Blogs from Lisbon & Tagus Valley, Portugal, Europe - page 4

November 7, 2019 Our ship sailed in towards Lisbon around 9am on the brackish River Tagus which meets the ocean at the lighthouse. I was surprised to learn that Lisbon is not on the ocean. Seeing things first hand is a constant history and geography lesson. As we entered the river we passed under their iconic 25th of April Bridge, a replica of our own iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The bright red 25th of April Bridge is named for the celebration of the end of dictatorship and day of liberty (April 25, 1974). It is the longest suspension bridge in Europe. The Bridge has two levels, one for cars and the other for a train on the lower level. We were told there are frequent traffic jams. Unlike the bridge in San Francisco, ... read more

What a wonderful city ! Brenda and I arrived @3 30 pm and were happy to find our hostel is in a wondeřul .location . We are just around the corner from the St Justus Elevator a block and a half from a major square where the buses trams and hop on hop off buses depart . That distance is filled with side walk (and in door) restaurants that feature Portugese foods. I have bee eating a fair amount of fish here as well as in Sri Lanka and will miss that freshness when I get home . Our first day i remembered Susan telling me the free way to go up the elevator and avoid the 6€ fee. And up we went . What a great view of our part of the city ! . ... read more

We disembarked in Lisbon from our cruise ship The Balmoral on a very wet dismal day. There were in a lot of very heavy downpours and incessant rain to come. Undaunted we set off with a stroll through the Alfama District, the oldest district in Lisbon, with it's cobbled winding streets. There were several restaurants where Fado, Portuguese melancholy music, could be enjoyed. We visited Lisbon Cathedral (12th to 14th centuries) which was very interesting. Overlooking the Alfama District was the Castle of Sao George a Moorish castle. We made our way to Rossio Plaza and then climbed up some steps near the train station and found a small bar/restaurant. It was good to get out of the rain and enjoy some sardines and potatoes washed down with some red wine! Finally, wet and bedraggled we ... read more

So at the airport hotel and a quick hop and skip to Terminal 1 where we check in and meet Eric and Sue. No drama which was good until we get on the plane and the lady sitting behind me starts to cry! So like everyone else would, my ears prick up and I find out she is crying because she is scared of flying - lots of people are scared of flying so I just think she probably feels a lot worse than most - until I hear that she was in a plane over Central America and the plane took a nose dive suddenly and she fell out of her seat - this is when I check my seat belt is secured and think this is not coming off until I land - safety ... read more

Today is an opportunity to visit the couple of things that still seem important to see. Tomorrow we catch a train to Porto at 11.30am, and we’ll rattle our poor luggage down the narrow cobblestone footpaths to the station and settle back for the 3 hour trip. Last night we had dinner at a House Of Fado. Fado is a traditional style of music, believed to be born here in Alfama. It dates back to the 1820s but it’s thought to be much older. Fado has a reputation for being sad, serious, soulful music, but from what we saw it does have more upbeat moments. It’s difficult to describe without sounding an arthouse theatre going, coffee sipping, left wing wanker, but basically that’s what I am, so I’ve nothing to lose. Sue and I - notice ... read more