Saturday, November 7, 2009

From Lisbon

We arrived in Lisbon on Friday, 6th November. We spent some quality time with our 2 nieces. It must have been amusing to watch the two kids and myself trying to communicate with each other. They don’t speak English and I don’t speak Portuguese… :)


On Saturday, we visited a ship from the 19th century D. Fernando II e Gloria. It’s a permanent display after restoration at the trasportation hub at Cacilhas by the Tagus river (Portuguese name of the river is Tejo). It was not even one of the biggest ships from that time. Its just amazing……!!


Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (C) 2009

** For more pictures of the ship click here

We took the ferry and crossed the river and went to the center of Lisbon. I must warn you, pick a travel guide book and a dictionary. Nelson is native Portuguese but we kept getting lost because different people gave different directions. We eventually arrived at the city center but all the trouble of getting lost and getting wet caught up in the rain was all worth it.


We started at Rossio Square. There are 2 amazing large fountains and a huge monument at the center of the square. All the structures around the square and the square itself dates back a few hundred years.


Square Rossio, Lisbon

(Images by Manori Sumanasinghe (C) 2009)

Every building has such amazing architecture and details its just breathtaking. The contrast to what we are used to here in the USA from what you find in your average European city is just amazing. Very Elaborate doorways / entrances to buildings made out of not just in any-old material but marble ...people ! Real beautiful Marble !!!! Narrow streets with hand-laid asymmetrical tiles and patterns, magnificent arches ..... I can just go on!! Its just so BEAUTIFUL !!!!

Entrance to a transportation hub

Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (C) 2009

The other wonderful thing is the little cafés you find everywhere on little, little streets. And the food is marvelous no matter where you go. Ahh the Olives, chocolates and wines... Can't get enough of all of the wonderful stuff in Lisbon.

Lovely Lisbon street. This one is wider than most..

Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (C) 2009


Stay tuned to read about Portugal, Architecture, IAC Campus and more.....

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