After some down time yesterday, I went out walking after night fell and the town was gorgeous! I walked down to the Praca do Comercio and out to the water which was cool to see. Then treated myself to a chocolate waffle and apparently then walked around for the next 30 minutes with a spot of chocolate on my chin... fantastic. I headed up from our hostel and got to Rossio Square and found the train station that looks like a palace! Right next door is a local restaurant that I think we are going to try tonight and coming back I passed the elevator that the apprentice of Eiffel constructed - doing that tomorrow night I think! Last night we had dinner in the hostel - Portuguese tapas if you will called Peticos. There were olives, bread and butter, cheese and the hostelman roasted chorizo on a clay pig burner thing - he sprayed oil on it and then lit it up with a match! It was cute and I kind of want one. Apparently the Portuguese flavor things with ham - not too veggie friendly.
The pesticos time was a great time, good atmosphere and we met tons of people! Lots of people are studying abroad while some peeps are traveling the world! Crazy cool. I tried to stay up to go out but crashed and headed to bed. Tonight we are going to try to find some fado, Portuguese music/singing spots!
Today we headed to the Belem area and saw some really cool things!! In that area is the Jeronimos Monastery, Discoveries Monument, Belem Tower, Maritime Museum and the National Coach Musuem. It was all pretty cool to see but I just loved the Discoveries Monument! Right behind it you can see the big monument of Jesus looking out over Lisbon / just like the one in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Also in that direction is the bridge that is identical to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fran. Oh and I just saw this passing by on the bus but the monument for the fallen soldier is gorgeous. A flame is constantly going and the water is so blue - I'll put a picture below!



Something that was on my mind for a bit today. Top 3 sweetest things to see: 3 a cute puppy, 2 a dad playing with his kids, 1 an old man (over 60 years old) reaching for his wife's hand as they walk down the street. I don't think I even saw that happen today but I was thinking about it and how amazing is it to see such a sweet action! To see someone reach out and grab hold of someone they have probably been around for decades upon decades and they have yet to tire of them! It's like he would refuse to walk down the street if he could not walk down it holding her hand. Precious. Made me think more about the whole commitment that is marriage. What is it that you want in a mate? If I get married in the future, my husband is going to be the one comforting me when something happens to those I love. He is going to be the father of my kids and I want him leading them in a way that shows them the Lord is good and that we LOVE the Lord. He'll be the one I travel with, the one whose hand I hold... the hand I'll want to hold when I'm 60 and the hand I'll want reaching for mine in return. Marriage is long-term. It's cool to think about it as deep of a connection as it is even if I may not fully comprehend the bond until I'm in it. Something incredible, as well as incredibly difficult, to look forward to :)

Enough rambling... and Pirates 3 is on tv sooooo peace out!