Day 21 Lisbon - our final stop
Well, our hopes were realised and the day dawned bright but
cold. We woke up as we started the turn into the Tagus River and got up on deck
for the sail past the Belem Tower and into Lisbon, berthing at the bottom of
the Alfama district where we were last year on Oceana. As Caryll and I have
been here many times before we wanted to go to Belem. Neither of us have been
there and it looks so interesting. Joyce wanted to stay and potter around the
town centre. The Tours Office had told us we needed to get tram no 28 to get to
Belem, but I spotted some HoHo buses and we walked over to see their routes and
costs. The Yellow Bus did three different routes (including Belem) plus you can
use the same ticket on any of the trams and buses. It cost 15 euros so we
decided to go that way – a good idea since in fact it was tram no 15 to Belem!
I thought it a good tour and saw a lot of Lisbon I have
never seen before, including the prison! We got off the stop by the Monastery
of Jeronimos and first went into the Nautical Museum – a fabulous array of ship
models and artifacts – mainly naval. Then we went to the Monastery church – one
of the most beautiful I have ever seen! Walking across the road and through a
large park we got to the Monument of the Discoveries and then walked up to the
Belem Tower. I have sailed past some five times and always thought how
beautiful it was but up close it looked so tiny! It was then easy to pick up
the HoHo bus again and get back to the Praia de Figuera in central Lisbon.
Cayll then set off for a potter around the shops and I caught the shuttle back
to the ship as I was walked out (or rather my foot was) by then.
After some food and a rest on the prom deck in the sun –
once the sun was up the day warmed up a lot and the sky was a cloudless blue –
we all met up again for sailaway. While
we were ashore, Fred Olsen’s Braemar had arrived and Caryll and I wanted some
photos of her. Oriana turned round and
we headed back under the 25 April Bridge and on our way home.
After dinner four of us went to the syndicate quiz but
didn’t do any better than the two of us the previous night!
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