We enjoyed three relaxing days exploring some unknown parts of Lisbon as well as returning to the museum we had enjoyed so much the last time, and the only one open on a Monday! The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum houses the incredible collection of an Armenian born in 1859, who was a pioneer in the oil industry. He came to Portugal in 1942 and remained there until his death in 1955. The following year, the foundation bearing his name was created to fulfill his wish that all the works of art he had collected during his lifetime should be kept together under one roof. In 1969 the Museum was open, containing some 6,000 pieces. It was definitely worth seeing a second time!
Scenes of downtown Lisbon-the tram:
The pretty Avenida da Liberdade, which paralleled the quiet street on which our hotel was located:
The ever popular custard tarts shown in a pastry shop window-best eaten warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top:
Nearby was another popular snack shop-this lady was making a sort of large croqueta out of potatoes and filled with cheese:
Notice the black and white square cobblestones streets in the downtown area:
Lisbon's answer to the Arc de Triomphe-Praça do Comércio:
The statue in the square by the River Tejo:
View of the Ponte 25 de Abril (copied on the Golden Gate of San Francisco) over the River Tejo at sunset:
November 24:
After breakfast on Day 2, we took the car across the bridge and visited the monument Cristo Rei, overlooking the river and the city of Lisbon. The outstretched arms of Christ are reminiscent of the statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro.
Inside there is a small chapel and the elevator to whisk you to the top for a better view (supposedly, but I found the day to be quite hazy so only Pat went up):
From there we drove to the Torre de Belem (Bethlehem in Portuguese):
From this angle you can just make out the statue of Cristo Rei in the distance from where we had just come:
Along the seafront is a large shiplike form, the Monument to the Discoveries, honouring the Portuguese explorers who set out for the New World, Vasco da Gama is among them:
Views of and from inside the Torre Belem:
The Monument of the Discoveries:
In front of the statue is a huge world map highlighting former Portuguese discoveries and colonies. I liked that they dropped by Newfoundland in about 1500, probably looking for cod!
It was now time for a late lunch so we headed to the street where the famous Pastels de Belem are made and enjoyed fish, soup and salad next door:
What else for dessert but some fresh hot custard tarts to take away at 1.05€! We had to stand in line much like at Café du Monde for beignets, definitely worth it!
Lounge/breakfast area at our hotel:
The bar where we discovered cold white Porto as an apéritif in the evening:
Our concierge recommended this restaurant for a good fish dinner and Fado music starting at 9 p.m. He didn't disappoint! It was a highlight of our stay, to be sure! Three singers took turns entertaining us along with three musicians, the owners of the restaurant. The eldest singer was a woman of 77 years who had been singing Fado since she was a girl!
Inside Portuguese guitars decorated the walls along with the famous blue and white ceramic tiles as seen everywhere:
My sea bream (dorada) and Pat's octopus (pulpo):
A wall tile decoration in the Alfama section of the old city:
Narrow cobblestones alley ways, much like in the Barrio Gotico in Barcelona:
Back later with more...
Location:Portugal
