Motivated by new appreciation of the dollar (see Tap to Pay? Sorry, Cash Only for Me) and depreciation of it to the euro, I refused to pay 60 euros to go from Athens airport to the Grand Hyatt Athens (see It’s Time to Drop the ‘Grand’). Instead, I paid to take the X95 bus to Syntagma, the famous square where the buses from the marathon picked me up (see Athens Marathon Course Review). From there, I paid 5.5 euros for a taxi.
Since I arrived at 2AM, there was no reason to get to the hotel quickly. In my spending days, I would have rationalized that I deserved the most efficient way to get to the hotel, as it had been such a long day. What a difference a change of mindset makes.
TPOL’s Tip: There is tap to pay on the bus, a reasonable exception to the cash only lifestyle.
Perhaps the hard product from Lisbon to Geneva was not that great because this is not a popular route. Surely, the Swiss Lounge would have to be better. Like I did in Lisbon, I assumed that the flagship carrier’s lounge would be better than the Priority Pass option (see Tap Lounge Lisbon: Is Priority Pass Better?). Here’s what I found:
Entrance Sign
This is a cool throwback sign.
Clock
Along with chocolate, the Swiss are known for their watches.
Seats
There were plenty of places to sit.
I have no idea what this is for and who would use it. But no eating inside!
Trying to find a direct flight on points from Lisbon to Athens proved impossible. Trying to find an affordable direct flight that fit my schedule was also impossible. Ultimately, I had to be creative. I used 25k Aeroplan points to fly from Lisbon to Geneva to Athens. The good news was that it cost $88. The bad news is that I left the house at 11:30AM and did not reach the underwhelming Grand Hyatt (see It’s Time to Drop the ‘Grand’) until 3AM.
I hoped that the mystique of anything Swiss, e.g., watches, chocolate, would also be found aboard Swiss Airlines.
I was wrong: this was an old A220 with no WiFi and no IFE.
As a starter, I was offered Rosemary sticks. What’s Swiss German for disgusting? I believe it’s rosemary sticks.
There were two choices for lounges: TAP or Priority Pass. I assumed that the flagship carrier of Portugal would have a better lounge. After visiting, I cannot say that this is true. The place smelled of garbage, and the food was not much better. I snapped these photos and passed the time wondering what I was missing at the Priority Pass Lounge.
To literally combat the physical atrophy that comes from drinking and to preserve my mental well-being, I sign up for Muay Thai training and yoga wherever I go (see Fitness Worldwide). To get my finances under control, I have done something that previously would be unthinkable: I have forsaken using credit cards and now use cash.
This revolution came after my devolution from conscious broke international summer lawyer intern in Shanghai in 2010 (see MBA in Travel & Tourism Part II), to points addict budget traveler through 2017, to Jay-D money ain’t a thang Bachuwa attorney until July 18, 2025 when I went to my favorite establishment in Lisbon, O Trevo (see My Favorite Bar, Restaurant, Hangout in Lisbon). There, only cash is accepted. There, everything is top quality. There, remarkably, everything isn’t expensive.
Somewhere from here to ‘there’, I got lost, thinking that Michelin sushi was justifiable (see Michelin Sushi Tenerife: $375 Worth Spent?). I rationalized it by saying, “Anything for the blog.” Somewhere from here to there, I enjoy the bravado of spending with complete disregard for how much a dollar is worth.
I am happy to say that those days are over. The spell of American consumerism has broken. I am returning to how I got here – frugality (shout out to The Frugal Travel Guy, the OG of the points game).
In this public service announcement, I call on my points brethren to reevaluate the definition of success. Before, success meant being the poorest person in the Maldives but having the most expensive room (see The Conrad Maldives: Heaven Can Wait). Now, as the other OG Outakst said, we’re supposed to be believe, “It’s not what you make but how much you spent.”
Seeing the workers at O’Trevo work from morning until night made me ashamed of how much I have spent these last 8 years. While they charge only a few euros for a sandwich and next to nothing for alcohol, they are probably better off than most of us. First, they work all day, so they don’t have the idle time to take up expensive hobbies or shop on Amazon. Second, they are grinding for every euro they earn. I would assume that makes them appreciate the value of money.
In my book, Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine I wrote, “Detouring for yet another grand trip may cloud your vision, forcing you to lose focus on what you originally set out to accomplish. Recognize that Enjoying #ThePointsOfLife is the cause, not the effect. Being inspired to strive for a better life, not just a better trip, is the real point of this lesson.” This book was published in 2014, yet 11 years later, my multi-million points balance far exceeds my bank balance. Until that deficit is reduced dramatically, I am imposing a 5000% tariff on all goods that I want to buy via a credit card. That’s the only way that I can stop the unfairness and end this madness.
Of course, I am going to TACO because a new DJI Drone is coming out. But I’ll get there, not ‘there’, eventually.
Having gone to O Treo as many times as I had gone to Pink Street (see O Trevo: My Favorite Bar, Restaurant, Hangout in Lisbon & Pink Street: Again & Again) , I decided to branch out and go past the Baixa-Chiado metro station (see Metro Lisbon? TPOL Leaves the Neighborhood for Cafe) to see what else was available. Inevitably, I ended up in another stand up bar where a glass of wine and an espresso were 2.70 euros. I went outside and sat at one of the restaurant tables. The waiter said I technically could not sit there because wine outside is more than double the price of wine inside. I laughed and he left me alone.
Order insideDrink outside
Walking around more, I found another stand up bar and this time was told I could sit outside and order food.
After a few more stops, I started to feel the tap to pay guilt. Instead of abusing my credit card further, I found the nearest grocery store and went home. For 5 euros a bottle, I could drink vino verde until I was green in the face.
If you’re looking to have a great time in Thailand, go to Khaosan Road. It’s loud. It’s noisy. It’s full of tourists. And that’s the point.
If you’re looking to have a great time in Lisbon, go to Pink Street. It will, for better or worse, remind you of all the times you spent going out when you could have been doing other productive things.
My first night in Pink Street was quite tame, i.e., I made it back up the hill to Barrio Alto with my soul intact. My second go around did not go as smoothly. The evening started calm but became more rambunctious. The next day I woke up saying something I have repeated for over a decade: I’m getting too old for this shit.
Ground level
The third time in Pink Street…
The fourth time in Pink Street…
TPOL’s Tip: There are many bars in Pink Street, but the standard routine is a cocktail at Collect, followed by ‘networking’ at Pensão Amor, culminating in the frat party at Oasis.
If you’re going in, you’ve had too much.
TPOL’s Tip: You can bargain for the shawarma. 2 euros instead of 3.
TPOL’s Tip: Bookmark this page as I’ll be going back to Pink Street.
Walking near my apartment (see Blueground Does it Again: Lisbon), I heard the shouts of angry men. I had to go in and check it out.
Here’s what I found:
I went inside this obscenely brightly lit place and encountered people from all over the world. It reminded me of my favorite places in Granada, Spain (see The Joy of Tapas). Before placing an order at the stand up coffee bar, I needed to ascertain if I could pay by card. It felt like a place that was cash only. My suspicions were proven correct when I looked up, down, and all around. In Portuguese, in English, and in pictures, the sign said: CASH ONLY.
Note the cash on the wall
Desperate to get in on the fun, I went to an ATM. Unfortunately, it was out of service. I went to look for another but was distracted by a ‘real’ Irish Pub along the way (see Arriving Lisbon: First Tipsy Thoughts). By the time I returned to the establishment, it was closed.
With 45 nights in Lisbon, I knew I could come back the next day and the day after that. And so I did.
TPOL’s Tip: O Trevo is closed for two weeks in mid August for the holidays. Fortunately, I was able to go before and will be here when it opens again.
I can say that the bifana sandwich is spectacular, especially with the chilli sauce.
TPOL’s Tip: They offer it in pork or beef. Pork is much better
Beef on the left, pork on the right
And the wine by the glass is poured as a bottle by the glass.
I can also say that the price is too good to be true, forcing me to reevaluate how I spend my money (see Tap to Pay? Sorry, Cash Only for Me).
But, the real reason, apart from the perfect espresso to come here, is the workers.
There’s typically four of them. The shy kid is in the corner. He’s in charge of making the sandwich. The old man is in charge of the drinks. The younger guy is in charge of taking orders. The short guy, I’m not so sure what he does, but every few minutes, he goes outside, yells something, and then comes back in. Collectively, minus the kid in the corner, they are all in charge of making everyone feel equally welcome and simultaneously unwelcome.
Beer is poured from the draft abruptly. Change is thrown on the table loudly. And food is dropped on the counter without the loving touch of a Portuguese grandmother. But before anyone leaves, there’s a somewhat genuine ‘thank you, come again’ in a mixture of multiple languages.
Having gone there many times, I dare not try to befriend the staff. For one, I doubt they want to become my friend. For two, it would ruin the experience.
TPOL’s Tip: For a more tranquilo experience, take your food and drink outside and watch the people go by.
TPOL’s Tip: O Trevo is located at Praça Luís de Camões 48, 1200-283 Lisboa
