A lazy weekend in Lisbon

It's not very often that I have the energy to get out and move around Lisbon at night, especially now that our dog, Apollo, has given up on his night-time walks.  (It really was his doing, as he'd hide himself in the crate when we called him to go outside at 9pm!). Friday night, however, I went out for drinks with a good friend. The streets were strangely calm, and even the Uber driver expressed his confusion over the lack of traffic. We went to Le Consulat, a bar and boutique hotel right on Praça das Camões, the main square in Chiado. The night lights of Lisbon aren't quite as dramatic--or consistent--as they are in Paris, but they cast a soft glow that makes everything look a bit more magical.

With the arrival of Saturday morning, my husband was still in bed recovering from a five-day bout with the flu. I knew I was on my own with the kids all weekend.  Saturday morning was a given: we spent the first half of the day at the horse barn with Léoni's riding lesson and then taking care of and lunging my horse, Haddock. A year ago, I would've been anxious about having a full weekend loom in front of me without the help and companionship of my husband--not because I need so badly to be with him, but because I was terrified to deal with the city with two toddlers without another set of hands and eyes. The first place I could confidently go alone with the kids for hours at a time was the horse barn. Now, a year into riding at the Cardiga stable, it feels like a second home--and still the easiest possible place to take the kids.  Then we found lunch...and a train. There's nothing like a ride-on train to capture kids' attention. 

While the kids were riding the train, I reached out to Léoni's classmate's mom, and they, too, were hoping for some park time with the kids. We stopped home just to take off our barn boots and put on sneakers, and we were back out the door.  The three kids rode some rental pedal bikes until they were tired and we adults were craving coffees. 

Sunday was full of good intentions to get together with my friend and her son, but when we finally checked in at 11am, both of us were still in pajamas. And feeling very, very lazy. So the kids and I pulled out board games, played with Christmas presents...and since it was cold and we were lazy, it also seemed like the perfect afternoon to bake.

I was then ready to hop the kids in the bath and get them into clean pajamas, but both of them wanted some fresh air. Upon Léoni's prompting ("Mom, just put on the warmest jacket you have, and let's go!"), we bundled up and went to the park. We looked for the woman selling roasted chestnuts, but she was no longer there. We played in the park until the lights came on and most of the families had gone home.