Looking back at 2012

PANAMA CITY AND PORTOBELO

REYKJAVIK AND HVERAGEROI

ISTANBUL AND BURSA

ZURICH

LISBON AND PORTO

Lisbon

I vaguely remember my last visit to Lisbon 10 years ago.

My recollection about Lisbon is that getting around the city is like going through a maze of streets that rise and fall across hills that dwindle into alleyways and stairways most of the time.  There are a few interesting neighborhoods which are all within walking distance from the city center. The standout neighborhoods are Alfama, Bairro Alto, Baixa, Belem and Chiado, and except for Belem, these places are covered in the free guided walking tour which takes about two to three hours. Pioneered by Chis Sanderman back in 2004 in Berlin, the concept is gaining popularity throughout the world today.

I'm glad I took the tour on the first day of my stay in Lisbon together with a friend. "This time of the year is low season in Portugal." said Jose, our tour guide. This explained to us why the hostel that we stayed in was not full, streets were pretty quiet the night before, and we were the only people in the tour. But whose complaining!

Bairro Alto is in central Lisbon. It is not just a residential, and shopping district but it is also the heart of the city's nightlife for its youth. At night, it is home to punk, gay, metal, hip hop and reggae scenes, just to name a few, with a mix of culture and people. This is the place to be at night reiterated Jose, although Fado, Portugal's national music is still popular in this part of the city. Baixa or downtown Lisbon, is the city center with shopping and banking activities that stretches from the riverfront to Avenida da Liberdade, which has streets named according to the storeowners and craftsmen who traded in the area. I particularly liked its pedestrians' only streets, cafes and shops with tiled walkways and Art Deco shopfronts. On my first night, I had a great buffet dinner for 7 Euro! 

Alfama is the oldest district in Lisbon. It used to be inhabited by fishermen and the poor before, but today it is a historical quarter of homes and small businesses, with maze of narrow streets and small squares. My guide took us to for a shot of ginjinha, a favorite liqueur for many Portuguese on any given day. Belem is one of the most visited district in Lisbon. Although it is not within walking distance, it is less than 15 minutes from the downtown Lisbon. Belem's major historical building is the Jerónimos Monastery, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 along with Tower of Belem. Within the monastery, there's a church which lies the stone tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luis de Camoes. My friend and I had lunch at a local restaurant. I ordered grilled octopus, and it tasted really delicious.

We went to Porto from Lisbon for the weekend. The journey is less than 4 hours, and the train is pretty comfortable. Registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, Porto was an outpost for the Roman Empire many centuries ago. Today, it is internationally known for its port wine. The highlight of my trip to Porto is to discover the market, Mercado do Bolhao which is situated in the heart of the city. Built in 1914, it is pretty rundown but well-maintained in a two level opened air building. It looks like a place counting its last days on earth. I would recommend anyone to go there before it soon disappears. 

I loved Porto. One side of the city along Douro River is the old quarter consisting many alleys and streets for the prying eyes to explore, while on the other 'new' side, there are countless signs of port wine names the city is famous for. On the last night in Porto, I came across a souvenir shop, and to my surprise I saw what I had been dreaming to get before I started the trip, a typical Portuguese clog. I started collecting traditional clogs/shoes of countries I've visited only recently, and now I am a proud owner of three different pairs! 

My friend left Porto for Paris the next morning. After a morning walk, I left Porto back to Lisbon for a night stay before my departure back to New York the next day.

Christmas in Lisbon

The Holiday Spirits in Zurich

Christmas in Zurich

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Traditionally, the day marks the beginning of Christmas shopping season in America. This indicates the point at which retailers begin to turn a profit for the year. 

Thanksgiving Day in Zurich is like any other day. However, this year the city is enjoying an unprecedented warm weather.  As the sun sets, Bahnhofstrasse is lit with thousands of LEDs, also known as "Lucy" - a system of Christmas illuminations shimmering the night sky along the fame shopping street in the city. For the third time this year, shops in the city center remain open until ten at night luring shoppers and tourists in a shopping mood for the coming festive seasons with a vast assortment of goods, and culinary temptations.

Vendors selling homemade jams and breads, are busy tempting passersby with samples around Globus, a major departmental store with high end products in line with Bergdorf Goodman New York.  One has to be here to appreciate this magnificent extravaganza. And, I am glad I did.

The last trip I ever experienced the Holiday Spirits was in London two years ago. I had the time of my life maneuvering my way in the crowd on Oxford Street during Boxing Day. The double-decker red buses underneath the hanging lights of giant wrappers were so picture perfect. I told myself, if I ever had the chance to travel again, it would have to be around the Holiday Seasons. 

Back in Zurich's main train station, the concourse is transformed into a huge indoor market square. The '"Christkindlimarkt" has more than 100 individual vendors selling anything ranges from bags, candles to teas and Swiss cheese. Bathing the stalls in a joyful glow is a 15-meter Christmas tree magnificently adorned with thousands of glittering Swarovski crystals. Coming to Zurich is not just about seeing and experiencing the Holiday Spirits, it also gives me the chance to see some good old friends of mine.

I stayed at Kelvin's apartment, my childhood friend from Malaysia living in Zurich now. We went to Bad Sackingen, an old town in southern Germany which borders Stein in Switzerland with Steven and his significant other. My friends go there once a month for grocery shopping. Things are a lot cheaper. I was told to get my chocolate there, and I did. I came back to Zurich with a 9 kilogram bag full of different kinds of chocolate! 

That night, Kelvin and I went to Club T&M. The club is Zurich's first gay disco with live shows, and it was celebrating its 25 years anniversary. Sad to say there will not be another anniversary next year as it is closing early part of 2013. "I used to perform there as a guest." Kelvin said. It kind of reminded me the good and bad times we had when we were oh so young.

I met with Bjorn and Toy at Grand Cafe Odeon over the weekend. Cafe Odeon is more than 100 years old, and it is reputed as a meeting point for intellectuals for decades. Its art-nouveau interior, and crystalized chandelier are attractions to many patrons who go there. We proceeded to Restaurant Zeughauskeller to have deer meat and rosti, a Swiss dish consisted of potatoes. 

This place was used to be a storage for armory, and grain before it was turn into a restaurant in 1927. Many of the origin beams and walls are still preserved today. Bjorn and Toy insisted that I should stayed with them in Basel that night. I was really tempted but unfortunately, time was not on my side. I have to take a rain check, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that my invitation is still valid the next time I visit Zurich again.

My last day in Zurich was meeting up with Bruno in Old Town. He took me to Peclard Zurich for tea. Peclard is a boutique coffeehouse which is decorated with pastries, coffees and teas on its ground floor. As we head to the first floor, it revealed a room filled with velvety red from its chairs to the walls. It was a feeling of coziness sipping tea with an old friend while the weather was cold and depressing out there. I asked Bruno if it would be a crime to take the beautiful light blue menu with a red ribbon on its side. "Open your bag." he insisted. I did, and the next thing we were laughing like kids being offered candies from the owner.

I had a blast in Zurich. I came to see the Christmas lights and the market square. Instead I was transported back in time with friends, experiencing things I had never did before. Thank you wonderful people, and I hope to see you all very soon.