Chan Weng Kit's Blogspot: Amorino

Friday, 25 May 2018

DAY 622

May 16

1) Day three of our Europe trip saw us moving from Portugal to Italy. Woke up very early, said goodbye to our accommodation in Lisbon, before boarding the train from Praca da Figueira to Oriente Station, where we had a simple but nice breakfast. Afterwards, we walked to Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre which is right across the station, but since it hadn't opened yet we continued walking. Just outside the shopping centre is the Parque das Naçōes (Park of the Nations), a neighbourhood in Lisbon constructed for the 1988 Lisbon World Exposition. We walked along the marina, taking in stunning views of the Vasco da Gama Tower and the Vasco da Gama Bridge, which at 18km is the longest overpass in Europe!

2) After some dilly-dallying, we returned to the shopping centre to grab - you guessed it - some gelato! Somehow, we managed to find the same brand - Amorino - as the one we previously had in Rua Augusta. Soon, we had to leave for the airport, checking in early to avoid any unfortunate mishaps. Our flight to Italy was largely uneventful, if a little long. On top of that, the time difference is one hour ahead in Italy, so by the time we reached it was close to nightfall. Not to mention it was raining ):

3) Huddling along, we carried our luggage with us and boarded the Alibus Airport Shuttle to Molo Beverello Port (Port of Naples). From there, we alighted and continued to walk to what would be our accommodation for the next five days. At first sight, our lodgings did not look very inviting, being tucked away in a small secluded lane. And I was not able to access my mobile data for whatever reason, so I could not contact our AirBnB host. Thankfully, due to some friendly locals (who did not speak a drop of English haha) we managed to find our way up the apartment.

4) After unloading our stuff, we immediately came down to look for food i.e. dinner. My dad wanted to go to a famous pizzeria called L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, but after walking for so long in the cold, dark streets and being unable to find it, we stumbled upon another restaurant, called Perfectoo - a steak house. And boy were we glad we did. I ordered the fried pork chops, my dad had the bacon, egg and cheese burger, while my mum had undeniably the star of the show - the American Chicken with Italian oven roasted potatoes. I have never in my life tasted chicken as tender or as flavourful as the ones I had that night. Two thumbs up to the chef then :)

5) After our fabulous meal (which wasn't that expensive, surprisingly), we walked back home. Our journey in Italy would begin early tomorrow, with lots of sightseeing and island hopping. But for now, that's the summary of today's blog. Hope you enjoyed it, thanks very much for visiting, and have a lovely day ahead. Cheers! :D

See you soon Lisbon! ^^

Perfectoo was simply perfect! <3 <3 <3

Bacon, egg, and cheese burger that my dad ordered ^^

The American Chicken and Italian oven roasted potatoes were literally to die for!

I initially ordered fried veal, but switched to pork as they were all out

At Lisbon Airport having lunch, while awaiting our flight to Naples

Clockwise from top left:

Apple Cake and Cinnamon, Ham & Cheese Quiche, and Tuna Mayo Baguette

Amorino gelato at Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre

My mum's gelato looked so striking!

Lisboa until we meet again!

(At the Marina just outside Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre)

View of Vasco da Gama Tower, just beside Vasco da Gama Bridge :)

There were so many joggers along this scenic route along the sea

We initially planned on taking the cable car but decided against it due to time constraints

Some joggers passing by

Rows of flags just outside the Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre

In front of

Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre :)

Gigantic black sculpture recalling a metal tree,

used for the Expo '98

Gare do Oriente (Lisbon Oriente Station)

"Bom dia" - while it means "bomb him/her" in Malay, it actually means "good morning" in Portuguese! :)

(Wouldn't want to get that mixed up)

Settling down for breakfast :)

Clockwise from top left:

1. Napolitana chocolate,

2. Guardanapo (lit. 'napkins' - somewhere between a turnover, a crepe, and a cake),

3. Bolo arroz (rice cake)

Our two nights' accommodation in Lisbon - Pensao Residencial Estrela do Mondego

Thursday, 24 May 2018

DAY 621

May 15

1) Onto our second day in Lisbon. Woke up bright and early, before boarding the train to Sintra - considered part of the Portuguese Riviera, and another registered UNESCO World Heritage Site. We had breakfast at Cynthia Snack Bar, before taking the bus all the way up to our first stop - Palácio da Pena (Pena Palace). Known as one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal, the castle stands on the top of a hill in the Sintra Mountains, and constitutes one of the major expressions of 19th century Romanticism in the modern world.

2) We then walked to The Castle of the Moors - a hilltop medieval castle built by the Moors in the 8th or 9th centuries, as an important strategic point during the Reconquista. Its location on top of a hill afforded a beautiful panoramic view of the municipality of Sintra. We finished our morning trek by taking the bus down to Palácio Nacional de Cintra (Palace of Sintra), a present day historic house museum. We stopped by Casa Piriquita, as famous for its travesseiros (puff pastry with almond cream filling) as Pasteis de Bélem would be for its pastel de nata. The taste is simply indescribable - one should experience it first hand XD

3) Afterwards, we walked down to the train station to return to Lisbon. My dad had found a hidden gem for us to have lunch (Ristorante Zé da Mouraria) - one that is privy only to locals - somewhere in Praca Martim Moniz. We had huge portions of salt and pepper ribs, accompanied by beans and rice, chips, and salad. It was a huge and filling meal after a tiring day's walk. But our day was not complete yet. Our next stop after lunch was Castelo de São Jorge (São Jorge Castle), another Moorish castle occupying a commanding hilltop, but overlooking the city of Lisbon and the River Tagus.

4) After taking our fair share of photos, we proceeded to Lisbon Cathedral - the oldest church in the city, which began construction in the year 1147. Along the way, we stopped by Miradouro de Santa Luzia - famous for its romantic terraces against a backdrop of houses, churches, and the River Tagus. As evening was fast approaching, we hurriedly took a ferry across the River Tagus, with the intention of visiting Cristo Rei (Sanctuary of Christ the King), which was inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Unfortunately, admission had closed by then, so we could only take pictures from the outside. Upon returning back to the mainland, it was time to walk back to our accommodation, capping yet another (extremely) tiring yet enjoyable day. But not before we had savoured the gelato at Amorino, located along Rua Augusto. One medium-sized cone was enough to melt all the fatigue away!

5) That's all my tired fingers can type for this blog update - thanks very much for visiting my blog, and have a lovely day ahead. Cheers! :))

P.S. As usual, a lot of photos so do enjoy... <3