Loving Lisbon

Lisbon. When I figured out how to fit Portugal into our whirlwind tour of France and Spain, I could barely sleep, thinking about the possibilities. But a few websites alluded to the fact that a large earthquake had destroyed nearly the entire city and there wasn't much to see. The Polish lady from our wash-up room also confided that she was terribly disappointed by Lisbon, but could not stop thinking about Barcelona. My excitement slowly waned. Then I picked up a Lonely Planet guide to Lisbon. This entry, my friends, is dedicated to showing you why the two and half days we will spend in Lisbon may very well be the best of the trip.

The Phoenicians dabbled in modern-day Portugese land, but the Romans truly established Olissippo, or Lisbon, in 205 B.C. Julius Caesar declared the city the western capital of the Roman Empire in 60 B.C., explaining the remains of the grand Museo do Teatro Romano that exist in the city today. The Moors fought their way into Lisbon on 711, taking over the city and fortifying their Castelo de São Jorge to define the city they called Lissabona. With their strong industry in preserving fish, the Moors' fortress sustained the townspeople and the walls proved inpenetrable by the Christians for the next 400 years. The Alfama is a modern-day tribute to Moorish Lisbon.

In 1147, Lisbon was seiged by the British Christians, and King Afonso Henriques banishes the Moors from Portugal. To add insult to injury, they burned down the Moor mosques and built the Sé Cathedral on top of mosque ruins. Moving the capital from Coimbra to Lisbon made sense to Afonso III, since Lisbon provides access to strategic ports and an attractive geographical position.

The Age of Discovery saw Portugese explorers claiming lands all over the world. Notably, Madeires and the Azores were claimed by Prince Henry the Navigator in the early 1400s, Vasco de Gama discovered the sea route to India (sorry Columbus), and Pedro Álvares Cabral founded Brazil in 1500. Unfortunately, Portugal could not keep their colonies long - Spain claimed Portugal in the 1500s but the Peace Treaty of Lisbon returned rule back to the Portugese in 1668. Brazil declared independence in 1822, and Macau - Portugal's last colony - was returned to China, eventually.

On November 1, 1755, All Saint's Day, the most violent earthquake ever recorded in European history hit Lisbon. It measured a 9.0 on the Richter scale. For reference, the Chinese earthquake of August last year measured a 6.1 and the L'Aquila earthquake in Italy from last week measured a 6.3. The earthquake triggered a fire that blazed through surrounding towns and provinces. Out of 270 000 Lisboetas, 90 000 were killed in the earthquake. Immediately following the earthquake, the Marquês de Pombal repaired and rebuilt streets and avenues in a grid-like pattern preserved today. He earthquake-proofed all of the buildings in an architectural style advanced for the times. Baixa stands as a testimony to his ingenuity.

During Napoleonic occupation, Lisbon spiralled into misery. Poverty was exacerbated as the royal family fled to Brazil and looters plundered the royal properties. By the mid-nineteenth century, Maria II ruled over a stable Lisbon and built the fantastical Palácio Nacional da Pena. The population was growing steadily, hence the addition of Avenida da Liberdade to the North. The advent of the 20th century brought the famous Lisbon trams into operation.

The political landscape of Portugal grew turbulent during the 1900s. King Carlos' oldest son was assassinated in 1908, which spurned the revolution of 1910. King Manuel II abdicated, giving way to the Primeira Republica. Like all first republics, the autonomy was short lived, when a 1926 coup d'état put General Antonio de Fragoso Carmona into dictatorial power.

António de Oliveira Salazar succeeded Carmona as Prime Minister of the Estado Novo in 1932. Salazar was a staunchly Catholic, authoritarian, right-wing ruler who chose to support General Franco in the Spanish Civil War of 1936. He also established the Policia Internacional e de Defesa do Estado (PIDE), which conjures flashbacks to the Gestapo, looking for communists and other dissidents. He declared Lisbon neutral during WWII, but allowed the Allies to use air bases located in the Azores.

Interestingly, the Conservative government worked to establish economic stability in Lisbon. Salazar's most famous and most controversial move during his rule was to use militia and infantry to stop radicalism in Portugese colonies in Africa. He died in 1970 after a stroke, succeeded by Marcelo Caetano, who was overthrown in 1974. Democracy had finally reached Lisbon, along with a huge flood of refugees from the African colonies, changing the population demographic for the decades to come.

I don't speak Portugese but I do speak Spanish. It is tempting to believe that the Portugese will speak Spanish because they are shoulder-to-shoulder neighbors, but speaking Spanish to a Lisboeta is more like a slap-in-the-face than a friendly attempt to communicate. Do not attempt to speak Spanish in Lisbon until you ask "Fala espagnol?" and they reply "Sí". The better way to approach Lisboetas is to speak broken and terrible Portugese. They will laugh at you in a good-natured way, then help you, which is a lot better, you will see, than what happens in France when you speak Canadien to them.

After leaving Madrid, we will be all tuckered out from long days sightseeing and long nights partying, but Madrid was just a warm-up for Lisbon. The drink of choice is ginjinha, or cherry brandy, and most bars center around this drink. Ginja D'Alfama charges only one euro per ginjinha, and represents an ideal place to try the drink. Última Sé is a reggae bar that serves sushi with mixed contemporary art - a small indication of the eclectic culture Lisbon serves up on a regular basis. The best wine bar in Lisbon can be found in the neighborhood Belém, Enoteca de Belém, which closes at 10. Apparently, wine fests constitute only 'pre-drinking' in western Europe. Another treasure? House of Vodka showcases over 300 different kinds of Vodka for you to sample, including fig and, wait for it, potato-flavored vodka. It's listed hours are 12-3pm and 7-late. Go figure.



Centro Cultural de Belém is a concert hall that hosts experimental jazz, contemporary ballet, breakthrough plays and musicals, as well as performances by the Portugese Chamber Orchestra. Casino Lisboa hosts Cirque du Soleil shows and caters to a young, hip crowd dressed in smart casual. Parque das Nações is a promenade designed for biking. Rent a bike and travel the entire riverfront to burn off that midday lethargy.

Avenida da Liberdade is the equivalent to Paris' Champs-Élysées, featuring tall windows of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Jimmy Choo, Armani and the lesser known but still famous Portugese brands Mango, Swatch, and Foreva.

Still, wandering Lisbon is the best way to take in all the sights. Alfama is the Moorish neighborhood, Bairro Alto is the land of perpetual bar-crawling, including the world famous bar Lux, which does not charge cover until 4am. Be warned, though, Lux lines are long and the more glamorous you look, the faster you get in. Mosteiro dos Jerónimos was the hub of Portugese explorations returned to the motherland and is a must-see by all tourists in Lisbon. Miradouros are the virtual stairways to heaven - sets of long, high stairs that lead to spectacular outlooks over the entire city. They will also help you burn off all the calories you consume at the pastelarias, which serve light, carmelized pastry wrapped around silky, lightly sweetened cream. The Museo do Oriente offers a glimpse into the Portugese obsession with Asian culture, including exhibits dedicated to Oriental gods and curses. Finally, the Palácio Nacional de Sintra will leave you with the impression that the wealth in Portugal could parallel any of the world powers we have toured before.



The biologist in me wants to believe I am not a total square, but Portugal's Oceanario is nothing to be ashamed of wanting to see. This aquarium is the second largest in Europe and 8000 different species of sealife in seven million litres of seawater. What, you wonder, could Lisbon offer that is unique from, say, Stanley Park? Try Magellan penguins, filigree seadragons, ocean sunfish, moon jellyfish, and the mythical giant sea octopus.



Lucky for us, we are arriving during one of the most celebrated months for the country. The Festa do Fado occurs during June, which celebrates the tradition of spontaneous, joyful, beautiful song called Fado. Think musical meets folk, and you might begin to understand the complexity and meaning of fado. Hopefully, we can take in at least one street show of Fado, but the Mesa de Frades houses performers who are professional fado singers, which might be worth the ticket price. Additionally, it's Gay Pride month, meaning the wildest, craziest, most colorful parties ever will erupt throughout the city.

Interestingly, the best Indian and Japanese food this side of France can be found in Portugal, thanks to the colonial ties it established during the Age of Discovery and those ties solidified during Salazar's rule. I suggest we try Tamarind for a truly international experience (and naan to die for). Doca Peixe is the heart of Lisbon food, including the freshest seafood you can find. Pick your meal from the aquarium at the front.

For the traveller with more than a few days, I suggest a day trip to Sintra. The town houses the most elaborate palaces and showcases the brightest, most stable times Portugese had. The optimism is almost tangible, meaning it will brighten up a gloomy day with glitz, gold, and ... Andy Warhol? Yep, the city contains an unparalleled modern art collection at the Museu de Arte Moderna. If we can squeeze it in, we should also visit this city who fuses every culture from Spanish, Portugese, and Indian to Bavarian. Speaking of Bavarian cream, this city is famous for rotting the teeth of its royalty - try the pillow (travesseiro), which is a puff pastry rolled seven times, filled with almond and egg yolk cream, then dusted with sugar. Or the queijadas, which inflates puff pastry with marzipan creme made of cheese, sugar, flour, and cinnamon.

There is so much to see and so little time! I have a feeling I will be dreaming of Lisbon for months to come, even after I return from Europe.

Até logo meus amigos!