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Pasteis de Belém: Portugal’s Heaven in a Tart
The sugary scent coming from the bakeshop reminds me of everything that is sweet and good and nice. I am standing outside Antiga Confeitaria de Belém, right in the heart of the Belém District in Lisbon. The takeout queue for the bakeshop’s famous product is getting quite long. I begin to worry that there won’t be any left by the time I get to the counter. But Alexandra, my pretty Portuguese friend who is babysitting me today, motions me to go inside the café where a table is waiting for us. A waiter who looks like he has been working here since the bakeshop opened in 1837 takes our order…
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Top 10 Best Value Destinations for 2012 via Lonely Planet
Planning your travels for 2012? Consider Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Best Value Destinations. I’m glad Japan, Portugal and Vietnam made the list. It would be nice to personally see Porto, home to the world-famous Porto wine which I love.;) Porto, Portugal The town that put the ‘Port’ in Portugal (as well as the port in your wine glass) is a seriously good deal. Connected with much of Europe via budget airlines, Porto is a lovely town of atmospheric narrow lanes, village-like plazas and buildings decked in azuelo tile. You can stay in antique-filled inns with river views from just €25 (US$37.75), take a ride on an historical tram (€1; US$1.40)…
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Fado: Song of the Portuguese
“You asked me once… if I knew what fado is I told you I didn’t know You got surprised… without knowing what to say I lied at that moment. I told you I didn’t know. But now I’m going to tell you…” -Tudo isso é fado, Amalia Rodrigues The second act is about to begin. As people settle in their seats, a solitary spotlight slowly illuminates a small stage. Around, the tavern is lit softly by candles and on each table, a cardboard sign says: O Fado e uma cancao que nasce do Silencio. Por favor evite o ruido. (Fado: this song is born (sic) from Silence. Please avoid any…
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Top Budget Travel Destinations for 2011 via Budget Travel
Here’s Budget Travel Magazine’s Top Budget Destinations for 2011. Manila didn’t make it to the list but my favorite city, Lisbon, did. Here’s an excerpt. We analyzed a year’s worth of news, trends, and statistics to identify the world’s best value destinations for 2011. From China to our own backyard, here are ten places that you can’t afford to miss. LISBON, PORTUGAL Why in 2011: As Portugal liberalizes—it became the sixth European nation to OK gay marriage in May 2010—its capital is transforming into a hotbed of dining, shopping, and art. According to Hotel.com’s 2010 Hotel Price Index, Lisbon is the third city in the world (after Warsaw and Marrakech)…
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where to?
a Filipina's take on travelling the world
