April 10, Lisbon
Our morning excursion was to the Belém district of Lisbon and its various monuments and parks. We had been here in 2013 and not a lot had changed, other than that there were many more tourists, souvenir kiosks that had not been there before, but fewer "Romany" women trying to sell us trinkets. We looked at the Belém Tower, a 16th-century fortification that seemed oddly placed relative to the Tagus river. In fact, the tower had initially been built on an island in the river, but the river was redirected after an earthquake in 1755 so now the fort sits on the shore. We did not stop at a major attraction of the area, the Monument of the Discoveries which we had visited in 2013, as there was an hour's-long line of people waiting to get in. I have some pictures of it here.
We had some time to wander around the park, after which Mafalda handed out Pastéis de Belém, the original of a custard tart that you can find throughout the Lisbon area. They make thousands a day and are indeed very good. Afterward we were led through the National Coach Museum, with samples of coaches and carriages. It was here that we learned about the difference between a Berlin, a Brougham, and a Calash. There was also a side exhibit of firefighting equipment from the same era.
After lunch we were taken to the Alfama district, one of Lisbon's oldest, to walk around and see the sights.
Tram 28 wasn't intended to be a "touristic" route, but as it happens to pass by many of the places popular with tourists, it tends to get filled with them.
Ginjinha is a Portuguese liquor made from sour cherries, and is often served with one or two in the glass. All who wished to partake were offered a glass from a small shop. The glasses were filled to the brim, which led to a very sticky floor in front of the counter. There was a small wash sink there to clean your hands.
Capping off the evening was the Welcome dinner, with an enjoyable Fado concert. Of course, we didn't understand the words, but the music and singing style were evocative.
