PORTUGAL – LISBON (again)

March 19-24, 2023

I had to return to Lisbon to catch my return flight to Canada, and to pick up the suitcase I had left behind at Victor’s, in Quelez. I found a cheaper Airbnb in Lisbon, so I did not return to Quelez immediately, as I had previously planned. Since I had been here before and had explored most of the main attractions, I was quite relaxed and decided to just walk around to see what I could find.

Not wanting to venture too far off the beaten path, I headed for Praca do Comercio. There is always something to see and do in that neighborhood. On the way, I walked through many of the plazas Lisbon has. Every plaza has a statue or monument. It is one of the things I love about Europe, as a whole. There are lots of plazas and squares with places to sit and chill, people watch and a statue to research.

As I made my way to the shore I came across people making sandcastles. One fellow was making sculptures out of coloured rocks.

Others were colouring the sand to make their sculpture come alive.

I got to Praca do Comercio and people watched for a while and generally enjoyed the beauty of the place.

I finally passed through Arco da Rua Augusta, past the high end shops and outdoor cafes, and dodging the hawkers selling tourist junk.

I walked past the Rossio Railway station. It is a beautiful old building that was opened in 1890 and is still in use. Portugal’s 4th president was assassinated here in 1918.

Lisbon is built on some wicked hills. As such, it is sometimes difficult to get from one street to the other without having to climb or down. Therefore, Lisbon has six tram routes, three funiculars, and one vertical lift to make navigation easier from one level to the next. They are definitely tourist attractions, but make no mistake, locals still use them as part of their everyday commute.

In the middle of a roundabout between Avenida de Liberdad and Eduardo VII Park. It is a striking monument that stands 40 metres (131 ft) high.

When standing on the hill in Eduardo VII Park, one can see the long and wide avenue that leads right to Praca do Comercio and the water’s edge.

Campo Pequeno Bullring was built in 1890 and is still used as it was intended, but also as a venue for fairs, concerts and exhibitions. It seats 10,000.

It is not boring walking when you see designs like this on the sidewalks.

They certainly like their war heroes.

I could not be in Lisbon without going to Pastéis de Belém. They began making the pastries in 1837 from an ancient secret recipe from the Monks at the Monastery. These delicious custard filled pastries are available all over Portugal, but these are the BEST! Sprinkle a little icing sugar and cinnamon over the top and OMG its heaven in your mouth. And 100% calorie free….LOL

I took a bus to Jerónimos Monastery. It is a beautiful area that deserves another look. Belem Palace Gardens has lots of green space, paths and fountains.

There is a small building that looks out of place in the gardens. It is Sala Thai, a gift from the Thai government to the Portuguese commemorating the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Portuguese in Thailand and reaffirming their diplomatic ties.

I had never been to the Maritime Museum, that is located on one end of the Monastery. But I had time to kill, and as I have come to discover, these military museums have a lot of interesting history contained within.

This museum had the usual statues of explorers and maps of their conquests

as well has the figureheads of their ships. The figurehead was to embody the spirit of the ship and grant protection and safe-return of the sailors. It is usually a woman. This one looks a bit demonic to me.

There was a cross section of a submarine. I found it absolutely fascinating.

I don’t know if Queen Amelia’s Yacht is actually the one on display or if this is a replica. The original yacht was built in 1900 and it was built for luxury! It had rich wood cabinets, plush furniture and even a fireplace. I personally like the Queen’s Cabin better.

It even had its own Royal dishes and stemware.

The last part of the museum held old airplanes and boats. Some of the planes were old wooden planes. This one was part of the navy.

The Royal Barge was built in 1778 for queen Maria I. The barge, which was manned by eighty oarsmen, is decorated with gilded ornaments and relief sculptures.

My time in Lisbon was done. I went back to Quelez.

Cute Story: I text the hostess to ask where she kept the broom. She said not to worry about sweeping; she will vacuum when I’m gone. I told her I made a mess on the kitchen floor and wanted to sweep it up before it got spread throughout her nice apartment. She was shocked I was so concerned for the cleanliness. She delivered a broom that evening.