The venue of our farewell dinner was another surprise from FPG and Cynthia Nakpil. We were brought to Restaurante Casa do Leao on top of the hill at Castelo de Saint Jorge overlooking the historical city of Lisbon.
This place is perfect for a romantic date, not a group date.
If your twosome ends up in a fight instead of a romance, there’s a canon you can use to get rid of your date to oblivion.
This place is a popular venue for corporate events and weddings.
The friend of Oyen’s friend got married and had their reception here.
There was a time when this stone building was used as lion’s house. The lions were caged here. The restaurant’s name Casa do Leao’s literal translation in English is house of lions.
The historical building is what makes this restaurant. The stone / clay ceiling is what gives Casa do Leao a unique character.
There’s a small al fresco dining area that is closer to the ridge. It’s perfect for romantic dinners for two.
Gerard, Dennis, Joanne, Francis, Carla, Jonas, Lina, Salve
Our Casa do Leao serves Portuguese and international dishes.
Our food had been pre-ordered.
The bowl of mushroom soup could serve three people.
Our meal preferences were taken two days prior. My family ordered fish. Mon Dimacali exchanged his meat dish with Edmund’s fish.
Over dinner, Paul told us the story of his friend who went on a holiday in Paris with his wife just recently. Paul suggested to his friend to get insurance for his Raymond Mille’s watch before leaving for Europe. His friend thought it wasn’t necessary. On his friend’s fifth day in Paris, at 11 am, four men surrounded him while he was walking, one in front, one behind him, one on his left and one on his right. They took his Raymond Mille wrist watch worth 7.5M pesos.
Thieves know how to spot expensive watches. As much as possible avoid wearing expensive items when travelling most especially when you’re taking the public transportation like trains.
Mon and Sue have only one child, a daughter who is a doctor / scientist and married to a doctor too based in Vienna. Sue had been traveling with her sister and nephew before she joined us in Lisbon. Her nephew lost his bag / wallet with all his credit cards in Madrid and Sue had been busy on the phone trying to coordinate where she could send money for his allowance.
Mon had been a victim of thieves too in Madrid. They were in a train station when a woman holding a baby suddenly dropped the baby right in front of Mon. His instinct was to catch the baby. He got distracted, the thieves took his bag which contained his wallet, credit cards and money.
My sugar level spiked while in Europe. Aside from all those sweet treats I succumbed to drinking Coca cola everyday. Parang lagi akong uhaw, ang init kasi and the air was dry.
Mon’s farewell monologue.
We finished dinner at around 10 pm. I was too full, too sleepy, too lazy to walk back to the castle’s gate.
Walking past the fortress felt a little creepy and lonesome.
Hey, can you kindly face this way?
May takip naman pala.
I thought we were the only ones in the complex. There was another party being held that evening. It was more like a cocktail event with loud music.
We didn’t climb stairs coming here but when we were leaving we had to go down this stone stairs.
Parang ang lungkot sa gabi.
#thankyoutofpginsurance
#farewelldinner
#niceviewoflisbon
Restaurante Casa do Leao
Castelo de São Jorge,
1100-129 Lisboa, Portugal
Reservations: thefork.pt
Phone: +351 21 888 0154
I was also surrounded by four female theives in Madrid inside an upscale boutique!The woman on my left said I was the same size as her mother and to raise my arms so she could check the size of the top she wanted to buy for her mom,while three women started closing in on my back and sides.I just gave them the dirtiest look I could muster and left in a huff.They are only apprehended if they still 600euros kaya emboldened and very aggressive.
Anywhere we go we really have to be on the defensive.