YESTERDAY'S OUTING WTH SOPHIE

Both of us had got a bit tired after the weekend spent outside Lisbon and, since yesterday was the day before the last of Sophie's stay in Lisbon, we decided that it would be better to have a calm afternoon. 

We strolled through one of the typical quarters, where we enjoyed shopping and window shopping. There are many boutiques, stores of Portuguese couturiers but we didn't buy anything in particular. We stopped for a tea at a tea-room with a nice ambience. Our order was not the ideal: a slice of chocolate cake. Good one but heavy, somehow. 

We needed to walk further and, by chance, we found a store specialized in cork accessories and complements. I told Sophie how cork was one of the main exports of Portugal and how recently, cork had been used for new products, other than the traditional bottle corks and cork wall and floor coverings. She fell in love with a bracelet and a necklace, and left the store feeling happy with her shopping. I myself had never seen before such a variety  of cork items of good quality and design. I'm very sure sooner or later I'll go back there and buy a hat. The one they had at the moment was not my size, but I found it very practical. It was light and for all-weather use, exactly what I like. 

Then, I took Sophie to the best store of Portuguese-made porcelain and crystal glass wares. The store has been recently remodelled and it looked nice. The shop assistants were kind enough and let us take as many photos as we wanted. We were on a lucky day... not always does this happen...

Sophie wanted to buy some poetry book by the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa. All we had found before were written in Portuguese language. It was already late in the evening when we passed by a second hand bookseller and we decided to get in and ask whether they had some in English. Luckily, they had two different ones, which Sophie bought. The bookseller emphasised how lucky Sophie had been as very rarely they have English editions.

From there and prior to heading home, we stopped at a bar that had been formerly a brothel and nowadays it's one of the most popular bars in Lisbon. It still has many of its original features including furry walls. It's spread out over three floors, each one with its own interior decoration... It was a good idea...

It's already late. Sophie is having rest. Today, we will have to get up a bit earlier than the usual. We are going to the Flea Market and from there, perhaps not much we are going to do, as Sophie will  have to pack for her flight back home, tomorrow at a very early hour...