncomfortable for us to stay outside at the standing tables.

We go into a Portuguese restaurant to fulfill two wishes that have developed in me on days like this. That's what I call fate - Fado singers are playing and I can try green wine 😃.

I explain to him that I don't eat meat and tell him to just order something because I can't read the menu. Well, suddenly a huge plate of mussels is placed in front of me. But I don't want to be impolite and I try the seafood - oh my God, how awesome, with tons of garlic and spinach. And bread. I love it (unfortunately). The evening is funny, informative, interesting, and loud.

Thus, the first day here can end, but I really need to go to bed at 12 o'clock. You should stop when the going is good.