LisboAmor... Story of the first visit to Lisbon, Portugal, made by a family of explorers

First visit to the city of Lisbon, with a small trip to the coast, a family of explorers.
A corrdinare your choices of things to see Thomas, one of two children, who understands this journey as the basis for his round the world, from west to east ... a little 'a Christopher Columbus the contrary!
In the role of reporter Cristina, the mother-teacher with the ball of writing.
Francis, sister of Thomas, and father Paul, have played the role of disilvolti and pleasure travelers.
Many things remain in my mind and heart: the Castelo Sao Jorge, the Oceanarium, Belem, the cathedral of Sè, the electric tram ... but especially the people!

 

Here we go!!

We depart from Rome in the early afternoon with a heart swollen with emotion because Portugal is the first stop on our trip around the world (!?)
Yes, it is a great goal, but our son Thomas certainly does not scare the immensity goal: he wants to see, wants to know, want to touch ... not for nothing called Thomas! And while we must begin somewhere, even to reach the more ambitious targets.
The rest of us, me, my husband, our son Paul and the other - and twin brother of Thomas - Francis, We support more than willingly!
After a pleasant flight about 2 ½ hours, during which I read Saramago and Pessoa, just to enter the atmosphere Lusitanian will dock at Lisbon airport, modern, clean and clearly marked on the outside of which we jump on a bell'autobus yellow number 91 which, in less than no time - the city center is about 8 miles or so - along a long avenue accompanied by pretty houses and a lot of green, brings us close to our hotel, the Mundial in square Martim Muniz, center.
Ditch the luggage hastily, we leave for our first exploration terrra Portuguese.
We walk without an itinerary, specific to Praça do Commercio, an ancient city gate, right overlooking the river Tagus Tejo for the Lusitania and soon we remain fascinated by the atmosphere relaxed and friendly atmosphere that we breathe.
Lisbon is a city that can not remain indifferent: the sounds, smells, people, language ... all music wraps you in a unique and engaging.
Most of the roads and sidewalks are covered with a mosaic of pebbles - sometimes dangerously slippery! - Which give a better sense of taste and clean.
As the houses and buildings, including the shops there random alternation between the modern and shiny-vecchiotto-dusty.
We noticed a lot of shoe shops truly impressive c'avranno stares, 'sti Lisbon! Mah!?
Tempting shop windows of pastelerias, a bit old-fashioned, but greedily stuffed with bread, pastries and sweets various fabulously good-looking, a must try!
Loitering for Chad, ancient and fascinating neighborhood where the remains enthroned dell'Igreja do Carmo, remains among the few to witness the dramatic earthquake of the 700's which then gave life to the urban reorganization of the city, where no shortage of squares and the characteristic angles, like the bar where you sit ... Pessoa himself, ready to be photographed with anyone who cares!

Discovering the New Lisbon

After a gargantuan breakfast at the hotel, we plan our expedition Oceanarium, in the most new and modern Lisbon.
We could take the metro, the stop is right on the Piazza del Mundial, stop Martim Muniz, but we opt for the bus 708, to have the opportunity to see other parts of the city, maybe fewer tourists, but more truthful.
A wonderful thing, and that in my opinion he's genial!, Bus ticket do the drivers themselves, who do not give you many tickets as there are people who go up, but a sort of slip-sheet: you save on paper and you avoid the "Portuguese"!
A Lisbon guide all in a "sport", while respecting the rules and good manners, this also applies to taxis and buses!
We enjoy some less touristy areas of the city and discover the new world, full of exotic and interesting faces, in a continuous succession of different sights from a Posillipo Bay, from euro to Jamaica, from Primavalle in Brookline. Even the language, so exotic music plays an important role in creating this atmosphere changing.

Dock at the terminus of the 708, the foot of a bridge over the Tejo mega: it is the Vasco da Gama bridge, built for Expo 98. as you said after a taxi driver kindly, some Silvio Da Silva, is 17 kilometers long, of which 12 are suspended on the water! It's really impressive, as is also impressive the river is so wide that it seemed a lake!
We walk to the Parque de Naçoes and see you surrounded by green lawns and tasteful, palm trees, fountains and runners: a sort of Central Park de 'Nos Otros! We're a little 'far dall'Oceanario, but not a bad thing, this allows us to explore at will and find a ... CABLE! Who expected it? Jump aboard dell'ovovia and in the blink of an eye in the area that come to us! During the trip, just to pass the time while flying over the Tagus, greet the occupants of the other booths and we all respond!

At the entrance of 'Oceanário we are greeted by a nice sub, a Vasco, who guides visitors to discover animals and plants that inhabit this place truly remarkable: there is a great central basin where swims a lot of fish from barracuda fish moon, the manta yellow fin tuna ... a true wonder! But there's more: many sections devoted to the various habitats on the planet with animals hard to find otherwise, like the Magellanic penguin or sea otter.
This is the fish moon!

One aspect that I really liked is that the walls are pieces of stories and poems by Portuguese authors and writers: a true balm for sensitive souls, who will find new life in the train and subway stations (!)

This neighborhood designed and built to the 'Expo 98 is really very nice, well cared for! Beautiful buildings, beautiful gardens, the inevitable azulejos beautiful, beautiful shops and malls, beautiful underground station - where it appears less graffiti half! --
All modern and functional, but never frantic and anxiety (!)



Walk towards the Estação de Oriente we encounter swarms of boys with wigs and eyes improbable bilayers ... WE ARE IN Lisbon TOKIO HOTEL IN CONCERT! Francis was fascinated by the thing, but managed to divert his attention by moving to the shopping center where, among other things, also buy a ball Benfica!
Balloon that you can not help but try out just landed in Praça Martim Muniz, where it is suddenly a little game with children Lisboa, with which it is immediately friendship power of football!


The evening is all'Alfama, the old neighborhood - once infamous - of fado, with narrow streets in a succession of ups and downs breathtaking. This we can achieve on board the legendary tram 28: a real step back in time!
What style! Que encanto!
It is the evening's final of the European Football Championship (still football !...); Portugal, as well as Italy, was thrown out, but plays its neighbor Spain - icy against Germany - and everyone is glued to TVs, some in a square, those inside the restaurants, some on the balcony of the house.
We follow with a healthy, but curious detachment while we have dinner in a nice restaurant with a backdrop of fado, sipping delicious vinho verde, and we rejoice with others when at last the victory goes to the Mediterranean España!

Castelo Sao Jorge and Alfama

Attempts to reach Sintra, the nearby town in the Sierra and fabulous, but there is a problem on the railway line, so we opt for the Castelo Sao Jorge.

Castelo, with old village adjoining, it is really very beautiful and special, and was built by the Moors, who with bold hydraulic works, did you get so much water - they give testimony to the wells and fountains in the park of the castle itself - and will convey also hot water springs in the area - it seems that the Alfama derives its name from Al-Hammar, warm waters in Arabic - in order to enjoy full-baths.

From this height you can enjoy a view really, dare I say, to scream!
It is also very nice stroll through the alleys of the village, with lots of delicious craft shops, where chickens are full of Barcelos symbol of Portugal, and friendly people, always ready to smile.
We also find a tasty wine bar, where it seems to be regular customer Valentino Rossi, who always makes us a detour when he raced at Estoril and where we become captivated by the Portuguese tapas and sangria.
Going down to Praça Do Comercio, following the tracks of the usual 28, we come across the Cathedral, called the Self.
It is a medieval building solid, but not threatening. The interior is majestic and at the same time very inviting.
The font seems to be one in which was named St. Anthony of Padua what we call (...) but in reality it would be "from Lisbon."
Here in Lisbon, and all'Alfama in particular, is a great celebration for the day dedicated to him on 13 June, the lanes there are traces of shiny and colorful decorations prepared for the occasion. Apparently this is considered the real Valentine's Day, during which we became engaged and we exchanged promises of eternal love.
Dinner is still here, where peep from many quarters appealing family-run cafes: tonight you choose a niche where do sardines Assad, roast, really delicious!, Without making us miss various tastes and desserts. We found that Lisbon have a very special care for sweets: they know just enjoy life, no doubt about it!
Epicurean view of life now, we take the taxi back to the hotel ... among other things, we discovered that it is also more convenient public transport!

Belem and Cascais

Behind the urgent request of Thomas, we left for Belém.
This time we Scarrozza the friendly taxi driver Silva da Silva, above, who rode well, in fact, also tells us a lot of things: where are the Docas, a former arsenal of the river now occupied by luxurious restaurants and noisy nightclubs, which in Praça do Commercio facing many ministerial offices and the City of Lisbon, which even here are trying Inciucio and fraud against the state.
Along the way we work also shows the station Cais do Sodre, the Ministry of Education, with gigantic display panels on projects to promote reading - my bread as they are, alas, a teacher - and the residence of the President of the Republic, the Quirinal Lisbon.

Arrive at the foot of the tower almost without realizing it, and we warmly greet you with Silvio taxi driver: we are increasingly taking the habits and attitudes Lusitanians! ...
From the pictures I have seen on several guides consulted, I imagined more impressive, but I must say that the Tower of Belem is very beautiful, unusual and unique taste. In this period onwards, but we did not understand why, was adorned with a sort of necklace that gives it a touch too ethnic.

Entering we find a ... RHINO! Yes, a stuffed rhino, which seems to have been a bit 'the mascot of the Tower. It seems that, in Portugal, led by one of the many expeditions in distant India, was saved from a terrible storm right near the Tower. His profile was also depicted on a ridge outside of the tower itself.

The interior of the tower is a bit 'bare, but there are many ancient weapons close the loopholes that seem just ready to shoot and always holding a great fascination for the little ones!
I am impressed by schoolchildren on a trip that follows a very good animator intent on explaining the story of the tower on a big colorful big book - and for a while 'I'm going to follow, too - these teachers still in service ... under the eye puzzled the soul itself.

How many stairs - uncomfortable! -'s Wrong 'is tower!
But rewards us with some breathtaking views, making gazed up the ocean: how wonderful!

After the Tower of Belem We can not escape the Monument to the Discoveries, the great pride of the Portuguese people, so we head towards another wonder who is the Monasterio dos Jeronimos, a building massive and complex, which affects especially the cloister, Recently restored and decorated with bows, lace marble, ceramic tiles, steps, flower beds ... remarkable.

In a room upstairs there's a show with several portraits of Portuguese kings and dignitaries of the past, but especially a large circular panel with a synoptic historical framework that compares the history of the monastery, that of Portugal and the world, then from 1400 to the present.
Upon leaving we witnessed a demonstration for the feast of the Police - we realized that the Portuguese are very attached to this place, the monastery, and here play big parades and events: the signing of Accession to the European Union was put into this place !

Here arises our stomachs, despite the usual mega breakfast hotel, announces its emptiness and started to grumble ... This time we have to Mc Donald - yes, there is also here !...-
But the lure of the sea is always stronger: Cascais arriviamoooo!
At the station in Belem speditissimo clean and take a train to the coast and, without any nostalgia for memories of Savoy, we arrive at the town of Cascais, with its neat streets, its shops "Amalfi", its beaches lined with rocks and wet water transparent as we would like to pause for a bit 'more!
Has a charm a bit 'Victorian, very British, with its beautiful villas overlooking the sea with the curved roof reminiscent of both the English countryside or the suburbs of London: it is seen that the British had chosen as their vacation destination these shores Lusitanians and that there were exactly right, and not only for the goalkeeper who apparently had "invented" their own!
We're back on the train clean and quiet - there's always a lot of control! - And in half an hour we are at the Cais do Sodre station, on the walls of which frisk, chronic laggards busy ... so many Alice's White Rabbit to take the metro, linha green, which will bring us back to our hotel:

We get dressed up for our last night here - sigh! --
To greet Lisbon dell'Alfama choose a restaurant where they play and sing the legendary fado!
We choose the Tasquinha and immediately snaps sympathy with Jose - sung, master entertainer - Luisa, singer and their carers with guitar!
It is a very special evening: we enjoyed a superb bacalau and tasted Port herd and enjoy the fado, the music so special that you can make your own, even if you do not understand all the lyrics.
The end we also dedicate a song - in Italian! - Just for us, for our anniversary and so did the other customers are doing their utmost in the Tasquinha wishes and congratulations! How nice heat Portuguese! Must also contagious!

ùltimo dia... The last day

Since our plane leaves in the afternoon, the morning is all for us and I do not want to waste even a second! I get up early and go out alone, while others are still snoozing.
That clean air and sparkling! And I among Lisbon Lisbon! Just what I like about traveling: mix to a normal life, ordinary, everyday. For starters I go to a pastelaria and I taste a good garodo
A kind we spotted very good coffee, along with those who make breakfast before going to work.
My eyes travel along the Praça Rossio, with its beautiful mosaic floor, bars, pastry shop with awnings, his shoe - yes! -, His banquets with men who plasticize the documents - by hand! --
I am surrounded by people who are going to the office, but there is the frenzy that is felt by us, at eight o'clock in the morning when people are already on the brink of hysteria.
I take the paper free from a nice lady and I continue to wander, irresistibly drawn to ... the supermarket! How many unknown brands and specific products: fruit juices guarana, mango jelly, biscuits with figurines of Don Quixote, the ginginha, the typical delicious liqueur flavored Cereja (cherry) ...
What a pity not to make a mega shopping!

We found all four to the Rossio square, to capture the last images, to store a few memories ... but it is now time to get back on the road, after all Rome there is already a bit lacking '- these Romans who can not make a stand far from their only city! - And board a taxi sprint back over the Grand Avenue Almirante Gago Coutinho to the airport.
Hello Lisbon, próxima vez!