Again, in my saga to update , revise, and put new text and or photos into my older posts continues. This time I take you over to the wonderful Lisbon, Portugal! Hope you enjoy this most memorable visit
One more trip to Portugal , in Lisbon short and sassy trip, the opportunity is always there. It has been a year since I last visited this wonderful city and country. So here is again Lisbon, Portugal. Have to say know the country well, speak the language and my oldest son godfather is from there..Faro.
I flew straight from Nantes Atlantique airport to Lisbon on Sunday. After driving about 1h30 from home to the Nantes airport on the N165. I was afraid of having the flight cancelled as was using TAP , and they were on strikes early May, but was fortunate enough the flight was handle by Portugalia regional carrier for TAP and was ok, flawless.!!
Once landed at Lisbon airport, the hesitation is to take a taxi as last time, but trying to be all places and see all, needed to take the public transport just to try or to be able to said I was here::)
Landing at Terminal 1 the way out was easy well posted except the metro signs, but I would think is easy, I speak Portuguese so an extra advantage me think. Once outside the terminal, you see the metro entrance even with TV telling you about the incoming and outgoing flights, you go straight to the ticket machine. There was a small line with only four machines! but it move fairly quickly. I got my refill on my previously purchased card from last year, took two trips at 1,40 euros each. Then went on to the red or vermelho line to Saldanha and here took the yellow or amarela line to Cidade Universitaria, got up to street level here and walk on rua afonso coma pinto all around to my hotel on foot ,about 10 minutes. Walking past the University stadium and café , and the hospital Santa Maria. It was hot about 30C so thinking not to do this again, better a taxi.
The Lisbon airport webpage: https://www.aeroportolisboa.pt/en
The metro of Lisbon webpage: https://www.metrolisboa.pt/en/
I got to my hotel the Marriott Lisbon at Avenida dos Combatentes, nice spacious hotel if a bit out of the city center. The Marriott put me on the 15th floor with a great view of the city. The shortcomings was far from center and the bar right in the lobby and smallist. The rest was perfect, with great service, spacious rooms and baths, nice outdoor pool with terrace, nice restaurant, and very modern facilities. Webpage: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lispt-lisbon-marriott-hotel/
First night, it was free time, and as I have been here before and it has become a habit to stop by each time in town, it was going thru renovation last time I heard and temporarily move to Rua de Santa Justa 54. I was to meet friends here and I end up been the tour director of the rest that came from several countries. So I made them all take taxis and went to Restaurante Pinoquio at praça dos Restauradores. The funny story is I thought we were 3 and did not made reservations. They call their friends and by the time we got in the restaurant we were 12! Nevertheless, I managed myself to get them all in, my spot in Lisbon I told you so. webpage: https://www.restaurantepinoquio.pt/home-en/
After the above, we were there very late and still hungry after so many pints of beers so after, closing, we just took a left turn into the next street Rua do Jardim do Regedor, from Praça dos Restauradores, and hold up a café bar with about 10 of us. Nobody remember the name of this place lol!!! We stayed until about 2am (02h). We had a stew of beans lobster, shrimps, gambas, and potatoes with cold salted side dish of shrimps and local mussels going down with nice local Sagres beer!!Got a taxi back to the hotel……oh yeah!!!
Next full day, I had a dinner at the Solar dos Presuntos, a very special famous people restaurant. Located at Rua Portas de Santo Antão 150. The restaurant was served a chunk of codfish with vinho verde white wine not my favorite there either so those in my table who mostly were the good guys from the night before agree and we kind of switch to beers. The website: http://www.solardospresuntos.com/
Before arriving here I was convince to have a bus tour of the main sights such as Belem and the harbor area in Lisbon, a different way of seeing the city as I am always with a car here or metro. A tour bus is not my cup of tea , hardly see anything well, but was the group votes!! And I lost!!!
After the famous restaurant meeting a group of about 8 decided is time to hit the road and were so delighted with Pinoquio that we went back there for drinks this time. Another round of good times and cheers before heading again by taxi to the hotel. Of course!
I check out of the Marriott as needed to make a business run to Coimbra by car lol! and back into the local hotel that I always stayed when in town at Exe Parque Hotel at Rua Largo de Andaluz just behind the praça Marqués de Pombal and heading down to avenida da Libertade. This is a very modern spacious hotel tuck into the old section of Parque metro station and only about 7 minutes from the square Marques de Pombal. And as time flies this hotel was sold to Holmes Place, sadly many memories here coming to Lisbon since 2012! Here just for the memories.
And I walked the area again as it is wonderful. Right up of Marqués de Pombal is the park or parque Eduardo VII and down you have libertade, then square restauradores, Rossio square and train station, and square comércio. And the side streets of duque de Loulé and the picturesque Mouzhino de Silveira street.
It was then time to be back at airport and time for my next trip again back to Coimbra on the A1 road. Had my usual meetings there ,in the region of Barraida wines, and was taken back to Lisbon at night. Here I met other group and head out to watch the Champions football/soccer match of Real Madrid vs Juventus at the Bairro Alto area and chose a resto with TV’s all over call the Marisqueira M at 100 rua do Norte. I had nice company but unfortunately my life team lost this time; well we have won 10 more than any other club by far…..Hala Madrid! Resto webpage: https://www.facebook.com/marisqueiram/
And time to get my TAP back from Lisbon to Nantes, pickup my car there and drive 1h30 home on the N165 road. And that is all folks, another nice visit to wonderful Lisbon, and quick business in Coimbra! Hope you enjoy the post and looking forward to be back.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 