We purchased tickets on line for the 31/2 hour train ride from Porto to Lisbon. Travel guides and such can only give so much info and the scene at the train platform was a bit unexpected and disconcerting. There was a packed crowd waiting for the train and looked like we were not in a good situation to get a seat. So I walked a ways down the platform to a less crowded area. The train arrived and we quickly boarded to hopefully get a seat, and to our surprise, we got two relatively easily. Once we got going lots of people were milling around looking for seats and we were feeling quite relieved that we had found ours ... until, two British gals who had been wandering up and down the aisles for a bit, stopped next to us and shared that they think we were in their seats. Well they were right - the tickets had assigned seats and to many of the uninitiated who were wandering around the aisles or sitting in random unassigned seats, it created a bit of a situation. They showed us their tickets - initially, they did not know they were assigned either and thus they were amongst the aisle wanderers - and we apologized, vacated their seats, looked at the tickets for our assigned seats, walked two cars down and there were our seats, vacant and waiting for our arrival. Traveling by train is my favorite form and it was a joy watching Portugal pass by out the window. Their was a food and beverage car, the seats were comfy, and there was plenty of room for luggage. We arrived in Lisbon rested and ready for our final destination of our holiday.
After arriving at our hotel located in the older part of Lisbon, we went for a walk about. There were a lot of squares in the area as evidenced by the next few photos. This one was outside our hotel.
And this one was next to our hotel square. The black and white tile of Lisbon very much on display. It had warmed up quite a bit over the week and our time in Lisbon was in the high 80's and 90's - Ada with the weather appropriate fit.
This pedestrian avenue seemed a nice place to explore, lots of stores and people and restaurants cascading on the the walkway.
More tile work and outdoor eating.
Street cars adding to the aura of the area.
And after a bit of walking we came upon this impressive looking gate, obviously introing something to someone.
A part of the gate complex.
Ada outside the gate.
The gate opened onto, yes, another square .......
.... and the bay, or more precisely, the mouth of the Tagus River. So the giant gate was basically welcoming, rather impressively, visitors from wherever via the Atlantic and into the Tagus, to the city of Lisbon - once one of the wealthiest and powerful cities in the world.
Yes, Jesus overlooking the city, just like Rio via the Portuguese!
Our first night dinner. We splurged and went to an old, well known, Lisbon establishment recommended in the guide book. It was a bit over the top as far as the service went but decent food and a lovely outdoor setting opening up to, yes! another square. We got paela type of dishes.
So this was interesting. Our hotels in Braga and Porto did not have a breakfast included, which was actually nice as it got us out and to the cafe's for breakfast which we ended up really enjoying. We did not get much, typically a pastry or two and a coffee or two. Well, the hotel in Lisbon did have a breakfast included and my "American buffet mentality" kicked in as evident in my double plate collection of items. Croissant, two rolls, ham and cheese sandwich, cold cuts, cheese and pickled vegetables, tremendously good oranges - so dense and flavorful. I ate it all, no problem, but so much, especially considering that for each morning I had only had a pastry and coffee and was totally fine. Anyway, just an interesting reality about my personal eating culture.
The square from the window of our breakfast perch.
Good thing I fueled up because we ventured out on a day trip to the town of Sintra, one of the more well known tourist sites in the Lisbon area AND another UNESCO World Heritage site!!
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