Fumadores

[lupestripe]

Day two of my Portuguese odessy saw me take a trip to Belem, on the outskirts of the city, and to the place where some believe Jesus was born. There is a Museum of Electricity there now, as well as a bridge, but sadly the Museum was closed and the bridge had lots of cars on it. We went to a memorial to Vasco de Gama, the great Portuguese explorer and next to it was a beautiful rosa dictating all of Portugalºs sixteenth century colonial conquests. It was rather beautiful. Sadly, we didnºt get to go up the monument for a panoramic view of Lisbon as we were three minutes late and it had closed :(

Next we went to a unique shop which sold Pasteis de Nata - a pasty cake deeley infused with warm cream. It was like something youºd get out of Greggs only much nicer and more gooey. The shop uses a traditional ancient recipe that not even the serving staff know, itºs such a closely guarded secret, and it has been famous in Lisbon ever since it opened in 1837.

We also went to a McDonalds for a beer. Yes, a beer. I have always thought that itºs a sad indictment for Britain and its approach to alcohol that McDonalds canºt serve beer, which most of them do on the continent. It was Super Bock and although itºs sharper than Sagres, itºs not as nice and I have downed another litre of that since I have been speaking to you.

Daisukeºs mother also very kindly cooked more food for us and we had a discussion about Portugalºs national poet - Luís de Camões - whose day it was yesterday. My Spanish is rapidly improving and I was impressed how much we understood of each other as I have not spoken Spanish in over a year.

Tomorrow is the day of Portugal v Czech Republic and I canºt wait. I think we are going to a bar to see the game and I want to get caught up in the football fever.

The other thing to point out by the way is the ominous used rubber glove I saw as I walked past the window sill of a room on my way to passport control at Lisbon airport. I swear there was a bit of brown on two of the fingertips...

Comments

[enteirah]

It's because apparently alot of the people ion the UK have lost all common sense when it comes to moderating their drinking habits.

Very easy to see first hand at a lot of furmeets these days too, which only seem to be deemed a success by an increasing number of attendees now if they can't stand by the end of the day!

[albrecht-fur.livejournal.com]

yeah, I've been noticing a similar trend.
It's a little shameful really, the meets are turning into some sort of drunken creche.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Just with less baby food. I tend to agree but I thought furries had the reputation of not spending much money. Surely thatºs another trend being bucked if what you say is true.

I like the idea of a creche. Some furmeets are definitely becoming like that, what with the behaviour of particular people who do not know what is and what isnºt socially acceptable behaviour.

[albrecht-fur.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's like people are using it an excuse to just be monumentally stupid and hyper, with no thought to anyone around them.
I'd seriously consider not bothering if it weren't for a core of actually cool people I go to catch up with.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I tend to agree with that. I love meeting new people and catching up with old friends but a fair few times now I have been embarrassed to be a part of a group which contains those whose behaviour is just not acceptable in a public surrounding.

I still go to meets though as they are great fun a lot of the time :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I canºt say I have noticed this outside of the usual suspects (sadly myself included but I have never got paralytic nor caused a problem). I suppose Newcastle at the weekend was the one time that a lot of people were drinking but I guess if you meet in a pub and donºt have the gumption to do anything else after that then what do you expect? You canºt expect to go to a pub at 11am and remain sober after spending most of the day there - unless you donºt drink at all.