goodbye to Lisbon

Well, it's Tuesday night in Lisbon and we've just about reached the end of this journey. Tomorrow, Scott and I board a plane to fly Newark and then on to San Francisco. We've seen and done a lot, and met many wonderful people. There are many more stories to tell, including some not suitable for publication! Ask me next time you see me in person ....

Lisbon scenes - new

The contemporary architecture of Parque das Nações is located in the district of eastern Lisbon on the riverfront. Built as part of Expo 98, it celebrates of 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's arrival in India in 1498 and the start of the "Age of Discovery." It is of one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in Europe.

Lisbon scenes - old

Old Lisbon displays her photogenic charm.

Parque de Eduardo VII

Parque de Eduardo VII in the center of Lisbon has a commanding view towards the Tagus River.

Belém Tower

The 16th century Belém Tower stands guard on the Tagus river, near the port of Lisbon.

Lisbon - Calçada Portuguesa

Portuguese pavement (Calçada Portuguesa) is the traditional paving used in most pedestrian areas. It has decorative patterns of black and white stones. Here is a sample of the marvelous paving stone art of Lisbon.

Lisbon - the good, bad and ugly

Lisbon is one of my favorite cities. But I wanted everyone to know that it can look like every other big city. In a spirit of full disclosure, here are some views of Lisbon that you will also see as a tourist.

Afonso de Albuquerque

Two soldiers in ceremonial uniforms stand guard in front of the Portuguese presidential palace in Lisbon. It was named after the first viceroy of India, Afonso de Albuquerque.

Portuguese maritime history

Inaugurated in 1960, the 180 foot hight "Monument to the Discoveries" celebrates 500 years of Portuguese maritime expansion. Located in Belém, a district of Lisbon on the bank of the River Tagus, it is designed in the shape of a caravel. It features Henry the Navigator at the prow and 32 other Portuguese maritime personas.

Ponte 25 de Abril

Completed in 1966, Ponte 25 de Abril or "25th of April Bridge" is an elegant suspension bridge over the Tagus River that connects the city of Lisbon to Almada.
While it resembles San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, Ponte 25 de Abril was built by the American Bridge Company, the one that constructed the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Wikipedia says, "Upon completion the bridge had the longest suspended span (1,012m) and the longest main span in Continental Europe, the world's longest continuous truss, and the world's deepest bridge foundation. It was the fifth largest suspension bridge in the world, the largest outside the USA. Today it is the 20th largest suspension bridge in the world."
Originally called Salazar Bridge, in 1974, the bridge was renamed following a coup, the "Carnation Revolution of April 1974" that ended decades of repressive and authoritarian rule under President António de Oliveira Salazar.