*banned 4 MarkDown love* @design_RG@qoto.org

@ae

@alexchejlyk There's always a First Time, welcome to Qoto, Alex.

My first post here was just a week ago.

You found a good place to set your account.

@mngrif Yesh, I prefer a standard as well. More control, I can drive the way I want, shifting when I feel like.

People who never learned on that type probably hate it though, it takes more skill and practice to drive well.

But an auto transmission costs about 1000 dolllars, burried in the vehicle sticker price; give me a choice and I will take the standard one any time.

@dayvancowboy It is a really nice place indeed. I have only been here for about a week, but have made more posts than in the years I had a Twitter account and avoided the place due to the toxic things happening there.

Grab a coffee and enjoy!

@rodolpho Thanks for mentioning it, Rodolpho. I found a page with some detailed notes and comments on it (haven't read it yet, in the middle of many things here)

Leaving it for reference:

https://blokt.com/guides/dissenter-review

@11112011

Yeah, excatly, those were the plates on the photo. Photos taken in Lisbon, Coimbra, Tomar.

I did travel to smaller places off the main tourist routes. I liked Portalegre a lot, in Alto Alentejo, and think it's where I would move to if I decided to apply for Residency.

I would be very happy in Lisbon itself, a wonderful city, but a smaller city you get a more relaxed pace, friendlier people, lower housing costs.

The only place I don't spend much time on is the Algarve, the beaches are wonderful, it has 3000 hours of sunshine per year, but... It's turning into a Brit Ghetto, and that irks me.

I like to see the Portuguese towns, people and culture, not a copy of their uk hangouts with loud footbal fans getting drunk on low priced beer and wine.

It's a pity, but there are many more areas to enjoy in Portugal.

@moonshine@freespeechextremist.com @deadheat

@dayvancowboy Hello DC, welcome to Qoto. 😺

@freemo It is wonderful book indeed.

Amazing how prescient Geroge Orwell was. Written in 1948, looks a lot like recent times.

@11112011
We didnt even mention it yet, but the food is wonderful too. Here's a composite of a few meals I had there.

The coffee photo with the Cheese sandwich was a Breakfast, the other ones Lunch or dinner meals.

Complete cost for one of the meals, drink included (red wine in my case, one glass) is about 7 euros. Ah. and you get an Espresso or Abatanado too, included at the end of the meal.

@moonshine@freespeechextremist.com @deadheat

@deadheat

Very, very true, just look at what's happening with Barcelona, Amsterdam and Venice.

Too many visitors, annoying all the locals with rising prices and shops closing, replaced by tourist stuff like tshirts and quick food.

Portugal has had many, many visitors in these past few years. I haven't travelled there in peak time, Summer, but do prefer Spring so it's easier to find accommodations without stressing out. Booking.com works great, I take the trains as much as possible. which here in Canada is pretty difficult and expensive to do.

@11112011 @moonshine@freespeechextremist.com

@11112011

No doubt, there are so many places to enjoy in Lisbon and nearby.

I travel to Portugal in the Spring, done if for the past 3 years, and enjoy traveling all over the country. It's wonderful, I speak the language, the people are corteous, there's so much history everywhere.

And Churches, there are so many, so many styles, from different centuries. I have many favourites.

I really should join Tourism Portugal, I am Enthusiast for the country, completely.

@moonshine@freespeechextremist.com @deadheat

@11112011

Sure, Blitz!

Saúde!

Right from the Tejo's riverfront too!!! Sagres ❤️ ❤️

@moonshine@freespeechextremist.com

@deadheat

Yes it is. Belem used to be a separate little place, it's about 5 Km or 3 miles from the center of Lisbon. I walked there with a group on a MeetUp hike, and it was cool. There's the Tower of Belem you showed, and nearby a big Monument to the Great Navigators.

If you walk a bit inland (this photo is by the River Tejo's margins), you can visit other wonderful places:

- Convento dos Jeronimos
- National Miuseum of Archeology
- National Maritime Museum
- Belem Cultural Center, new and big.

And the Museu dos Coches, with many old Royal carriages from the monarchy period.

Lisbon is wonderful!

@11112011 @moonshine@freespeechextremist.com

@TheMadPirate

Now, that's a proper cup. 😺

Tea has it's place, but Coffee is Forever. ™️

@11112011

@11112011
Ooohhhh.... 😉 ☕

Lovely!!

we can buy Pasteis de Nata here, but it's not good, nowhere close to what you find anywhere in Portugal.

@moonshine@freespeechextremist.com

@11112011
He, Brazilian born, Portuguese ancestry, long radicated in Canada, and now dreaming of returning to the ancestor's land. ❤️ 🇵🇹

@moonshine@freespeechextremist.com

@moonshine@freespeechextremist.com

Yep, that sounds good too. I love coffee, and the espressos in Portugal are to die for. But the taste is so good that I want to make it last longer, so I many times order what in some places is called an "Americano" (ugh), and in Portugal, an Abatanado, the one in that photo.

Bigger mug, single shot of espresso, extracted longer. Lasts more, although you loose some of the pungency of the smaller cup espresso.

@11112011

@11112011
Este ali é um Abatanado. Tirado ali num bom café, no bairro dos Anjos.

A chavena é grande, mas talvez o angulo da foto não mostre bem. Estava ótimo tambem.

@moonshine@freespeechextremist.com