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
But what can I do given that I am hiding in my basement (see NYC Twice: A Recap of My 2020 Travels) too scared to come out and see my shadow (see Punxsutawney TPOL)? The answer is obvious. Perfect my golf game, buy a mobile fitness studio, and broadcast it all from my beautiful home in Rio Mar, Puerto Rico. There was only one problem. Who would film the reality of how badly I play at golf and how imperfect my gym form is? The answer is Skydio 2, a drone that needs no pilot. And now, after months of waiting, it is on its way to me (via New York). In the groundhog year of 2021, I am ready to defy my old thinking (see TPOL’s Way Out of Poverty Is Not Vlogging) and emerge as the most famous vlogger, golfer, and bodybuilder of all time.
Video #2 has not been released, making this a failing venture. So what does Trump do when something fails? Doubles down and hopes no one will notice. For me, doubling down meant buying the new DJ Osmo 360. It’s a one-of-a-kind camera that is capable of taking 360 videos of me surfing, biking, and snowboarding – all activities that I do not do.
While I have yet to find a specific use for it, I can thank Trump for providing me with the rare opportunity to be one of the first to have this camera. It is currently not for sale in the US, and there is no timetable set for its release, thanks to his asinine tariff policy. I happen to be doing a residency in Lisbon and have access to the free and fair market (see A-Live from Lisbon).
The question is whether I will take advantage of this head start. The answer, if my first drone purchase is any indication, is probably not.
TPOL’s Tip: You can find the vlog for Alexander Bachuwa’s, aka the #masterofwon, here. Maybe it will have more content soon.
TPOL is in Lisbon in August. Here’s the best from what I did in July.
Residency Lisbon, Portugal Begins Next WeekOn April 29th, 2025, I wrote, Off Again! SJU-TBD Trip Report. At that time, I had no idea where I was going. All I knew was that I was flying from San Juan to Madrid. Now, I can share that my new [temporary] residency will be Lisbon, Portugal.
I took the metro in Lisbon (see Metro Lisbon? TPOL Leaves the Neighborhood for Cafe). Now, it was time to try Subway. And I’m not talking about the underground. I am talking about the sandwich shop. In Puerto Rico, Subway is disgusting. In the US, it was a source of comfort. Since it was in close proximity to my apartment, I decided to go there once (twice).
While it brought a smile to my face, it is far too expensive compared to tastier, transcendent food options that Lisbon provides (see Recap: Where I Ate in Lisbon).
When I lived in Chamberi in Madrid, I took the metro one time to visit my friend at the Hard Rock Madrid. Before arriving in Lisbon, a fellow BoardingArea blogger, Shelli Stein, from Point Me to the Plane reached out and invited me to join her for coffee.
I took the metro from Baixa Chiado.
And changed trains, while stopping to admire the art.
Thirty minutes later, I found myself in this charming establishment:
TPOL’s Tip: The address is Avenida da Republica, 15A, Lisbon 1050-185 Portugal
Pastel de Nata
At the time, I had never tried pastel de nata, nor did I know that there are so many articles on where the best pastel de nata is made in Lisbon (see Best Pastel de Nata: Versailles o Manteigaria)
Apart from the sweet treat, the afternoon was spent drinking white wine, espresso, and having great conversation.
In my blog, I am criticized when I share my Travel Lessons. Some people think I am a fool and have said so in no uncertain terms (see Festivus). This fool sometimes amazes himself with what I can pull off.
Standing on my balcony, overlooking the city center of Lisbon, I could not help but giggle at my fortune. The sound of laughter did not only come from me. Just below, there were crowds of people walking and enjoying this iconic, energetic city.
Barrio Alto
I remember the first time I came to Barrio Alto and took the historic Glória Funicular up the hill. At that time, I didn’t know that it only went a few feet! (see Bottom to Top: Doing Tourist Things in Lisbon).
2018: First time in Lisbon
I also recalled that there are many, many bars in Barrio Alto. I decided to have a look.
Stop #1: The Corner Irish Pub
6 euros for a Guinness is not awful, but with a weak exchange rate, I will not be returning.
TPOL’s Tip: If you need a Guinness, the address is Tv. da Queimada 9, 1200-285 Lisboa.
Alex met George, the proprietor of the Old Pharmacy, where wine tasting is encouraged. I tried wine from different regions, including a new favorite, Vino Verde.
TPOL’s Tip: The address is R. do Diário de Notícias 83, 1200-142 Lisboa
Stop #4: No Stops, Just Walking
If I had a liver that could stand it and a bank account that was unlimited, I would go to a different bar each night.
Home
That was more than enough for one evening. I am here for 45 nights.
The flight from Madrid to Lisbon is very short. It’s 1 hour and 25 minutes. The question is whether it would be worth burning points to fly business on Iberia or deal with peasant (see Points in the Front, Peasants in the Back). Curiously, I found that booking through Qatar using Avios was cheaper than booking directly on Iberia. For 12,500 points, I decided that I would go with business, much as I did when I flew from Madrid to Barcelona (see Iberia MAD-BCN: Some Funny Business).
If you don’t know, I will tell you that I have taken this flight many times before (see Iberia Flight Reviews). This time around, I took the earlier flight.
Group 0?
Price
For 50k Avios, this remains the best deal in the sky.
The bad golfers in my golf club are called ‘bacalao’, which translated in means cod. I attempted to use my Spanish speaking skills to order cod for the main course. It was sold out. I settled for the pesto pasta. It was not bad.
Dessert
On past Iberia flights, I have indulged in Rioja and Ribera del Duero wines. After almost being kicked off a plane (see Iberia Business ORD-MAD: Mask Jokes Literally Don’t Fly ), I decided to limit my intake to two reds.
The real reason I did not drink so much is that the flight to Madrid is only 6 hours. There’s not enough time for a silent disco party (see Emirates A380 Silent Disco!), so drinking too much and arriving exhausted is not worth it.
No Pillow
I went to sleep but noticed that there were no pillows. I looked at my neighbors, who also had no pillows. This was quite odd.
Overall
When I lived in Scottsdale, I used to fly SWA to Vegas. It was convenient and it was reliable. The same is true about this route.
When I did my inaugural residency in Madrid (see Recap! Madrid Residency), I blogged daily about my life as a Spaniard. I have decided to do the same when I am in Lisbon. This introductory post brings back an old blog strategy called ‘a-live’, short for Alex Alive and Alex is Live. The novel concept of hopping from country to country and blogging as I went was short-lived due to the unavailability of Wi-Fi, the tedious process of uploading photos, and the inability of my brain to formulate sentences after a night out in the new or often old town.
Since I will be [mostly] stationary in this trip, I thought I would give this another go. The last thing I want is another Trip Report that is overdue (see World Cup 2022).
