TRAM, TRAM, WALK,BUS, WALK, TRAM, WALK, BUS, WALK, WAITED AND WAITED, TRAM KINDA DAY:
LETS EXPLORE MODERN LISBON:
Today the plan is to ride the Yellow Bus route which covers he area known as New Lisbon. Then we will see about a Historic Tram Tour. All this in included with our Yellow Bus ticket.
A little about our hotel’s breakfast, it is excellent, very fresh and very adequate. There are pastries, very fresh bread, cold cuts, cheese, jams, yogurt and a healthy assortment of cereal, coffee, tea, and juices.
The people from Lisbon are known as Alfacinhas (pronounced al-fa-seen-yahs), which translates to "little lettuces". While Lisboetas is the formal term, Alfacinha is the popular, affectionate nickname for locals, stemming from the historical abundance of lettuce in the region or a time of food scarcity when inhabitants relied on lettuce as a main portion of their diet.
A whirlwind day all in all was had.
We started with Tram 12 E with the intent of taking it to the Yellow Bus Stop. Well it terminated a good distance from the Bus stop we wanted. Not as the maps and schedule indicated.
As we got off there was a Tram 28 waiting with a very very short line. So we boarded Tram 28 to take the iconic Lisboa Tram Journey. At the end of this route we got off at the Termination stop and walked to our Yellow Bus Stop at Rossio.
Here we boarded the Yellow Bus Modern Lisbon Route and took it to the Cruise Port. From the Cruise Port we walked to Placa do Comercio. Here we got on the Yellow Bus Hills Tram Car Tour. This tram makes a loop with no stops through the historic neighborhoods of Lisbon.
Due to a traffic incident we were able to get off before the designated stop.
Then we walked back to the Cruise Port Yellow Bus stop.
On our walk to the Placa do Comercio we took a break for a sea side lunch at the Restaurante Solar Do Vez. It was a welcome break. Then on our return walk to the cruise port we stopped there again. This time we had ice cream. Their ice cream was very favorable and super creamy smooth.
Then it was back on the Yellow Bus to finish the Modern Lisbon Route. On this route one sees the contrast in the old architecture with the new more modern architecture. This area of Lisbon could redescribed as the big city business area.
Along this route you find the Vasco da Gama bridge. The Vasco da Gama Bridge is the longest in Europe. It is 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) long and was built for the 1988 Lisbon World Exposition. It is so long that on cloudy days, it is impossible to see the other side of the bridge!
Opened to the public on 29th March 1988, it was named after the most important Portuguese discoverer, Vasco da Gama. It commemorates the fifth centenary of his arrival from India in 1498. Gama was the first European to reach India by sea, from the Atlantic Ocean.
It also hosted a Guinness World Record for the "longest table setting" in 1998, featuring a 5,050-meter-long banquet for 15,000 people. A bean stew was served.
The route also takes one to the Oceanarium and the Tile Museum.
Back to the route start where we walked to catch the 12 Tram. Here our best laid plans came to a screeching halt. For some unknown reason we waited about 50 minutes to an hour for the tram.
We took Tram 12 back to the stop in front of our hotel and we were feeling the effects of a really long day. Luckily we had left over spaghetti for a quick meal as I compose this blog entry.
I will say we have made good use of our 72 hour Yellow Bus ticket and would recommend it for a visit to Lisbon. Yes the public transport is very good and will get one to all the highlights Lisbon has to offer.
Our plans for tomorrow are open thus far as we will be checking out and transferring to the MS Fram.
No comments:
Post a Comment