26-29 Aug: Lisboa
It was (un)fortunate that I didn’t arrive with my guidebook – it was in my suitcase, which apparently did not make it out of Boston Logan airport with me. So after a jetlag-curing nap and wash, I walked out of my hotel, looking to lift my spirits. I was happy to wander around, letting my eyes and a local tourist map guide me. I was to meet Nadine and Josh, two former landscape architecture students at Berkeley, at café A Brasileira on Rua Garrett by Praça Luis Camões. Known as the city of 7 hills, Lisboa offers several methods for elevating oneself, as I serendipitously discovered.
One of them, right outside Hotel Suiço Atlantico where I stayed, is Elevador da Glória. The narrow-ness of this street is deceiving. It actually fits 2 of these trams side by side, plus a bus stop, plus sidewalks on each side. A few minutes later, I reached the top of the hill in Bairro Alto, and then a short walk down the calçada sidewalk took me to Praça de Luis Camões. A Brasileira, with its tables and chairs sprawled over the largo, was teeming with people-watching, beer- and coffee-drinking, and smoking tourists and locals alike. Nadine and Josh arrived shortly after.
The next day I decided the airline’s negligence justifies my going shopping in the Chiada district (I did check with my insurance company). Walking there via Avenue de Liberdade, I was amazed that some streets, like this one, were so so narrow and others, like Liberdade, were so so wide. Since I was in no hurry (great thing about traveling alone), I took the least direct route – as long as I eventually get to the shops, might as well get to know the neighborhood.
My jaw literally dropped when Elevador Santa Justa appeared around the corner – I remembered reading it in the guidebook a week ago but had forgotten its location. Wanting to savour the thrill of discovery and focused on getting out of my 2-day-old clothes, I saved the trip up and continued.
After procuring my spoils, I headed to the waterfront at Rio Tejo, walking through the amazing Baxia calçada. (Even more amazing viewed from the top of the Elevador Santa Justa).
Crossing Praça do Comercio in the mid-afternoon sun gave me a headache! Note shopping bags. Thanks Nadine for lending me your clothes!
Most of the waterfront was closed off for construction. I walked down to the train station and the Mercado – not much to see except this view of the Ponte 25 Abril – hm… another similarity with San Francisco…
From the Mercado I felt brave and climbed up to Bairro Alto on foot. (I also did not know the Elevador de Bica was just a few blocks away.) Rua do Alecrim is an elevated street; it flies over Rua Nova do Carvalho 20-30 feet below.
Numerous escadas (staircases) up narrow cobblestone streets surpried the wandering tourist. This staircase up a Bairro Alto street…
…led to this!
Stopping to sit at Largo do Carmo, I looked around trying to decide where to go next. The alley along the side of the convent piqued my interest. I found myself at the top of the Elevador Santa Justa!
I hopped in… (ticket allows 2 rides, up or down)…
... saw the lines forming at the bottom, and quickly went back up!
… and wished Florian were there to share this view…
...and have an imperial (a small 20 cl glass of beer) with me!
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1 comment:
Wow, looks amazing. Am jealous. Saw a Wim Wenders movie sometime ago called LISBON STORY, that's the Portugal I have in my mind, and it's like your photos. Will reply to your other e-mail soon. "soon". Have allergies, am semi-depressed, have to go to bed now.
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