As an ardent fan of Viking river cruises, I’m in Portugal, with a cruise on the Douro coming up next week. First, though, are three days in beautiful, vibrant Lisbon.
Lisbon, Oct. 15. Etiquette for car service drivers: it is both appropriate and appreciated for the driver to inform the passenger (me) that my hotel in Lisbon was only a 15-minute drive from the airport. It is neither appropriate nor appreciated for the driver to remark – upon hearing that I was last in Lisbon at the age of 15 – that “it’s been a really long time since you were here, hasn’t it.” Some truths are best left unstated, but I tipped him anyway.
While waiting for my room to be ready, I took a peaceful early morning walk down to the Tagus river. Lisbon eats late and sleeps late, so between 7:30 and 9:00 on a Saturday morning I had the streets to myself. Heading out again in the late afternoon necessitated turning edgewise to get through a sea of pedestrians, dogs, and street vendors.
The hotel is on Avenida Liberdade, a boulevard lined with chi-chi stores (Rolex, Armani, Prada, etc.) and beautifully tiled sidewalks and plazas. The sidewalks merit mention because esthetics come at a price: the tiles are uneven, making walking (particularly after a sleepless overnight flight) less of an automatic experience than one might wish. Then there’s the beautiful Praça Rossio, tiled in a moire pattern that gives the impression that the ground is undulating.
Many buildings have partially tiled facades (blue seems to be a favorite) and intricate, wrought iron railings. At the center of most plazas stands a statue (often serving as a seagull’s perch) of a war hero or king, occasionally surrounded by a fountain. (Portugal has fought many wars, producing many war heros and a commensurate number of statues,) The main pedestrian route to the river passes under a stately arch before ending at large square (the Praça do Comércio) that’s home to the Beer Museum of Portugal, among other august institutions.
Day one in Lisbon culminated with a delicious dinner at a restaurant called A Gina, a spot patronized primarily by locals. The food was hearty and fine, the sangria refreshing, the staff attentive, and the company (friends Andy and Char, with whom I’m traveling) delightful.
PuffinlessTravel 