Blogs from Lisbon, Lisbon & Tagus Valley, Portugal, Europe - page 12

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

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

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

August Bank Holiday city breaks are now part of an annual ritual, and this Western European capital city seemed so worthy of city break material that it seemed to have 'feel free to visit and enjoy me' painted all over it. Upon arrival in Lisbon, initial impressions were coloured by the tidy Mercure hotel I stayed at in the northern area of the city, and by the grandness of the huge Colombo shopping centre, with its tremendous food court, and myriad of 420 + stores. The first full day proper was destined to take in the sights and sounds of the city courtesy of a pair of willing legs and a 1-day travelcard, coupled with the usual sense of raging enthusiasm for getting around the city's fabric and discovering what constituted the Portuguese capital's history and ... read more

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