Beattys Overseas

John & Amgad, after 7 years!We were graciously invited to spend our time in Lisbon with John's friend Amgad, with whom he attended the Kennedy School. Amgad recently moved to Lisbon, appointed as the Egyptian Ambassador to Portugal, and must be the hardest working man in the entire country. Recently off a summit with the Egyptian president in town and many other activities at the Embassy, Amgad seemed happy to have some friends around who are 'professional vacationers,' and we hope that some of our serenity will rub off on him.

Upon our arrival on Saturday, Amgad took us to see Joel Xavier, Portugal's hippest and most startlingly-talented jazz guitarist. The venue, located in Lisbon's Barrio Alto neighborhood, was a groovy open-format space with a very young, hip crowd. The show was amazing, and if you have the time, go find Joel Xavier on YouTube or on his website. He's incredible.

We slept in a quiet suite in the Embassy's residence, where Amgad lives in a lovely upscale neighborhood in Lisbon. His staff doted on us and he arranged for a driver to fetch us from the airport and take us around town for sightseeing later in the week. Obviously, we feel like we hit the 'Come stay with me for a week' lottery, and we can't thank Amgad enough for such welcoming hospitality.

Rocky coastline near CascaisSunday morning had all of us sleeping in, then leaving in Amgad's car for a drive up the coast to some choice destinations. Portugal is known for, among many things, it's amazing coastline, and our first stop was the resort town of Cascais, which was rather quiet this time of year. But, we met some fishermen coming in with their catch of the day and watched their boats lazily rock on their moors. Then we drove further north to a spot called La Boca do Inferno (the Mouth of Hell) which is a chasm located on the cliffy seashore; seawater has access to the deep bottom of the chasm and vigorously strikes its rocky walls. When we were there, we spotted a fisherman standing atop the Boca do Inferno, with his line in the violent waters - crazy!!!

Our next stop was Cabo do Roca, the most Westerly point of continental Europe. The point provides amazing views of the seashore, which reminded me very much of California's Big Sur. Amgad had been there before, but enjoyed taking us, as it's a very relaxing place to visit. On our way back, we stopped at an adorable roadside cafe located within the cliffs near the seas with outdoor seating and magnificent views. The Portuguese language-barrier was hardly an issue, as man of the people we encountered spoke English, and were extremely gracious. Our week in Lisbon is looking to be a truly memorable experience, as we're already making plans to return to this gorgeous city in the summer months!

- Whitney