How I touristed (yes that's a verb) in Lisbon

My travel buddies would likely tell you my style of touristing is best described as manic - or at least intense. I like to go from a reasonable 9am until I collapse, with a few food stops in between. I research a city well beforehand, use google maps amazing starring feature to save my found treasures, then when I arrive in the city, I can dart from one star to the next. I try to get to a museum in each place (to get cultured - you know), and have stumbled upon amazing art, cool science, and sometimes even semi-interesting history. Don't dally in any one place, there is too much to see! If you want to rest in a park and enjoy the view, definitely do, but be sure to reapply sunscreen while you rest and check directions for our next spot. Wear good walking shoes because we will be on the move! The metro and buses are good if they are convenient and easy, otherwise we walk! Taxis? Only if we are about to miss our show, train, or plane (or if you insist). Also, if we pass a church, we will probably have to go in just to see, say a prayer, and check mass times for tomorrow. (And if it's a basilica or cathedral, please please please we have to go see!! It's a wonder it took this long to realize my vocation....) 

Now food, oh food. My favorite part. Food happens when I've walked by enough places to get a sense for the specialties. Only go in if the restaurant is at least half full of locals. Joe's Crab Shack or Red Lobster can wait, give me the hole in the wall with standard fare and a side of crickets to try once (or sardines here in Portugal). Also, we must get ice cream. Not the nasty packaged stuff I could get in the grocery store, but fresh, creamy, and with so many options it physically hurts to choose! Also, you will probably be starving by the time we stop for food, and we will just grab supper on the way back to the hotel, to relish in our day's accomplishments, reminising, laughing at the close calls, picking the highlights, and turning our thoughts towards the next day. I travel like I need to squeeze every drop out of a city for fear I won't return. Pictures are fun, but not too many group ones and please only one camera!! This sounds like a lot of rules, but they aren't ... they just seem to be habits that I've developed over the many years of travelling alone or with a friend. When I fall into bed after a long day of walking and absorbing the sights, I know I conquered that city, and dream of the adventures to come. 

So now you know my pace and style... this is what I did in Lisbon. Got off the plane at noon from a redeye, got a 24 hiur pass for the metro and buses, went downtown and trying to find the art museum, I went the wrong way and found a gorgeous overlook that I had captured from the sky as well:

I wandered down a street noticing the colorful pastels of the flat houses, all with balconies and though uniform in shape, each distinct. 

I saw art: bibles from the 1200's, egyptian cats and jewelry from thousands of years ago, more modern tapestries and yes - paintings. My favorite part was the cheese plate I randomly ordered (picking a random Portuguese word that looked like it involved cheese) and ice tea. It was marvelous!!

 

I took the metro to my hotel, I like to have those planned well in advance so I can have directions ready and interesting things to see nearby. I haven't mentioned the heat. It is 33 deg C (100 deg F) with 100% humidity here in Portugal. The only reason it's not raining is the humid wet air is sticking to my arms legs face and hair, either being absorbed from the air or draen out of my pores. It was hard to tell. I was sticky, and very thankful I packed into a backpack instead of lugging a suitcase all this way. 

The roads in Lisbon are like a spiral, my guess is because the days of castles and forts in the 800's and on during the muslim invasion - you can see the old muslim fortified wall in places to protect the city. What better way to protect it than to make the street wind in circular arcs, with very few connections. Also, the city is set on a steep hill. From noon to 8pm I amassed 22,000 steps (10 miles) and 64 flights up and down. The streets are cobbled, in some parts newer stone, but all quaint. 

The city is charming, with tourists of all nationaities and tons of languages all around. Surprisngly, there is no dominent language that I detected. I heard French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, some English, Polish... so many! The narrow streets somehow share parked and moving cars, open moped taxis, bike lanes, pedestrians, buses and trams. It would have been chatoic, but everyone seemed to know the rules and were patient with those who broke them. 

I wandered through a castle, the lisbon cathedral, by a palace/mausoleum (important people are buried there), and into this random St Anthony church. His name popped up a few time so far, but I really had never heard of a St Anthony of Lisbon. Turns out - that's the Tony I've been asking for help to find my lost things!! There is a dispute between Padua and Lisbon over the saint's name as he was born in Lisbon. Huh! The church was built over his parent's house and the crypt includes the spot where he was born. There was a relic (a piece of the saint or something that touched him) and an awesome statue. That just goes to show you ... just in case ... go in the church. It could be saint anthony's (the saint I seek the most due to my forgetful nature). 

I took the metro back to my hotel, finally, after going by shops all day, it was time!! I got the creamiest sugariest chocolate gelato I had ever tasted, ahhhhh. Right next to my hotel was a juice bar. I had seen many of these along the way and decided to try it for supper. I got a Vihno Porto (shot of port!!) to sip on while they were preparing a cup of pineapple and a white wine sangria, to go!! Now that's what I call supper! (And only 6 euros.... what!?!) New trip goal: a port and gelato each day!!

With sangria in hand, the first ounce of port warming my belly, and the promise of pineapple, I returned to my hotel, wound up to my floor where I had a loft bed and a sunroof that opened to the stars. Still stifling hot, but now in bed staring at the same familiar stars in the darkening sky, I let jet lag take over and drifted to sleep, satisfied, having conquered much of Lisbon.