Travels in Spain and Portugal before Covid: Lisbon Day 19

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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, there is no pedestrian walking or bicycling allowed on this bridge. As we passed under the bridge I saw playful whales painted on the concrete pillars supporting the bridge.



On the hill opposite the city of Lisbon stands the Christ the King Cross, a small copy of the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio. The statue was rented to honor the Portuguese who were spared during WWI. Now Christ keeps a careful watch over the city of Lisbon but apparently does nothing to lesson traffic jams.



Built on seven hills, Lisbon has been Portugal's capital since the 13th century. The area around the steepest hill, Sao Jorge, (Saint George), was first settled by Phoenicians in the twelfth century BC. They were followed by Carthaginians, Romans, several Germanic tribes, and Visigoths. In AD 714, the Moors captured Lisbon, and held it for the next 400 years. The Christians retook the city in 1147, led by Afonso I, supported by a fleet of the second crusade.



Portuguese explorers began colonizing parts of Africa and Asia at the beginning of the 15th century. Vasco da Gama set sail for India from Lisbon in 1497, and the city became a center for successful voyages of discovery throughout the East and the New World for the next 300 years. The immense riches brought back by these explorers and navigators ushered in a period of building and expansion that gave birth to the new Manueline architectural style, with its ornately carved decorative motifs. As we sailed into port I was captivated by this architecture with its bright colors gleaming in the morning sun.



By 9:30am the ship had docked and we off to begin our 8 hour bus and walking tour of Sintra and Lisbon with Bernardo from Top Day Tours as our tour guide. We boarded the bus and during the half hour ride Bernardo gave us some background of the city.



During the 16th and 17th centuries, Lisbon, as well as the rest of Portugal, had been the greatest sea power in all of Europe, eclipsing even Genoa and Venice. At the peak of Portugal’s power, on November 1, 1755, during the Feast of All Saints, Portugal was struck by a series of earthquakes. The subsequent fires and tsunami, killed 60,000 people, and demolished 12,000 buildings destroying Lisbon and the surrounding areas. The tsunami also destroyed coastal fortresses in the Algarve and razed several houses but changed the course of history by destroying the wealth that had been Lisbon’s glory for two centuries. The future Marquis of Pombal was credited with his plans to rebuild the city but the ruins of the Carmo Convent in Lisbon were saved as a reminder of the devastation that took place.



As the bus continued out of Lisbon, Bernardo proudly pointed to the Aqueduto das Agues Livres (Free Waters Aqueduct) now a national monument. The impressive aqueduct that had been supplying drinking water to Lisbon since 1748 was considered one of the most remarkable hydraulic engineering works built at the time. It amazingly had survived the earthquake. I managed to grab a photo out of the bus window as we sped by.



Our bus climbed for ten minutes up steep and narrow switchbacks in a densely treed area in Pena Park where we were dropped off to pick up a small van that carried us through a long and winding forested road to the top where we got off and walked up the steep hill entering through the Morrish gate that lead up to the palace. My first impression of the palace and its wildly colorful exterior was “am I in Disneyland or have I fallen into a strange fairytale?”



Bernardo filled us in: Pena National Palace, located in the Municipality of Sintra, is sometimes referred to as Sintra Palace. The palace was the dazzling and colorfully flamboyant 19th century palace of King Ferdinand, and was the last royal palace built in Portugal.



The Royal Palace dates back to the Middle Ages and was once a residence for the Portuguese royalty. Once a pilgrimage site, the chapel of Our Lady of Penha was replaced by a monastery in 1503. It was damaged by an earthquake in 1755 and abandoned. It was later purchased in 1838 by German Ferdinand Saxe Coburg-Goths, King Consort of Queen Maria II

who, inspired by the castles of Bavaria, remodeled the old monastery (the red buildings) into a castle (the yellow buildings) becoming the summer residence of the Royal family. The brilliantly colored walls indicate the separation of the old palace (red) from the new (yellow and purple). The castle stands 300 meters high or 1400 feet.



The architecture is an eclectic medley of towers, turrets, terraces and drops with Neo-Moorish and Indo-Gothic styles. Combined with Neo-Romanesque, Neo-gothic and Neo-Manueline the whole creates a surprising harmony that is unique in Southern Europe. There are beautiful textured flat Arabic tiles and traditional Portuguese tiles on the exterior walls that sparkled brilliantly in the morning sun.



We began the tour of the inside in the older section, or the red palace, once home to King Ferdinand consort to Portuguese Queen Maria I. The poor queen died young after bearing eleven children. When the queen died, Ferdinand lost his title as King but remained regent for his eldest son and successor King Pedro V. Ferdinand focused his attention on the arts and maintaining and restoring the architectural heritage of many buildings and monuments throughout Portugal. He was also very active in the restoration of the palace (it must be in the genes because his cousin Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, was also obsessed with architecture and design).



The inside was almost as eclectic as the outside, and appeared heavily ornate and to me, quite cluttered. The newer palace, later a residence for King Carlos, was a bit lighter, but still highly decorative. Today the palace and grounds are fifty percent private and fifty percent government owned. The government maintains the upkeep of the palace with fees from the tourist trade.



We were lucky to have a beautiful sunny day because we were told this sunny weather was unusual up here, for example, it had been pouring rain all day yesterday. Sintra is perched high up among the pine covered hills of the Serra de Sintra that surround Lisbon. It is much cooler up here in the summer which is the reason this site was chosen for the palace and other extravagant residences. Today on this windy, blustery and chilly day I was wishing it was the middle of a hot summer day so I could really enjoy the spectacular views from the hilltop, but pausing briefly for an outdoor windblown photo, I retreated inside to continue the tour, peeking out of windows to the view below.



As we left the palace grounds, some healthier and younger souls chose to walk to the bus, while with bad knees and backs chilled by the dampness, we stayed behind to return on the van. The shady park covers about 200 hectares that surrounds the palace with paths that meander throughout. The trees and an enormous variety of exotic plants, planned by King Ferdinand II, were planted in the 3rd quarter of the 19th century as a natural extension of the palace itself. I would have enjoyed strolling through this park with its lovely greenery and sweet scents but alas, I was freezing and the times for blooming were long gone. Another time.



Leaving the palace we headed down to the World Heritage site of Sintra, an architecturally charming and lovely town nestled in the hills of the Serra de Sintra. The town of Sintra covers a large area and, although part of Lisbon, Sintra has about half a million people compared to 2 1/2 million in Lisbon, but there are many districts within this region. The historic center of Vila de Sintra with its charming shops tightly woven together along steep and narrow pathways, just begged us to enter. All things made of cork (handbags, hats, aprons, kitchen items and more) were on display in many shop windows, plus wonderful pottery and of course cafes with coffee and their delectable pastries making me wish we could have spent half a day here (or more). The well-traveled English poet Lord Byron called the town “the most beautiful in the world.” Maybe he had time to enjoy the cafes and their wonderful pastries too. We walked up and down narrow, cobbled streets peeking into shop windows but with a time limitation of only half an hour, I became quickly frustrated that I could not linger and take in all of what this area had to offer.



Bernardo led us up the steep cobbled path to the famous Piriquita II Pastry shop. Piriquita, translated to small bird in Portuguese, was a diminutive woman who baked for King Carlos I. We are told the pastries were originated in convents. No wonder the nuns wore flowing habits, they were hiding the tell tale signs of sampling too much pastry! I must find a habit!



The pastry Queijada (cinnamon and cheese) is the most famous of this region, but I found the almond pillow (Da Piriquita) stuffed with marzipan to be my favorite even though it was terribly sweet, and after all the sweet tastings lately, I was wanting more and more. We sampled these two pastries along with a hot chocolate and espresso. On a major sugar high, and with little time left, I was off to explore this historic town before our time was out.



I wandered the narrow streets looking at shops for hand made tiles, the one thing I had wanted to bring home from Portugal. Before long I found a ceramic shop on the second floor above Piriquita dois (The 3 Dots Spot) and bought a ceramic sardine for our Christmas tree (a purchasing tradition I repeat with all my travels), while there I was lucky to meet Maria Rosa in her shop, the artist who made my lovely blue porcelain sardine. Had I room for more pottery, and protection against breakage, I would have bought more. Before I could enter another shop to explore and perhaps purchase a handbag made of cork, I heard the call that we needed to assemble for the ride to our next destination. I reluctantly dragged myself away, wishing for at least another half hour to purchase some fabulous gifts.



Too soon, we were on our way to Cascais (s is pronounced sh) on the coast north of Lisbon where I had hoped for warmer weather, but then, this is November. Once a humble fishing village, Cascais has grown into a lively coastal resort town along the Atlantic coast but it still holds onto its fishing traditions. Bernardo told us this town is locally known for its “wealthy and snobby people living here in their big seaside homes”. The only people we saw today were smiling and friendly locals enjoying the view and camaraderie from their park benches. The “wealthy snobs” must have left for their winter homes.



Dave and I enjoyed our brief visit in Cascais and its beautiful harbor watching fishing boats that were trailed by seagulls coming in for the day. We walked along promenades made with colored limestone tiles in blue wave patterns that decorated the walkways alongside the waterfront, joining the locals for a relaxing walk along the sea, and passing families sitting on benches with their kids wearing Burger King hats. Cascais has the advantage of being close to a series of fantastic beaches, (we were told) including both the exciting surfing beach of Guincho and the popular, paradise-like beach of Carcavelos, although time and weather made the visits to these beaches not possible for us.



On our drive back into Lisbon we passed the iconic Belem Tower, part of a medieval defense system at the mouth of the Tagus River. We were discouraged to tour it on our own because Bernardo said with all that is in Lisbon, it is not worth your time standing in line.



Our van also passed the turn for the Portuguese Versailles (smaller) called Queluz but with only one day, it soon became obvious we could not see it all. Bernardo pointed to the famous casino in Estroil as we (again) passed by. He told us this was the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s book Casino Royale and the casino in the James Bond series In his Majesty’s Service was filmed here.



Bernardo told us about the lettuce eaters of Lisbon. There is a whole mythology around this moniker, he said. There are some who don’t like being called alfacinhas, but others are happy to be so labeled. These alfacinhas enjoy their lettuce seasoned with olive oil, vinegar, salt and a new onion cut into thing strips and, we are told, they are especially pleased to receive it as a gift. Sounds good to me.



I was happy to find it was still sunny and a bit warmer back in Lisbon. The bus dropped us off in the historic section of Belem where we got a chance to stretch our legs again. We began to walk through a shady park on our way to see the massive Jeronimos Monastery. This Portuguese Gothic church, built in 1502 by King Manuel I, is a World Heritage Monument and considered the most impressive symbol of Portugal’s power and wealth during the Age of Discovery. The church is located on the site of the hermitage founded by Prince Henry the Navigator. It is also where Vasco da Gama and his crew spent their last night in Portugal, praying for safe travels before leaving for India. A fitting location for the tomb of Vasco da Gama, the “navigator responsible for setting a new trade route which, for over a century, would grant the Portuguese supremacy in the Indian Ocean”.



The ornate architecture, characterized by elaborate sculptural details and numerous maritime motifs including tangles of knots, shells and corals celebrating the people who sailed the seas and discovered new lands, became known as “Manueline,” a style that served to glorify the great discoveries of the age. The interior of the church is spacious with octagonal piers richly decorated with reliefs. I had hoped to see the cloisters, gardens and Thai pavilion but that area was not open. I later discovered that there was a Maritime Museum tucked in the western wing of this monastery, housing ancient globes, maps and details of the role of the Portuguese in the exploration of the oceans and aviation. Again, another time.



Our tour included a Pasteis de Belem, not to be confused with a Pastéis de nata, or pastel de nata, since the Pasteis de Belem is trademarked and only six people alive today know its secret recipe. The traditional Portuguese custard tart is made of cream, egg yolks, sugar, flour and lemon zest wrapped in a puff pastry, for which Lisbon is known. The perfect egg tart should be at least three of four fingers wide and about two fingers high, and the filling should be creamy, a little runny and not overly sweet. I later found out the competition for the best pastel de nada in Lisbon is fierce, and most bakeries keep their recipe secret.



This pastry shop was conveniently located next to the monastery (of course). Pasteis de Belem is reputedly the most famous maker of this iconic egg tart as evidenced by the long lines even in the late afternoon. We joined the line and once inside I was impressed not only with all the pastries offered but the shop’s beautiful interior. The sign outside on the lovely blue and yellow tiled front says it began in 1837. Passing through the dark blue door to the spacious interior I found the details on the historic white ceiling and egg yolk colored period cabinetry to be beautifully maintained adding a certain charm, and an additional reason to come to this establishment. We each received a trio of tarts in a blue and white cardboard box with the famous markings of Pasteis de Belem. Quite impressive. I have to say they were very sweet and very tasty, with a dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon, it was finger licking good but one was enough for now!



With plenty of sugar to fuel the rest of the day we climbed back on the bus and headed up to the Edward VII Park, the largest park in Lisbon, overlooking the Baisa and the Tagus River below. Lisbon’s sloping “central park” offers a view of downtown Lisbon, including the Barrio alto, Alfama, Baisa and Chiado areas. The slope is designed with symmetrical box hedging pointing down to the river. From this vantage point we could make out the statue of the Marquis de Baisa with a lion at his feet at, appropriately named after the heroic actions of the Marquis of Pombal in his named square far below.



As I peered down to get a closer look with my telephoto lens, Bernardo informed me that I was also looking at the heavily treed Avenida da Liberdade, or ‘Avenue of Liberty’ leading away. I later found out that this is one of the most expensive shopping streets in Europe and home to numerous embassies and diplomatic missions. I could have rolled down into the best shopping district in all of Europe!



The park has many statues and monuments celebrating key events in Portugal’s history. Bernardo was especially proud of the Monument and fountain to the 25th of April Revolution by Joao Cutileiro standing proud at the top of the hill. Sailing ships are perched at the top of many lamp posts remembering the Age of Discovery. Sadly, I missed the bronze mother and child by Colombian artist Fernando Botero Angulo. I had admired his work on a recent trip to Colombia.



As we were leaving the park Bernardo had an interesting side note: Roosters are famous in Portugal because a man, sentenced to die, said I accept the sentence but if a rooster crows you must let me free. It crowed and he was freed. I guess there were a good number of people afraid of the gallows. Just as Bernardo finished his tale we walked by several crowing roosters!



On to more explorations of Lisbon, this time we hiked to the ruined Carmo Convent, which is the entrance leading to the Santa Justa Lift, a century old elegant outdoor iron tower elevator that links Carmo to the Baixa district several stories below. There is a lovely walkway on top with wonderful views of the city below. The 148 foot towering elevator is delicately detailed in neo-gothic styled iron filagree, reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower in New York (it was built by Raul Mesnier do Ponard, a disciple of Gustave Eiffel). From the top I was able to get a good shot of St George’s Castle.



The elevator has only two wooden cabins that can accommodate 29 people at a time, but by entering from the convent at Largo do Carmo, you can avoid the long lines. The elevator was originally powered by steam and then electrified in 1907. Once at the bottom, I was able to look back to see the lovely detailing on the towering structure. Unfortunately the buildings surrounding the lift were blanketed with construction materials making a nice clean shot nearly impossible.



We ended our tour at the elegant Rossio Train Station. After the most recent renovation in 2007 it was selected as one of the world’s 10 most beautiful train stations by American magazine ‘Flavorwire’. It has been an important Portuguese landmark for over 120 years. The station was designed in 1886 by Jose Luis Monterio, the same architect who designed the Belle Epoque Hotel Avenida Palace next door.



The Hotel Avenida Palace opened in 1892 and was open during the Spanish Civil War, and both WWI and WWII. Due to its elegance and location the stately hotel was frequented by people in the world of finance, politics, literature and the arts. Bernardo reminded us it was also an active stage for political intrigue and espionage. I was intrigued.



Bernardo told us cork, olive oil, agriculture, and tourism are the biggest income producers in Portugal. But what about Fish? I was looking for some tins of anchovies and sardines to bring home so Bernardo told me the Baisa neighborhood was the best place for canned fish. Now to find Baisa! Unfortunately every store I entered I got the same answer: the owner told me this was not the season for canned fish. Hmmm. As we left Bernardo to walk on our own his parting words were to warn us that Romanian and Bulgarians Gypsies are pickpockets and seem to be everywhere. Bye bye Bernardo. Sigh.



I did find the very commercial (and high priced for tourists) Fantastic World of Portuguese Sardines, (Mundo Fantastico Da Sardinha Portuguesa). How could anyone miss this shop with its colorful circus-like banners? Occupying a large space on Calcada do Carmo near the Dom Pedro IV park, it was lit up with bright strands of circus lights surrounding each window. Inside, the shop had a small circus carousel complete with horses, a small faux circus wagon filled with tins of fish and walls of tinned Bacalhau (cod), sardines and more. One wall displayed a large selection of elaborately decorated tins with dates on them from the year 1916. You could buy a tin of sardines with your birth date or the current date. I am sure the locals don’t shop here!



On their walls was written “The queen of all fish and the prodigy of the Atlantic Ocean - the Portuguese sardine - a fish both noble and popular, has ascended the throne each June for many years, showing off its crown up and down the country…And what better tribute could be paid than through the fantasy of the wonderful world of the circus, also noble and popular, in parallel with the extraordinary popular nobility of sardines? For Comur, sardines are “The Greatest Show on Earth!” My grandfather would have loved this. Each June, well that explains a lot. I did succumb to the hype (mostly because I couldn’t find tinned fish anywhere else) so I bought a tin of sardines with the date 2019, a tin of bacalhau assado (codfish in olive oil) and a package of small tins of sardine pate. It was pricy but something we could enjoy over New Year’s Eve at home and think of Portugal.



Tired and hungry Dave and I left Lisbon via Comercio Square and returned to the ship to freshen up for dinner with our friends Rick and Johnna. Over dinner we spoke about taking advantage of our overnight docking in Lisbon. They were as eager to return to Lisbon at night, as I was, but Dave thought it better to remain warm on board out of the cold, damp, misty night. Rick, Johnna and I left Dave to sit with his hot chocolate while we ventured out to explore Lisbon.



The three of us traveled on buses, and metros stopping first at Luis de Camoes Square. A statue gracing the center of the square was of the poet Camões, for whom the square was named. He was decked out with a crown of laurels around his head, his left hand was holding a sword and in his right hand, he clutched to his chest his epic poem "The Lusíadas" considered his greatest work. The “monument to Luís de Camões honors the Portuguese poet, one of the major figures of the Renaissance whose epic and lyrical writing has taken on a universal dimension”.



Searching for a treat before our tram ride, Rick and Johnna found the Art Nouveau building that was home to the egg tart bar they had found earlier in the day. Being the self appointed ‘food taster’, I thought a taste comparison was in order. We lined up (yes it was busy even late at night) at Manteigaria for another famous egg tart, Pastéis de nata. This being my second pastels de nata of the day Rick and Johnna agreed, a comparison was surely in order. This one beat the first (Pasteis de Belem) in my humble opinion for it seemed not overly sweet in its flaky crust.



We had a great time exploring Chaido and the Barrio Alto, and getting lost and found on the narrow twisting streets of Lisbon, but it was a chill night so we were eager to find our tram. Johnna and Rick poured over the maps while I photographed and asked for directions. We finally found a place to hop on Lisbon’s iconic tram 24 from Luis Camoes Square up to ‘Lisbon’s romantic hilltop viewpoint’ or Miradouros, Portuguese for viewpoints and hilltop terraces, where we found the sweet statue of the Newspaper Delivery Boy that pays tribute to the newspaper sellers in the former neighborhood location of Portugal’s press center.



It was cloudy and dark at the Miradouro Jardim de Sao Pedro de Alcantara, and although I was chilled, I was entranced by the warm lights of the city below. We could barely make out the outline and lights of St George’s Castle, the fifth century Visigoth fort, once residence of Portuguese kings, honoring the city’s patron saint. Still, the soft glow of lights made for an especially charming sight as they illuminated the damp mosaic of the beautiful limestone pavers beneath our feet and the tightly packed buildings of the city below. It was nearly 10pm so we returned to the tram to descend into the city proper, glad for the protective enclosure from the elements.



For those who have not heard of these iconic trams, the Lisbon tramway network is a system of trams that has served Lisbon since 1873. The first tramway began operation on November 17, 1873, as a horsecar line. Thankfully, Lisbon's first electric tramway began operating on August 30, 1901, I am sure saving those poor horses an early death, for the hills are plentiful and very steep. There are six lines with 63 trams in operation (45 historic "Remodelados", 8 historic "Ligeiros" and 10 modern articulated trams). “Circle lines operated in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions”. I think we all were delighted to finally ride this unique tram, especially on this chilly and dark night.



There was a soft drizzle as we walked by the hauntingly elegant train station, with its horseshoe shaped entrances. As we approached the brightly lit Hotel Avenida Palace next door, well known for its rendezvous for international spies, the setting gave license to my imagination with the hope of seeing the likes of Ian Fleming, or his creation James Bond, emerge into the damp night. As beautiful and otherworldly as this was I was ready for my warm bed so we bid our farewells to Lisbon, promising one more day of exploration tomorrow.

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