In my last post, I shared some strange and awesome things about Madrid, Spain. This time, I'm diving into the wonderful culture of Lisbon, Portugal and how it differs from what I'm used to in the US.

Some of these were actually similar to Madrid, although not mentioned in that post.

1. The Stoplights/Traffic Signals

Even after five days, @shenanigator and I still couldn't figure out what the heck was going on with the lights. I could hardly tell which traffic light was meant for which direction, let alone what the indications meant. There didn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to when the lights blinked, were solid, or when they changed, and drivers didn't obey them anyway. I heard it's common to speed up and run the reds here, though.

To make matters more confusing, for pedestrians, the signal goes from green walk sign to red with no warning. (Here, we see a flashing light to tell you to stop or hurry up and finish crossing.) So...walk at your own risk, I guess.

2. Bipolar Weather Throughout the Day

I'm sure this is the case in many other places across the US and Europe, but in Arizona, we're used to relatively consistent weather. If it's sunny, it's sunny that day. Perhaps you'll get a few clouds. In Lisbon, it will be clear skies for miles and flash flooding at the same time. You can expect showers one minute and then beautiful weather the next. Not sure how it is during the rest of the year, but that was our late-October/early-November experience.

3. There Are Automatic Lights Everywhere

We noticed this in Madrid as well. I'm sure it's an effort to conserve electricity, but there are motion-sensor lights in hallways, bathrooms, and even the individual stalls. Although that type of technology isn't new to me or anything, it's not commonplace in the US, except for in newer buildings. I didn't expect to see it all over Madrid and Lisbon where most homes, hotels, and restaurants are older than my grandma.

4. Lots of People Smoke

Vaping has all but replaced cigarette smoking in most of the US from what I've seen in my travels. In Lisbon, lung cancer must not be much of a concern based on how many people smoke (and at the frequency that they do.) Props to the anti-smoking campaigns in the US, I suppose.

5. Uber Is Uber-Cheap

We noticed that in Lisbon, there aren't extra charges for booking, safety, insurance, or other random fees like there are in most places. A ride across town would be 2-5€ on average. Win!

6. Wherever Music Is Playing, It's In English (Even If The Person/Place Doesn't Speak It)

We noticed this in restaurants and Uber drives the most. Whether the people spoke English or not, they were playing US Pop songs on the radio. Makes me wonder if it's to attract tourists, be accommodating, or simply because US Pop music is so, well, popular.

7. Like Madrid, Wine is Super Inexpensive

Paying more than 3€ for a glass of wine at a restaurant was considered "expensive" there. It's likely due to how much wine is produced within these regions, and I am not complaining. We got a really fancy 3.25€ bottle at the store with a 1.24€ bottle sitting few to its left.

8. Many People Drink Coffee After Dinner

I don't know about you, but if I have coffee after 3pm, I'm wired for the night. Yes, they serve you these adorable little espresso-sized mugs, but still. Caffeine is caffeine, even in small quantities. I guess that's how people party all through the night! lol

9. You Can't Order Glasses of Water at Restaurants

We did try ordering tap water once in Madrid and got a funny look and giggles from the waitress. It's the same in Lisbon. When you order water at a restaurant, you're ordering bottled mineral water. (Kept me from getting a hangover from all that wine, so who's complaining!)

10. Most Sidewalks Are Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie!

On any of the side roads, you're lucky to fit just one person (yourself) on the sidewalk...and suck it in if there's a car coming! Here's Jordan walking down one.

As you can see, most people don't even use the sidewalks. We're probably the weirdos who attempt to keep out of cars' ways.

11. Tax Is Already Included; Tipping Is Different Than the US

This was one of my favorites. You already know how much the meal is going to cost because if it says 5€, it means 5€. There's no city tax, food and beverage tax, or other extras to pay after that. As for tipping, we learned it is customary to tip 10% and only if you are satisfied with the service. It still felt a little weird leaving so little when we're used to tipping 15-20%.

So there you have it! The notable cultural differences between the US and Lisbon, Portugal. Did those who also went to #SteemFest notice anything they weren't expecting? I'd love to hear about it.

And I must say...experiencing new food, people, and cultures is one of my favorite things in life. You really can't trade those experiences for anything. I feel like my eyes are opened up just a little more to all this world has to offer. Still, it was pretty tough for me to deal with my health issues (mercury poisoning) while doing it.

I had a hard time finding creamy and delicious (lol) food I could eat (i.e. gluten-free and vegan with no onion/peas/sesame seeds). Probably should have mentioned this above...Lisbon LIVES on gluten and sugar, I swear. It was a whole lotta this the entire time...

Therefore, I sometimes couldn't take my detox/chelating supplements. That picture above with the side of potatoes was a meal one day, sadly. As I said, I wouldn't trade the experience for any amount of money, but Jordan and I have decided to hold off on any major traveling until I'm showing signs of improvement.

Hopefully that will be in a year from now for SteemFest3. Woot, woot! Can't wait. :)