Lisbon Blog
Feb 9

When a tourist arrives to an unknown city, it is usual that he is a little bit confused and he is not clear about which are the venues that he has to visit but, sometimes, he goes beyond logic and asks a few funny questions, so to speak.

Tourists

A study made by a hotel booking website, as well as Tourism Offices of the most important European cities, has revealed a list of the strangest and weirdest questions that tourist have made since 1995.

In Madrid, for example, the agent tourist had to listen to questions like: “At what time is the Cibeles closed?”, when it’s one of the most famous statues in the city, in the open air, and you can go to visit it at anytime. Or foreigners mistake La Puerta del Sol for La Costa del Sol. One of the most surrealist questions is “where is the beach in Madrid”?

But of these kinds of questions are asked in other European cities. Let’s take Rome for example. There, a tourist asked at what time were the races at the Coliseum, or if he could go to visit a gladiators fight. Funny, isn’t it? What about this: “how much does it cost to sleep in the catacombs? People dare to ask anything!

These situations wouldn’t exist if visitors prepared their travel schedule a little more carefully and did a little bit of research. Imagine the staff’s faces when they are asked these silly questions! Surely they have to try very hard not to laugh. But, don’t worry, there are many more. Tourists’ imagination is endless. In Sweden, they even asked this marvellous question: “at what time do the elks walk?”, in Portugal, if Lisboa (Lisbon in Spanish) was near Lisbon (in English) or if traffic signs there were the same as in England.

Netherlands doesn’t escape from these funny and strange consultations either.
One visitor wanted to know “where the historical centre of Rotterdam was”. Actually, it doesn’t exist because the Nazis destroyed it during World War II.

But one of the most bizarre questions was asked in Ireland. The confusion of tourists leads them to ask things like “where can we find a wood with goblins?”, “Are there any cell phones in this country?” or “Is English the only language in Ireland”?

And finally, the icing on the cake. In France, staff at a Tourism office was left scratching their heads when someone posed the following question: “Can the boats on the Seine sail or are they just for decoration?” Another bewildered one, dared to ask where he could find the lady that smiled, referring to La Mona Lisa, and someone else wasn’t clear about Hotel Gay Lussac in Paris and wondered if it were just for homosexual guests.

Alright, all this is very fun, but we hope that if you decide to visit rent apartments in Lisbon, please make sure you get enough information to not appear on the next list of the strangest questions!

Feb 3
Honey, you smell like a Whopper
icon1 lisbonblogger | icon2 Lisbon | icon4 02 3rd, 2010| icon3No Comments »

Since ancient times, both women and men have used fragrances. The Egyptians created perfumed balms, and were also the first ones to bottle perfume. In both Greek and Roman society, perfume played an important role in the culture of bathing and body care. The ancient Arabs had access to a wide variety of spices and herbs, including Jasmine, and developed the technique of evaporation. Nowadays, the perfume industry moves around billions of dollars. But to keep up with the growing market, you have to be creative and innovative. What do you think of a perfume with a scent of beer, hamburger or sweat?

hamburger-cologne

About a year ago, Burger King launched its own perfume. It was called ‘Flame’ and it is said to combine “the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat”. I’m not sure if I would want my husband to smell like a hamburger or barbeque sauce. But if something like Calvin Klein is not manly enough for him, maybe we can try the ‘Eos’ perfume (nicknamed the beer perfume), which is completely co2 neutral. Instead of using petroleum, it is made from the waste products of an organic brewery: rancid beer grains and about 50,000 different types of bacteria. It comes in a male and a female version, but (un) fortunately it doesn’t smell like beer. The male version, however, has a hint of cognac.

How many different perfumes do you use every day? A study conducted in the Netherlands revealed that the average woman uses about 14 different perfumes per day, some woman even up to 20. We use shower cream, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, deodorant and hair spray. Also home fragrances become more popular, and during our daily chores we come in contact with a number of perfumes: detergents, soap, etc. This could lead to serious skin allergies. If you want to hold the smell of the perfume longer, it is recommended to use layers: use shower cream, body milk and later perfume with the same scent.

And can be said about the ‘famous’ perfumes? The top 3 best selling perfumes are Chanel No 5 (Every 30 seconds, a bottle is sold), Calvin Klein Eternity and Prada Eau de Toilette. But that’s not what we are talking about. The company ‘My DNA Fragrance’ launched a line of perfumes, made out of the DNA of famous people. They work together with John Reznikoff, who has the biggest collection of celebrity hair locks. The latest perfume is that of Michael Jackson, which is described as a ‘strong scent’. Elvis Presley is a best seller, but also Napoleon and Marilyn Monroe have their own fragrance. Completely bizarre!.

How about you? Spring is coming; it’s a good time to experiment with some new fragrances. Just one month ago Ana Salazar, Portugal’s most renowned fashion designer, launched her new perfume ‘Vintage’. Rent the best apartments in Lisbon, and discover her exclusive shop in the Baixa district.

Jan 29

Typically, love is associated with beautiful feelings such as hope, joy or excitement, but it’s not always rosy however much love or infatuation there is. This can be applied to the long distance relationships. Though it is true that when love is real, the distance should not be an obstacle, maintaining a constant interest and avoiding that one or both members of the couple suffer is very complicated.

long-distance-relationships

Nowadays long distance relationships are on the increase thanks to the latest technologies. The chats have made it possible for people from opposite ends of the world fall in love and start a long distance relationship.

The major problems of long distance relationships appear to be mistrust, confrontation risk, possible infidelity, and so on. The lack of being close to one another can cause the relationship to cool off over time. Distrust is the worse. The fact of ignoring the everyday life of the other mate, not being part of his/her life and daily activities, can be a problem for the relationship. Also, the risk of a possible infidelity is much higher if we consider that everybody has physical and emotional needs that are not covered 100% by this type of relationship.

How does one solve these problems? Are the long distance relationships sustainable? The experts are categorical: yes, they are absolutely sustainable; the keys are good communication and mutual trust. If these two attributes are the foundation of any relationship, with distance in between they are more than indispensable.

To prevent the problems, define your terms in advance. This way you will settle and avoid many conflicts and confusions. Just define your expectations in advance. Surely, eventually, one of you will have to take the step in moving forward with the relationship. Surely, with time, one of the two will have to move to his/her lover’s city to continue with the relationship. Otherwise, it will just remain stagnant.

The key is to work on it. Do not let the relationship die: call them by phone, send letters or emails, talk via chat, use the web cam to see each other - today’s technologies make things easier! Flexibility is another important virtue to know how to cope with a distance relationship and since many couples have different schedules, it is difficult to communicate: she is from Israel, and he’s from the U.S., for example.

Try to enjoy every single moment that you spend together. Take the opportunity of any physical contact, because then you will miss it so much! What if you meet at a neutral city? The Portuguese capital is the perfect place! Rent Apartments in Lisbon and enjoy your time together. It will be unforgettable!

Jan 25
What is beauty?
icon1 lisbonblogger | icon2 Lisbon | icon4 01 25th, 2010| icon32 Comments »

Oh, this is so beautiful, so sweet and so wonderful! How many times a day do you see beautiful things? Many times we associate beauty with the view: with the symmetrical harmony of the body of a beautiful model, with an idyllic landscape, with the grandeur of a historic monument, with a famous work of art, etc. And why is it that what I find beautiful, you don’t? Even before Jesus Christ, men were asked about its essence and it seems that even today there is no general and fixed definition about it.

beauty

Ask two different people what beauty is and they will probably differ or wouldn’t know what to say. To begin, we may ask if we understand that beauty is something visible or is rather something abstract or whether it is transient or lasting, objective or subjective.

A ring may be beautiful, because it has a diamond and it’s made of gold. But when a child gives you a ring made from wild grass, and he approaches you with a huge smile, the ring can be very beautiful too. The poetry of tragedy is also beautiful because it speaks about emotions and passions.

In the fifth century BC, Xenophon, a military man and Greek philosopher, started what was the beginning of discussions about the concept of beauty. He said that beauty could be divided into three categories: the first one is the ideal beauty, based on a symmetrical harmony; the second one is the spiritual beauty, referring to the soul and the third one is the functional beauty, which says that things are beautiful when they are useful.

What if beauty were ugly? Gandhi was not particularly handsome, but he had a huge inner beauty, and it was reflected in one of his quotes: “But all my life though, the very insistence on truth has taught me to appreciate the beauty of compromise”. Many films tell the story of a beautiful girl who does not love the most handsome boy because she falls in love with an “ugly” one.

There are people who do not appreciate the Guernica painting by Pablo Picasso because they dislike the subject of war and death, but this painting is usually defined precisely as the most beautiful of the twentieth century, because it carries the essence of our history in all its glory.

To keep wondering what the beauty is, we suggest something to you: a trip to Lisbon, because the Portuguese capital is also a gem. Rent Apartments in Lisbon and relax, they are cheap and comfortable.

Jan 19
How do you cure love sickness
icon1 lisbonblogger | icon2 Lisbon | icon4 01 19th, 2010| icon3No Comments »

Of course, love is one of the most beautiful things in the world: butterflies in the stomach, your whole body is shaking with excitement, you are flying on cloud nine… and then? Well, as you see everything through rose-coloured glasses, you can also fall off this cloud nine very fast and very deep. Lovesickness is just one of the most horrible things in life: spending the days without stopping to cry, uncountable tissue boxes, a lot of chocolate and ice-cream, depressions and a lack of enthusiasm. But, my dear friends, in spite of sadness and heartache, lovesickness also provokes positive aspects. You should only learn how to appreciate them. But how exactly can we get closer to the light at the end of the tunnel?

lovesick

Your partner leaves you after many years of an intensive relationship, you´re desperately in love with someone, who doesn’t feel the same way, or you are in a relationship but you can’t stop thinking of another very special person in your life… As you can see, lovesickness can occur in different ways. The question is how to handle it and what you can learn from all these heartbreaking pangs of distress. Here’s a few details for consolation: On average the worst pain will be got over after four weeks and a broken heart will be cured normally within 15 months.

The first step of getting over a break up is without a doubt to stick to what you feel: Let it all out! Whether by screaming, crying, writing or playing music…you can express your sadness in many different ways. The most important thing is not to bottle everything up, because doing so you will explode soon or later. The next step is to banish all kinds of memories from your ex. Almost everyone has a little box under the bed or in the attic containing cuddly toys, love letters and fotos of romantic moments of the past. Believe me, one day you’ll be able to open that box and smile instead of crying, while looking at those old times. So what about now? Now you should only think of yourself, and this has nothing to do with egotism. Pamper yourself, entertain yourself, start new projects you always wanted to do, think positive and start each day with a big smile on your face. To always have a bad conscience and rack your brains over what you have done to your ex, is just very silly. Everyone is responsible for his or her own life, so concentrate on yourself!

Good friends and family help perfectly as mental support for overcoming this crisis. Even though you feel so alone at times and lonesome with your problems, there’s always someone to lean on. Take lovesickness as a new beginning! Give your life a new direction. Be Yourself: An original is always worth more than a copy.

Do you need a change of scenery? What about a little trip to one of the most amazing European cities where uncountable lonely hearts have already found to each other? The Portuguese capital offers you entertainment, fun, culture and love. Rent the economic and comfortable apartments in Lisbon and enjoy your life! Chin up!

Jan 15

The Book of Apocalypse is one of the most famous books of the Bible. Although many people do not know, this is the last book of the New Testament, which refers to the Seven Seals and the Prophecies of the Lord. Not only that, but in the first four Seals it shows the four famous Horsemen of Apocalypse. Each one rides a horse of a different colour, symbolizing four different prophecies. Thus, the First Horseman rides a white horse that will bring false Christs and false prophets; the Second Horseman rides a red horse that will bring wars; the Third Horseman rides a black horse that will bring famine and the Fourth one, with a yellow horse, will bring death.

Death, 4 seal Apocalypse

The Fourth Seal of the Book of Apocalypse opens the text with the emergence of the fourth and final Horseman, riding a pale yellow horse, whose carrier is named Death. The yellow colour is associated with diseases - including cancer, hepatitis, severe malnutrition, or leprosy, with weakness, with plagues and with the death itself. The victims of the Fourth Rider have a violent and premature death and are carried into Tartarus by Hades, which always rides together with the “Death” Horseman. However, the good Christians die in peace and go to Paradise.

The Fourth Prophecy threatens that 25% of the planet will fall under the yoke of death. And indeed, many evidences have shown throughout the history that a quarter of the population dies due to causes mentioned in the Fourth Seal: hunger, mortality, plagues and diseases.

There have been many plagues and diseases that have ravaged the planet over the centuries, causing the death of millions people. Even today, despite the significant scientific advances, new and old viruses take the lives of many people. For example, in the sixth century, the bubonic plague caused a hundred million dead across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. At that time the Earth population did not reach the billion… Then, in the fourteenth century, the same plague killed about 65 million people in the old continent. Even today it has not been completely eliminated, and in Africa, Asia, South America and Australia there are about 100 or 200 deaths annually due to the bubonic plague. Another terrible plague was smallpox, which until the advent of the vaccine killed one in four sick persons and contagious 60% of the world population.

Since the sixteenth century they have appeared more than 30 worldwide pandemics: the most recently is swine flu. But nowadays, infectious disease that takes more lives is AIDS, which skews million lives annually. According to the WHO, in the late 2001, about 40 million people were infected worldwide with HIV, and half died from the disease since its emergence in 1981. Today, AIDS is the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa.

The medical advances of the developed countries amaze us every day with their new techniques, discoveries and vaccines. Portugal is one of them. Discover its fascinating capital and for your comfort, rent Apartments in Lisbon.

Jan 8
The ecology taken to the sex
icon1 lisbonblogger | icon2 Lisbon | icon4 01 8th, 2010| icon3No Comments »

While it is true that this year will be remembered as “the year of the financial crisis”, it will also be highlighted the growing social commitment to the environment. Issues like the climate change occupy hundreds of front pages in the major world media. People are becoming more and more conscious of the importance of looking after our planet and, although, the Climate Summit in Copenhagen has not produced the goods, there are those who are doing their bit for this great cause.

The ecology taken to the sex

The fact is that increasingly sophisticated and new technologies, gadgets and all types of craft appear… Also in the sex world they arouse an endless number of new toys with amazing functions. In fact, the world of erotic toys has evolved so much that it is difficult to choose between so many devices of pleasure. Unfortunately, most of these devices run with batteries, which is highly polluting for the planet. Thus, while in the Copenhagen Summit the politicians sought to find a global commitment to tackle the global warming, a small Irish company has invented an ecologic vibrator.

Although it is the industry of pleasure, the sex toy market is highly damaging to the environment due to the huge amount of batteries it need for their vibrators.

So, Chris and Janice O’Connor, creators of the new green vibrator, have found an ecological mechanism to make it vibrate: a handle that when you rotate it makes the toy vibrate intensely for about 30 minutes. Incredible!

The invention, called Earth Angel, has already sold thousand units since last April and, the best of all, it is made exclusively of recyclable materials. They have explained that they want to change the way that people see the world of adult toys.

They also have thought to apply the same technology to other devices including electric toothbrushes: no batteries, and fully recyclable materials.

Would you like to join to the ecological World? Surprise your partner with a green present. And to enjoy it, nothing better than a trip to Lisbon… The Portuguese capital can be a perfect place to taste the goodness of the Earth Angel. Rent Apartments in Lisbon and enjoy as never before not damaging the environment.

Dec 24
What are your Resolutions for 2010?
icon1 lisbonblogger | icon2 Lisbon | icon4 12 24th, 2009| icon3No Comments »

The year is nearly over. Let’s not get sentimental, but at the end of December just about everyone has some melancholic feelings and thinks about the year that has just passed by. In this way, negative and positive events, circumstances and occurrences of our personal life, but as well in regard to the entire world, will flood through our minds. And of course, a kind of bad conscience will also be produced, because some of the excess kilos which for almost one year we swore to loose are still on our hips. Curiously, there is also a cigarette packet in your jacket pocket, although you promised to give up smoking last year. It’s time to think about new resolutions for the New Year, but please, be more realistic this time!

new-years-resolutions

On New Year’s Eve we will get bombed with those metaphorical speeches, where they talk about new dreams, new desires, new hopes, new promises, a new year…. sounds like a kind of clearance sale: Old things out, new ones in!. But has the turn of the year always to be so symbolic? After all, you can make your plans, new goals or change things during the year, or do we have to wait until the 31st of December? However, perhaps New Year’s Eve enjoys a kind of official character, because we make a kind of an oath for obligating ourselves to fulfil it.

“Our good intentions are usually the first disappointments of the new year”. We couldn’t define it a better way. Talking about the typical resolutions for the New Year, it’s not necessary to spend a lot of time thinking: less chocolate, no cigarettes, less alcohol, loose weight, get up earlier, more fruits… As you can see it’s only about consuming or doing something “more” or “less”. But why aren’t we a little bit more creative with our intentions? What about “more passionate sex”, or “working less, and enjoying life more”, or perhaps “eating as well on our own as well as accompanied“ not always walking with such a stressful face and smiling a bit more”? Those intentions sound more realistic, don’t they? However, each person should decide whether they want to make real resolutions for the whole of the coming year or if each morning they want to wake up thinking about some a few goals they want to achieve each day.

And what does the turn of the year also mean? That’s easy. We switch on the TV, open the newspapers or we can already hear it on the radio: the best of 2009 mania. Whether the best music, the best film, the best mishap, the best book, the best sports person…not matter what, the media kills us with the many “best of categories” of 2009. It’s very easy to think of some keywords for 2009: Barack Obama, swine flu, Michael Jackson and many others. But why don´t you do your personal “Best of 2009” show. Undoubtedly it will me more fun and entertaining.

Intentions, promises or not, what you should really plan and fulfil is to travel more. What about making a trip to one of the most enchanting Mediterranean capitals of Europe? Rent the cheap and comfortable Lisbon apartments and try the mouth watering cuisine and visit some of their most famous landmarks such as the Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon. Surely this is a worthwhile New year’s resolution!

Dec 14
What to give for Christmas?
icon1 lisbonblogger | icon2 Lisbon | icon4 12 14th, 2009| icon31 Comment »

It’s time to turn your brain on to choose Christmas gifts! You don’t know whether to give something functional, beautiful, classic, funny or original. Don’t worry; here are some clues for some cool ideas to make your shopping a pleasure instead of a nightmare. And if you’re too lazy to fight it out with the myriads of hungry Christmas shoppers, you can stay at home and buy everything online. With a dose of imagination, patience and love, your friends and family will love your surprises.

gifts

Some people have the gift of giving incredible and original presents: “What a great idea! You know me so well! You always guess what I need!” And there are others who always fail with their gift ideas! It is not so easy to choose a good gift! Here are some very original ideas that do not require being a millionaire, just a bit creative…so take notes!

How about a relaxing massage gift, a  bottle of champagne, a Spaghetti gauge or a Bonsai? Stranger gifts are the anti-seasickness wristband, the key locator, the skin analyzer or a traffic light to avoid crashing every time you park in your garage.

For the travellers, a universal adapter is a great idea. For wine lovers, the open magnetic bottles will be very helpful. It is also possible to name a star or give a cup that changes its colour when you drink tea or coffee. A special meal, a CD, a pillow or a shirt with a printed photo are also some good ideas. There are even special gifts for each zodiac sign.

If you can avoid the classics such as perfume, books or socks, even better! But there are no rules, so if you can find the perfect gift, even a classic one can be a success. The secret lies in knowing how to choose something according to the person we have in mind.

If you don’t have enough money to give something to all your family, but you are a creative person, you can prepare or make something yourself, with your hands and your imagination. During your family holidays, you can take some pictures and send them a small album. They will surely love it.

For lovers, a bag full of kisses and hugs will be enough! Maybe the perfect gift is something you can both take advantage of such as erotic underware, a massage or a trip. What counts is our good intention!

Spending a few days in a European capital is original and unforgettable. Lisbon is a very romantic destination, surrounded by nature. For an incredible Christmas, have an incredible stay in the best apartments in Lisbon, the last days of 2009 will be just perfect.

Dec 2
Help, I’ve just been Googled!
icon1 lisbonblogger | icon2 Lisbon | icon4 12 2nd, 2009| icon32 Comments »

Nowadays our linguistic landscape is getting more and more marked by the most modern words and terms. Not only words like “the international financial crisis” are fashionable, but as well the most bizarre ones which even our grandmother uses in her daily speech. The former “I’ll call you later” has been transformed into a “Hey, let’s skype this afternoon, ok?”. Meanwhile the so called hot buttons are flooding our television programme with game shows presented by scantily-clad beautiful women or hyperactive men. Nowadays, we spend all day long downloading programmes, or making backups of our computer systems. And don’t get frightened when you see a hysterical person screaming “Oh my god, they’ve Googled me”. Welcome to the 21st century!

googled

The Google imperium isn’t just the most used searching engine within the cyber world, but it also gives us very useful information about different cultures and behaviours of the many countries spread out through the whole planet. Yet for a long time Google offers a special function for investigating the most searched words, divided into different categories, countries, regions and time periods. Therefore, marketing experts and trend analysts can enjoy a new successful instrument for adapting their strategies to the actual society.

But those results can also be very interesting and entertaining for us normal people out there in cyberspace. Hence we can see that “sex” is the most searched word worldwide. Well, that’s not very unusual, but what is curious is that in super Islamic countries like Pakistan (first place on the ranking), Bangladesh (3rd), Egypt (8th) or Sudan (9th) they are searching most for this word. So it seems to be that despite their religious restrictions, everyone is just dying to get jiggy with it! Other curious questions are why the German chancellor “Angela Merkel” is being most searched in the autonomous regions of Palestine, or why most of the fans of “Angelina Jolie” apparently live in Georgia, Albania and Macedonia. The year is almost over and so Google will soon publish the list of the most searched words of 2009. Come on, undoubtedly you already have an idea of some possible terms on the list, right? Michael Jackson, financial crisis, Obama, swine flu…and, of course, sex!

Google is so in fashion, that we use it as an appropriate verb ‘to google’. Even a Swedish child was given the name “Kai Google”. The first “google kid” is already 4 years old, but we still don’t know if it has a younger brother called Ebay or a little sister with the name Youtube. Well, that would be too exaggerated and the parents would have serious legal problems for giving their children such strange names.

Whether they are the newest internet technologies or not: to be honest, we all could live very happily without the World Wide Web. What about a trip to the impressive Portuguese capital which offers you an incredible culture and an enchanting atmosphere? Rent the best apartments in Lisbon and enjoy cheap and comfortable accommodation.

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