Portugal 6- a revisit to an old haunt. Memories are made of this.

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And so it was on to Lisbon. You know immediately if you are going to like or dislike a campsite. And so it was with Camping Orbitur. We have read terrible reports on how poor the sites were in Portugal but we went with a bit of an open mind and it was the only campsite within striking distance of Lisbon.

As we made our way in cars weaved in and out without indications. Gone was that niceness and politeness we had come to love and in its place a manic city centre. Planes roared overhead as we approached the city airport. The last time I was in this part of the world was in 1966 when I was 14 years old and on an educational cruise on the SS Nevasa and we called in to Belem as well as La Corunna now called A Coruna, Vigo, Gibraltar and Casablanca. This trip in was to see if Belem was still as I remembered it.

As we pulled into the campground we thought to ourselves – oh no another Orbitur. The reception staff were friendly, I bought my token to get my washing done and picked up a map of the city. They showed me where to catch the bus in to Trafaria the nearest town and gave me a timetable plus the same for the ferry across from Trafaria to Belem.

We could park anywhere and we tried the first plots which were too close to the busy road and by definition would be noisy. The second plots had low trees which scraped on Suzys roof and were too narrow for a motorhome to negotiate. And we are not a big one. The third ones were slightly better. So this was our plot for the night.

The washing machines worked ok .

En route to the campsite we passed over the bridge to the city the Ponte 25 de Abril a bridge I remember clearly from 1966. Aneerie sound was made as suzy went across the bridge. It sounded mournful like wind passing through pipes. Glenn did not take much notice as he was more concerned with driving so high up on the bridge. The bridge built in 1966 was originally named the Ponte Salazar after the dictator who had it built. Its hard to imagine that both Spain and Portugal were under the rule of dictators when I last visited. How things had moved on and changed! The bridge high up over the Tagus River is 2 kms long.

Above the bridge I could see the statue of Christo Rei the figure of Christ the redeemer which looks over the city. It is based on the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio and this one is 92 feet high and was built between the years 1949 and 1959 .

After settling in we walked up the bus stop five minutes walk from the campsite and waited for the half hourly bus service. 2 euros 20 each for a single journey. The journey took around 15 - 20 mins and ferry stop was just a few hundred yards from the bus stop. We boarded the half hourly ferries across the bay to Belem. The fare 5 euros 50 cents for the return journeys.

The trip across was pleasant and we could see the harbour on the other side. Our first stop once we got off the ferry was the statue to the Discoveries. Again I had stood in front of this newly built in 1966, all white and shining new. Now it looked a touch yellow in parts with rain staining the sides. Still an impressive monument it is a lovely thing and was erected to commemorate the 500^th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator. It stands 170 feet high and is covered with mariners, seafarers and their patrons. The Portuguese coat of arms on the sides and the cross of Avis on the back. It looks out over the Tagus River. Henry stands on the prow of a caravel holding an caravel in his hand. Behind him on two sides are kings and queens who supported the discoveries , Magellan and Vasco de gama himself. It is possible to go to the top of the monument for stunning views over the river and the city and to see properly the compass built in to the pavement below. We didn’t have time as we wanted to walk up along the harbourside to our next monument the Belem Tower.o

The tower was commissioned by Manueal I. A fortress on the Tagus built between 1515 and 1521. It is a pretty building with towers, battlements, elegant arcades and sentry posts. We could have gone inside but again time dictated we looked at the outside rather than spend time inside. It was going to be a long walk back to the Monastario de Jeronimos on the other side of the road and park.

Crossing is always difficult as four lanes of traffic run alongside the harbour and sandwiched between them a train and tram line. Our plan had been to catch this tram to town. In 1966 there was none of this and it was easy to cross from one side to the other. Walls were covered with bourganvillia but all are gone now.

The mostario dos Jeronimos was another place I had visited way back when I was a young girl and I remembered clearly the lofty interiors and a body or a mummy in an altar. Time to see if memories were true or not. Entrance is free and when we entered the space it amazes. . Side chapels all gilded adorn the church and the pillars are thin and slender resembling palm trees. Quite exotic in their appearance. It is hard to imagine they can hold up the building . An organist played music which rumbled through the building echoing loudly in every nook and cranny. Not music to my taste but each to their own. It was monumental. The monastery was yet another building commissioned by Manual I in 1550 with money financed from the pepper tax. Taxes levied on spices, gold and precious stones. The monastery was cared for until 1834 by the Order of St Jerome until such time as they were disbanded. A touch of Henry VIII and the monasteries there. We entered through the ornate west portal but managed to miss the cloisters somehow. They are said to have delicate tracery, and richly carved images but we will never know and have to rely on books descriptions to tell us that. We saw the tombs of Manual himself and his wife and the empty tomb of King Sebastido who never returned from battle in 1578. We found the mummified statue but no explanation as to who or what it was and also found the tomb richly carved of Vasco de Gama himself.

Our journey back on the ferry was quick and easy and the conductor/ driver on the return bus journey much more pleasant and helpful. The campsite continued to deliver as the night club opposite started its thump thump of the night. I think I may be asking for our money back for tomorrow night as we head off early to Evora in search of some roman latrines for Sion and hopefully a better nights sleep and campsite.

Our plans to go into Lisbon itself and on to Sintra thwarted by the campsite but more so by the bus ride down town, the ferry ride across the Tagus, the train or tram into Lisbon itself and the train ride out to Sintra. With hindsight we should have called in at Sintra with its Royal summer palaces on the way down but things don’t always go according to plan.

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Photos

Lisbon
Prince Henry the navigators monument

Prince Henry the Navigators monument, Lisbon.
And this is one I took earlier

Lisbon
In front of the same statue I took a picture of in 1966

Lisbon
The Belem Tower

Belem Tower Lisbon.
And the same spot in 1966

Lisbon
Jeronimos Monastery

Lisbon
the bridge over the Tagus and statue of Christ the King

Lisbon
Inside the monastery

Lisbon
Tomb of Vasco da Gama

Lisbon
Yes the mummified body was still there

Near Lisbon
Sion on a prickly pear

Comments

[Home and Away]

I love your recollections...
and the before and after pictures.

[JenGog]

before and after
I found the old photos in my mums belongings after she died. She paid for me to go on the cruise and it cost an arm and a leg for her £60 was a lot of money in 1966. It was interesting to see that I must have stored the exact same viewpoint all these years later. where are you off to next ?