30th September, 2018

Had a brilliant day in Belem, despite the droves of tour groups taking over the place. Belem is a suburb of Lisbon, all of a 10 minute ride on the tram. For you history buffs, this is where Vasco de Gama set sail for India and the town chockfull of monuments to the Portugese martime and colonial heyday. I visited the massive Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, in the morning, and the Berardo modern art museum after lunch.

Speaking of lunch…I had a generous plate of grilled sardines with potatoes, salad with tomatoes, peppers, onions all for just 9 euros. They also give you freshly baked bread and this delicious cheese that I’ve been trying to find out more about. All I could get out of the waitress is that it is a cured cheese, a lactimonte. It has a slightly dry exterior skin, which is edible and a soft, creamy inside, which is spreadable like butter or Brie; however, it isn’t as full fat as Brie. I decided to try the trick I learned in Provence and lightly drizzle with extra virgin olive oil…it was outstanding. However I decided not to eat the entire circle, given that I’d just consumed an entire plate of food!