From exciting and nerdy structural layouts we were led to our next feat of engineering; the Santa Justa Elevator designed by an apprentice of Gustave Eiffel. The elevator is used for public transportation and connects Baxia to Barrio Alto the lowest and highest points in the city. We climbed into the wooden elevator car and took the short trip up the 150 foot wrought iron masterpiece. The view from the top of the elevator was amazing. Below was a large square with the beautiful opera house and train station opening onto it and a wide promenade stretching to the blue waters of the Tagus River. The elevator was connected to the land by a short bridge leading past the ruined convent of Carmo. The church has undergone little restoration since it was destroyed in the earthquake and serves as a memorial for the victims of the disaster and also as an archeological museum.
From the convent we headed towards the river down one of the large pedestrian streets. We walked toward the large triumphal arch that opens onto yet another large square on the banks of the river. After a couple of quick photos Antonio led us into the narrow streets of one of the oldest districts of Lisbon. This particular area was spared from the earthquake and remains as it was hundreds of years ago. As we ventured deep into the maze of streets I was completely astonished as Antonio navigated through the labyrinth with ease. Many times I thought we were going into one of the houses and figured it must be one on his friends only to pop out of a tiny passageway into a little square with a cathedral and café. The walk was so entertaining that I hadn’t even noticed that we had been steadily climbing for about twenty minutes. Then all of a sudden the path opened and we were standing on top of a bluff with more amazing views of the city with the river below and a perfect blue sky with white puffy clouds above.
On top of the bluff is an ancient castle with little gardens and shops clinging to the high walls. While Gary was taking advantage of another of the great views from high atop the castle walls I took advantage of something not quite as beautiful but definitely as amazing, an ancient public urinal! Those Portuguese think of everything! From the castle I caught my first glimpse of the 25th of April Bridge. This beautiful suspension bridge spans nearly 1.5 miles and looks a lot like the Golden Gate Bridge. This is no coincidence as it was designed and built by the same company just a few years after the Golden Gate. In addition to the bridge I could also see a massive statue of Jesus with his arms spread wide; reminiscent of the one in Rio De Janeiro. Once we had our fill of ancient castles and beautiful views we hopped aboard one of the yellow trolleys and headed across town to meet Antonio’s wife and Romain for lunch.
For lunch I had another incredible meal starting with codfish cakes and finishing with a steak covered in mustard sauce with a side of rice and a fried egg. It may sound a little crazy but it was delicious. Despite being completely stuffed our Portuguese tour guides said we had to eat desert in the famous café Belem. This café is famous for its Belem Pastry which they make thousands of every day. To call this place a café is a huge understatement as it has 6 rooms which are easily the same size as a regular restaurant. Every table was full of people and we had to wander all the way to the back just to find a seat. The crazy thing is that everyone is eating the same pastries and drinking coffee and that is it. I was shocked that this one little pastry could bring about such a booming business and cult following. Upon my first bite I came to understand why even natives of Lisbon still flock to this touristy spot. The pastry is like a custard pie but much more. With a little sprinkle of cinnamon on top and a cup of strong coffee to wash it down it makes the perfect dessert. The recipe is a closely guarded secret and our Portuguese friends said that you really cannot find any substitute for the Belem Pastry.
The café is located right next to a park/river walk with many monuments to the great explorers. We walked past the monastery where Marco Polo and Vasco de Gama are buried bringing my “graves of famous explorers” tally up to three counting Christopher Columbus in Sevilla. Not far up the river is the Belem Tower. This tower served as a guide post and frontier fort for the city of Lisbon. Further along the river is a gigantic monument commemorating all of the famous Portuguese explorers. The monument mirrors the Belem Tower and the Monastery in that it is built out of the same white marble. We finished our sight seeing of Lisbon with more pictures of the amazing suspension bridge.
Lisbon is an absolutely amazing and beautiful city. It is definitely one of my favorite places; an opinion that I am sure was helped along by my fantastic tour guides. The city offers everything you could possibly want; amazing history, nightlife, cuisine, and culture. After reviewing some of my past entries I feel like I have said this about almost everything that I have done and every city I have been to but, I am going to say it again anyway. The only thing I would have changed about my trip to Lisbon is that I would have stayed longer. I guess I will have to make sure I take that into account when I am planning my next trip to Portugal.
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