When I woke up around 10am, I received the news that João had passed away during the night. His passage marked the second from cancer in as many weeks, and the third relative in little more than as many months. He joins my Tio Americo and my Grandmother in too long a list for too short a time.
Nevertheless, my exploration of Lisbon continued unabated. Jorge drove me past the Lisbon Aqueduct that withstood the Earthquake and to the neighborhood of Belem that sits along the shore and is near his apartment. After eating at the famous Pastéis de Belém, he left me in the bustling museum district to explore until dinner later at his place.
My first stop was the National Coach Museum. Instead of the 5 euro price, I negotiated with the attendant to pay the (younger) student price of 2 euro. However, after seeing the collection, I would pay the former for the opportunity to examine the coaches, berlins, carriages, and other assorted vehicles and artifacts in the museum. Each vehicle matched the opulence of the Palace of Pena, in particular those associated with a state visit to Pope Clement XI, with each decorated with numerous sculptures representing Portuguese conquest and might.
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| Imperial Coach Museum |
From the museum, I walked along the Tagus towards the Tower of Belem. Along the way I passed the pink Palace that now serves as the official residence of the President of Portugal as well as the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, which celebrates the achievements of the navigators with a tower that evokes a ship jutting into the river and adorned by sculptures looking towards the water.
Before paying the 5 euros to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the '7 Wonders of Portugal' that is the Tower of Belem, I explored the Monumento Combatentes Ultramar that evokes the Vietnam War Memorial with its wall of names but differs in a reflecting pool and pyramidal monument centered with an eternal flame. From there, I returned to the tower and explored its many levels including a couple gun batteries and the floors of the main tower. The view from the top may not be worth the entrance fee, but the beautiful spring-like weather was enough to permit me to stay there for some time.
Following the Tower, I visited the free Berardo Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Inside were two temporary exhibits, one 'Mappa Mundi' which revealed various stages of deconstruction and recreation of the world and cities. An example is a map of Paris formed from pictures at subway stations, with holes revealing popular stops that tourists had pointed at one too many times. In addition, there was a exhibit on cartoons with degrees of comedy and drama played out in color and black and white. Even though many were in Portuguese, they were far more decipherable than the permanent exhibit, which included a floating rock in a dark room.
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| The United States? |
With night setting in after the Art Museum, I was unable to visit the renowned Monastery, Archaeology Museum, and Mariner Museum. Still, I was satisfied with the sights I chose to explore, and was soon off to Jorge's apartment to enjoy a delicious seafood pasta dinner with him and his girlfriend Cristina. During dinner, I enjoyed a education in 70's and 80's American music, including a documentary on the Ohio band DEVO.
WEDNESDAY
Before catching my 6:55pm flight back to Dublin, I made a pilgrimage to the Estadio da Luz, the home of Sporting Lisboa Benfica. Their current stadium, the new 'Cathedral,' was built in 2003 and is quick walk from the subway (1.80 euro round trip). There, I took a picture with the statue of Eusebio, the most famous and successful Portuguese footballer of all time, and who finished his career playing for the NASL in the States. A replica of the statue is displayed outside of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, so I made sure to confirm that constant refrain of mine when going with friends to Revolution games.
Had I been leaving Lisbon later, I would have purchased a ticket from the Sporting v. Benfica match later that night - both division 1 teams in the city. Instead, I opted for a couple quick pictures of the field, a brief tour of the museum, with a temporary Eusebio exhibit; and a Benfica scarf from the 'megastore.' Inside of which, I was surprised to find a small aisle dedicated to NBA jerseys.
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| Standing with Eusebio |
Leaving the stadium, I took the subway to the historic downtown to visit the S. Jorge Castle that overlooks the waterfront and city. We had visited the site 10.5 years prior, but it was worthwhile to pay the 3.5 euro (student price) to tour the updated area with a modern museum and ongoing archaeological dig. Moreover, the opportunity to see Lisbon from yet another high point is not to be missed, as the castle's walls and towers provide ample vistas of the area.
Following a four course lunch (at 8.50 euro), complete with flan for desert, I needed to run (at several points) back to Jorge's parent's house so that I would be there by 5pm when he would take me to the airport. The run was reminiscent of a couple weeks ago in London, and as with that one, I made it back with a few minutes to spare.
Landing in Dublin, with its much colder weather, I am determined to avoid an absence from Portugal like the one that preceded this trip.
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