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!! The two primary sites and the Pena Palace and the remains of the Castle of the Moors. I spent the previous evening probing the Lonely Planet guide we had brought and thought I had it pretty well sorted. Started out with a train ride from Lisbon to the Sintra station, about a 45 minute trip.
The Castel of the Moors from the train station.
The area of Sintra has A LOT of other stuff to see, including the town itself in the background. It was the summer get away of the Portuguese aristocracy (up in the hills so cooler than Lisbon) so lots of lovely villas and palaces and such. I think the white one was one of the Portuguese royals summer palace.
It was sunny and quite warm, which would come into play a bit later. The guide book suggested getting their early in the A.M. and get in the typical tour in a half day before the afternoon heat kicks in, especially if planning to do the walking rather than hiring rides. Well we did the walking option and did not start out early in the a.m....
So pretty!! The view in the background is quite nice too.
In the park at the foot of the hill on which the Pena Palace was built. My shirt is appropriately soaked as we had opted for the walking option which was about 45 minutes up a fairly steep trail. It was quite nice with lots of views over the landscapes below but it was starting to toast up.
At the Pena Palace. It was a bit of a mish mash of various architectural styles from different parts of Europe popular in the late 1800's so has a rather unique look and thus its charm and popularity. AND my goodness - a photo op bonanza as Ada found out trying to pick the right shots for her posts.
You can see the different architectural styles in this one.
Photo op # .......
Darling - love how her butter yellow shirt matches this part of the palace.
Ada at the foothill of the Pena Palace girding up for her walk across the valley and up to the Castle in the background!
And then things began to get challenging as Ada's rather forced smile reflects. We left the Palace to walk down thru the valley separating it from the Moor's Castle. It was another 40 minute walk or so but the Portuguese summer Mediterranean climate afternoon heat had kicked in true to form. The walk thru the woods was OK as it was mostly in the shade. But .....
...... castles are devoid of trees so it was pretty blazing in the castle complex was quite massive so involved a lot more walking to get to all its parts.
Ada trooping on - might have been a tear behind those sunglasses - and rightfully so - of course I did not bring enough water and she was wilting. You can see in the background where we were headed - Ada powered on and made it despite the heat and dehydration - it was definitely nudging a 100*.
Lots of pretty amazing views. This one is of the town of Sintra dominated by one of the summer royal palaces. Way in the background is the Atlantic very close to the Strait of Gibraltar, which is one reason the Castle of the Moors was built in this spot. It availed them a look out for any Portuguese war ships making their way into Moorish territory at the time which was most of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal)
Across the valley sits the Pena Palace. This is one of the unique aspects that makes this venue so attractive - that the two sites face off each other on two peaks of the Sintra Mts with the valley below.
Made it - well done Ada.
Needed about five more of those water bottles!
Done - starting the venture back to Sintra - at least downhill and in the forested shade.
Ummmm and then there was this .... on the walk back down to Sintra from the castle .....
Yaayyy - there she is - hydrated and cooler back in the tourist shop area of Sintra.
Later that evening back in Lisbon, Ada got gorgeoused up, and we went for a stroll along the bay.
Lovely Mediterranean summer evening to match Ada's lovely smile.
And of course the Dubai chocolate trend shows up in one of the pastry shops!
Keeping our gelato streak alive.
Our final morning. In the square, outside our hotel, waiting for drive to the airport.
Yes, a doll hospital little shop.
Always fun on a holiday to have a few of the local currency left over so you can frivolously spend it in the airport. We opted to get a McDonalds item unique to Portugal - can't remember what it was. Ada modeling some wooden recyclable eating items.
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