The origin of Portugese egg tart l Portugal

Solo travelled to Lisbon when I was having internship at Valencia, Spain.

From strangers to car pool mates

Another idea of transportation: Car pool.

Sometimes looking back at my daring (or impulsive) thoughts, I probably had already died a few times.

When I was in Europe, a logistic planning tool I used frequently was #RometoRio - A website help you get anywhere by searching plane, train, bus, car, and ferry routes. It directs you to the transportation company website too.

Living in the cheapest suburb hostel (around 6-10 euros) via Booking.com. Spending an afternoon sitting in Lisbon square (The Praça do Comércio) writing diary and drawing. I even made a friend with the sunglasses vendor there (undoubtly for tourists). Little did I know, there's a whole hidden game rule to sell on a square. All the ice-cream vending licenses are hereditary and no new licenses are issued anymore. The friend had breached conditions of stay, but just by selling sunglasses, he managed to afford the rental next to the square! Not that I'm encouraging illegal stay, but life does find its way, isn't it?

Lisbon tram mate

at Miradouro das Portos do Sol

Probably food recommendations

Lisbon Square

Pastéis de Belém is said to be the first Portugese egg tart (pastel de nata - custard tart).

According to online sources:

'At the beginning, the monks at Jerónimos Monastery made the tarts to be sold at a shop next to a sugar cane refinery. Times were difficult following the 1820 Portuguese Liberal Revolution, whereby monasteries had been shut down. Moreover, Belém was far from Lisbon, reached by steamboat only. However, once the word spread about the delicious pastries, the distance did not seem to matter. In 1837, the tarts started to be produced in new premises by pastry chefs, the only ones to whom the secret monastery recipe was passed on. Since then, the original recipe hasn’t changed, and it’s still a secret today, known by only a few, and kept in what is known as the “secret room”.'

Fun fact: The shop is as chaotic as ChaChaanTeng (Hong Kong styles cafe) and as crowded as Hong Kong Bakehouse which sells sour dough egg tarts. I reckon cafe + egg tart is the winning recipe.