We've been in Lisbon for a week. A new challenge for a travel blog writer, what to say about staying still! It does strike me that keeping a travel blog has to be the easiest kind of writing of all, simply look out of the window and describe what you see, no need to craft an argument, spin a yarn, invent a character, or conform to form and metre.
But without a change of place what is there to be said? For some reason I thought about Mr Cooper, a teacher at the junior school I attended, one of the few male teachers, the only one who was not some old bat with a sadistic temperament and a dislike of children. He was recently qualified, the first teacher in the place to be in any sense liberal and progressive. The kids loved him, we even got to know his first name - 'Geoff'; none of the other teachers had first names. He also drove a Mini Cooper. We were all very impressed he had a car, a famous one that had just won the Monte Carlo rally specially named after him. The girls adapted a skipping rhyme in Mr. Cooper's honour, it went:
Cooper's mini, going fast,
Loaded lorry nearly passed,
Sudden crash, big disaster,
Chemist's shop, sticking plaster.
This particular doggerel is not the reason why I recall him right now. Mr. Cooper encouraged us to write by giving us a 'topic of the day' and we had to produce a sentence or two about, it. He was the first person I remember who took an interest in something I had written rather than complaining about my illegible handwriting and tendency to get ink splatters everywhere, on my books, fingers, even on the end of my nose.
This particular doggerel is not the reason why I recall him right now. Mr. Cooper encouraged us to write by giving us a 'topic of the day' and we had to produce a sentence or two about, it. He was the first person I remember who took an interest in something I had written rather than complaining about my illegible handwriting and tendency to get ink splatters everywhere, on my books, fingers, even on the end of my nose.
So, in respect and thanks to Geoff Cooper, topic for today is 'making friends' in this case, a new furry acquaintance called 'Ralfi',
As for our other days in Lisbon, most of them could be easily covered under the heading of 'food and drink'.
In between our time in cafes and restaurants we did manage to visit a few places we had not been to before.
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| Rob and Ralfi |
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| Sarah and Ralfi |
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| Sarah and Rob are two humans that Ralfi allows to live with him. |
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| If they are well behaved he sometimes allows them to sit on his sofa. |
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| Oddly they prefer to sit on the sofa rather than curl up in a sunny spot on the floor. Humans are very peculiar creatures. |
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| Lots of rooftop bars in Lisbon. |
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| ...in all shapes and sizes |
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| This one overlooks one of the city's remarkable Art Nouveau city elevators |
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| No visit to Lisbon is compete without sampling the delights of pasteis da nata. |
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| or a short breather at one of the many quiosques'' |
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| It's a very sociable city |
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| Mundo do Vino is a unique wine seller that allows you to sample the best of Portuguese wine using a card based 'optic' system - to prevent you running up a massive tab you top up your card 20 euros at a time! |
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| these two were delicious. |
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| On our final night in Lisbon we met up on the south side of the river and had a great meal in one of Cacilihas' renowned fish restaurants. |
Botanical Gardens
A haven of tranquility in the heart of the old city not far from the Parliament buildings. The place is run by the Botany Dept of the University of Lisbon. As you might expect it houses rare plants from South America and the East Indies.
A haven of tranquility in the heart of the old city not far from the Parliament buildings. The place is run by the Botany Dept of the University of Lisbon. As you might expect it houses rare plants from South America and the East Indies.
Costa Caparica Beach.
This is our third visit to the Orbitur site at Costa Caparica, previously we have tended to jump on the bus and head into Lisbon. Time to explore the coastline nearby on our bikes - a bit run-down, very surfer orientated with the occasional swanky apartment block in among the tat.
Trafaria
If you stay in Costa Caparica to visit Lisbon you will become very familiar with Trafaria's scruffy dockside. That's where the ferry across to the city departs from. Trafaria is very ordinary and workaday, apart from at sunset when its silos, gantries and cranes look magnificent.
This is our third visit to the Orbitur site at Costa Caparica, previously we have tended to jump on the bus and head into Lisbon. Time to explore the coastline nearby on our bikes - a bit run-down, very surfer orientated with the occasional swanky apartment block in among the tat.
Trafaria
If you stay in Costa Caparica to visit Lisbon you will become very familiar with Trafaria's scruffy dockside. That's where the ferry across to the city departs from. Trafaria is very ordinary and workaday, apart from at sunset when its silos, gantries and cranes look magnificent.
Cacilihas
Cacilhas and Almada are both smaller settlements on the south bank of the Tejo that are becoming increasingly popular places to live as prices within Lisbon itself rise. Both are old industrial ports and they still boast barrios of dilapidated workers cottages ripe for development. At the moment the balance has not quite entirely swung in the direction of gentrification, they retain the kind of shabby chic that is bohemian rather than posh. Nevertheless, they are posh enough to have some renowned riverside fish restaurants with reputation enough to attract a crowd from across the river. The view of Lisbon at sunset from here is unforgettable.
Cacilhas and Almada are both smaller settlements on the south bank of the Tejo that are becoming increasingly popular places to live as prices within Lisbon itself rise. Both are old industrial ports and they still boast barrios of dilapidated workers cottages ripe for development. At the moment the balance has not quite entirely swung in the direction of gentrification, they retain the kind of shabby chic that is bohemian rather than posh. Nevertheless, they are posh enough to have some renowned riverside fish restaurants with reputation enough to attract a crowd from across the river. The view of Lisbon at sunset from here is unforgettable.
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| Sunset coincides with cruise boat departure moment - monster sized, a controversial aspect of Lisbon's tourism. |
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| Altira-te ao rio - fabulous setting, excellent fish dishes. |
Then there was the Lisbon marathon on the first Saturday we were there.
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| The fastest amateurs were coming through when we arrives - heading for times under 3 hours. |
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| It's a magnificent setting for the final stages |
We found ourselves a cafe to watch the race in comfort. We became increasingly concerned about the man waiting with wrapped chocolates and a bunch of flowers. He stood for hours but the object of his affections never materialised. We began to invent all kinds of Romcom situations - had his lover and her running coach eloped part way through the race? We will never know, he was still waiting patiently when we paid-up and left, though he did seem to be glancing at his watch ever more frequently.
Most of all it has been great to spend time with Sarah and Rob, to experience the city through their eyes. We never had the opportunity to live abroad when we were young, it's good that they are able to do so. Working remotely is not something you can do if you work in education. Most of our adult life was built around an academic calendar. Even now it still feels a bit odd to be at home in August or abroad in September, indeed any period that might be regarded as 'term-time'. No wonder we have taken to wandering about, between the two of us we have well over six decades of adhering to a timetable to shake off.
Most of all it has been great to spend time with Sarah and Rob, to experience the city through their eyes. We never had the opportunity to live abroad when we were young, it's good that they are able to do so. Working remotely is not something you can do if you work in education. Most of our adult life was built around an academic calendar. Even now it still feels a bit odd to be at home in August or abroad in September, indeed any period that might be regarded as 'term-time'. No wonder we have taken to wandering about, between the two of us we have well over six decades of adhering to a timetable to shake off.
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