Did you know that Lisbon is the place where Vasco de Gama set sail on his voyages of discovery? Lisbon’s maritime history and role in exploration are so significant that there is an iconic monument in the neighborhood of Belém honoring those voyages of discovery. Today I visited Belém to pay my respects to Vasco de Gama, get pooped on by a bird (I kid you not), and eat an original pastel de nata.
The train to Belém leaves from Cais do Sodré train station, just a 10 minute walk from my hotel (all on level ground). At 7:50AM, the train was standing room only. By the time it departed at 8:00AM, people were crammed in like sardines. The train continues past Belém to the coastal town of Cascais, though it is hardly beach weather. Today was another cloudy/misty day. Despite the clouds and rain, the temperature remained in the upper 50s, as it has all week. The journey to Belém takes just 8 minutes and soon I was on my way to breakfast.
Today’s breakfast destination wasn’t even on my list. Instead, I found it by searching for “best breakfast in Lisbon” yesterday and seeing it mentioned many times. The Folks has several outposts in Lisbon, but I selected the one in Belém since I was headed in that direction. The pancakes with mascarpone, raspberry syrup, and pistachios were calling my name. I sat on the patio and though they were far from the best I have had, the pancakes were reasonably filling. The hot chocolate was a little too bitter for my taste.
My first stop in Belém was at Jerónimos Monastery, built in the 1400s and used by Vasco de Gama and his companions as a place of prayer before they set off on their journey to India. I joined the line to get in and put my hood up when the drizzle started. I was just about to the door when… splat! Yes, that was the sound of bird poop landing on my hood, jacket, and bag. I wish I could say this was my first experience being pooped on by a bird; it was not. As soon as I realized what it was, the two women in line behind me, who spoke very little English, sprang into action, offering me tissues and wet wipes and helping to clean off my hood. Not a great start to my day, but those women showed that kindness does exist in our world.
The monastery itself was beautiful, but I couldn’t help but compare it to the cloisters at Convento da Graça I visited the other day (for free). Today’s visit cost €18. After walking around the courtyard of the cloisters, I guess I expected more. Instead, I was deposited back outside, where I had to join the line to visit the church itself. Both the exterior of the monastery and the interior of the church were undergoing refurbishment so there wasn’t too much to see. It was here, though, that I visited the tomb of Vasco de Gama, that famed explorer who set off on many voyages from Lisbon.
The only other things I wanted to see in Belém were the Monument to the Discoveries and Belém Tower. The Monument to the Discoveries was built in 1964 to honor those who set off on voyages of discovery (including Vasco de Gama). It is massive and sits right on the banks of the Tagus River. Belém Tower was built in the 1500s as a fortification and sits similarly on the banks of the Tagus. Belém Tower was the place where sailors set sail and arrived home from their voyages. It, too, is undergoing refurbishment and surrounded by scaffolding.
Guess what time it was next? Yep, time for more pastel de nata. At Pastéis de Belém, they are referred to by the pastelaria’s name, having been the original creators of the now famous egg custard tarts. And they do a BIG business. I had to wait in line for about 20 minutes to get a table. I paired this one with another (much sweeter/richer) hot chocolate. This pastel de nata was probably the second best one I’ve had. Perhaps this is a situation where the first one you have is the one to which you will compare all others?
When I left Belém, my legs were tired and aching after yesterday’s adventures and I was ready for some rest. I got back to my hotel around 1:30PM, edited pictures, and then took a 45 minute nap (a rarity for me). Feeling refreshed, I headed to the hotel bar, Novo Mundo, to use my welcome drink voucher (I didn’t want that to go to waste!). There was a limited selection on which I could use the voucher, but luckily a bottle of cider (Somersby, again) was acceptable. I finished reading one of the books I brought with me while I drank and feasted on bar snacks.
The sun decided to make an appearance by late afternoon and I decided another walk in the Alfama district would be my activity of choice before dinner. One of my favorite quotes is, “Live for the moments you can’t put into words”. I can’t even begin to describe everything that Lisbon is… it’s raw, rough, gritty, authentic, and beautiful all at once. The moments I spent tonight on the back streets and alleys of the Alfama just reinforced all of those things. From the tiny stand set up by a local woman selling ginjinha (a local cherry liqueur) on a street corner to a woman carrying her laundry basket out of a small laundromat tucked into the corner of a tiny square, it all felt real in a way few places do.
I ended up at Miradouro Das Portas Do Sol for sunset. The clouds had just a touch of pink, the buildings reflected the setting sun, and there were rain showers in the distance across the river. It felt like a fond farewell to my time in Lisbon. I’ll be spending most of the day out of the city tomorrow and probably won’t be back in those areas of the city again.
For dinner tonight, I went to Maria Catita, a much loved and recommended restaurant in Alfama. There was a line to get in when they opened at 6:30PM but I was able to get an outdoor table where I devoured my dinner. I realized I really didn’t eat too much yesterday or today so tonight’s meal made up for it. I was ready to order a lemonade but at the last second ordered a white sangria with my Portuguese steak. The steak was topped with ham and served in a white wine sauce. The salty ham combined with the smooth buttery wine sauce was a delectable combination. For dessert, I ordered sericaia, a pastry made with eggs and milk with plums on top.
A quick walk around Lisbon Cathedral to work off my dinner made a perfect end to the evening.
Traveling with Laura 