Dinner Experience #2 in Lisbon

Tonight for dinner we went in search of one of Portugal’s main specialty dishes – cod fish.  The guys who work at the hostel recommended a restaurant nearby, although they didn’t know the name (it seems most businesses here are referred to by location and not names).  Luckily it wasn’t hard to find because it was right beside a “peep show” you couldn’t miss due to its blazing neon lights. (more…)

No Coins In Lisbon?

Today we landed in Lisbon right on schedule and got through customs quickly and easily.  However,  finding change in the airport to take a bus to the hostel was unbelievably difficult!  We tried an ice cream store, a foreign exchange booth, a coffee shop, a convenience store, and 3 random strangers and no one could provide change for just 5 Euros!  Finally at a sandwich store, at the opposite end of the airport, we managed to get 1 Euro coins.

After all of that, we discovered that you actually get change from the bus driver!  Apparently in Spain they will only give you change for a 5 Euro bill, but in Portugal you can give them a 20 Euro bill and get change!  So now we know

Oh, and when in Portugal, a good place to get change is to buy a 50 Euro cent bag of roasted chestnuts from a street vendor.

Plastic, Cash or Travellers Cheques

The market for Traveller’s cheques has been in steady decline for a few years, despite the overall increase in travel. This has been caused by a number of factors, not least being the increased issuance of credit cards and debit cards, and the extent to which they are accepted abroad. Support for the use of cards and the undermining to Travellers Cheques has been further eroded by the massive growth in the worldwide ATM network. This is coupled with the perception (and fact) that travellers Cheques can be a pain to cash. Especially on weekends or the during holidays.
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Chip Cards in Europe

“Smart cards,” also known as “chip and PIN cards,” are increasingly commonplace in Europe. Such cards incorporate microchips that are programmed with user information and security data. Normally, you’ll need to enter a four-digit Personal Identification Number, or PIN, when you make a purchase. This makes it tougher for thieves to use stolen cards or card numbers.
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Don’t assume you need a rail pass…

The days of the cheap unlimited Eurail pass are long gone.   What was once true in the 70s, 80s and 90s is no longer.  Generally, point to point tickets will be a better buy.

The first 3 months of our trip takes us from Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, Brussels and the Netherlands.

Our first thought like most people was to just buy a Eurail Global pass…

$0.00 airfare

Sometimes you have to wonder how Air Canada can charge so much and still be losing money while Ryanair is practically giving away airfare and is still profitable?

Take for example our flight from Porto to Madrid.

From Porto (OPO) to Madrid (MAD)
PASSENGERS

1. MR MONKEY 2. MRS ROOSTER
PAYMENT DETAILS
*********0.00 EUR Total Fare
********20.00 EUR Taxes, Fees & Charges
********10.00 EUR Passenger Fee: CC
********30.00 EUR Total Paid

French, Italian, German, and Spanish Phrases

A traveler’s cheat sheet on how to say the basics and ask important questions in  French, Italian, German, and Spanish

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Pack Smart, Pack Light!

After months of research and planning we now have just 3 weeks until we start the first leg of our trip in Europe. We were originally planning on using larger 75 Liter bags but went with 35 and 38 Liter packs for the sake of ease and to avoid having to check any luggage.

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