Lisbon was one of the most magical, enchanting places I’ve been to. It’s one of the oldest cities in the world. It’s definitely one of the oldest cities in Western Europe, predating other modern European capitals such as London, Paris and Rome by hundreds of years. They love their sardines… and I was explicitly told by a local that I wouldn’t truly experience Lisbon if I didn’t experience their char-grilled sardines (with lemon and sea salt).
This, along with a pitcher of Sangria, would give me the true taste of Portugal! I went there for the Rotary International Convention and served as an advocate while there for the anti-rhino poaching cause. We have a huge problem with rhino poaching in Africa and our stall at the convention was to raise awareness, get donations and get people involved in the plight. I am pleased to say it was very successful and we had a huge impact on the crowds of Rotarians from all over the world who attended the conference. I wore a cowboy hat with a sticker for our cause and spent a large portion of the time handing out flyers and preaching to passers-by about the problem. During the days we were not at the convention, we toured the city and saw some of it’s fantastic sites. My favourite memories were walking along the cobblestone streets of the Bairro Alto just up from the Praca do Comercio in the early evenings. I also enjoyed the traditional Portuguese treat; dipping churros in café con leche.
