Lisbon, Part 1

The next few days will be in nothing but exploring the grand, elaborate old city of Lisbon, the oldest city in Western Europe.

Today, Tuesday is day one. We seldom explore a large city on a Monday as most museums, churches, and other points of interest are closed that day. First, we learned a lot about the bus system today.  The 207 and the 209 go from Ericeira to Lisbon.  Here’s the trick.  The 209 runs frequently but stops at every crossroad and township along the way.  The 207 has only three stops.  We naturally took the 209 this morning because the sign said “Lisbon.”  An hour and a half later via Sobreiro and Mafra, we finally arrived in Lisbon.  I must add here, that the bus system here is first class.  The seats are upholstered, it is air-conditioned and the driver will allow no more people than those who can fill the seats.  No one stands.

There is nothing like an antique but modern European city with history going back to before Christ.  The architecture, the art, the waterfront, the plazas, the statues, the churches, and the museums!  Oh and the dining!  Outdoor cafes, bistros, and bars offering coffee, pastries, wine, and beer invite people at all hours of the day to simply sit, drink, eat and enjoy the amazing day.  How exciting!

 We use an app called GPSMyCity, and it is a lifesaver.  We chose the Introductory Walk in Lisbon and it took us first through the Baixa barrio.   WE passed cool shops, even more cool restaurants, bakeries and the Basiclica dos Martires.  Of course we popped in for peak at this magnificent green church.  The streets are small and some are blocked to allow nothing but pedestrian traffic. 

Probably the most iconic sight of Lisbon is the tremendously huge waterfront plaza, Praco de Commercial.  It takes up over 8.5 acres.  I mean it is huge.  An earthquake and tsunami occurred here in Lisbon in 1755 destroying the once most important marketplace in the area.  Much of Lisbon had to be rebuilt.  At that time this plaza was created and in the center is a very tall and grand statue of King Jose on whose watch the disaster occurred.  – I wonder if the people blamed him like many in our country blame President Biden.

To the north of the square is the Arco da Rua Augusta.  It is stately and as tall, I’m guessing, as the Arc de Triomphe in Paris but is not nearly so decorated.  It marks the entrance to Rua de Augusta, the mosaic, a pedestrian street where tons of people relax at numerous restaurants, bistros, bars, and shops at the fine stores.  The arch was part of the initiative that rebuilt the city after the earthquake.  Opposite is the small riverfront pier, the Cais das Columnas that once served as the “noble entrance” where royalty entered the city.

A few blocks away is the Santa Justa Lift – an outdoor elevator designed by Raoul Mesnier, a Gustave Eiffel disciple, and built-in 1902.   Its iron lacework lends has an airy appearance much like the Eiffel Tower.  It has two elevators to the viewing platform for which there is a very long line of tourists.  We took a local tip and rode an elevator to its rooftop in an adjacent store.  There was, of course, a bar for coffee, beer wine, and snacks.  They are everywhere and people do indulge.  We walked just a few steps to the viewing platform.  The day was clear.  We could see a view over the river, Sao Jorge Castle, and plazas and red-roofed buildings far away.

Not far, but certainly, up and down many a few steep hills and sets of stairs, we arrived at the Chafariz do Carmo in the Largo do Carmo plaza.  The fountain no longer works but like many others built between the 15^th and 18^th centuries, it once was spewed water from an underground aqueduct that carried water to the city.  This particular beautiful decorative structure dates back to the 18^th century.  The shaded pretty plaza on which the fountain sits is also home to the Carmo Convent Archeological Museum and several cafes.  Nice place to simply sit and have a visit with a friend.

Our next stop was another church, Igreja de Sao Roque (Church of Saint Rock), the first Jesuit church in Portugal and one of the few buildings left relatively unharmed in the earthquake.  It’s a surprise to enter because the outside is plain as plain can be but the interior is stunning.  In sharp contrast to the facade, the interior is almost over the top.  Its walls are covered in gold foil paint and its eight individual chapels are works of art themselves.

Portugal and Lisbon in particular have many churches.

On Wednesday we resumed our look-see of Lisbon and even set our alarm to get a full day in considering a little over two hours is spent on the bus and metro rides into the city and back home.

Adventuresome souls that we are, we took the No. 28 Tram, one of the routes in a wildly popular vintage cable car system that runs all over town.  Number 28 offers the picturesque route, we read and a quick way to get a good glimpse of the main sight.  An hour and a headache later, we finished the ride.  Packed in like the famous Portuguese sardines, we could hardly see a thing and the trolley did not pass directly by the point of interest but went within a block or just a few steps from the site.  It’s not a “hop-on, hop-off” affair either; once a person boards, one does not dare not get off because the chances of getting back on are very slim.  Note to self:  No more No. 28.

We got off at the end of the line near Estrela Basilica . . . another elaborate church.   A funeral was in midst.  In the meantime, we took a stroll through the very pleasant Jardim Da Estrela (Star Garden).  About noon the church was available for viewing and we heard the noon-time bells.  Inside, Wow, it’s another Portuguese regal masterpiece.  We paid two Euros to climb the stairs to the upper level.  A great view of the city is available from the roof and on the walkway inside the church, the downward view of the basilica is incredible.  We watched priests setting up for mass.

Near the foot of the Castle of Saint Jorge, lunch was at one of the thousands of Lisbon street-side restaurants that serve excellent food.  I know this may not sound appetizing to many, but we shared a bowl of traditional Portuguese soup, Caldo Verde made of creamed vegetables and garnished with a few sprigs of cooked turnip greens, Stan had a small dish of stewed rabbit served in a mild vinegar sauce and I had octopus salad – it was the best I’ve ever tasted.  Fresh and tender, it was not chewy as octopus can be, and flavored with red onion, green pepper and lemon.

The real highlight of the day was Sao Jorge Castle.  It sits atop the highest hill in the city (yes, another long and steep cobblestone hill to climb to reach it).  The citadel looks out over the city but most important, it overlooks the Tagus River and can be seen from almost any spot in Lisbon. Built in the 11^th century during Moorish times, some parts of the original wall are still intact, believed to be over a thousand years old. Just imagine.

Thursday . . . well you never know what a day will hold.  We got up early and marched ourselves to the bus terminal.  Uh-oh, we must have missed the 207 (the direct bus to Lisbon).  After a few minutes, we realized something else was up.  There were very few people in this otherwise busy station.  Yes, today is Corpus Christi Day, a holiday with limited bus service and limited things to do.  As we figured out what was going on, we struck up a conversation with the other couple waiting for the bus.  They are from Bristol in the UK.  They are also staying Ericeira a while.  We had a lively conversation about Portugal, the US, and the UK.  We shared our best experiences here and they gave us theirs.  “Eat snails,” they said, “ at the base of the jetty on the far end of the beach.”  We said, of course, “Will do!” Actually we did not get their names or a photo, but I wish we had.

We thought this might be a good day to go home, rest a bit and catch up on planning, writing the blog, etc. About 1:30 pm we decided to find the snails. 

The place, called Club Naval, is built into the coast’s rock wall on the beach at the end of the fishing beach, where all the fisherman boats go in and out each day.  It is a shabby-looking place indeed but busy nonetheless.  We put our names on the list – yes there was a wait, a very long one.  I asked if this is the place to get the snails our UK friends talked about.  “Oh yes,” the waiter advised. “but not until 5 pm.”   Phooey!  . . . We decided to eat there anyway.  During our wait we went through three beers – we normally don’t drink beer but it was hot, the wait was long and the beer was cold and tasted fine.

We finally were seated and served food at about 3:00.  We shared a grilled sea bass served with roasted tiny batatas, haricots verts, and salad. It arrived picture-perfect, but we were so anxious, we dove right in.  The fish, just caught today by one of the fishermen next door, was exquisite, perfectly done, white, sweet, and fluffy.  It was simply the best fish we’ve had in years or — maybe we were simply very hungry.  We will go back if not to taste the snails but to enjoy some truly fresh fish again.

We will try Lisbon once more tomorrow on an ordinary day. No holiday..