Day 2 - Lisbon, Portugal

We started the date late ~ Jetlag :( ~ so we decided to have a late breakfast at the famous Pastéis de Belém. Never heard of it...you now must book a flight to Lisbon just to visit it. The store was established in 1834 after the liberal revolution of Portugal shut down all monasteries and convents.  In order to survive, one particular person from one of the monasteries resorted to selling baked treats that rapidly became known as 'Pastéis de Belém'. Eventually word spread of how amazing these pastries were, and since then they have been world famous. The recipe has been the same one since 1834, and it remains a secret. Only the owner of the store and the head chefs know of the secret. So the amazing ingredients remain a secret! 

The pastry itself looks like a mini pie, with a creamy center and a crispy, flaky crust. They are not too sweet nor too savory, so you can eat as many as you want without feeling sick. Which eventually results in a problem, because you seriously can't stop craving these guys.  

With full bellies we headed out to Sintra, which is about 30 minutes outside of Lisbon. Overlooking this small and picturesque town is the palace that once housed the Portuguese royal family. Colorful and full of detail, the palace was a full day of exploring well worth the drive.  

The next morning we drove down the coast of Portugal ... where we were going to learn how to surf! For the next three days we attempted to surf and had an amazing time. The water was a bit chilly so we wore wet suits, and we kept warm by constantly wading through the water to be able to catch a good wave.  On the third day, with very sore arms and a  feeling of accomplishment we continued along the coast to Faro for our last couple of days of vacation.