Portugal V: LISBON the capital

Dutchman and I decided that we will pay for a 1 day Lisbon tour than driving ourselves and going through the hassle of parking nightmare, getting lost in the crowded city, and missing the important places to see.

We woke up early, we had to be at the pick up place 6:40AM. I let the Dutchman study the map. 6:40AM sharp we were standing in the highway that slices THE STRIP but it looked like it’s not the meeting place. The Dutchman panicked! I grabbed the map, studied it quickly and lectured Dutchman that he missed the first crossing which is before THE STRIP. Ugh, we ran back, as fast as we could muster since it’s a little bit over a 5 minute walk.

My mind is running wild, “Shit I don’t want to miss this Lisbon trip. You Dutchman must drive me there if the bus left us!”

And in the Dutchman’s mind, “Damn € 90 (US$ 109) down the drain!”

We arrived at the pick up place 6:50AM and true enough, the bus left us. We were sitting in the street pavement arguing like little kids about our predicament. We didn’t know what to do!? I was angry and the feeling of hopelessness started sinking in me. I wanted to shake and hold Dutchman guilty for the next 10 years for reading the map wrong, GRRR! But after 10 minutes, our hopes were renewed, a tourist bus came by but it was not the tour company we signed up. A little over 3 minutes came another tourist bus, AH FINALLY the right bus, OUR BUS!!! Ecstatic, we hopped into the bus and apologized to the tour guide for being late. Well they actually came back for us.

With the group tour, the woman in red pants and white shirt is our Portuguese tour guide. She made a red flag just in case we get lost then it would be easy for us to find her back.

The journey from Albufeira to Lisbon was a 3.5 hours drive, with a 15 minute drinks and muscle relaxing stopover. We were lead by a tour guide who spoke alternately in 2 languages, English and Deutsch, all throughout the tour. Many of the holiday goers were English, Germans, and Dutch. We the Dutch counterpart didn’t mind that there is no translation in Dutch, after all the Dutch are fluent in English and they can understand Deutsch.

MOSTEIRO dos JERONIMOS

That’s me posing in front of the extensive and intricate façade of the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Jeronimo’s Monastery) in Belem. It took a century to build this monastery which is referred to by historians as the JEWEL of the “Manueline” style.

This is the imposing marble altar of the monastery's cathedral. Its walls and dome ceiling are adorned with the paintings of Jesus Christ. I think the walls flanking the altar were tombs of some of Portugal’s nobles.

The Cathedral’s intimidating grandiose ceiling interior, an example of the “Manueline” architecture. The arches loomed right in front of us and it actually gave me a goofy feeling.

Sitting under the lighted candle chandelier… and check the background, though the details are not clear, the doors you see are the church’s confession cloisters, I think.

A little bit of PORTUGUESE HISTORY

This is a replica of the plane that FIRST traveled the South Atlantic route in 1921.

“Sacadura Cabral” and “Gago Coutinho”, Portugal’s pioneer naval aviators first flew the route, Lisbon, Portugal - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1921. They say it is one of the world’s historical and remarkable flights, having flown with only a small single engine wood and fabric seaplane, and without a radio.

The “Tower of Belem” facing the river Tagus. If Paris has its “Eiffel Tower”, London its “Big Ben”, then Lisbon has its “Tower of Belem”.

The “Tower of Belem” is part of the 3 pronged fortresses, Cascais, St. Sebastião da Caparica, and the Tower of Belem, forming as Lisbon’s defense, spearheaded and outlined by King Jao II (1455-1495). King Manuel I finished the project after succeeding King Jao II’s death.

The construction started in 1514 and was finished in 1520 under the leadership of Francisco da Arruda.

The Tower of Belem was built in memory of its patron saint, St. Vincent.

“Padrao dos Descrobrimentos” (Monument of the Discoveries) in Belem by the river Tagus.

The monument was constructed in 1960, during the 500 year honorarium of “Henry the Navigator”, as a remembrance of the height of Portugal’s “Age of Discoveries” in the 15th and 16th centuries. Carved in the monument are Portugal’s maritime heroes and royalties.

There is also a compass which is part of the monument. It was a gift from the Republic of South Africa to Portugal in 1960.

“Ponte 25 de Abril” (The 25 of April bridge).

This 2,278 meter long bridge was opened in 1966 and used to be named as Ponte Salazar, after the president dictator Salazar. Right after the Portuguese revolution in 1974, the bridge was renamed to “Ponte 25 de Abril”, as a commemoration of the “day” and the “place” the revolution took place - when the Portuguese people regained its democracy from hard grip of its president dictator, Salazar.

This bridge actually resembled like the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco, USA.

ROSSIO

“Rossio” is the charming square in the heart of Lisbon. In the middle of the square is a statue of “Dom Pedro IV” and at its foot are the four female figures representing justice, wisdom, strength and moderation. He was born into the Portuguese royal family and was the first emperor of Brazil (1822-1831).

The “Rossio Square” with Dom Pedro IV’s monument.

IHere’s a close up view of the fountain and a menagerie display of windows from the opposite building as its background.

THE CENTRUM

The shopping areas of Lisbon are right in the smack of its Centrum. The streets are beautifully formatted in cobbled stones with lovely inviting terraces and cafes, the perfect resting place for any thirsty and hungry tourist.

The street “Rua Augusta”, one of the popular shopping lanes of Lisbon, is bordered by 2 magnificent squares, “The Rossio Square” and “The Commerce Square” which is behind the “Rua Augusta Arch”.

The grand “Rua Augusta Arch” that leads to “The Commerce Square” also known as the Palace Square.

“Rua da Prata” (Street of Silver), another shopping lane in the Centrum parallel to Rua Augusta.

A newspaper and magazine stand in the heart of Lisbon, this I think is a very typical sight in the South of Europe.

Paintings for sale! This foto reminds me of “Montmartre Square” in Paris. Click here for a foto of me in Montmartre.

After walking from one shopping lane to another, I begged Dutchman for some rest.

PORTUGUESE STYLE

Up and close with the magnificent aged Portuguese architecture. They are simply stunning, quite distinctive to what I have already seen in other European cities. See that carved Gothic monument on the higher left side of the foto? That’s the “Igreja du Carmo”.

Check the castle on top of the foto! CASTELO de SAO JORGE, an enchanting citadel nested on top of the hill overlooking the Centrum. Conquered by the Moors in 1147, later being used as a fortress, the castle and its surroundings are now a home to many families.

I have never seen such lovely transport as this. Must be the cutest tram in the world!

There were more beautiful and interesting places and historical things to see in Lisbon, but helaas, we didn’t have the luxury of time.

The photos are also not of the best quality since I have to reduce the sizes and pixels, because if not, this blog will cough up to oblivion with the traffic of pictures :-).

Coming Next:

Portugal VI: Lovely Old Albufeira and Silves