The title is in homage to our oldest, who kept a blog of that name while he worked and played across the United States years before it was cool. (Well dang. I suppose that offspring, if even for a little time, caught a bit of our wanderlust.) Anyway, we are in Lisbon, and I owe you a post on the wonderful Spanish town of Mérida, but for now, it’s laundry day. Into every extended travel adventure a little laundry must fall. (Oh, and there goes the fire alarm again. Not every AirBnB stay is enchanting.)
So about that laundry.
We packed for our extended time without a washing machine at nine days. That doesn’t necessarily mean nine days of clothes. There are the opportunities to hand wash a bit along the way. But we are eight days out and have a washer, so we wash.
This is also fortuitous because I blew out my other knee yesterday on the hills and cobblestones and it’s a great opportunity to rest.
There are the odd washers in Europe that also double as dryers, but my experience – including today – is that the dryer part of such a device is useless. So laundry is strewn across the apartment. It’s a lovely day out there (or at least that’s as it appears from my vantage point) and the window is open. It all eventually dries.
Behold, the fabulous steak dinner we enjoyed before I had to hail a taxi and hobble up to the apartment. And to our surprise, even in the off season, the touristy places are packed. The famous streetcar ride Tram 28 requires at least an hour wait. Restaurant reservations appear filled, but we’ve learned that if you show up, there’s likely a table. I suppose a lot of other folks have figured out that Europe is still a bit on sale. And after a couple of years of being cooped up, they want out and about, too.
So tonight I’ll cook. It’s not that bad. Who knows. Maybe it will be my turn to set off the very sensitive smoke alarm in this building. We are finding some oddly familiar things here like empty grocery store shelves. It takes two or three stores to put together the meal we’d planned. But other surprises, a bottle of really good wine for €3,50 for example, make up for it.
Until next time.
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