Lisbon Part 2

My first foray into Lisbon proper was by taxi as I was on a mission.  I had bought a universal adapter at home in preparation for Europe, but didn’t realize until I got to Portugal that it does not work for a 3-prong plug.  That meant no computer and that wasn’t going to work.  There is a communal workspace along the shore in Belem so I asked the woman who worked there if she knew of where I could get a new adapter.  She was kind enough to write down the location of a store in the mall downtown and I was on my way.

After a frantic search at FNAC, the regional version of Best Buy, I found the adapter.  A quick lunch in the small 3-story mall and I left it to look around the area while I was there.  There is so much to see in the city. The place crawls with people and cars navigating the narrow, hilly streets.  Wandering aimlessly (what I do best), I found my way to this huge courtyard by the pier.  Despite being able to see the suspension bridge that I’d walked under on my first day, I quickly discovered that there was no way to walk a straight line along the pier.  There were too many breaks for traffic diversions and entrances to boat docks.  It’s either take a taxi or public transport to get to Belem from Lisbon.

Speaking of which, my wandering led to the Cais do Sobre station, the end of the green line of the Lisbon Metro.  The station also houses a few cafes, shops, entrance to both the Metro (underground) and the above train lines, as well a decent sized grocery store.  How convenient is that?  You’re on your way home from work or coming back from a day trip and can easily pick up dinner before jumping on the train.  No cars needed; just be sure you have your grocery bags with you.  It’s the first thing the cashiers ask before they ring you up.

With the help of yet another nice lady who saw me staring at the ticket machine in confusion, I managed to buy a ticket on the above ground train.  Three stops later, I was in Belem again, purchases in hand.

I said before that I didn’t have any solid plans for my time in Lisbon.  What I did have was a vague idea of things I wanted to do.  I thought of taking the train to the nearby city of Porto as another new home candidate or maybe take a day trip to Sintra for some sightseeing.  Unfortunately the weather didn’t always want to cooperate.

While it was sunny the first few days I was there, it soon turned for the worst.  Monday was just awful.  It was windy, rainy, and cold.  I was out in it for about an hour before I called no mas.  I admit it; I’m a weather wimp.  Though there were plenty of people still out wrestling with umbrellas and trying to avoid getting splashed by passing cars, I had to return to the apartment.  I hated to do it but there’s only so much I can take.

With the extended travel plans scrubbed, I was still determined to learn the train/underground system since getting back from Lisbon the first time was so easy.  I purchased a 3-day Lisboa Card from this mirrored kiosk near the park.  This grants you access to all public transport and museums – a good deal.  There is also a rechargeable Viagem card for the trains, but the Lisboa Card is nice to have since you don’t have to wait in line to recharge it.

Once the weather cleared up again, I was back on the train to Cais do Sobre.  From there, it’s a short walk downstairs to the underground.  My mission this time was to find the Hard Rock Café.  I’ve collected the shirts for years and couldn’t miss out on Lisbon.  The restaurant is located on Rua du Avenida where you’ll also find all the chi-chi stores like Fendi and Mark Jacobs.  There’s also a Lidl grocery store along with still more restaurants and cafes. 

A later visit to the city also revealed a really nice park at the end of the street.  I loved that park and the fact that the city is built with so many places to just sit and chill.  You might have to walk six miles to get there but the atmosphere is worth it.

My last full day in Lisbon was a local one.  One of the museums near the apartment was the Monsteiro dos Jeronimos, an ancient monastery that always had a huge line out the door to enter.  I thought to go there on that yucky Monday morning except all museums are closed on Mondays.  This day turned out sunny so I got in line.  Expansive and gorgeous, you can feel the age of the place when you enter.

I highly recommend coming to Lisbon at least once.  Some hints: do not rent a car there.  The drivers are a little … um … insane and there’s nowhere to park.  You are much better off on foot or on one of the scooters or bikes that are parked all over town.  Noise levels can be … challenging.  I knew from my research that the walls of apartments can be pretty thin.  I can attest to that as I could hear every person walking outside my apartment as well as the neighbors next door with their screaming baby.

I deliberately chose to visit Lisbon at the tail end of winter/beginning of spring because I wanted to know what those seasons were like (I’d been spoiled for far too long with the mild winters in Georgia).  The city forces you to get outside on foot – a much different thing than being in a car all day.  The rain and wind are rough being near the water and there’s always the risk of tripping on wet tiled walkways.  Even with the dodgy weather, there were plenty of tourists about.  Come summer I’m sure the place will be insane with all the noise and festivals.

Still, I like Lisbon.  I know it’s only my first stop on the new home search, but I’m impressed enough to consider it a candidate.  Don’t know if I can afford it or what the rest of the year will bring, but I look forward to returning there.