Normally, large cities are
rarely at the top our list of places to visit when travelling overseas,
certainly when cycling is involved. They’re just too busy. Instead, we prefer
to garner a taste of what life is like for people who live in some of the
smaller towns and villages around the country. Lisbon, by comparison, less than
90 kilometres from Vendas Novas by car, was just too tempting to pass by unseen.
Far more than sharing the name
of a type of lemon, Lisbon is both drenched in history and abundantly alive in
the present. Transformed from a medieval town into a more modern
architecturally designed metropolis, following the catastrophic earthquake of1755, it is today the 7th most visited city in southern Europe. And
it’s not surprising.
Totally rebuilt over the rubble left behind,
Lisbon’s Baixa or city centre, is the
most popular bairro (district or neighbourhood) amongst tourists. Our
accommodation was at the Vistes De Lisboa, a relatively basic but
budget-friendly hostel along one of the many avenues that led to some of the
most impressive plazas we’d ever seen.
The statue of King Jose I in the Praca do Comercio. |
No more memorable was the Praça do Comércio, a
vast waterfront square that was once home to the royal palace, before it was
destroyed in the earthquake. It was also from here, that traders bought and
sold foreign merchandise, including African slaves used as manual labour, chiefly
in Portugal’s South, and later in the thriving mining and sugar industries of
Brazil.
It was underneath the statue of King Jose I, the
Portuguese ruler who presided over the city’s reconstruction, that we met our
tour guide, Luis. Not normally enamoured by excursions of any kind, we at best
might stand on the periphery, just to listen if the speaker has an American
accent or not. But enticed by curiosity, and no less the ‘free’ walking tour
advertised in a brochure at our hostel, we were treated to an entertaining and
informative sketch of the city’s gateway.
The Padrao dos Descobrimentos (The Monument to the Discoveries) on the edge of the Rio Tejo (Tagus River) in Belem. |
Native Portuguese, Luis spoke passionately about
some of the events that helped shape his country, as well as the significant
people who drove them along. We weren’t surprised to hear him mention
historical moments like Carnation Day (the overthrow of the Estado Novo regime),
the Portuguese Inquisition and Prince Henry’s Age of Discovery, but we were enlightened
by his story about Dom Pedro I (also known as King Peter), who delivered independence
to the former Portuguese colony of Brazil.
Despite threats from revolutionaries and insubordination
from his own troops, he successfully dealt with the Portuguese government’s
intention to revoke the political autonomy that Brazil had enjoyed for more
than a decade. While not without cost – some 6,000 lives were lost in the 24-month
War of Independence that followed – it was not the growing disaffection and protracted
series of revolts that occurred in Spanish Mexico for 11 years.
Luis guided us through the Praça do Comércio’s
triumphal arch and onto the Rua de Áurea. A popular pedestrian street, its
outdoor cafes and long lines of shops looked full to the brim, while street
artists and the occasional peddler plied their trade.
The Elevador de Santa Justa. |
Fascinated by its neo-Gothic design and the
promise of extensive views over the city’s skyline, there were long queues of
people patiently waiting their turn. For the cost of 5 euro and what looked
like a half-hour wait, we decided instead, to trek up to the Miradouro de NossaSenhora de Monte, for an even more panoramic view, and at no cost.
Though you can travel most of the way up to the
lookout via the city’s popular number 28 tram, walking uphill through Alfama’s narrow
zigzagging backstreets, seemed more of a relaxing and enriching experience. Virtually
untouched by the earthquake, the oldest of all Lisbon’s districts, was seeped
in history.
Books by Mark
Krieger:
‘High Spain Drifter’ is available on Amazon , Barnes and Noble, Booktopia and other online bookstores.
‘Lycra, Lattes and the Long Way Round’ is available on Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble, Kobo Books
Both books are also available at local bookshops on the Mornington Peninsula: @ Rosebud Bookbarn and @ La Brocante
‘High Spain Drifter’ is available on Amazon , Barnes and Noble, Booktopia and other online bookstores.
‘Lycra, Lattes and the Long Way Round’ is available on Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble, Kobo Books
Both books are also available at local bookshops on the Mornington Peninsula: @ Rosebud Bookbarn and @ La Brocante
“I still must abide by the rules of
the road, of biking, of gravity. But I am mentally far away from civilization.”
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