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A Passage to Lisbon . . .
For a long time now, my daughter and I had planned to visit Europe together. When we finally decided to do it this summer, we set our eyes on Italy or Spain. My travel agent gently suggested that a trip to any of those countries in July would be “crazy!” and would we consider Portugal? I had never been to Portugal and said “why not”? It turned out to be one of the best trips we have ever taken. I not only recommended it to everyone, but I also plan to return to Portugal soon. These are some of what Lisbon has to offer:
A Lisbon Cityscape
Set across a series of hills overlooking the broad Rio Tejo (River Tagus), the city is rich in history, architecture, and offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The population is around 2 million but with the laid back energy that makes you forget you are in a large city. Comfortably warm from April to October, cool Atlantic breezes make it more enjoyable than other cities with the same altitude. Lisbon once controlled a maritime empire that stretched from Brazil to Macau. The Great Earthquake of 1755 destroyed much of the city, and today’s buildings date to the late 18th and 19th century.
Lisbon Street
Another Street Scene
The outdoor cafés along cobblestone streets, and a buoyant nightlife offering a range of music from traditional fado to jazz to African and Brazilian beats make this one of the most fun cities I have visited. The people are friendly, and besides Portuguese, most of them speak English as well as French.
Peasant Dance
As for the food, you can never get enough of the rich tasting coffee, the fabulous pastries, or the delicious fish and steaks.
Lisbon is divided into several districts, each with its own rich history. Baixa is filled with cafes and shops, and it is the hub of daytime activity. Alfama is the oldest, traditional district rich in art and pottery, with the St. George castles overlooking its winding streets. Chiado and Cais do Sodre offer elegant shopping. Bairro Alto has some of the best restaurants and night clubs, as well as the cities’ funicular railways, called elevadores. Belem, a historic district along the river, is where the old maritime explorers set sail, and holds the Torre de Belem, Lisbon’s most recognizable landmark. You can get around easily in Lisbon through public transit which includes buses, trains, and the subway.
Castle
chapel
When you take in enough of the city life, you can take the train out to the beautiful coast. Make sure you stop in Estoril, where the largest casino in Europe resides, and in Cascais, with its beautiful beaches and many restaurants. And last but not least, the town of Sintra, home of the historic castles and mansions of the once rich and famous.
Shrine
This was all we could accomplish in a week’s time, but it is a place I highly recommend to anyone planning to get away to a beautiful, friendly and relatively inexpensive city in Europe.
Shabnam Hashemi
Posted at October 12, 2005 08:21 PM
Thank you for the nice comments. Unfortunately,I did not bring back any Fado cds, nor any of the great Portuguese wines! But I was happy to find some of their wines at a wine shop in Portsmouth!
Irene, I think you are absolutely right. I suspect that with world affairs as they are, it will become increasingly difficult to travel. So it would be nice to experience faraway places through our sharing each other's travels.
Shab
Posted by: Shabnam Hashemi at October 21, 2005 07:54 PM
Thanks for sharing your travelogue with us. I, too, have never considered to Portugal, but it sounds fantastic. Someday... ;>)
-Jen
Posted by: Jen at October 14, 2005 08:56 AM
Thanks, Shab, for a taste of Portugal. The pictures are gorgeous and the idea of a beautiful adventure of a vacation in a friendly coastal Old World country sounds tempting. It would be terrific, if more people described their experience of foreign travel on the Blog. I know certain Mt. Hopians that recently went to France, UK, the other America, where they speak Latin (a la Dan Quale (;>), and even China, and I am sure these people have wonderful stories and pictures to share. C’mon, guys, don’t be shy.
Posted by: Irene at October 13, 2005 08:09 PM
Thanks for coming through with the travelogue, Shab. Very cool. I could not travel this year, but I love to travel vicariousely by sharing the experiences of our globetrotting members who do get to travel.
Now, did you bring back any of that good Portguse music, especially Fado?
Posted by: John at October 13, 2005 07:45 PM
Thanks you Shab! I had never thought of going to Lisbon...Now, I shall be sure to put this city on my "Must Do But Cant Find Time or Money For" list. Lovely photos.
Posted by: Nadezhda at October 13, 2005 03:58 PM