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So Sunday and Monday were very similar days, just different parts of Lisbon and the surrounding areas. Sunday, we slept in and then headed Estoril. Everybody was out in their Sunday best walking along the boardway the runs along the beach. We walked almost the entire distance and then settled into a cafe for lunch. The meal was the prime example of how unrushed the Portuguese are! We had bread and butter followed by soup and salad, but it took an hour and a half! But it was a good hour and a half. We sat and watched the people walking by and looked out at the bay. After lunch, we hopped the train to Cascais and walked around the marinas there. We stopped into a gelato place and I had a scoop of Hazelnut and a scoop of cherry. Christy had strawberry and chocolate. We had an early dinner and then headed back to Christy's house for an early evening.
Monday, Christy had to run to work for a little bit, so we went with her. After a call up to the base, security let Brad and I through and we walked around the NATO base. Afterwards, we rode the train to Belem, a city that is now a part of Lisbon but was originally a resort place for the Portuguese royalty. We walked along the water and was able to see an enomorous monument to Portuguese sailing history as well as the Tower of Belem. When we left Belem, we headed to the center of Lisbon where Christy showed us the gates to the city and the main plazas where famers use to come into town and sell their goods.
Then we headed to another area of Lisbon called Bairro Alto. Built on one of the seven hills of Lisbon, you can either reach it by escalator in the train station or by stairs along side buildings. We walked around Bairro Alto looking for a resteraunt we had read about but had forgotten to write down the address of. We never did find it, but we did enjoy a beer at a local cafe and get to experience almost all of Bairro Alot by foot, up close and personal.
One of the really neat things that Christy told us about while walking around Lisbon was that many people don't consider Lisbon to be a truly European city. This is because the majority of structures are only a little over 200 years old. In 1755, there was a massive earthquake that leveled almost the entire city. They have since rebuilt the city to its splendor that we are getting to see, but people still tend to poke fun at how young the city's buildings are.
- comments
Virginia How funny about the buildings! I grew up in a town that's only 68 years old. I wonder how they'd react to that. I still remember walking in the big parade we had when it turned 50. lol
Manda Love the photos you've been posting on facebook. We miss you but looks like you're having an amazing journey. Enjoy the sun and hug Christy for us!