Peru, the destination I have dreamed about since I was 15 is finally a reality and words can’t even explain how I felt touching down.

Not even the fact that the door to door travel had been 30 hours, or the fact within that 30 hours I had only gotten 4 hours of broken sleep, I couldn’t wipe the ear to ear grin off of my face.

I had zero expectations – truly. I knew that to come to a place I had dreamed about for 15 years, the #1 place on my bucket list, I couldn’t have expectations because when that happens you hype it up too much and somehow (stupidly!) disappoint yourself.

But if I DID have expectations – even simply driving from the airport to our hotel exceeded them.

We got in quite late and walking in to our hotel, nothing could have prepared me for realising just how much of a dream come true this trip was about to become.

16 years ago I heard about Machu Piccu – I heard about the Inca people who had impossibly built an entire intelligent city atop the Andes Mountains – the biggest mountains in the world, with rocks that would have been impossible to get atop those mountain without todays machinery. And I became obsessed with seeing this city one day. I remember sitting for hours on end with Morgans beautiful Dad, Aronn (who I lovingly call Pa) talking about the Inca people and the history and this mystical place – I remember him telling me the craftsmanship and water systems and intelligence of the way they built it was literally second to none, and for whatever reason, it became my fascination.

Then something almost impossible to me happened – our company, more specifically the START movement, put up an all expenses paid trip to Peru to see Machu Picchu and the top 50 businesses in the competition time period would go.

There wasn’t one cell in my body that doubted I would be on that trip with Morgan, it was written in the stars.

So cue last night, after 30 hours of travel, walking in to our beautiful 5 star hotel was overwhelming. I never pictured exactly what it would look like when we did this trip, but I don’t think I ever imagined it to be this luxurious and taken care of.

We were met by some of the corporate staff who let us know it was an early start the next day as we had a few hours of travel to get to the Amaru village where we’d be giving back for the day and the bus left with us all at 6am sharp.

We checked in to our stunning room with it’s luxurious king size bed and beautiful décor and even though we knew we had only 5 hours of sleep ahead of us and 30 hours of travel behind us – with the threat of jet lag, we went to sleep feeling more spoiled than royalty.

Waking up to our 5am alarm I don’t know if it was the excitement or pure adrenalin, but I bounced out of that bed like I had just slept 10 or more hours and was beyond ready to get outside and feel the cool early morning air Cusco promises and see and feel some more of it’s energy.

Due to us getting in so late the night before, it was pitch black outside our hotel window, so drawing the long thick curtains that morning and seeing the red sun peak up over the Cusco mountains and light up the ruins outside of our hotel window I truly felt like I had been transported back in time.

We were all on the bus by 6am and headed off for the day to Amaru Village, to give back to a school and it’s local community – and even though there was some jet lag, tiredness and adjustment to altitude amongst us, the energy was absolutely buzzing and conversation flowing.

We arrived at the school to one of the most beautiful, warm and sincerest welcomes ever, all the school children had made us all fresh flower necklaces, and as each one of us 80 START’ers walked in to the school grounds, with live drumming and singing and clapping in the background from the local villages, a necklace was placed around our neck from one of the children, who then would take us by the hand and walk us to our seat.

The child who placed the necklace and took our hand became ‘our child’ for the day and one thing I was very quickly reminded of was smiling and hugs and laughter truly are the universal language. We were told the children spoke the local Andean language dialect, but many or most could speak Spanish as well – not being fluent in either of those languages, all I could do was smile, point, hug and laugh with my little one.

In the 6 years I have been involved with Isagenix and a part of and an Ambassador for the START your life movement – and the tens and tens of give back days I have done, never have I ever done a give back day quite like this one. It was spine tingling powerful to me just to see the REAL impact Isagenix IS in fact having no matter where we go in the globe, including allllll the way to the top of the Andean mountains.

WHY I believe it was so impactful to me this time especially, was because I got to see the direct impact Isagenix had before we even arrived. When we walked in I did in fact immediately notice a large very new looking building that almost looked out of place due to its new-ness amongst the other older school buildings – after all the welcome songs and dances the children did for us, we learned that was the new building and sanitation block they were able to build, they badly needed, thanks to a financial contribution from Isagenix. We were then all taken out around the back of the school to see a new Greenhouse proudly set up and ready for new seeds and plants to be planted Isagenix had also made possible with their financial contribution. What we then got to do to give back whilst there was plant everything in the Greenhouse, and play with the kids – as hundreds of toys and crayons and skipping ropes, bubbles – everything our own Western Kids are spoiled rotten with – were handed out amongst the children.

Leaving the school that day although sad, because I know in my own heart there’s no telling I’ll ever go back there and get to connect with that beautiful villiage again, but my heart and soul were full and smiling, because of the direct contribution I got to see Isagenix and our own hands have.

Walking back down the hill to the buses I was remarking to Morgan to look around and take it in because it is so damn surreal where we are right now and what a pinch me moment, when we saw a large beautiful area set up on the grass, over looking the Andean mountains – with brightly coloured rugs for us to sit on, and gourmet picnic boxes they were handing out.

You know those moments where you think it couldn’t get any better? Then it does? That was this moment for me.

We all then got shuffled on the bus and stopped off at local markets on the way home where Morgan and I bought our Poncho’s I was determined to find and buy and wear on our HUGE day to Machu Picchu the next day, and I bought a few colourful gorgeous gifts for Beth & Delilah.

Getting back to the hotel tonight, after a long hot shower and too many “is this even real life” comments to count, Morgan and I took off to the hotel bar to drink our new found favourite Peruivan red wine (a Tacoma Malbec from Peru) before a delicious night at a phenomenal restaurant in Lima with some of our best friends dining on Japanese inspired food (and not to mention getting to try our first Pisco Sours of the trip – delicioussss!!)

Sitting back in the room now, tapping away at my keyboard downloading the last two days I can’t wipe the smile off of my face.

This trip is only 24 hours in so far, but I literally feel like we are squeezing every second out of every moment and I go to bed tonight with a fulfilled heart and soul, and an excitement and anticipation that is indescribable because tomorrow is the day we all head to Machu Picchu.

I’m ready, I’m open to whatever the experience dishes up and I am humbled beyond belief I get to be on this sacred land, at this perfect time, with my beloved and best friends experiencing this with those I love most.

Peru – I can already say you have my whole heart and we are only 24 hours in.

I truly believe the fastest way to an aligned life where you feel truly fulfilled, is loving and owning ALL parts of you. It’s about never trying to fit a mould or a title (I am part unicorn, part bad ass part who knows after that). There is no black and white in this life and you’re allowed to be an oxymoron. In fact, getting comfortable with that is where alignment (for me) occurs.

I don’t like titles. I don’t like moulds (and come to think of it I don’t like rules either) … And here is why;

You’re allowed to …

Live with grace AND be uncouth.
Be so cool, calm & confident AND messy and complicated.
Embrace your light AND your shadows.
ROCK at knowing the direction you’re headed in AND be all over the place.
Be a total dreamer AND a complete realist.
Nail being an extrovert at times AND be ok that you’re also wildly an introvert.
Lead with love (always) AND never take any shit.
Live in your certainty AND be ok that regularly you’re going to have no f*cking idea.
Be an ambassador for health AND love and adore your love of Champagne {insert favourite beverage / deep fried deliciousness here}
Laugh until your belly aches and smile until your face hurts AND cry until in to what feels like the depths of your soul.
Dance to the beat of your own drum AND be inspired to walk the exact path of those who have drummed before you.
Believe in yourself with all you’ve got AND doubt everything you have ever done in the blink of an eye.

And my only hope and wish for you, is that you give yourself the grace and space to do the same.

Since I was a little girl, my mum has always instilled in me the knowledge that I “speak things in to being” – if us kids ever said anything negative about ourselves (or others) mum would literally make us “take back our words” and replace them with something positive.

I remember when I then got my first full time job in an Accounting firm as a junior administrator, and was responsible for answering and transferring calls. There was an exceedingly wealthy and successful business man who would always call to speak to his accountant and the first time I was ‘lucky’ enough to answer the phone the conversation went a little like this;

Me: “You’ve called Acute and you’re speaking with Anna how can I help you”.

Him: “Hello Anna, it’s <man> here, how are you today?”

Me: “I’m not bad thank you for asking, how are you?”

Him: “So you’re terrible then are you?”

Me: “no no, you might have missed heard me I said not bad”

Him: “no I heard you perfectly fine you just have horrendous language around trying to tell me you’re well. Next time Anna someone asks you how you are, instead of saying two negative words, ‘not’ and ‘bad’ why don’t you try saying ‘well’.

Me: “I absolutely will, and transferring you through to <name> now.

I remember actually being quite shaken after that call – interestingly, because he wasn’t trying to be mean but to a young impressionable (albeit wild) 18 year kid being schooled on language was so far out of my usual and I knew forever more “not bad” would be stricken from my vocabulary. In fact, working my way up in that company to then Receptionist and Office Manager I would train the new junior administrators on that exact language and what not to say.

Language has always therefore been so huge for me, and as I’ve gotten older and read more books, it’s gotten even MORE important to me.

Then, as I’ve written about countless times before, I picked up my first personal development book, Awaken the giant within by Tony Robbins and there was a whole chapter on language and speaking to the power of our words and how they truly shape our whole reality.

It was like a slap across the face in the BEST of ways again.

I then went from formalities of saying things like “well” and “fine thank you” when people asked how I was, to saying words like “I’m exceptional” or “I’m amazing thank you!” or my favourite “I’m extraordinary thanks for asking how about you” …

I learned that even in the moments that maybe I wasn’t those things (I get you can’t be lickity schmick all the damn time of course) but saying “shit house” or “not bad” or “yeah ok” was FAR worse and going to attract much of the same bad, ok or shit house feelings and things in to my life. Where as exceptional, amazing and extraordinary – well, guess what I then get to attract more of in to my life. Bingo.

I have practiced bettering my language consciously now for 8 years, and I STILL every single day beam ear to ear when someone (without fail) replies back to my “I’m amazing thanks for asking” or “ I am phenomenal” with “oh gosh that is just the best I have not heard a response like that in years (or ever). So even on the days I maybe don’t feel thatttt phenomenal but I say it, I immediately DO feel phenomenal because a) I am manifesting those emotions and feelings in to my life, and b) I immediately do feel phenomenal because of the response it illicits back from those I am connecting with, and what a gift that is.

Then something profound and cool happened just yesterday; whilst reading my current book, ‘You are a bad ass at making money’ by Jen Sincero, I was yet again reminded of how much BETTER even I can do. This particular chapter was on watching your language around money as obviously the Universal Intelligence (God, the universe, aliens, unicorns, allah – whatever your jam is) is ALWAYS listening and providing you more of what you want.

Now, you’ve just heard I have been consciously working on this ‘stuff’, on my language and ensuring I choose my words carefully every single day for 8 years now so you’d think I would have been pretty across this idea but I was slapped in the face AGAIN (best slaps ever though right) and woken up to the fact that in actual fact, when it comes to MONEY my language isn’t where it should be.

In the book, Jen listed out the following. She said we need to be aware of when we (and those around us – because you’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with don’t forget that) say the following;

I want (because it means you lack).

I wish (because its saying you’re not in control which is disempowering).

I need (saying you don’t already have it = lack again).

I can’t (well, that one is obvious!).

I’m trying (and trying isn’t ‘I’m committed now is it).  

I hope (showing you lack faith, as it might not happen).

I should (sooo maybe you will or maybe you won’t).

I don’t know (spoken as truth, slams doors shut on finding the truth).

Brilliantly though, Jen then went on to also list MAGNIFICENT replacements though .. so instead of the above the book offered up to try saying instead….

I have  

I create

I’m grateful for

I enjoy

I can

I choose

I LOVE

Put super simply and cleanly because everybody loves it laid out as obviously as possible we need to follow the table below …

INSTEAD OF SAYING THIS ….	SAY THIS INSTEAD ….
I want	I have
I wish	I create
I need	I’m grateful for
I can’t	I enjoy
I’m trying	I can
I hope	I will
I should	I choose
I don’t know	I’m trying to work that out

So instead of saying;

I can’t achieve that as I honestly don’t know how I’ll ever get there…

We can say instead;

I enjoy that I am learning every day on how I AM going to achieve xyz as I know I will get there.

Instead of saying;

I want < insert business or personal goal here > ..

We can say instead;

I have all that I need to achieve < insert business or personal goal here > and am so grateful that abundance is all around me.

Whether you believe it or not the truth is, we truly are manifesting and bringing about our reality every single moment of every single day with every thought we think and word we speak, and I know that I know that I know, even these small little changes at the start of my sentences can and will drastically change the course of all of our lives.

We have the decision every single day to choose, choose what we are thinking, choose what we are saying and therefore choose what we are manifesting and creating, and I as of this day, I am committing forevermore to getting to that level of specificity with my language, and if you’re so called to as well, I think it’ll all just help in consciously moving this planet forward to LOVE that little (a lot) more.

Freedom.

Hmmm. A 7 letter word that can mean SO MANY DIFFERENT things to so many people.

And you know what? I get some people even cringe when they hear that word these days because it’s almost so overused. And granted, us network marketers are a little to blame for that.

Here is the thing though, just because you haven’t aligned with other people’s version of what freedom is to them, doesn’t mean that you should switch off from the word. You also absolutely shouldn’t think that a version of Freedom isn’t available to you, because it is.

I live a pretty public life (happily). You will regularly (if you follow me over on Instagram) see me share our day-to-day lives, working from home (or cafes, or from wherever and whenever), being at the gym, us travelling the world, and the general musings of what happens in our life.

That, all of that – just the very basics of how I live, day-to-day, getting to choose where I work from, who I work with, when I work, and then getting to travel the world – is my idea of freedom.

And although that is MY version of Freedom, it doesn’t have to be yours.

(Full disclosure: I have been told by many mums in my team working from the beach doesn’t interest them at ALL. Point is, I get it.)

What I DO want to encourage you today to do however is know what Freedom DOES mean to you.

Is it your exact current reality? How beautiful – how can you then help more people find their own version of that though.

Is it being a stay at home mum that is the best baker & homemaker of all time? Perfect.

Is it actually owning a bricks and mortar business but that you get to CEO the pants off. That’s completely rad.

Is it being able to wake up when you want and earn passive income from investments you’ve managed to build up? Boomshakalaka. Fist bump.

Is it never having to worry about a bill again. Goosebumps, I feel you on that one.

Or maybe it’s travelling the world working from every infinity pool that you can find in all of your favourite countries (cocktail in hand of course). Can I come?

My point is,  my version of freedom, or other people’s versions of freedom might not resonate AT ALL with you and that’s ok. All I ever want is to inspire you to know what YOUR version of freedom is and start to move towards that, by living by example with my own.

My version of freedom is the life I get to lead every single day.

{ The view on my run this morning from Bondi to Bronte – and back }

It means that I get CHOICE, every single day, of where I want to be in the world. It’s how I move my body (but more specifically WHEN – 530am weights session? Awesome. 10am run? You bet. 1pm Pilates class? Why not. ). It’s working from wherever I want, with the hours that I want with NO BOSS (shout out to all my other soul sisters & brothers who have problems with authority). It’s earning an uncapped income that is tied to my EFFORT, not an income a corporation sets. It’s not stressing about bills, ever, because I found the power of residual income (that still blows my mind to tears every single day). And it’s knowing that when I become a mum, I still get to do all of the above with ease.

That’s freedom to me.

This morning, I woke up in a beautiful apartment in Bondi where I am staying for the week for a beautiful mix of business and pleasure. I woke up because my body was ready to wake up (I am an early riser by nature). I went running along the coast line, stopping when I got to a beach (Bronte) I sat at and just watched the waves for a good 30 minutes at. Why? Because I didn’t have to rush back to get ready for a j.o.b. I ran back towards the apartment when I felt ready for a coffee, and sat in a window in the sun people watching for another 30 minutes slowly finishing my coffee and organic breakfast smoothie. It’s now 11am and I am working from another gorgeous café by myself, writing this blog post, with the day ahead of me to do as I please.

Travel, and working from cafe’s and exercise may not be your jam AT ALL. Sleeping in and being home and having a boss may be your version of freedom (extreme opposites but you get my point).

{ Finding gorgeous cafe’s to work from no matter where in the world I am – is freedom and happiness to me }

I think the most important thing to ‘get’ from this though, is that it’s more important than ever to work out your own version of freedom. What does that FEEL like for you? What does that LOOK like for you?

And just know that you can have that. You really can.

Of course, MOST versions of freedom come down to need more time and more money, which I completely understand (as time and financial freedom IS my version of freedom) and getting to that stage takes work, of course, I know because we have done that and continue to work hard (on things we love) for that as well – but it’s WORTH IT.

I know as well that what Morgan and I do in network marketing isn’t for everybody, it IS however for a LOT of people and maybe you’re that person.

Maybe you’re sick and tired of working for the man or living pay cheque to pay cheque – or bigger than that, maybe you’re sick and tired of not living your version of Freedom. Or maybe you don’t even KNOW what Freedom would look and feel like for you as you’re so far from that (we get that too, we help lot’s of people who are at that stage as well).

But either way, getting to live our own life on our terms is only fun when we get to do with others who are doing the same.

And we’re ready to help you.

So if you are inspired, and would like to know if maybe, just MAYBE we can help you on your own version of Freedom, you can always get in touch with us over on our “vision” page. 

Either way – my own vow to you is to keep showing up to inspire daily, and just know, the day you ARE ready, our door is always open.

 

 

 

 

 

Featured Image: Instagram image by @chloe_bh

 

 

Whenever I know Morgan and I are headed to a new city, I initially stay away from Trip Advisor (although it really is a phenomenal website) and I head straight to Pinterest. I am such a visual person you see, and you can tell me to go somewhere or talk about how magnificent it is – but I want to SEE what you’re talking about. So Pinterest to me is how I visualise and set up our trip or the main parts of it before we have even left.

Lisbon was no different. Before we had left I had ensured visually I knew what I wanted to go and marvel at myself and the kinds of beautiful pictures I wanted to pap to remember our trip by.

We ended up spending 4 full days in Lisbon and if I got to re write my whoel itinerary again I would still do the exact same. It was long enough to really get to spend quality time in the city that completely stole our heart without thinking for a moment we were ready to move on.

{ Walking the hill that the Santa Justa Lift takes in the gorgeous Bairro Alto area }

I was so very grateful for every single blog I read before we left from travellers that had gone before us (that I found via Pinterest photos) so I wanted to repay the favour and write my own piece on what we did and saw in our 4 days.

Here is the thing though – an itinerary that works incredibly for one couple or solo traveller might not work at all for another, so although I am going to share what we did, where we ate and the tours we did, the best time you will have is treading your own path and dancing to the own rhythm of your travel drum, remember that.

For those that just want a bit of inspiration so you really do feel like you saw and did a lot of what Lisbon had to offer, read on compadre read on.

If you are someone who doesn’t like reading and just loves or wants a good clear itinerary of what to do in a city so you can pick and choose (something that almost all blogs lack) then you’re in luck, as I am just going to plainly post out exactly what we did and where we went below. If you don’t mind devouring a good ole travel blog though I encourage you to read on as I go in to more detail in the continued part of the blog.

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LISBON ITINERARY 1.0.1

DISTRICTS TO EXPLORE..

Alfama district

Chialdo district

Toured the Bairro Alto area

Drank coffee / ate Tapas in Mouraria

FOOD / RESTAURANTS TO EAT AT..

Eat custard tarts from Manteigaria Fabrica

Drink sangria from rooftop bar – Topo

Have lunch / drinks at Time Out Market

Drink Sangria + Japanese food at Silks (also a rooftop bar)

TOURS / ADVENTURES HAD ..

Walked the Praca do Comercio square

Walked the Tagus River

Toured Torre De Belemr

Watched sunset from Miradouro look out (highest look out in the city)

Food Tour in Lisbon (we did this one and HIGHLY recommend it)

Day trip to Sintra (Walked up the mountain, Castle of the Moors, National Palace of Pena. And ate at: Saudade, Tascantiga)

Now for those who want to read on, and indulge my new found passion of this city I would love to take you on a bit of a longer journey of what to do, see and eat!

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So I feel a trip to this gorgeous city can be distinctly broken down in to 3 core areas, and when you do a little (or all) from column a, a little (or all) from column b and a little (or all) from column c – you have yourself the perfect Lisbon adventure mapped out ahead of you.

{ Stumbling across my favourite little area in Portugal; Mouraria – loved every corner and turn, especially art like this }

Those 3 areas are;

1. Districts to explore
2. Food / Restaurants to eat at
3. Adventures / Tours to do

Lisbon isn’t a small city (like say Porto) and there are a lot of phenomenal places to explore. And here is the thing, when I say explore I MEAN explore. I don’t mean, get on a crammed tram, hope for a window seat and then half hang out of it with your camera to (hopefully) snap parts of the city as the tram whizzes by. I mean explore…by foot.

Morgan and I clocked up over 70km in 3 ½ days by foot and it truly was the best way to see the city.

One of the most famous things to do in Lisbon and what you’ll read on every other blog of ‘to do’ is to catch the Tram #28. It’s an institution of Lisbon and takes you on some beautiful routes. Thing is, Morgan and I didn’t step foot on it. What we DID do however was learn where the tracks were, and follow them on foot. That way we avoided the crowded trams (and the pick pocketers who wait for tourists to let their guide down) and instead got to see far more of the little sights you’d miss on an otherwise crowded and moving tram.

But back to the areas to explore.

Districts to explore

{ Walking around the beautiful and vast Praca do Comercio square that is on the border of Alfama & Bairro Alto }

The main ones we stuck to, went back to, fell madly in love with and know you will too were;

• Alfama
• Chialdo
• Bairro Alto
• Mouraria

If you have only a day or so, you can still hit them all easily. Even by foot. Alfama & Chialdo AND Bairro Alto are all next to each other in terms of areas and Mouraria isn’t too far away either.

Bairro Alto is such a vibe’y gorgeous area but is best once the sun starts to go down, that is where you’re absolutely going to want to go for a drink in the evening and just get lost in the crowds and music.

My favourite little hidden gem though that I loved the most was Mouraria – no other blogs I had read had talked about it and we only found it as our guide on our food tour took us through this area. We walked past the entrance so many times, literally a small ally that you would never even notice if you weren’t paying attention, but it was my favourite little oasis in all of Lisbon. Tiny holes in the wall (we had some cherry wine in a little bar with a man who owned and worked in the bar for more than 30 years) and there was great history, art and cafes to keep you occupied for a good few hours.

FOOD / RESTAURANTS WE ATE AT..

The list condensed…

Ate custard tarts from Manteigaria Fabrica

Drank sangria from rooftop bar – Topo

Had lunch / drinks at Time Out Market

Drank Sangria + Japanese food at Silks (also a rooftop bar)

Watched Fado at Fado na Morgadinha

Before we had left, I had read on every blog site that Pasteis De Nata’s were the most famous dessert there and that I just had to try one. So our first morning there we got to do just that as our amazing air bnb host had left us one each as a welcome gift, and honestly we were immediately hooked. So take my advice (not that you need it – HA) get a Pasteis de nata in to you as soon as possible after landing. And then have as many as you feel like a day.

The most famous place or best place we had one from was in Bairro Alto at a place called Manteigaria Fabrica – they pump out over 7,000 of them a day! Morgan and I may or may not have had 3 each from this place but at €1 each how could we not!

My advice; get there when it opens and avoid all the ques!

{ Eating our weight in Pasteis De Nata’s at the famous Manteigaria Fabrica }

Morgan and I also LOVE a good rooftop bar / restaurant so we sniffed out the best ones whlst in Lisbon also – our picks and where we went for drinks and food were:

• Topo

• Silks

{ Taking in the delicious view with an even more delicious Aperol Spritz from the Topo Rooftop }

{The exact view we got to take in whilst devouring our delicious wine + Japanese food on the rooftop at Silks }

Topo was AMAZING for an afternoon drink, watching the mood and weather change in Lisbon from that high up, and then we taxi’d on to Silks to watch the actual sunset and have some dinner. We booked at Silks and you want to ask for outside as the views really were and are spectacular.

Another amazing ‘must go see’ place was the Time Out Market, we were recommended it by a tonne of locals whilst there and we are SO glad we did actually end up there.

Time Out Market was an initiative from the Government years ago to put all the best of the best of Lisbon in one place!! So although it attracts a lot of tourists, its where all the locals eat as well. You have stalls and stalls and stalls of food or wine to choose from and sit at a table share style getting to listen to the conversations and mayhem go on around you.

{ We absolutely adored eating and drinking our way around Time Out Market and you absolutely will too }

The last but absolutely not the least thing you really must do in Lisbon is see a Fado show. The best way it was described to me (and once I witnessed it I thought it was the perfect description) was Fado is about the music as Flamenco is about the dancing.

We asked our air bnb host for the recommendation as there are a LOT of Fado restaurants to choose from but we weren’t looking for tourist we were looking for traditional. And we got that in spades with the one recommended to us; Fado na Morgadinha. You’re not there for the best food of your life (be mindful of that) you’re there to see Fado performed so although we LOVED the food and felt like it was like your grandma’s cooking, the French couple next to us were rather dismayed. The food, wine, and Fado to us though was excellent.

Everywhere else in Lisbon, just stop when you find a view you love, a pumping hot spot full of locals (always the best clue) or when you find a gorgeous spot you must people watch from.

TOURS / ADVENTURES HAD ..

The list condensed…

Walked the Praca do Comercio square

Walked the Tagus River

Toured Torre De Belem (aka the Tower of Belem)

Watched sunset from Miradouro look out (highest look out in the city)

Food Tour in Lisbon (we did this one and HIGHLY recommend it)

Day trip to Sintra (Walked up the mountain, Castle of the Moors, National Palace of Pena. And ate at: Saudade, Tascantiga)

{ Taking in the beauty – away from the crowds – that is the Tower De Belem }

{ Stop #1 of the Food Tour & we already knew we were going to love it }

By far the absolute highlight of Lisbon for me was the Food Tour we did called “taste of Lisboa” (this is the one we did that I have already link twice, but honestly, it really was the highlight for both Morgan and I’s Lisbon trip). I even recommend even if you have 2 days in Lisbon, to do a food tour as we drank the best wine, ate the yummiest (and most traditional food) and saw quite a lot of Alfama and it’s surrounds by foot learning about the culture, people and sights along the way. P.s can I just say that nothing I ever promote or recommend – including this food tour is a paid promotion, i just will always sincerely recommend places and things I have loved.

The other thing we knew we had to / wanted to do (especially with quite a few days in Lisbon) was take a day trip out to Sintra, and I do think its worth it. It was about an hour on the train and a return ticket cost all of €4.30 return so it’d be rude not to.

Like the ‘tour by foot’ people we are, we walked a LOT in Sintra (aka up the big mountain to the Castle of the Moors and the National Palace of Pena) but if you’re a) not up for walking or b) want to see a lot more of Sintra, here is where I recommend you take a tuk tuk around.

We ate some of the areas famous cheese cake at Saudade café as soon as we got off the train (highly recommend you do the same) and choose Tascantiga for lunch which again, we absolutely recommend for some delicious and traditional Tapas.

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And that’s it. We really did fall so madly and deeply in love with Lisbon and have vowed to come back. I totally see why it is becoming the hotspot for Europeans and if you have never had Lisbon or Portugal on your ‘to visit’ list, I absolutely assure you it’s worth the addition.

When it comes to all things travel though, always just follow what feels good, where your mood is taking you and remember to dance to your own rhythm at all times and you truly cannot go wrong.

Hopefully we will bump in to you somewhere around the globe, but for now….