Winding down

Thursday was my second to last day and this is typically a time to be aimless. I located this place in my book I had overlooked. The time to go would have been Sunday because they have a market there but I missed that so....
I started the day going to Starbucks to write and having salad for lunch.
Then I looked up how to walk to LX Factory, a bunch of abandoned warehouses turned into art studios, shops, galleries, design companies, etc. It took almost an hour each way. In the morning it was raining but by time I made the trip, it was hot again. The walk on the way there was along a major roadway, on a narrow sidewalk. But it was worth the trip.

I went to a cafe named Landeau which has chocolate cake (it might be the only food they serve.) As much as I love chocolate, I would not usually opt for a plain chocolate cake, but this one is almost famous, so I did.

It was a pretty damn good after I brushed off the excess cocoa powder.
Then I went to a bookstore called Ler Devagar. It's a beautiful space and they have art installations on the upper level.

I wish I'd taken more pictures of the art. The artist's name is Pietro and he gave me and a few other English speakers (from New Zealand and Turkey) demonstrations of all his mechanical art.

They were all these little mechanical pieces that included gears and levers that moved things back and forth. They all had a story. I didn't know if it would be disrespectful to take pictures or video when he was talking. I asked if I could take his picture after and he wanted me to post with him.
There was another store I didn't buy anything in, but it rotates its merchandise every 12 weeks and only sells environmentally friendly and socially aware products.
I walked back to the center. This route was much nicer because it went through the neighborhoods and I got to see pretty streets.

I decided I was going to see Fado. I made an 8pm dinner reservation (music starts at 9pm.) I didn't want to go back to my guesthouse because I was afraid I would not leave. So I had cappuccino and fruit salad. Then it occurred to me what would be perfect to kill time. Remember that elevator I said I was not going to go on because of the wait? I did it.

There was a brief moment when I was going up that I reminded myself that I am afraid of heights. I think it's five stories up. I think we went up a few and then walked up a tiny spiral staircase for another two. But the view was really great.

I walked back into the Alfama, where the restaurant is. This is where I confessed I'm obsessed with a store called By Nunes that sells handmade tiles and other ceramics. They are beautiful and unfortunately I discovered them after I bought most of my souvenirs. I just did a preliminary bag-packing and I think I still have room. Will I go back for a third time today for more useless stuff? Perhaps. They have 5-6 locations and I have been to two. I might just try to find them all. Anyway, I bought a Christmas ornament for my parents' tree.
Then I stumbled into an amazing art gallery that was showing work by a Romanian artist named Tudor Banus. I might go back there today as well. At this point I had used the GPS on my phone a lot and had very little juice. I would like to get a book of his art.

This month is a festival and there are celebrations all over the city. So the streets were lined with food vendors and booze and general merriment.

I killed time by drinking wine in another restaurant. They also had Fado and started while I was there. I considered ditching my reservations and staying, but their menu didn't look great. While I was sitting there, I was feeling somewhat self-conscious about being there alone and refusing their food, and at the same time grateful that I got to have this 4-euro glass of wine while a woman sang Fado and the rain was lightly coming down outside.
I got to Boteca Da Fa for my 8pm dinner, along with two other women from the US (from Long Island and PA originally, but now both from Brooklyn.) We spent dinner talking and it was very nice. One had been in London for her new job at the Guinness Book of World Records (so cool) and then Scotland, and the other had been in Spain.
I had octopus rice and it was yummy. We all had rice pudding which was also good. I tried to take a picture but it was dark in there.

The guy, who I assume is the owner, also sang and tried to get us to by his CD. I splurged on a cab home. A very nice day.
Right now it's Friday morning and they just restarted construction on the roof. I'm not here all day so I don't hear most of it.
Tonight, I hope to have the good seafood meal I've wanted, although I probably won't go to the ridiculously popular place that you have to wait on line for. Then I am coming back early and watching the last episode of Handmaids Tale. I already checked in for my flights tomorrow and I think I have to get up at least by 4am. So this may or may not be my last posting. Depends on how eventful today is.
Thanks for reading!