Walking is a pleasure in Alfama Lisbon. The streets are all laid out in tiny cobble stones that clink faintly under the shoes. The streets run in straight, intersecting lines that connect the old city in impeccable grids. It is easy to find your way anywhere from the eleventh century castle on top the hill to the river Tejo all the way down below.

Cafes abound and espresso is the staple drink preferred by locals. Beautiful tiny espresso cups are lined neatly in every cafe. We ate Pastel de Bacalhau, the salty crispy croquettes with potato and salted cod filling that Portugal is famous for. Interestingly cod is imported from Norway or Canada, salted and dried and stored before being made into pastel or other dishes. It tastes very salty in some places, more potatoey in others. Each place makes it a bit differently.

The same goes for Pastel de Nata. If not for our culinary perseverance we would have given up after the first try.

For Pastel de Nata crunchy puff pastry is shaped into a small cup of one and half inches. Rich egg yolk custard flavored with cinnamon is poured and baked into it. It is crisp on the outside, gooey and sweet on the inside. Some places also offer a generous dusting of cinnamon which makes it even more wonderful with its earthy punch.

We also got lucky and sampled Baba de Camelo which is butter caramel sauce accompanied by strawberries and slivered almonds. Legend goes that a woman who had surprise guests and nothing in the name of dessert to offer them, made this dish up and also gave it the unsavory name of ‘Camel’s drool’ hoping that no one would want to eat it. It ended up being licked clean and is today a well known recipe.

As for weather, there has been rain a few days in the mornings but by afternoon the skies clear and it is a sunny place. Blue skies make a wonderful backdrop to the yellow, pink and blue pastel shaded three storey buildings. A cold wind whips across your face as you walk the streets. It feels a lot like a sunnier and more colorful San Francisco.

Trams drive by all of Lisbon but with the backdrop of Alfama’s medieval architecture and fountains and plazas they look a lot more vibrant. Many of the yellow trams seem to be completely built out of wood.

Arjun naturally got into Lisbon’s relaxed rhythm. Early in the quiet mornings (Lisbon wakes up late), he would walk to the nearest plaza and play with his tram on the smooth and cold marble fountain as pigeons pecked around.

We saw some nice aunties dropping pop corns from the windows above for the birds to eat. The street art makes for a wonderful backdrop and Arjun had a lot of questions. Walking back home, Arjun wanted to stop for a ham and cheese sandwich. A grandma having her morning torta (slice of cake) wants to talk

Looking down at the red tiled roofs from one of the many viewpoints is a perfect way to spend the evening.