Bon Appétit

The food here is SO freakin' good. Well, not the squid or the octopus - haven't tried that. But the pastries and cheese and croquettes. Yes. Good thing I joined a gym. Kristen and I cooked our first meal in Lisbon tonight, we went down the street to the local meat and cheese market, then the vegetable stand and of course the pastry shop. I love that about Lisbon, or living in a city in general, the fresh locally owned groceries. The people were so nice it was amazing, I pulled out my pocket Portuguese phrase book at the meat and cheese market, but the nicest woman ever helped us out and got us samples of chorizo. I would have taken a photo in here, but I don't think there's any way to make raw meat look appetizing - no matter the photoshop or camera. Then at the pastry shop we got some samples again, pretty sure the guy remembered Kristen from the day before! Obrigada. :)

I do think it's hit or miss with the people here though, how they act toward Americans. Some people are so nice and welcoming and smiley that it's cute. Others, typically the older but not always, kind of stare at you in dismay that you're not speaking Portuguese fluently and roll their eyes. This is a small percentage, but I wasn't really expecting it.
The good outweighs the bad.

We put some fresh cheese (so upset I forgot the name), chorizo and sliced tomatoes on a cracker - then sautéed a bunch of vegetables with pasta underneath, and the pastries (which I have not got an adequate shot of yet... soon*) and the vino.  Cheers!