Blogs from Lisbon, Lisbon & Tagus Valley, Portugal, Europe
May 10th 2012
We've had a a wonderful 4 days here in Lisbon, with the weather getting progressively better. Today was sunny and 28 degrees. By now, we have figured out the public transit system, but today, I could not stop laughing at all the crazy experiences we had with using it. There is a transit card that you buy at small, specially marked shops. You load it with money and then activate it each time you enter and leave a transit vehicle--metro, bus, tram, or train. It is great when it works, but...yesterday, mine worked fine when we took the train along the Water to Caisca. But R's did not. He knew money was loaded on it, so tried several times, put more money on it, no...finally, in desperation, I went through the gate and he followed me ... read more
Exploring in Lisbon. Waiting for my flight.
Published: October 16th 2011Europe » Portugal » Lisbon & Tagus Valley » Lisbon
October 15th 2011
I must look Portuguese. As I travel around Brazil and Lisbon Portugal, I often have people come and ask me questions as if I have any idea what they are saying to me. Just now, an old woman carried on a one sided conversation with me as I waited for the bus. She was going on and on about the people in the square, politics, and Brazil life versus in Portugal. At the end of it her friend came up and she wished me a good day "Bom Dia". She never knew I didn't understand but a few words of her entire 10 minute diatribe. I was glad to do it though. For one it was interesting to hear her talk. Second I wanted to see just how long I could carry on the charade. And ... read more
Cruise - Lisbon, Portugal
Published: January 28th 2012Europe » Portugal » Lisbon & Tagus Valley » Lisbon
September 9th 2011
So the ship pulled up to Lisbon, Portugal this morning right next to a huge bridge. It was really misty over the sea so looked really cool. Daddy was feeling lazy so we took a hop-on-hop-off bus around the historical part of the city. I saw lots of nice buildings and I loved being on top of the open bus without being in my carseat! I saw a HUGE monastery and then had swordfish for lunch - it was very very yummy!! Then we climbed a tower next to the sea which was really high and I got to see lots of the city from there. When we got back to the ship a man filled my paddling pool so I got to have a swim and splash. Lots of people thought it was funny to ... read more
Nice weather in Lisbon
Published: September 1st 2011Europe » Portugal » Lisbon & Tagus Valley » LisbonSeptember 1st 2011
I love a good nights rest. This is by the the nicest Hostel I have stayed in. I mean its like a pent house converted into a Hostel. Great view of the plaza from our windows and slept like a baby. Did the second walking tour today of the New Part of the City. Learned about a Jewish Massacre that happen. Apparently the priest of a church said, that the reason why we are having so many issues here in Lisbon is because we have to many Jewish people here... Yes it is a sin to kill but I will forgive you for 150 days to kill as many Jew as possible. And soooo thousands of Jews were pulled from there home and killed within three days. The people made there mistake by killing a Kings ... read more
Early Arrival in Lisbon
Published: September 1st 2011Europe » Portugal » Lisbon & Tagus Valley » LisbonAugust 31st 2011
Goooood Morning Lisbon Portugal. Well I woke up on the overnight train at 630 am. Way to early to be up on vacation. Slept pretty well. AC was out for a little but other then that slept like a baby. Got to the Hostel, Royal Lisbon, around 8 am and ate some good CEREAL and BREAD. Always the same stuff, ha but hey you cant beat free food. Couldnt check in until 2 pm so I stored my bags in one of there safes and I was off for a walking tour. After doing about 4 walking tours through out Spain you start to hear alot of the same history which I like because I start to actually remember it. I really do enjoy history, I think when I settle down I will take some classes ... read more
August 23rd 2011
Lisbon…. Lisbon 2am on a Monday night and the streets are packed. Within a 4 block radius there must be 80 bars and cafes that hold anywhere from 25 to 100 people inside. Some of them had live music, some with DJ’s, and some with just people. If that were not enough the streets are packed with young-ins partying everywhere in the streets and the most polite drug dealers you have ever met. They come up to you, first say excuse me or sorry for interrupting then ask if you want hash, weed or cocaine. Then they leave saying sorry for interrupting or I even got once a, “well have a nice night.” It was blatant and I am told they decriminalized drugs which made it possible for me to get offered it about 20-30 times ... read more
June 30th 2011
I had not done a lot of reading on Portugal before actually arriving there. Just enough to pick out where I wanted to visit. That was back in the winter as I was planning the trip and making hotel reservations so not alot of what I had read had actually stuck in my head. So I took the time on the short plane ride from Sevilla to Lisbon to quickly glance at my guidebook and scope out what I was going to do over the next five days. I started feeling a slight sense of dread when I read that Lisbon was built on seven hills ... more uphill walking!! My poor feet were going to stage a revolt at some point I thought. And this whole idea of always walking up and down hills was ... read more
June 29th 2011
29 June 2011 Lisbon Well, it has been 11 days since I last added anything to this blog so I guess I am well overdue. The hotel I chose to stay in was the cheapest that had individual rooms with shared baths. Some of the hostels with shared rooms were more expensive. At €18 per night, the Residencial Mar dos Açores is a bargain but it is pretty small and very basic. Noise is something that I am being allowed to live with. The school, CIAL, is in a building on the third floor (that is up four levels from the street as 0= ground floor, 1 = first floor, etc). I am getting back into European shape by walking the stairs every day which makes for two to three trips up and back down a ... read more
June 6th 2011
Marika picked the Lisbon Aquarium and the surrounding Parques de Nacoes as her activity of choice for us to do today. Lisbon hosted the World Exposition in '98 and the hub of the Exposition was the Parques de Nacoes. At the time it was the most countries ever to participate in a World Fair - Will saw the flags of the visitng countries flying and pointed out flags from the tiny Oceana countries of Kiribati, Tuvalu and Palau. Lots of really interesting architecture although they fit together like pieces scavenged from different puzzles. Marika and Will dodged exploding fountain volcanoes, got wet getting as close as they dared to a wall of water, crawled through loooooong claustrophobic tunnels and strolled with us through garden paths sporting flora from various regions of the world. The Aquarium was ... read more
Fashionistas dancing in the streets
Published: June 5th 2011Europe » Portugal » Lisbon & Tagus Valley » Lisbon
June 5th 2011
Today was Will's choice of activity. We headed out to the MUDO - the Lisbon museum of design and fashion. As we neared the waterfront location we coudln't resist the urge to go right down to the mouth of the Tagus River for which one assumes the location of Lisbon was chosen. Marika and Will ran around the Praca do Dom Jose I while Kim took in an outside gallery of huge photos of Gaza. There were several such exhibits near the waterfront - a unique way to have a photgraph installation display - but the enormous size of the "prints" must dictate construction and production of the shot. The Museum was FABULOUS - in an old building that once housed the national bank and had subsequent reincarnations, each adding its own statement. The inside had ... read more
