At Our Leisure

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We awakened at mid-morning after sleeping for more than twelve hours! After having napped consistently yesterday!! But, we seem to be cured of jetlag already.

The rains came back today, but lightly and comfortable, in the fifty-degree range. Didn´t venture out until early afternoon, having leisurely read the morning papers after breakfast. Don reads Le Monde and I read The Financial Times. Both newspapers featured front page pictures and articles about the Iowa caucus winners. I also watch the exchange rate everyday. Dollars to euros today was 1.477; yesterday it was 1.472.

Having done all of the "top Tier" sights in Lisbon when we were here last year, this trip we´re doing the "At Your Leisure" list. Catching a taxi from the taxi stand at the north end of the Rossio, we were driven to the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (National Museum of Ancient Art). It didn´t hold the primitive art of indigneous people as I had expected, but did have a wonderful collection of 15th Century religious art. The traveling exhibit at this time is of Persian carpets from the Iberian Pennisula, Turkey, Iran and India. Shown with the carpets are oil-on-wood paintings that have as an element in the painted scenes, detailed depictions of the carpets. It was all nicely done.

Braver this year than last, we walked to the nearby tram line and caught #15, which took us up to Praca Figueira, just east of "our" square to return to the hotel. We stopped enroute at the Pastelaria Suica for our pastry and coffee. Only lots of walking will keep me from gaining weight in this country of wonderful pastry shops (in seemingly every block!).

Dinner again tonight was at Cafe Nicola where we find great food at a reasonable prices. The Cafe was originally opened as Lisbon´s first coffee house in the 17th Century. Everything here is old, which we love. A lot of it has evolved into new uses, but it´s still here! The Baixa (lower town where we are staying) seems a little seedier this year, with more graffiti, which makes us sad. However, Christmas decorations are still up. Here they take the form of colorful lights strung overhead across the streets with different colors and designs on each street. They are beautiful and so very festive.

Will figure out how to add pictures in the next day or two. We have taken some great shots!

Until later,


Mary

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Photos

Christmas Lights in Baixa
Entrance to Chiado Neighborhood

Christmas Lights in Baixa
Candles Mounted on Building

Christmas Lights in Baixa
Stars on one street; bells around the corner

Christmas Lights in Baixa
More stars on another stree