We made it to Lisbon! Despite taking a wrong turn and walking up the steepest and scariest street in all the city, we made it to our apartment. In fact, Lisbon is a strange mix of both classy and dodgy areas. The main strip is lined with boutiques and over-priced restaurants, while one or two streets away from the centre feels deserted and unsafe. Nevertheless, we explored the city before chilling out by the water (a five minute walk away from the centre of the city) for the rest of the afternoon.
This inlet (Tagus River) was just across the road from the square, Praca do Comercio. The area was rebuilt after being destroyed by the great 1755 Lisbon Earthquake. Apparently the square was once the grounds of a royal palace.
Just through that gate in the background is the main strip. We found a combined pizza and sushi restaurant and had both pizza and gyoza... and also many, many cocktails. It was a quiet night out in Lisbon, but the pizza/sushi/cocktail bar was great. We later made our way home to our comic book themed apartment with a secret bedroom (situated behind a spinning wall) and hidden bathroom and made plans for the next day.
We took one of these old trams to Belem the next day. It was about a twenty-minute ride just outside of the city and our first stop was at Jeronimos Monastery.
The building itself is pretty spectacular, but like so many buildings in Europe the age of these places is also incredible. Jeronimos Monastery took 100 years to build and construction started in 1501. The architecture is so intricate and detailed.
The cathedral holds the tomb of Vasco de Gama, a famous Portugese explorer. Vasco de Gama was the first European to reach India by sea.
Jeronimos Monastery and a maze of gardens and fountains situated just across the road.
Not too far away from Jeronimos Monastry is the Belem Tower (for a place housing all these amazing monuments, the short distance between the two was again, a really dodgy area. We crossed an overpass to avoid a busy main road with buildings crumbling away that were heavily graffitied and abandoned).
This is the Belem Tower. It was used during the Age of Discoveries as a fort or watch tower built in the early sixteenth century. The architecture again, is pretty cool. Because the staircase is so narrow you have about one minute to get to a desired level of the tower before you have to stay there. You then have to wait until the light is green to go either up or down the tower. Kind of like a traffic light system for tourists. I hate tourists.
As you first walk in, the lower floor is lined with cannons. The arches follow the curve of the building and opens out into a small courtyard looking area.
Joe making his way out to one of the small look out posts.
Cool balcony on a lower level of the tower.
The Santa Justa Lift.
The view from the very top of the lift.
The next day we headed to the Castle of Sao Jorge.
This Moorish castle is really, really, really old. Parts of the castle date back to the 2nd century BC.
You basically make your way along the walls of the castle and take in the view of the city. There is even little seating areas built into the walls and old stone tables near by.
And of course, we ate more of these delicious egg tarts than was absolutely necessary. This was lunch (someone was already eating one). They come with small packets of cinnamon and icing sugar for extra deliciousness. Pasteis de Belem, just near Jeronimos Monastery and is famous for the Portuguese egg tarts and they certainly lived up to their reputation.
Yeah, holidays!
- Kate
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