Marton: Iconic week #3

This third week was an especially great one among great weeks. As our last full week, we squeezed everything we could out of each day - and it was worth it.

On Monday, we went to Park Gulbenkian, a peaceful haven with incredible planning in the middle of the city. We went on to return to this park time and time again, but more on that later.

On Tuesday, we climbed the Elevador de Santa Justa and got a good look at the city from above, after which we took a ferry to the other side of the bay for an equally great view.

On Wednesday, we went running all the way to Park Gulbenkian, only to find it closed. At least we saw what has to be one of the most beautiful metro stations of the world afterwards.

On Thursday, we returned once more to the park to enjoy it properly. Also, I had a meeting with my work place's CEO and COO, where I presented data I had analyzed and all of the other work I had done. It went great and I really am thankful to be doing meaningful work while also basically being on holiday.

On Friday, work started at 2 p.m. for a change, and I used my time to buy an EU flag which I hung on our balcony - being a federalist or "Europeista", as the Portugese say. After a hard work day of no less than TWO hours, Matteo and I had a succulent meal before going out and partying one final time as this was our last weekend.

On Saturday, we visited magical places. The fairytale Palacio de Pena and the dramatic Ursa beach not (too) far away. These sights will stay with me forever, for sure among the most beautiful places I ever laid eyes upon.

To finish this adventure of a week, we went surfing on Sunday, which turns out to be - along with swimming - one of the very few sports I am talented in. The experience was thrilling and left a mark on me, I want to take up surfing, even if that's a rather difficult undertaking in Austria.

With only four days left to go, I've started saying good-bye to this beautiful place and am happy to make the most of it while we're still here. If the world ends tomorrow, I shall smile with one eye to have experienced such beauty in the final times.