Looking at Porto from the edge of the Ponte de D. Luis I bridge
As 2019 drew to a close, I thought I needed to get away in January again. Somewhere warm would be nice, but warmer than Washington, D.C. was all I needed. It looked like I would go solo as well, which made the short notice planning much easier. I thought about Morocco since I have not been to northern Africa, but I didn’t know enough about it and didn’t want to do much research. I settled on Portugal since a friend of mine had just been there in the past few months and it had a lot of buzz anyway.
There are no direct flights from the DC airports to Lisbon, so I settled on a hodgepodge trip leaving from National Airport to Newark and then Lisbon, returning via Heathrow to Dulles. While in Portugal, I opted for only one night outside of Lisbon, in the northern city of Porto, which came highly recommended (though on research seemed most famous for its meat consumption and Port wine, no great motivations for me).
As the days approached, I watched the weather closely. At one point the forecast was for rain every day; by the time I was ready to leave, it was actually supposed to be nice most of the time, with overnight lows in the low 50s and highs right around 60F. That also made packing easier, as I planned on taking only a small carry on bag and a back pack. Even those weren’t full despite all my running gear.
Getting there:
The only pretrip drama was some nagging achilles tendon discomfort in my left ankle and an exposure to influenza B from my very last patient the Friday afternoon before I left, who, of course, was not wearing the mask we told him to wear when I walked into the exam room, and who had also had his flu shot (spoiler - I did not get sick). I cruised an easy 10 mile run Saturday morning. It is very easy to get to the airport via Metro, and I was through security and to the gate 55 minutes after leaving my apartment.
The plane at National had a mechanical problem that took an extra 30 minutes to fix, but I had plenty of time to wait at Newark. It was unseasonably warm everywhere on the east coast and very windy, so the terminal was warm and there were some delays. They announced our plane to Lisbon was not flyable and needed to be replaced, and that resulted in a nervous 90 minute delay and a gate change, but then we were off. It was not crowded at all, and I had two side seats to myself. I didn’t watch any entertainment and tried only to sleep. Not much sleeping was accomplished, but I wasn’t too tired when I got to Lisbon.
Everything went smoothly at the airport, and I was able to score an installed SIM card and set up from a Vodafone booth there for only 15 or 20 euros on my old phone. I wanted it mostly to be able to use google maps while walking around and running since the city seemed confusing. It was a very wise move. I took the Metro into the city - it was only 5 miles from the airport to my hotel, but there was no easy way, so the Metro was easiest and cheapest. I only spent 15 euros on a card and it worked the whole week for buses and trains.
I had the usual trouble getting my bearings on arriving at street level at the Marques de Pombal Metro stop. My hotel was very convenient to there and the tour bus stops, so I had chosen wisely. They stowed my bags and gave me a map with ideas about what to do.
Sunday, January 12th:
It was an absolutely beautiful day, though a bit brisk, so I decided to go to the most photogenic area, Belem, which is not reachable by Metro. It required catching a bus. The desk clerk tried to explain where to go to catch that bus, and it sounded easy, so I didn’t pay much attention and he didn’t describe it well. I ended up going to the wrong stop (it was just for the 727 at night. Fortunately some guides who were there finally asked me what I was doing waiting there and told me where to wait.). While there I’d been hassled for several minutes by a sunglasses salesman. He was like a horsefly. The proper stop was only about 100 yards away and the bus came just as I arrived. I got a seat; by the time we got to Belem about 30 minutes later it was packed.
Belem is a popular tourist area, with lots of shops, restaurants and cafes, and a few museums as well as the large former Monastery. The major landmark is the Torres de Belem, the Tower of Belem, which was initially used to monitor the harbor and control ship traffic, but at later times was a prison and office space. It is not impressively large or ornate, but it looks nice where it is and draws a good crowd. I headed over there, crossing the streets and parks between the bus stop and the river/seaside (the Tagus River officially becomes the Atlantic Ocean just past the Tower). There is an impressive statue/monument to the exploring tradition of the Portuguese at the waterside. From there it was a longer walk than one would think to the Tower, right along the waterfront, but having to go back inland because of a marina or two. I passed a small shop selling the popular and renowned Pastel de Natas, the sweet of choice in the country. It looked like a good place to eat lunch later.
The Monastery, 2. A park with a nice fountain, 3. The Monument to the Explorers, 4. Looking upstream in the river on the waterfront.
I took a few photos at the Tower and then walked past it. There was a war memorial with guards marching from guard post to guard post every 30 minutes with hardly anyone watching, and then a huge, very interesting building that was at least partly an auditorium. The touristy waterfront area ended about there.
I walked back on the waterfront and got my lunch, a smoked salmon wrap and a pastel de nata (they are made of a thick, sweet custard in a flaky crust). it was good enough. There was an elevated walkway I took over the tracks and roads and then saw signs for a museum of contemporary art, the Museo Colcao Berardo. It was only 5 euros to get in. It was really nice, with many strange sculptures. After I left, I tried briefly to find the Pastels de Belem recommended by one of my patients, but I had no luck. While I was in the museum I got the aching fatigue that hit me during the day I arrived at Ireland in September, and I decided to call it a day. I found the return bus stop for the 727, but it took about 30 minutes for a bus to come (4 #728s went by while I was waiting).
I found the hotel easily this time and got fully checked in by a different chap. The room was nice, though small and basic, on the 6th floor above the street. I laid down with my feet up and posted to instagram and sent some emails quickly before deciding to risk a nap. I didn’t fall asleep but felt really disoriented for a few minutes and then gave up. I got dressed and went out for a stroll and to find some food. I walked down the main street, the Avenida de Liberdade. It is very wide, with a large central walking area, a bit like Las Ramblas in Barcelona, except there was absolutely nothing happening on it. It takes a while to get to the happening areas, and I wandered through several narrow and hilly neighborhoods before coming out on a plaza in an area called Restauradores. I kept wandering. There were street performers drawing crowds there, but I was not interested in giving attention to attention-seekers. There is another area where cars are restricted and there were white things hanging from lines above the walkways, with dining areas in the street. I finally stopped for dinner at a nearly empty place that had a nice looking assortment of baked goods and some seafood dishes. It ended up not being good - bland food, expensive and the desserts all tasted several days old (I bought two to go as well). It was a beautiful night and I enjoyed the walk, though I had to get around shows by the same street performers I’d passed in the other part of the city. There was a large crowd outside one building on a narrow street - it was for a Madonna show. She apparently is living in Portugal part of the year. The crowd broke into a version of “Like a Prayer” as I walked past while a film crew recorded them. I couldn’t wait to get back to listen to my iPod to get that song out of my head!
Monday, January 13th:
I went to bed early and spent 10 hours in bed, though I was awake a bit from time to time. It got light out earlier than I thought so I was able to get out running on a good schedule. I had plotted a route through a series of parks, but I couldn’t find the transition to the third park. I stopped a few times to take photos and kept going the general direction I wanted to and found a curvy path on the other side of a bridge. On my way back I found the path I’d missed and managed to get back to the first park more or less by accident, spotting an outdoor gym on the way.
The hotel had a nice buffet for breakfast for 10 euros. I ate way more than I usually would because I planned to be out touring all day on one of the hop on and off bus tours. The stop was nearby, and I was able to pay at the hotel and get a voucher. The guides at the bus stop I’d waited at incorrectly the day before got me all set up. I got on the bus and no one said anything other than I was in the right bus. It turned out there was an audio program and headphones we had to have. I figured it out, finally getting the channel to English, by the second stop. No one seemed to get out, even as we passed the third stop, a scenic overlook with a nice view of the city. I decided to get out at stop 4, which was the first stop on the waterfront. I was the only one.
Buildings on the waterfront with a view of the Praca de Comercio with the Castel de St. Jorge on the hill overlooking it, and the main arch.
I continued to wander around and decided to go to stop #6 on the tour to get back on the bus. I couldn’t find that stop, so I walked to stop #7 and couldn’t find that, either. I finally gave up and went back to the arch, where I was pretty sure I could find stop #5. I did, and it wasn’t long until the small bus came by. I was able to get a seat and get plugged in. This driver at least talked, but I am not sure to whom (the audio through the system was prerecorded and prompted by the driver as we approached the area. She was talking the entire time, but I could not tell who might be listening). We went all around where I’d just been and then up the hill to the Castel de S. Jorge, and I got off there. There were no signs or instructions anywhere. I paid .5 euros to pee in a public restroom, then I heard a man telling three men the direction of the Castel. I headed there, and I saw a street sign saying it was a right turn. That road was a steep hill, so I walked up it and noticed a restaurant with a sign saying, “Healthy Food.” I went inside. There was a small family eating at a table outside, but the inside was empty. Then a pretty young woman came in. I asked her how it worked and she got me settled at a table. She was the lone employee and had only been in Lisbon 4 months from Brazil. I ordered a bean salad without sausage and lupins and olives with a fresh lemonade. It was delicious. Lupin beans are really good, with waxy skin. She told me to go up the road and I would find the gate to the Castel where I could pay.
I forgot to show them my tour bus ticket, which was supposed to get me a discount, but it was only 10 euros to get in. There were a bunch more restaurants and street performers up there. The gate was nice and it opened into a beautiful park area, with old stone walls and isolated trees. I would have loved to spend the day there. The views of the city were great and I loved walking all over the grounds. The walls had been restored and it was well done. There were enough people to get in your way at times, but overall it felt unhurried. They had one area cordoned off for an archeological dig, but otherwise we got to wander all over. I was able to find a free bathroom before leaving, which was great, because I had a long wait for the bus again.
The first shot is the bus stop and the road I had to walk up;, then the garden/plaza I loved at the Castelo de S. Jorge; various views then of the walls and city from the Castel.
The bus finally came and many people got off. The driver never said a word and zoomed back through the city, with only one stop, and then to the circle at the Marques de Pombal. I got out and walked north of the circle to see that neighborhood, It appeared to be more of a business area rather than touristy, but it was nice to wander around and I got back after about 45 minutes. After my emails and instagram posts, I went to the desk to ask for dinner advice and discuss getting the train on Wednesday, as I couldn’t figure out which station had trains to Porto. She got me squared away with the trains, but the restaurant around the corner didn’t open until 7, and it was 6:30, so I wandered around and just happened on one the clerk the day before had recommended. It wasn’t the same name, but it was ok and at least it had something with “vegetable” on the menu. I got grilled sardines (ah the bones!), a vegetable soup (these always seemed to be pureed veggies), and a dessert that was frozen solid but a really good sorbet once it melted, all for a third less money than the night before. it had been a long day and I was glad to get back and get ready for bed.
January 14th, Tuesday:
I ran roughly the direction I had walked on Sunday evening, through the tourist areas, past the arch and to the waterfront. There was a lot of construction, so I had to dodge a bit back and forth, but managed 5 miles, coming back a slightly different way.
The weather was not supposed to be as nice, with rain in the afternoon, so I planned to go the Oceanarium/Aquarium and the area around it, which was a park designed and built for a world’s fair gathering in 1998. I missed the sign for the yellow subway line and traversed the entire station before getting back to it, and then connected to the red. The train was modestly crowded and most of the people got off at the Oriente stop with me. Turns out that station is also the main station for trains to Porto, so I would make the same trip the next day. It connects directly to a large shopping mall that was pretty crowded. The far side of the mall opens onto the waterfront, which was very wide open. It had a gondola that went from one end to another, a huge stadium just for concerts and entertainment, and then on the southern end was the Oceanarium. There were large enclosed bodies of water interspersed. It was windy and cloudy, but I went for a stroll at the waterside on a pretty empty walkway to the Oceanarium. My timing was good as it just started to rain when I got there.
I’ve been to lots of aquariums, and this one was one of the nicer ones. It had a jaw-dropping video exhibition called “One” in a corridor with 5 large video screens on each side that showed immersive undersea footage mixed with humans talking about the ocean. I stayed for the whole thing, which was probably 25 minutes long, but most of the people just wandered through. From there I took a walkway across to the main building.
The main building used an interesting concept - it had a huge central tank with lots of little corner ecosystems and many varieties of fish and other sea life swimming around. There were hallways all around it on several levels with lots of viewing points, and on the outside of the hallways were smaller exhibits (frogs, jellyfish, etc.). Then there were large open exhibits with birds, penguins, and then sea otters, which were so cute it hurt to watch them. After I was done there, I went back across to the first building and ate lunch at the cafeteria, where they had a three course meal for just 10 or 12 euros: nice veggie soup, then veggie lasagna (good) with potatoes and white rice (STARCH!). It also included a runny chocolate mousse.
Fueled up, I went to the last exhibit, which was a series of aquariums designed by a now deceased nature photographer from Japan who also studied growing different plants in aquariums. They were beautiful but also very crowded and noisy. It was still raining, so I went to the store but didn’t buy anything.
It had stopped raining, so I went for another stroll on the waterfront. It looked ominous, so I headed then for the mall and made it time again to avoid the rain. The very first store inside was an Amorino, one of the best businesses in the world. I got four flavors of sorbetto in a medium cup and savored it while taking a rest. Then I wandered the shopping mall looking for possible gifts but came up empty. I took the Metro back downtown but got off two stops before mine and wandered around that area before walking back, returning right around 4pm.
The night before I had stopped at a place just across the street from the hotel, even going inside, to find no one around. I waited a little later this night and went there again as they had one or two nice vegetarian options. When I walked in (the restaurant was below street level), there was a lone man eating at a table to the right. A host came out and I said, “One for dinner?” He said, “Yes, “ and gestured for me to go over to a nice table on the side near the only other person there. I had not even made it there before another man walked in and said, “Dinner for one?” I thought to myself, smiling, this was the lonely guy’s place to dine on a Tuesday night. I had a bowl of vegetable soup (this item was on nearly every menu and was nearly identical, with the only difference the type of bread they served with it), a very tasty pasta with vegetables, and a dessert that was a creme brulee parfait (it seemed every restaurant had their desserts premade and available quickly, but all nearly frozen solid. This was delicious anyway). The server had just taken the dishes away when the door opened and a huge crowd came in. I was probably 5 minutes from leaving at that point, but while the 50-60 people got to tables and got drink orders and some starters, dinner for one Terry waited over 30 minutes to get his check and leave. Overall it wasn’t terrible, but they were Americans and loud talkers. Must have been a huge tour group. After that I appreciated my 1 minute walk back to the hotel and an early bedtime.
January 15th, Wednesday:
I set out to do the run I had planned the first day and made it work. It was fun, and on the way back I stopped at the outdoor gym and did three sets each of pull-ups alternating with dips. I was pleased I could do a set of ten to start despite not doing many pull ups of late.
I ate my nice breakfast, packed and then took the Metro back to the Oriente station - all very easy, and got my ticket there without any trouble - 31 euros. It was a nice train and I had a seat in an uncrowded car. I’d taken an apple with me from breakfast and got a snickers at a store and ate them on the way. Once we arrived in Porto, I followed the crowd leaving to a pick up spot and didn’t see any taxis. I needed to get to the apartment I’d reserved for the day at 3 and it was now 2:52. I asked a guy driving by and he said taxis were on the other side - this was for Ubers and personal pick-ups. I made it over there and hired a taxi without trouble, but he did not speak any English. I had the printed address and he took me there in just a few minutes. I couldn’t get in, and waited outside a while. Finally I hit a buzzer button and the guy replied he would be right down - he was getting someone else settled.
Pedro was a nice guy with unfortunate breath. I still paid close attention to all the instructions, including taking out the garbage, and he had a great map with tips for what I could get done at that hour of the day. Since I was only there for a night, I needed to get moving. The weather looked grim, but he thought I had two hours before the rain would come. I was as ready for it as I could be.
The city is very pretty, with a good mix of the old and new, looking like a hilly Florence. I found the downtown quickly and passed the old train station on my way to the tower. The Clerigos Tower is part of a Catholic Church building complex that houses an old, lovely church and a museum filled with old furniture and information about earlier eras in Porto. I wanted to get to the tower top as soon as I could as it was supposed to rain soon, so I skipped some of the exhibits thinking I could come back (turns out I couldn’t). The climb was up narrow, twisty stairs, with an occasional person squeezing by on the way down. There were windows and a lower observation area that I thought was the top before finding an even narrower stairway to the top. It was raining and windy by then, but I took some photos and videos before heading back down.
The first view is from the lower deck. It is easy to see why I thought of Florence while I was here (it is much hillier, though). 2nd view is through the stone wall, and then last two from the top, in the rain.
A block or so from the tower is a famous bookstore that may have a Harry Potter connection. I did not go in (you have to buy a 5euro voucher you may spend on the inside in order to enter at all), but I noticed another Amorino there and got another 4 flavor medium cup and took a short break from the rain.
My plan now was to go to the river and then follow it to the famous Ponte de D. Luis 1 bridge, cross that and then see the city as the lights come on. On the way, I saw what I had been looking for for presents: a chocolate shop. I bought bars of Portuguese chocolate (made in Portugal with chocolate from Ecuador - they were delicious!!). The woman offered to put them in a special bag in case it rained more, but I said I didn’t need it (turns out, I did). From there I walked down the steep streets to the waterfront, arriving just as the rain started to pick up.
The first is a street scene, then looking back at the tower from near the book store, and finally the riverfront with the bridge in view.
I walked quickly, hoping to find some shelter at the bridge, but my pants were quickly soaked through and I had my cameras and the soaked bag of chocolates held precariously inside my goretex jacket. I crossed the bridge, but water was dripping from the other levels. Finally on the other side I gave in and took shelter under an overhang across the street from the bridge. While I was there, people came and went, getting picked up by friends or Uber drivers. It was now dark as the rain let up enough to let me venture back to my apartment to change. The first challenge would be getting up the hill from the river after crossing the bridge, then finding the street in the dark.
There is a walkway adjacent to the bridge on the Porto side that goes steeply up stairs mostly to the level of the rest of the old city. It took a while but was not very fatiguing. I had an idea where I was and started back, but I gradually lost confidence and began checking my phone in the dark and the rain. I kept just missing the place before finally getting on more familiar ground and getting to it. It was a very satisfying moment.
After drying out a bit (I did not have the heat on, but acquiesced with a space heater to help dry my clothes), I went out to get some groceries for breakfast and to get dinner. I wandered a bit, again in the dark and rain, finding Cafe Santiago, one of the places with a highly regarded version of the Porto staple, the Francesinha. There are many varieties, but it is usually several different seasoned or marinated meats with some cheese stuffed in a bread pocket and drenched with a flavorful gravy. My vegetarian self said, “When in Rome…” and got one as well as a vegetable soup. It was good enough, not epic, but filled me up (along with a piece of lime pie) enough for the long night in the apartment. There was a grocery store on the way back (clutch!) and I was able to get some muesli and two small bottles of kefir to eat it with.
Thursday, January 16th:
It was a noisy night. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was on a busy street. There was a frequent sort of groaning noise, like a plane flying overhead or someone pushing a heavy wheeled cart. Anyway, I ended up sleeping later than I planned and it was busy rush hour by the time I got out to run. Fortunately, my run came off great. I found the big new bridge and ran across it (windy, but nice, little bit squeamish as it is very high up over the Rio Douro). On the other side I took some photos then worked my way on side and back streets to the area of the old bridge and ran around that part of the town, picking my way among the pedestrians.
The view from the far side of the big new bridge (Porto de Freixo), then three shots from a small observation park near the Luis 1 bridge. The sides of the river were more like a gorge or canyon than most cities.
I ran across the top level of the bridge, which is reserved for pedestrians and the metro trains (I didn’t want to do much hill climbing), stopped at a church I’d seen the day before, and then was able to find my way back to the apartment by noting the landmarks I’d passed the night before in the rain.
I ate my cereal and kefir, cleaned up, and took the trash out. Porto, and it looked like Lisbon did this also, has dumpsters in every neighborhood, and the residents take their garbage to them. From there I walked with my luggage 10 minutes to the Sao Bento station, where, with a few queries, I was able to find the lockers. They had minimal explanation, but an old man came over as I was staring at the directions and explained it to me. It involved a deposit, then a code, then shutting your stuff inside. A code to open the door was then generated and you needed it to get the things back out.
The metro there was nothing like Lisbon’s. Here you had to pay in advance, and the fee was different for various zones, all referenced in tiny print on a long sheet. I peered hard at it for a long time before the guy next to me asked if I needed help. I tried to explain where I wanted to go and he spoke a bit of English. We sorted it out and it was around 2.5 euros to go to the station I wanted. He was coincidentally headed the same way, so we went through the station together and took the same train to the place where we needed to change trains. He was a sommelier from Italy in Porto to study the wines. He had enough time to go to one of the parks by the beach before heading back to Milan. I was able to take an earlier train since my route was shorted and we said arrivederci.
I needed some moments to get my bearings - thanks Google Maps - then set out on the walk to the Serralves Gallery, which was supposed to have one of the best contemporary art galleries. It was cloudy and windy with a constant threat of rain. Someone had told me it was only a 20 minute walk, but it was a legit 2+ miles. So, I was already a bit annoyed by the time I got there. On entering the building and confronting the desk for tickets, I had the sinking feeling I’d made a mistake coming out there. The male and female workers talked for a while, completely ignoring me, then unsmiling, told me how much it was (21euros!!), gave me no map or instructions and started talking again. The main installation, which took up most of the first floor and the basement, were portable chalkboard-like metal structures with garbage and the detritus of life - deflated basketballs, newspaper clippings, garbage, rope, and especially many polaroid photos, stapled or attached to them. Occasionally there was writing, with no translation, on them. I went through that as fast as I could, then looked for another exhibit and couldn’t find it. There was a video installation of a woman shouting in English lines from various movies, and the cafeteria, also on the second floor, was closed for a private function. So, I was done. It had only taken me about 20 minutes to see some of the worst art I’d ever seen. I at least went to bathroom, then left. The building is on a park-like grounds with trails and some outdoor art, but the majority was roped off and I was soon grumbling under my breath as I began my walk back.
I made it without getting rained on and caught the Metro to the Sao Bento station. I followed the instructions and paid the fee, but nothing happened. I did it again and again. Desperate, I tried a different coin and it worked! I took my stuff outside and took a cab, rather than try to figure out the metro again. I think it was 4 euros more and saved tremendous aggravation. I just missed the 1:40 train, so I had to wait an hour. I got a light lunch from a little coffee shop. It was an uneventful trip the rest of the way except for the Metro in Lisbon being jammed at rush hour. I now had to find my new hotel that was one stop farther on the line I had been relying on. It was dark, and google maps was not helpful. The station is at a junction of 5 or 6 roads, all of them curving in. The hotel was just out of sight, but I was very happy to find it, as I had to pee badly.
I went about a half mile down the road to a restaurant recommended by the front desk clerk, and it was good, but I was the only client the whole time. Aqua Bento promised traditional food. It was reasonably priced and very good. I had the family soup (bean), asparagus risotto (pleasantly citrussy), and a traditional pudding (very good). The host and server was a pleasant young chap and we chatted a lot of the time.
Friday, January 17th:
I had to get up early to run before a guided tour to Sintra, a nearby town of note. I’d noticed a little neighborhood just west of where I was staying that had straight streets with 90 degree intersections. It was so hard to get into that neighborhood and stay in it! I kept getting off course and into dead ends. But I eventually, with the help of my phone with internet, was able to do 5 miles, but it took longer than I’d planned, so I had to rush my prep and eat a quick breakfast (included) at the hotel (Hotel Sao Bento - very nice). The tour picked me up right on time in the lobby. We were in a minivan, with a family of three from Brazil in the back seat, me and two natives of Tajikistan in the second row, and the driver and another Tajik who spoke English shotgun. The guide was very nice and did a great job shepherding us where we needed to go. There was a lot of chatter and he had to speak in Portuguese to the people in the back and English to us. Then the woman in the front would translate to Tajik for her elderly mother. We got along well.
Sintra is a cute small city in the hills near the Atlantic coast. It is visited most because of the colorful and interesting summer palaces of the royal family built on a former monastery (Portugal had wisely banned the religious orders at some point in the 1800s) the king had taken a fancy to. We started in the town center, a junction of many roads and alley ways and with an big old building that housed the history museum for the town. Nothing other than a bakery had opened yet, and the guide advised us to get a special pastry famous in the region - like an eclair with powdered sugar instead of chocolate, and the custard had a mild apple flavor. I walked up and got my passes for the palaces and then wandered the photogenic streets until we reconvened.
From there we drove up to the Pena Palaces on a vertiginous number of twisty and narrow roads that seemed to double back to the downtown at least once. From the drop off point, it was a steep 500m walk up to the entrance to the palaces. The guide told us to go inside first and then take the outdoor photos. You are not allowed to take photos inside the palaces, but of course everyone was, and even right after the staff told them not to. And the shots were not even interesting! But I got through quickly - who cares about their bedroom furniture? You go to the Pena Palaces to photograph the exteriors, and they are spectacularly eye-catching and unusual. The original monastery portion was red, but yellow and gray enameled additions were added on with very different design principles. I went just about everywhere I could.
After going through the buildings, I went for a walk on the grounds. There were trails everywhere and I even got to the sides of the buildings on the steep other side. There were nice views of a fort on an adjacent hill.
It took a while to account for everyone, and I took advantage of a free toilet before we left. We drove back down the twisty roads and then to the coast. On the way we stopped for lunch at a restaurant popular with tour groups, The food was fine but it all took far too long.
The next stop was Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point on continental Europe. There was nice coastal scenery and a lot of people. There was also a monument for world peace which also has similar ones in other strategic spots around the world.
From there it wasn’t far to the “Mouth of Hell,” a rock formation along the coast with waves crashing through it. The tides were not that rough, but it was still interesting.
The final stop was Cascais, a seaside town with a scarcity of bathrooms, but once one was found, I had a nice ice cream with the Tajikistanis. This part could definitely be skipped if you are on your own, unless you want souvenirs (or ice cream). The ride back was not bad and then we were done, clocking in at 5:30.
There was a combination Indian/Italian restaurant a pleasant stroll up the hill from the hotel and I went there. The good thing about Indian food when you are alone is they get it to you fast, so I was not out late.
Saturday, January 18th:
It was raining hard when I got up, so I waited a bit to run. I wanted to run to the Tower of Belem, which I figured would be more than 10 miles. I finally set out and it rained most of the first 6 miles with wind in my face the whole way down as I tried to get on the running paths near the water, mostly failing. I took them on the way back all the way past the train station so it was easier to get back across from the waterfront and it ended up being 11 miles. It was a good accomplishment. Interestingly, it was an awesomely beautiful day by the time I was done running. I almost missed the free breakfast, but that was fine, and then I went to the 727 bus stop just down the street from the hotel to wait for the bus back to Belem. My mission was the monastery and the Pasteis de Belem.
I’d waited about 20 minutes for the bus when another bald guy called to me from across the street to see if that was the bus stop. He came over and we chatted a while, which was good, because I had to wait nearly an hour for the bus! He was an American from Portland, Oregon who had worked for various airlines over the years and then was let go in a cost cutting purge after the recession. He ended up in Vietnam teaching English and was in Lisbon on vacation. His chain smoking was annoying, but the time passed a bit quicker. The bus was already jammed when we got on. I worked my way to the back and got off a stop early by mistake. I enjoyed my walk down to Belem and saw the American again. He was opting to go to the Botanical Gardens first. I told him I was going to the Monastery. Turned out the Botanical Gardens were closed for maintenance, and I never saw him again.
I had to be reminded the tickets for the Monastery were down the street from their entrance. Included in the tour were two museums, one of archaeology that had finds from Lebanon, I think, or maybe Jordan, and there was also one on diamonds and gems. It passed the time, and then I went the Monastery. It was a disappointment, even on a beautiful day. It was lunch time, so I went to the Pasteis de Belem, which had a decent line, but there was a takeout section with no wait at all. I got two to go, planning to eat them in the botanical garden after I ate lunch. I found a nice, uncrowded restaurant with an impossibly cheap lunch that was quite good a block away. Then I found out the gardens were closed, and gave it the full effort, walking around the whole place looking for one open gate. So I went to a park across the street in Belem and forgot to add the cinnamon and sugar I got with them (!), but they were good.
At this point I was on the bored side. I looked for other things to do and found a museum, but it was for luxury carriages. So I waited another good bit of time for the bus back. I rested a bit when I got back and then remembered the outdoor gym. I walked up there with a camera and got a guy working out to video me doing 12 pull-ups and then did several more sets of other things. I was pleased and walked to some of the scenic overlooks in the park to take a few shots of the late afternoon sun. I could have done without this day, but I did get some exercise.
I went back to the restaurant I’d gone to the first night in this new neighborhood and was again the only customer despite the food being very good. The dessert was great - a pear in red wine sauce - super sweet.
I had to get up early Sunday to catch a taxi to the airport, which was very nice. I got more chocolate for presents and had an uneventful flight to London and then Dulles and an easy trip back from the airport.
TAKEAWAYS:
Traffic in Portugal is bad. Trains are OK.
The sidewalks are polished mosaics and very slippery and uneven. Made for slow running and tedious walking.
There are very few straight roads and it is not easy to walk around without a map.
The public transport in Lisbon was good, but the buses not dependable.
Food was not that expensive, but nothing was included and it was never an option to get tap water. Lodging is definitely available at a reasonable prince in January. The weather was a nice escape but not that great at this time.
https://youtu.be/1nKgIIunADM
That is the link to my video and slide show of the trip, only 10 minutes and has a voice over.