Lisbon 17-18 May

At breakfast, we found an unexpected treat in the pretty girl managing the breakfast area.  She ran upstairs to get us a tourist map, then helped us find our way to various places.  We walked down to the port, having looked at the restored Castelo de Sao Jorge way above and rejected the climb.  Arriving at Praca do Comercio, the port scene was eclipsed by the law courts, statue of King Jose 1 in a huge square (once the site of the royal palace) and an impressive triumphal arch leading to the Baixa area.We walked some distance beside the Tagus before getting a bus to Mosteiro de Jeronimos.  The monastery, financed by the spice trade, was started in 1501, soon after da Gama’s return from India.

18^th C refectory tiles

Vasco da Gama rehoused in 19th C

We climbed all five flights up Torre de Belem, plus a sortie down to the small dungeon.
 

 Our Lady of Safe Homecoming

In the late afternoon a visit to Museu Calouste Gulbenkian tested our endurance and navigating skills when we found ourselves in an enormous shopping complex with 14 cinemas and at least 5 levels. 

Chinese Coromandel screen late 17^th C

Fortunately perhaps, the museum was not large, though the exhibits were of very high quality.

Rembrandt Portrait of an Old Man

Other highlights were a lovely sculpture of a baby by Pigalle, an Assyrian relief, statue of Diana,  paintings by Rubens, Gainsborough and Turner.

After great salad lunches at Vitaminos, we were not hungry tonight.  Having shared a good bottle of white wine in our room, we walked half a block and for 2.40 euros, bought 250g cherries, 200g strawberries, 2 bananas and a Kitkat. A good picnic while I rested my weary feet.  Every Metro has at least 2 sets of 30 steps plus 1 or 2 escalators.  In addition, we must have walked our 10 km including the Monastery, Tower and Gulbenkian..