Lisboa by Myself

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I wasn’t even planning on going to Portugal. I thought Spain would be an option since Toulouse is only one hour away by train to Barcelona. How did this decision come about? I was Skyping with a friend I’d met while travelling in Peru and he mentioned how easy Easyjet is. So after our chat I picked some dates and just searched for somewhere to go that I’d never been. Portugal was the place. Greece was another option but with all of the demonstrations I thought I shouldn’t really go asking for trouble since so many places I’d been to this year were the centre of financial, natural or social upheaval. So to Lisbon it was.

What a lovely surprise it was! It was hot and sunny unlike France had been for most of the spring and early summer. I truly felt sun kissed as I stepped off the plane onto the tarmac to be swooped away to the terminal. The first thing I did was go to the Tourist Information booth for a map and figure out what was the fastest and most affordable way to get to the city centre. I asked if there was a shuttle or bus that I could take downtown since I’d read that the metro didn’t service the airport. Being from Toronto, a city that claims to be world class and still doesn’t have this system in place, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the Lisbon Airport didn’t have an airport to downtown service either. But the Tourism clerk asked, “Wouldn’t you like to take the metro?” “But I thought there was no service”, I answered. To which he said, “The metro line from the airport just opened today!” I thought he was joking; however it was true. Luck sure is a lady!

I got off at my metro stop and walked but a block to get to my lovely modern hotel with a balcony which I used to my full advantage late in the evening after a day spent walking and sight-seeing. It was glorious on the balcony with that warm summer breeze blowing through my hair and no, I didn’t have that all too famous “York Peppermint Patty” to complete the moment.

The city was much older than I’d expected meaning it hadn’t undergone extensive urban renewal to satisfy our modern culture. I think this is perhaps due to the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 which destroyed almost every standing structure in Lisbon. The city of Lisbon perhaps appreciates its past more than most since it already lost so much of its architectural culture in 1755. The city was affected by an earthquake of which scientists believe was of a magnitude of up to 9 making it one of the deadliest and damaging earthquakes of all time. It is estimated that between 10 000 and 100 000 people may have died. Lisbon was also subject to fires and tsunamis since the epicentre is believed to have been in the Atlantic. The Earthquake of 1755 proved to be disastrous not only for Lisbon city life but also for the colonial ambitions of Portugal.

The sites, streets and monuments were all lovingly restored to maintain their historical integrity and have a sense of authenticity that I haven’t felt in too many cities. It was lovely just to wander the old cobblestone streets and look for the mosaics integrated into the cobblestones of the sidewalks. . And of course, Lisbon does have the typical religious and the historical sites just as any European city has. There is a fantastic street culture here where everything happens on or near the street from restaurants, a vibrant pavement café culture and an impressive number of scenic viewpoints that are called “miradouros” from where you can look out over the many “bairros” or neighbourhoods of Lisbon. As you walk along exploring in the various bairros, one can’t help but notice the magnificent centuries-old tiled facades in these old quarters. The trams which are over a century old still make their way in the old city centre; granted they are filled to capacity with tourists since every guidebook and website encourages you not to miss out on the experience of riding one of these distinctive old trams through Lisbon, especially Tram 28.

One of the most famous barrios is Alfama. You are warned that people in this neighbourhood are no nonsense so one should not be offended by their abruptness but since it is the way of the people. It’s all about survival. It is known as the birthplace of Fado, the country’s national music treasure, a style of singing which is synonymous with melancholy and longing. The word fado comes from the latin which means fate and its sound reflects fishermen who missed home and sang fado while at sea. It has recently been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Heritage. Thankfully, I didn’t miss the opportunity (thanks to Monalisa) to visit the most infamous club “Clube de Fado” where many renowned Fado singers have performend including the new queen herself, Mariza. Speaking of which, I actually saw Mariza at an outdoor concert in Toulouse in June and then the next day saw her at the airport as I was leaving for Morocco. What an emotional experience to listen to her and Fado in general. Check out this link to see if you might like it too:

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In Lisbon, I visited the Castle of Sao Jorge one of the main historical sites which overlooks the city and the Tagus River beyond. The citadel dates from medieval times; the complex consists of the castle, some ruins of the royal palace, gardens and a large terraced square where there is an incredible panoramic view of Lisbon. Lisbon is the site of many extensive squares. The Praca do Comercio located near the Tagus River is an impressive square that was completely destroyed by the great 1755 Lisbon Earthquake. It is still known as the Terreiro do Paco because it was the location of the Royal Ribeira Palace although the palace was totally destroyed by the earthquake. Figueira Square is a large open space in the centre of Lisbon that serves as a major transportation hub surrounded by historic cafes, hotels and shops. The 1755 Earthquake destroyed almost of all of the buildings. A large covered market was built here and then in 1949 the market was dismantled to make way for the open square as it exists today. A historic café called the Pastelarica Suica and one of Europe’s most elegant pastry shops, the Confeitaria Nacional has served since 1829. I spent a glorious late morning in The Monastery of St. Vincent of Saragossa, the patron saint of Lisbon. It was founded in the 12th century, but the actual structure that exists was begun in 1582 and designed by Italian architect Filippo Terzi (1520-97) and not completed until 1704. The dome, not surprisingly was crumbled to the ground during the 1755 earthquake. The monastery is located around two cloisters with azulejo or tile covered walls depicting a variety of beautiful historical scenes and ALL of the de la Fontaine Fables are also depicted. Most of the members of the House of Braganza are buried here including Catherine of Braganza who became Queen of England as consort of King Charles II. The rooftop has a magnificent view of the waterfront and Lisbon.

During one of my days in Lisbon, I ventured 6km out of Lisbon to one of its parishes called Belem. It is the starting point of numerous maritime expeditions and explorations which set out during the Age of Discovery. It is hard to miss the imposing Jeronimos Monastery that was built to commemorate Vasco de Gama’s historic voyage to India. It is regarded as Portugal’s symbol of power and wealth in the Age of Discovery. This UNESCO World Heritage Monument is built on the site of an old church where Vasco de Gama and his crew prayed before embarking on their historic voyage. And it is here that Vasco de Gama’s body was transported from Kochi, India to be entombed. One of the largest buildings in Portugal that was built to house the offices of the European Union is the Belem Cultural Centre. It covers an area of 6 hectares, connected by two inner streets and a pedestrian walk at the side. What drew me to this building however was the Berardo Museum of Contemporary Art. It is here that I sought refuge from the intense afternoon heat and was rewarded with a cool and enriching ambiance. Over 500 artists from the 20^th and 21^st centuries are represented. The permanent exhibit is a collection of over 4 000 works of art owned by the ninth richest man in Portugal, Jose Berardo. The underlying principle of his collection is open mindedness. Some of the most notable works include Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup and Portrait of Judy Garland and Picasso’s Tete de Femme and with works by Dali, Duchamp, Magritte, Miró, Bacon, Jackson Pollock, Jeff Koons, among others. The space is so user friendly with a rooftop terrace, a great cafeteria and an open square at ground level where cool mists of water cools down museum patrons on sizzling Portuguese afternoons. And it is here where I spent much time cooling down enjoying myself as I once did at a much younger age during hot summer days in Toronto.

Two important structures in Belem are located along the Tagus River, one which stands at 52m high celebrates the Portuguese who took part in the seaward bound explorations during the 15^th and 16^th centuries is the Padrao dos Descobrimentos (Monunment of Discoveries). It is located on the Tagus River and is carved into the shape of the prow of a ship and features a sword that stretches the full height of the monument. The Tower of Belem, Portugal’s icon and a UNESCO World Heritage monument, was built in 1515 at the entrance of Lisbon’s harbor and was seen as the starting point of many voyages and viewed by sailors as the last site of their homeland. It is also considered a monument to Portugal's Age of Discovery and often serves as a symbol of the country. Last but not least was the infamous Antiga Confeitaria de Belem which has been serving delicious custard tarts since 1841. I was told that they were the best pasteis in the world and I agree. They were sooooo good.



No trip to Lisbon is complete without a visit to Sintra. It was an easy 45 minute commuter train ride away from downtown Lisbon. On the train I met two lovely young women. One who was Japanese and spoke English with an Australian accent and the other a young Chinese woman. We ended up spending the day together as we were all three of us seeing Lisboa by ourselves. What struck me straight away as we stepped off the train was that this town was much cooler than Lisbon and that it was a picturesque city Disney- like in some of its bizarre architecture but authentic (if that makes sense). The unique and eccentric structures, the finely manicured lawns and gardens, the art sculptures that line the streets and a historic city centre with a UNESCO World Heritage designation all help to give Sintra a special feeling like nowhere else. We ended up hiking up to the Moorish Castle which is seen high up on the hills of Sintra from almost every vantage point. It was constructed by the Moors in the 8th or 9th Century during the Arab occupation. This castle is situated on two peaks of the Serra de Sintra and served as an observation post to monitor the coastline where from its walls there are magnificent views. It is surrounded by walls and several towers. It underwent various repairs, particularly in the Romantic period (about 1860), when King Consort Fernando of Saxe Coburg-Gotha restored it, reforested the surrounding areas and gave the ancient ruins new dignity. The Palácio da Pena, or "Castelo da Pena" as it is more commonly known, is the most complete and notable example of Portuguese architecture in the Romantic period. It stands on one of the rocky peaks of the Serra de Sintra. This castle has some of the quirkiest architecture styles I have ever seen in one place. The words that came to me to describe this wonderful collection of buildings is eclectic and eccentric.



Lisbon was a surprising blend of the new and the old. The Lisboetas are a blend of different looking people, from light olive to caramel and deep chocolate all with generous hearts, smiling, patient and ready to help. I appreciated all of the different types of architecture, the cobblestone winding and uphill roads that were lined with azulejo tiles, colourful laundry, and windows adorned with baskets of flowers. The food was simple, delicious and fresh and so it was that I took advantage and feasted on fresh fish each night. The sun was warm, the sky was clear and my mind was set. I would return to discover more of this beautiful country which I’d longed to visit for so long..inshallah.

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