There is something about exploring a new city; a new country…just is beyond words. So, off we were to Lisbon, the smallest capital in Europe. After getting up at 4:45 am, could not help but to sleep on the 2 hr 10 minutes flight. Lisbon was different from other European cities; there were still TV antennas on rooftops, and electric poles above ground. We checked in at the hotel and headed straight out to St Jorge castle. Lisbon is well connected by underground rail network, trams and buses. We used the underground rail…bright coloured carriages and well maintained.
The castle is on top of a hill and once out of the underground, we took the tram up the hill. It was an exciting 10 minutes…we were rattled by the end of it…very much like the tram. The castle is brilliant and the day was wonderful, 14 degrees and a bright sun. After taking in the view of the city from the castle (hilltop), we took a walk through the narrow lanes of Baixa and Alfama…nice pretty shops and a good feel of the city.
It was raining the next day and we switched our plans of outdoor sightseeing to see the Ocenarium instead. It is the biggest aquarium in Europe. A couple of hours later, it was a hot ‘desi’ lunch at an Indian restaurant nearby. We then went to Vasco Da Gama mall. It was all lit up and sparkling for Christmas and New Year. Bits of shopping here and there and the only way to spend time indoors was to watch a movie at the theatre. We watched Jim Carrey’s ‘Yes Man’ with Portuguese sub titles.
The next day was scheduled for Sintra…a petite, beautiful town near Lisbon. It is known for Pena Palace, nestled on top of a hill. Although it was fairly bright in Sintra town, at the top of the hill, we were walking through clouds…visibility was extremely poor. It was obviously bad for photography but it was fun walking in near zero visibility. We then took a bus to another town called Cascais. As we get down to sea level from Sintra, we passed through a small town called Cabo da Roca. The view of the ocean and cliffs was spectacular. Cascais is a resort town with some popular beaches. We took a train from there to Lisbon with most of the journey along the coast. The setting sun at the horizon made the sky look brilliant. We closed the day visiting Belem from where Vasco Da Gama had set sail and found India.
A nice short trip…back in London from the pleasant 10+ degrees to sub zero temperatures.
