Lisbon – a city with the Great Past

… Europeans usually speak about Portugal as if it’s a god forgotten on the edge of the continent that the poverty is there, and unemployment, and the monstrous crisis, and even the Ministry of Culture is abolished. It seems like there is no need to go – you can buy in the Spanish coast. And you need to go. At least in order for all these myths to destroy. Here are suggestion for yourself. In Barcelona, ​​Taxi driver José, rushing between the city and the airport, does not understand the word in English, for all your question is exalted: "Mama Mia!»In Lisbon, every tram driver is able to maintain a conversation indefinitely with any foreigner and even joke in English.

Of course, the crisis is felt. Even, probably, it is better to call what is happening not with a crisis, but a slow, thoughtful cooling – Portugal Sentimentally drops tears under the sounds of Fada, looking away in the outgoing ships, there is a plaster from the walls of the centenary houses, but she is still a medal, nostalgically drinking coffee on her Old Balcony overlooking Tejo. And why go somewhere? Modernity herself invade the usual way, rapidly covering the Portuguese Land with a network of wide autobahns and railways for high-speed trains, everywhere Wi-Fi, excursions in Sigweans and Starbucks. But this is still not known to tourists, usually leaving the evil reviews about the service in hotels and ignorance of the staff of the Russian language. This must be used. Portugal Today – free from the consumer relations of travelers Corner. Country full of miracles. About which below ..

In Lisbon, we spent three days, joyfully and thoughtlessly lining around the quarters. Funny feature of the city – elevators right on the street. It is now they entertain tourists, because from the site at the top there are excellent views of the old Lisbon. And earlier they performed completely utilitarian functions – along with trams and features, helped residents to get to the house with the shortest way, without spending a lot of strength to steep lifts to the mountain.

In Lisbon, it is not necessary to make yourself such saturated routes and plans, following which you will rather get tired than enjoy the beauty of the city. Just hold the main attractions in the mind, during long walks, you will somehow stumble upon them, just know them identify.

Commerce Square

The area was built after the Great Earthquake of the 1755th year. Unlike the Lisbon architecture, the times of great geographical discoveries, the commerce area has a strict symmetric form. Located area right on the banks of the River Tejo. Here is beautiful and afternoon and in the evening. From here there is a beautiful view of the bridge on April 25, so insanely similar to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Alfama district
The oldest Moorish district of Lisbon, he was not destroyed during the Great Earthquake. Alfam is located on a high hill with stunning views of the city and the river. Alfam is the labyrinths of narrow streets, then rapidly climbing up, then literally converting down. Live here interesting things but scary. Gypsies, immigrants, walks and perky alcoholics without a permanent refuge – all the mountains, sings, lives. It’s inconvenient here to stop those who plan to travel by car – no parking lots in Alfam can talk speech. It is better to choose accommodation with the car at the foot of Alfam, in the Bayche area, for example.

Belenskaya Tower
Lisbon Symbol, Belen Tower Located on the Tejo River, before her shift in the ocean. It was her primarily seen seafarers and fishermen who returned home. Next to the tower there is a cafe, which serves famous cakes with custody cream – theater de Belen.

From the Belen Tower, you can begin the most important Lisbon walk – along the river from the ocean towards the monument to the discovers and the bridge on April 25, it is possible to complete the walk on the commerce area.

Not far from Belenskaya Tower there is a monastery of Zheronimush – the most grandiose monument of the Latestone Manuelo style. Do not be lazy to look here. And do not forget, peering into the bizarre forms of the monastery, which is built on money, reversed by the sale of Indian spices. All this somehow does not fit together. Cardamon on the monastery, cinnamon monastery.

Castle of St. George
Raise here on foot, in the evening, when tourists are in a hurry to leave the walls of the Great Fortress to drink hot chocolate with a unchanging Portuguese bunch before sunset. This is the historic core of the city, the next wonderful view of Lisbon opens from the castle – and the old one, and the new. You will see how the sun dives into Temue, a little touching the red bridge. Here quietly, calm and good. On these stones, you can see infinitely long, thinking about those crosses that go to the sea leaving their homeland may be forever. In the walls of the castle playing a musician on the Portuguese guitar, he sings something incredibly sad, sweet and dreamable. All the Portuguese sing about it, silent about it, take a visually saturated slow cinema about life and death. Suck this traditional air of Lisbon and go down. On the hillside under the castle, you will definitely meet the wine bar – go there. Wooden tables, benches and countless number of bottles on racks along stone walls. In this cave with a hospitable host, do not taste exquisite dishes, from snacks – only cheese. Order a bottle of green wine, it is some strange, it’s not intoxication from it, but a soft melancholy. The owner will see your brilliant eyes and will offer Portver. Let a couple of days later you will be in Porto, agree to several glasses and now. After all, the day comes to an end.

Lisbon – an incredibly soulful city, populated by open people speaking on velvet language. Here you can spend time, just looking around: here is a statute handsome man with an exquisite gray, throwing a jacket for myself on my shoulder, squeezes thin fingers a tiny cup of coffee and looks somewhere in the distance of a starting day; Here the blacks in a gloring business suit in a gust breaks down in front of you the coat, gently offering light drugs, slightly bowed and quickly hidden around the angle; Here are curly flower women having fun, taking pictures with each buyer; Here drivers of the funicular greet each other every time, raising hats when their trailers are found in the middle of the hill; Here is the old woman in the open window on the high floor of the blue house shouts something of his neighbor from the house on the contrary, her hand will rise up, and in the sky drawn white lines multicolored airplanes.

In Lisbon quietly and everything is truly. Here in no way boring. Because the inner life is intense and never stops. Here is less empty chatter and more cardiac songs. Behind the angle – the ocean, long gap to the America itself. Blowing wind, waves are fighting, shouting seagulls.

Three days later we left Lisbon to the north to see and feel even more.