Lisbon inside tips

Have you seen my ex-husband, Rogerio, driving around Lisboa in a limo? I think he owns the only limo in all of Portugal.

He has not answered any of my letters. I hope he is OK.

Thingorjus

Does this signal the changing of the weather?

I think Fall is finally upon us, also.

If I see Rogerio, I'll say him hello from you.
Sher, we have had frequent showers since Monday but the temperature has not dropped yet.
President Putin is today in town for the inauguration of a branch of Hermitage Museum outside Russia. There will be 600 selected pieces in display.
http://www.golisbon.com/blog/2007/10/05/the-hermitage-museum-in-lisbons-ajuda-palace/

860 years ago, the 1st king of Portugal (Afonso Henriques) and his Anglo-Norman and Flemish friends took the city of Lisbon from the Muslims, who had ruled it during the previous 400 years. The siege lasted for 4 months. Sintra and other neighbour castles were taken ate the same time.
The comemoration includes an historical reconstitution of Portuguese and Crusaders entering the Saint George castle. It will be performed at 6pm, local time.
Osbernus, a foreigner eyewitness wrote an account of what he saw during that campaign and some parts survived up to the present day..
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/cap-lisbon.html

6 female fado singers (Aldina Duarte, Maria da Fé, Raquel Tavares, Mafalda Arnauth, Beatriz da Conceição e Joana Amendoeira) are performing Thursday 1st November in Queen Elizabeth Hall (London).
I would go if I could.

Tradition is not anymore what it used to be.
Since the dawn of ages, castanhas (chesnuts) were wrapped up in phone directory pages, but a new regulation says that they must be wrapped up in white (no printed) paper. I don’t think public healt could be jeopardized in any way since castanhas must be peeled off before eaten.
BTW castanhas cost 2 euros/each 12 units, which I think is a good price. In Baixa/Chiado area there are at least 2 sellers, one in Rua Augusta and another one in Chiado, just off Brazileira Café. I’m sure in Rossio Sq or Praça da Figueira Sq there should be more.

I'm guessing that at the dawn of time there were no phone directories in Lisbon, and that when they started wrapping chestnuts in phone directories, the traditionalists lamented the coming of modern times.

These castanhas thing bring me some memories...LOL. We used to have some sellers here but they retired from business (an age question) and no one wanted to follow. Now, they make them on the All Saints "Feria" (a temporary amusement park) but they sell them much more expensive...two euro is a bargain

Nikki, our friend Heraclitus used to say "There is nothing permanent except change"
Kendy, this is a very good reason for you to come to Lisbon. Being castanhas such a bargain, you may spare a few euros comparing to the money you'd spend in feria de todos los santos.

I bought roast chestnuts twice on my visit to Lisbon in March. I was a bit surprised to see them, as it seemed late in the season, but they were were very nice.

The first ones were wrapped in lined school notepaper (what we call "college rule" in the U.S.), purchased on Rua Augusta. The second packet was in plain white food service paper, purchased on a cold and windy day right outside the metro at Amoreiras. Nice and hot, just the thing.

No relation with Lisbon or even with travel, but I couldn't refrain myself from posting this brief History of Western Thought
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=moWZm66J_yM
Have fun

Sud-Express train (Lisbon to/from Paris) completes 120 years this November. Sud-express began in 1887 departing daily from Santa Apolonia station. In the very beginning it was necessary 3 days to reach Paris, using steam engines.
The period inter world wars saw an increasing luxury in Sud-Express. Meals were served in fine china with real silver silverware. By this time 1st class ended in Estoril. Just before 2nd world war and during the war itself itself, Sud-Express transported many thousands of refugees from the madness Europe had fallen and seeking for a safe heaven in the Americas. After the war, with the increasing popularity of air travels, and the availability of cars to the middle class, the Sud-Express lost some of its charm. Today it’s used more by backpackers and low income expat workers.
Sud-Express has never given up to the zeitgeist allowing pre-cooked catering on board. Although most of charm is gone, all meals served on board are really cooked on train’s kitchen in the same way as they are cooked in any grounded restaurant.
In present days Sud-Express doesn’t ride all the way from Santa Apolonia to Paris, but in ends in Hendaye, in the Spanish/French boarder, and passengers must rely on the TGV to fulfill the French section of the travel.

I spend a few minutes chating with a gentleman from Congo, asking for directions. We used my favourite language Words of Portuguese/Spanish/French/English/Gestures mixed together sometimes in the same sentence.
When there is the will to communicate, there are no language barriers.

Not sure if I should put this message in this thread, but here goes: we (two couples in their 30s and two kids, 1.5 and 2.5) are coming to Lisbon Nov 21-25. We would really like to take in a fado performance, but I know that it can be a problem with the kids. Any suggestions for places that start early, or are kid-friendly or anything like that?

Thanks!

PS: Lobo, I had been in touch with you about this before, any tips would be handy, thanks!

Econmom, believe it or not we are eating out in a fado club next 22nd with some fodorite fellows.
Your little ones may be a problem by two reasons:
First, fado clubs are always full of smoke, second reason is that you can not guarantee that your kids don't start crying or speaking or doing anything like kids usually do, during the fado perfomance itself and that will be very embaracing to you.

I agree with lobo, econmom: even adults find it difficult to remain as absolutely quiet as is considered polite for a fado performance, and the performers and staff will not hesitate to call you on the carpt over it, and you'll compromise the evening for others in attendance.

So, a babysitter would be in order if you are comfortable with that option, or one of you could go out while the other stays in.

thanks!

This is the highest expression of the Portuguese:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7ha2sh0gnY&feature=related

The music is from Alfredo Duarte “Marceneiro”
The lyrics are from Amalia herself and she is speaking to her own heart:

“If you don’t know where you are going to, why do you stubbornly bleed?”
“I cannot run anymore after you”

PS: The “heart” means emotion, by opposition to the the head (the reason). The Fado lyrics has roots in the Greek classic tradition and this opposition of “head” vs “heart” is meaningful in this context

After Saint Martin's Summer, we have a typical winter day (rain, wind and cold) all over Portugal.
Distinguished guests are invited to bring a raincoat.

Is Saint Martin's Summer a warm period in the fall? What we would call Indian Summer in the US?

It's the same thing. It's called Saint Martin's Summer because on average, it's centered on 11th November (Saint Martin's day)
11 th November is the day when all restaurants have complimentary chestnuts to offer to clients and it's the day to taste the new wine (the wine of the current season).
The legend of Saint Martin of Tours has some local variations, according the most popular here when Saint Martin cut his vests in half and delivered them to the beggar, immediatly a miraculous sun started to shine in the sky and a off season Summer immediatly appeared. This is consistent with the permanence of Indian Summer in and around 11th November in this part of the world.

Christmas lights are already lit since last week end in Rua Augusta. I notice a change in style. 20 years ago the light was intense and the ideia was to turn the night into day. Nowadays, the illumination is much more subtle. I think that a lot of low energy lamps is used, but the effect is nice nevertheless.

Portuguese Post Office issued a series of 230,000 postage stamps made in cork.
This series has 2 features:
- is the 1st in the world produced in this material
- like the finger prints, each one of the stamps is different from all other.
IMHO they look beautiful. The picture represents the rolling hills of the Alentejo. Take a look at http://www2.ctt.pt/fewcm/wcmservlet/ctt/grupo_ctt/imprensa/imprensa/imprensa61.html

Oh, that is soooo cool!

I picked up a cork postcard when I was in Portugal and it's one of my favorite souveniers.

I also want to say that you are an absolutely marvelous salesperson for your country. All of these wonderful little tidbits of what happens in Portugal. You really make me want to return.

Maybe next year.

Very pretty. I saw wallets and similar items made of cork when I was in Portugal last year, and they are reportedly quite durable.

Is the cork industry looking for new ways to use their product in light of increasing use of plastic corks and screw-top closures for bottles? Cork floors are supposed to be very comfortable and very durable.

Cork has applications that many are unaware of http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=technology&res=9A05E4D81139F930A35752C1A967948260&n=Top/News/Science/Topics/Space
And relating to the plastic screw-top closures I believe cork is not giving up without striking back.

Thank you lobo_mau for the tip on those unique cork stamps! It will be my first purchase when we arrive in Lisbon this Sunday (Dec. 2) for 11 days (followed by three weeks in other areas of Portugal). My DH surely won't give me a hard time with this souvenir since they are inexpensive, won't take up much room in our suitcases and are so light! And thank you for all your other tips over the past ten months I have been lurking on this website. We will be putting them to good use so very soon.So excited!!

For those heading to Lisbon this month, keep an eye out for posters announcing the City's program of Christmas musical concerts throughout the city. Assuming this series is still going on, they are all free, and some are held inside spaces that aren't regularly open to the public. In 2004, we were lucky enough to attend a concert in a convent (can't remember the name) near the Principe Real square, as well as in the church in the Alfama in the square where the big palm tree is (Sao Miguel?).

We saw notices posted in the metro, and I'm sure the tourist offices have the information as well.

Will there be any of these on Christmas Day?

Concerts in Lisbon Churches: Mártires (9 Dec and 13 Jan); Madalena (16 Dec); Saint Nicolau (6 Dec), Conceição Velha (8 Dec) and Encarnação (6 Jan).
------
Missa solemnis in Belem: midnight 00h00m from 24th to 25th.

On the 30th November 1807 the French army entered in Lisbon. On 13th December a riot followed the raise of the tricolor flag in Saint George's Castle. On 15th September 1808 Junot and his men left the city for good.
This brief period was the last time in History the Portuguese capital was held by foreigner hands.
The Portuguese royal family went to exile in Brazil, being the 1st European rulers ever to cross the equador. This period of 5 or 6 years is known as the Peninsular War, and during this period, Portuguese, Spanish, French and British armies made from Hispania a huge battle field. This turmoil was instrumental in the independence of the former Portuguese and Spanish Latin-American colonies.
My suggestion for a light readind about this subject is a delicious historical novel from CS Forester called "The Gun"

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/sports/soccer/04soccer.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin

Manoel de Oliveira, the most known of Portuguese directors, celebrates today his 99th aniversary. He is he the oldest director in the world who is still active. When asked about his career, he said "the past is not interesting to me, I only care about my future plans".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manoel_de_Oliveira

Museums (except Coches) and public transports are free in Lisbon today to commemorate the signature of Lisbon Treaty, between the 27 countries of European Union.
The formal act will be held in Jeronimos Monastery and the lunch in the Museum of Coches, both in Belem area. The few hundreds of meters ride between the 2 locations will be done in a tram painted in blue, instead of the usual yellow. The tram will carry the 27 "crowned" heads of Europe (either kings or presidents) offering, I'm sure, excellent photo opps that will cross the globe in today's news.
Tonight in the Nations Park (former expo98) there will be a concert of classical music synchronized with a display of fire works to be offered to the distinguished guests and opened to the general population.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_Treaty

The metro rides in Lisbon's metro system are free today to commemorate the birth of 2 brand new stations in the southern end of Blue line. Terreiro do Paço and Santa Apolonia are the new members of family. With this all major train stations (Oriente, Santa Apolonia, Cais do Sodre, Entre Campos, Rossio and Sete Rios) are connected by the metro system. The 2 major ferry stations are in the system (Cais do Sodre and Terreiro do Paço). Only the airport is out, but that’s another story.
The 2 new stations and the new line surround Alfama and the Castle hill by south, just following Tagus right bank.

Great news, lobo, and further evidence that Lisbon's got a really fantastic public transit system.

Do the new stations put any tourist sites in ready walking distance of the metro? Seems like the tile museum was over on that side of things, and at the time of my visit accessible only by bus or taxi.

The new line doesn’t go that east. To get to water and tiles museums there is still a lot to walk, and that’s not a nice area to walk anyway.
The spots which are favored by the new stations are alfama, fado museum and alfama’s fado clubs and restaurants.
PS: Outside my window it’s windy, rainy and cold. There is a conspiracy of the elements to make lisbonites feel miserable today.

Based on the novels I have read set in Lisbon, that conspiracy is of long standing.

Mariza and Dulce Pontes got international recognition but the Portuguese voice of 21st century is Ana Moura.

Ana Moura is singing a concert in Boston April 5, 2008.

Nikki, if I recall correctly the night the daughter in law of Afonso da Maia left home taking with her Maria Eduarda and causing her husband to shot himself was a night like 2 days ago.
Fortunately the sun is shining again and nothing as tragic has happened

I went with Loba Saturday to visit Fado Museum and I wish to recommend it to any Lisbon visitor.
Entrance fee is 3 euros and imho is good value for money.
The museum is fully bilingual with all the descriptions in Portuguese and English.
http://www.museudofado.egeac.pt

Smoke in public places will be banned within 4 hours time. I'll come back in the next days to tell you how this ban is working.
It's unlikely that I'll come to this place this year (it's 8:18 pm).
I wish all friends and anybody reading this and to Fodors' staff a happy 2008.
I don't wish that all my and your dreams come true, but a few of them, if possible.

Lobo Mau. Happy New Year to you and your family also.
We wish good things for you in the coming year.
I cannot say I am sorry about the smoking ban.

2008 edition of the huge Lisbon-Dakar (Senegal) off road competion was just cancelled due to safety concerns about the situation in Mauritania.
The competion was due to start tomorrow in Belem area.
This is very upset for pilots, teams and sponsors, and I hope that this doesn't represent the end of this mythical competition

The government just announced that the new Lisbon International Airport will be built in Alcochete in the south bank of river Tagus. Additionally to the traditional transport media (trains, car, bus), I guess that to visitors will be offered the option of arriving to Lisbon by ferry boat. Portela airport will be either closed of adapted to the market of small jets.

Wow. That's going to change things pretty drastically over in Alcochete (which at present is a pretty sleepy place). The ferry is a pretty cool way to get over to the Lisbon side.

Hi all!! I have been going through Fodors withdrawls. There has ben a glitch with my computor where I couldn't reply. I have e-mailed Fodors and they told me of a bug. It would pop up mobile-then some wierd advertizement. They suggested I go through Google instead of my AOL and I am here.Sorry to add in to this blog but it was the first one and I was trying it out. I have had this problem since before Christmas.

In Chiado area, just 50 steps from Hotel Borges, there is a street called Rua Anchieta. It's easy to spot because it's a pedestrian area filled with stands of 2nd hand book sellers.
Just after the book stands, on the left side (address: 9, Rua Anchieta), there is a shop out this world and out of this time.
The keepers bought an old drugstore (David & David), kept the decoration just as it was (big glasses, wooden boxes) and persuaded the manufacturers of old products (more than 50 years old) to actually activate the production in limited series.
The result is a time shift to beginning of 20th century. A museum and a shop mixed together.
This quite an experience for Portuguese >50, interesting enough for foreigners of the same age and not so interesting for younger ppl.

Now you tell me. (I would have found it interesting, but you would not.)

Nikki, you don't qualify as a >50 yo.
Group Oceanico, just bought Little River Golf & Resort in North Carolina. I believe that they want to do joint promotions and offer VIP advantages to US citizens with a club card member when traveling into Portugal.

The smoke ban is working surprisingly well. There is some criticism from some opinion leaders, but the ordinary citizens, either smokers or non smokers are happy with the new law. In case of doubt, look for an indication in the front door or at least visible from the outside, consisting in a smoke with a cross over it, it a red background.
Attention that this ban only affects covered spaces. Outside cafes, like the space outside the doors in Pastelaria Suiça (Rossio Square) are free smoking areas.

The best British-Portuguese co-production since Port Wine:

http://www.youtube.com/user/miaarose

Well. I definitely qualify for the >50 set, so I should be able to appreciate the shop.

It will be nice to see things that I can relate to.

Today at 5pm, 100 years are completed since king Carlos and the prince Luis Filipe were shot to death in the north western corner of Terreiro do Paco. Monarchy itself survived less than 3 years after this sad event

King and Queen had traveled by train earlier that day from the Braganza palace in Vila Viçosa, where is possible to visit the bedroom with all objects as they left on the morning of Feb 1st 1908.

something to ad to our list.

I think I would find the exhibit very interesting as I did when I had the opportunity to visit a show with objects from Nicholas, the last Czar of Russia, and his family.

Today is the 400th anniversary of the birth of Antonio Vieira, one man many years ahead of his time, and for many, the biggest Portuguese ever.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Vieira
Antonio Vieira was born in Lisbon and died in Salvador (Brazil) and his name is great in both countries.

The historical Rossio Railways station will be back on duty next Saturday 16th February.
Rossio Station is the terminal station for Sintra and West lines, and the only train station capable of delivering passengers to the city center. When it was closed, a number in excess of 65,000 passengers used it daily.
The only way out from the station is Rossio tunnel, a work from the last part of 19th century. The tunnel was problematic since the 20s of last century and the authorities decided on 22nd October 2004 to close if for major maintenance works. It gained a side gallery for maintenance and rescue (may be used by small trains and ordinary wheeled vehicles and a rescue exit a half way of it’s extension).
When it closed, the passengers found new routines, and the stations of Entrecampos, Sete Rios and Arieiro, replaced partially Rossio. With the re-opening is not expected that Rossio regains the 65,000 passengers overnight, but in due time, I guess it will recover its status of Lisbon’s main station.

5 hours of heavy rain during the night of 25th November 1967 caused the biggest flood Lisbon has ever seen. The raise of the water claimed a toll of 700 losses. Only during the next day the general population became aware of the dimension of the tragedy.

Salazar government tried to minimize the situation before the public opinion, but the news crossed borders and a international relief movement was raised. Donations came from UK, Monaco, France (including General de Gaulle with a private donation). The sanitary relief (vaccinations) came from France, Switzerland and mostly Spain.

A few months after the floods, Salazar suffered a major brain stroke and stepped sown from his position.

Portugal has long tradition in receiving international relief in moments of tragedy. The 1st organized international movement of this kind followed the hearthquake of 1st November 1755. Of course when the 1st help arrived to Lisbon one month later, the dead were buried and the survivors were fed, but it is reassuring to know that our friends stand by us.

More tips to follow if Fodors is kind enough to accept this kind of inside tips.

http://dn.sapo.pt/2007/11/25/tema/nunca_choveu_tanto_como_67.html (Portuguese newspaper)

To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the launch of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the creation of the euro, all euro-area countries will issue a commemorative 2-euro coin with a common design (copied and pasted from the site below).

The selection is open to all EU citizens and residents (sorry to the others, but that's fair)

Everybody can see the 5 different designs in
http://www.eurodesigncontest.eu/index.cfm?lang=en

My non-vote on the €2 commemorative coin is "none of the above".

It's raining heavily since yesterday. The transport system is a total mess but there are no personal injuries reported so far.

Sorry to report that yesterday rains claimed the lives of 2 sisters when their car was dragged into the river.

I didn´t forget this thread. Just happens that nothing is happening (which could be positive)

Well, it is snowing like crazy here and we also have lots of ice.

We are all buried in our houses.

I would just like to point out that Sher does not live anywhere near Lisbon, in case the unwary reader thinks there are snowstorms and ice there.

If there were, that would be a Lisbon inside tip worth knowing.

Hi Nikki. Thanks for pointing that out.

This is a small world. We are all close to each other

Apassionata horse show is in Lisbon on 28th and 29th this month in Campo Pequeno bullring (no bulls involved).
Special participation of Opera singer Arndis Halla

From tomorrow to 13th April, there will be the Lisbon Fish and Shellfish festival in Terreiro do Paço in Lisbon.
The entrance is 15 euros, including a welcome menu and a glass to drink as much wine as you wish. Additional menus cost from 5 to 8 euros.
The working hours are 12:00 to 23:00 (Monday to Friday) and 11:00 to 23:00 (Saturdays and Sundays)

The new bridge over Tagus will be built between Chelas (North Bank) and Barreiro (South Bank).
It will span in between the existing 25th April and Vasco da Gama bridges.If will serve the car traffic and train networks. The train travel Lisbon to the Algarve will be shortened in 30 minutes. When it is concluded in 2013, Hispania's capital cities will be connected by fast trains (TGV). This bridge will serve as well the new airport to be built in Alcochete area.

Sorry to say I'll miss the fish & shellfish feista. We are arriving on April 14th. Any other interesting things going on in Lisboa the week of the 14th? Haven't been back for a few years and we are excited to be in Lisboa again.

tico

A great tip is eating at Ponto Final resturant across the Tagus River. Looks out at Lisbon, plus great food. Here is an article for you:

http://seeportugal.org/2008/03/24/ponto-final-just-across-the-river/

We are planning to be in Lisbon for a few days but not until the end of November in 2009 but have enjoyed reading all the entries on this thread.

I've already learned that I can easily take a cab from my downtown hotel out to the airport (assuming the Metro extension from Oriente isn't open yet; there will be lots of smoke in Fado places; Chrsitmas lights will probably already be up; it will probably rain the whole time we are there; I'll wish we had more than three days.

smoke inside was banned from Jan 1st

Dukey

Three days will probably do it
for the FIRST trip.

Let us know how your itinerary plans are coming along.

Hey Dukey --

When in "late November" will you be in Lisbon? We're going to be there in "late November" too (probably the 22nd through 25th, give or take a day).

If the Christmas displays are up in Baixa at that time that will be good too!

Well, remember, I said this was November 2009 although i wish it were going to be sometime THIS year.

As I look at my records I see we are actually not arriving until December 1st and will probably fly out on the 4th..apologies for that error.

I have this odd feeling (already) that we are going to wish we had more time and we won't even have a chance to see the rest of the country....sigh

I saw 2009 and thought it was a misprint for 2008. Ooops!

There is a brand new museum in Lisbon. It's the Orient Museum (better translated imho as Museum of Asia)
I've never been to there yet, but I think is worthwhile to see.
It's in the river front, not very far away from Belem, but not at a walkable distance.
The link is http://www.foriente.pt/?lang=en

Barbarian Invasion (Part II)
I was roaming yesterday (8.30 pm) from Alfama (Santa Apolonia station) to Rossio and after 15 centuries after the original Barbarian invasions, it was nice to see hordes of tourists in both Alfama and Rua Augusta, with a multitude of languages beeing spoken.
I feel Lisbon is enhancing it's status of meeting point of civilizations. Only a few places in the world have this potencial (I may recall Istanbul as another one).
PS: Barbarian used in the original meaning of "somebody outside the Latin speaking world"

Did you hear any American accents among those voices?

Last Monday the "Crystal Serenity" (cruise ship) was docked just some 40 or 50 steps away from Santa Apolonia railways and metro station. It was huge, and Santa Apolonia building looks tiny compared in comparison.
I passed there with day light at it was impressive, but I returned after dark with all the lights on and it was just beautiful.
Yesterday, another cruise ship the "independence of the seas" spent 9 hours in Lisbon. It is even bigger, but is was docked in Alcantara (near the old bridge) and I didn't see it.

Yes, sure. Tipicaly only around 2% of tourists were Americans, but I thing the market of Cruise ships (see another post) is bringing more people from across the pond.
And many europeans (Spanish, French, Italians, Brits, Germans) and unspecified nationalities.

One thing that surprised us when we were in Lisbon last August was the lack of ships visible in the water. You'd think that it would be full of ships but we hardly saw any.

Nikki, did you attend Ana Moura performance?
Did you enjoy the show?

I didn't go to the concert, I think I had a conflict. Too bad, it would have been nice.

Lisbon had the coldest May since 1993. In this the proof of the global cooling?

Is it usual for there to be a lot of rain at the end of May in the North?

Last 2 years have been very untypical, however rain in April/May is not that unusual.
More rare would be heavy rains in June/July.

... and hurricanes hardly ever happen

The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.

Today it's the 1st Summer like day in Lisbon this year.

Hey lobo, just saw your fact about the chilly May. You're the Lobopedia!! I had "summer" things in one corner of my suitcase and let's say "chilly weather" things in another, with layering things in between. We were there May 14 to 23 and the I only dressed from the "chilly" side! The ever-present breezes contributed. Do they continue during the summer? My birthday is tomorrow: spend a minute on a sunny calcada for me, OK? Penny

We were in Lisbon April 22-23 aboard the Navigator of the Seas, the one that got "stuck" in the harbor while waiting for a stabilizer to be repaired.
Our only regret was that we couldn't get back into the city while we were anchored for the second day out in the middle of the river! We really loved Lisbon.
However, the weather was strange indeed. When we boarded the hop-on-off tour bus early in the AM, we headed for the open deck on top, as it was a beautiful, mild sunny day.

As we drove through the city, clouds began to gather over the mountains, and the further up in the city we drove, the colder it became. Some drops of rain fell, the winds gusted and I swear the temperature dropped 20 degrees - we were freezing!

Thirty minutes later, we got off at the Tower of Belem, the sun was out, the winds were gone and we were comfortable again. How do you dress for this?

Lobo:

I learned a great deal from this thread and others where you've been posting. We thank you.

Finally got to your wonderful country this May and we're grateful for the visit..it was nothing short of superb!

Your Lisbon is truly one of Europe's "best kept secrets"...and with Portugal being my last remaining country in all of continental Europe where I had yet to visit, it was even more remarkably enjoyable. It was my wife Roz's first visit also.

You and all of your warm and welcoming countrymen, have every reason to be proud to show and share with the world traveler a jewel of a destination.

I suppose we packed in what most visitors do, staying in Lisbon five filling days. We were at the VIP Eden facing Praca Restauradores, perfectly located for our daily forays into Rossio, Alfama, Baixa, Chiados, Bairro Alto (the elevador Gloria incline a few steps away from the hotel was so convenient!)...rode the rickety venerable tram to Alfama, and the slick trolley to Belem and its notable sites...bussed it to the Gulbenkian, found the sinagoga on Herculano, sampled the tasty variety of foods offered, rode the Elevador Santa Justa, took your advice to experience Fado at Calde Verde... a most pleasing venue, indeed.

All of the above before renting a car and moving into the beautiful Alentejo countryside...stayed in three luxurious Pousadas, at Arraiolos, Marvao and Belmonte in the Serras, with a welcome assist from their attractive Golden Age discounts (Thank you Government of Portugal!)...and ended the auto portion with delightful stays in Obidos, visiting Nazare'/Sitio, and finally the Golden Triangle of Sintra/Cascais,Estoril.

Our cameras were snapping incessantly! Will see the results tomorrow and share with this forum.

We came to Lisbon and to Portugal with the usual "blind date" trepidations...and left with nothing but love for our newfound gem!

Once again, thank you for your "man on the spot" information, Lobo. May your life be graced with truckloads of Pastels de Belem (and de Nata)!!!

Stu T.

Stu, I can't wait to see the pictures. Please let us know when they are up!

Thank you Tower, I feel touched by your kind words.

Tram 28 in Alfama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxbGxf7jVuk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YiHO5jZYY4&feature=related

Lobo, Hagan, et al:

Here are the pix of my May visit to Portugal. I can only hope we captured some of the beauties of this amazing destination.

Simply go for the slide show ...but if you do, be prepared for some stalls...there may be four or five of them, so just go to the last pic and hit "slide show" again. This will let you get through to the end.

Otherwise, since there are so many photos, just click on the ones you want to see.

If there are any other Portugal threads you think would like to see these, let me know and I'll be happy to share.

Lisbon, the Alentejo (Arraiolos, Evora, Marvao), Belmonte in the northern serras, Obidos, Nazare'/Sitio and Sintra/Cascais

Stu T.
http://picasaweb.google.com/stuarttower/Portugal2008

P.S. Please excuse my bonehead error by including a photo of England...you'll spot it as it comes through like a sore thumb...now I have to get rid of it.

stu

This is the day Lisbon goes crazy. The party spreads all over the city but the official celebrations are in Avenida da Liberdade.

US Embassy staff was dining yesterday at Adega das Gravatas.
I guess a lot of people is reading these pages

Were you there too? How did you know who they were?

Now people that really like that restaurant will be sorry if it starts getting popular like some of Rick Steves' places.

1st question: yes. elder little wolf turned 21 and asked a dinner at Gravatas as a birthday present. For me it was far less painful that anything else he could have asked.
2nd question: Lisbon is not such a big place.
3rd question (not asked): No, they were not wearing badges.

Great Expectations

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/travel/13Lisbon.html?pagewanted=1&sq=lisbon&st=nyt&scp=1

The right place to eat ice cream in downtown Lisbon is:
Fragoleto
80, Rua da Prata
Tel.: 218877971
Opened Monday to Friday, 10am to 8 pm; Saturday, 2.30 pm to 8pm.
Don't misjudge the place by the size of it. It's a one door ice cream shop, with space for one client at a time.

On the 25th August 1988, most of Chiado district was devastaded by a huge fire. Several blocks in Rua do Carmo, Rua Nova do Almada and Rua Garrett were leveled, including 2 department stores, unvaluable historical records of Portuguese music and Pastelaria Ferrari, a pastry shop where the Balzaquian ladies of Lisbon gathered everyday at 5pm to have tea.

After the fire, many thought that Chiado area of Lisbon was dead forever, but after many years of rebuilding (and a lot of money), Chiado district is living again, althought some scares are still visible.

http://www.pbase.com/paul_teixeira/the_great_fire_in_lisbon_1988

Judging from the last time I was in the area, they seem to have recovered and restored beautifully.

Chiado on 25th August 1988:

http://aeiou.expresso.pt/gen.pl?p=stories&op=view&fokey=ex.stories/394562

Sher, the firemen in the 1st picture are very near your appartment.


Chiado in present days:

http://aeiou.expresso.pt/gen.pl?p=stories&op=view&fokey=ex.stories/394621

Wow! A picture is worth a thousand words.

Madonna performed yesterday before 75,000 in Belavista Park (venue of Rock in Rio Lisbon). This is the 3rd Madonna's performance in Lisbon.
The tickets had been sold in 7 days only.

This is a happy day for the Portuguese. In 15th September 1808, when the French flag was raised in Saint Georges castle in Lisbon, it was the last time that a foreigner symbol of sovereignty was displayed in the higher place of Portugal's capital city.
Portuguese contemporary of French invasions, stood the thoughest period of Portuguese history. The bloodshed carried out by no reason and the starvation that driven many to death is still present in the country's collective memory.
May God keep our enemies far from home soil.
PS: For those willing to have a insight of those times, I recommend "The Gun" by 20th century British novelist C.S. Forester.

bookmarking as Portugal is on my mind as the next place to visit.

Hey lobo --

Have the chestnut vendors appeared in Rua Augusta yet? It's been a year since you posted about them.

Well, it's been forever since a post from me has appeared, and I don't think ever in this thread. Important LDC date to be announced. All invited. Lobo, are you okay for dinner?

Matt

Matt. We will be there in spirit if not in body.

We just hate to miss it. But if the Dollar to Euro ratio keeps coming down I see another trip in our future in late Spring.

Oh cool! I thought the LDC had gone into hibernation? Any chance this will be between Oct 30 and Dec 5??

No chestnut vendors in Rua Augusta yet, at least I haven't seem them so far.

Matt, I'm always ok for dinner (I do that on a daily basis). Bring your women with you. I'll take mine.

Thursday (I haven't read this name since my Robinson Crusoe's reading days), last week of November sound good. Do you stay in Lisbon for more than one month??? Please reveal a little your plans.

This weekend in Lisbon, there will be a Formula 1 Renault exhibition in Avenida da Liberdade, between Restauradores and Marques de Pombal. 100,000 ppl are expected to attend. Note: this is not a race, just a show off.

It seems I have to read the book again. Thursday is Friday... sorry Friday for this mistake (I knew ir was a week day, anyway).

Oh good, it isn't my memory that is fading.

Sorry - I made a mistake too - that should have read Oct 30 to NOV 5th - I fly to Morocco on the 6th. I have six full days in Lisbon - my first real visit since 1970!! (I don't count the afternoon in '04 when I was just between trains and leaving Portugal ahead of the soccer fans.)

Any possibilities for those dates?

Lobo - it has been a long time: you have women? Does Mrs Wolf know about this development? How many places will you harem require?

So glad the LDC may begin again. Think of you often and check in here once in awhile.

We certainly hope to return before too long. Welcome back Matt!

Will look forward to the dinner report. Enjoy!

Barb

How much I have missed you guys, women and all.
LOL
Sher
How are the plans coming for a return to NY?

NYC is a definite maybe...

Oh, should I start getting excited? (You can leave your hat on.)

Matt
I'm reading my post again and again and I don't understand from where did you extract the idea that I need more than one place to sit my harem

Maybe a LDC in NYC could occur a second time????

Bring your women with you. I'll take mine

"I'll bring mine", after telling me to bring my women (plural) infers that you too have more than one, or perhaps your sons are now cross dressers?

But not a problem, it shall be a special night anyway, and cause for a little celebration...

Thursday, I am very sorry, but I don't think a formal LDC is possible for that period
Regarding another NYDC, I think I am off for the near future.
Matt from England, I'm not aware of English language subtleties, but your explanatation made perfect sense.
When are we joining for dinner? I'd prefer last week of November. I leave the field work (choosing the place) for you. Either in the North Bank of Tagus river or in the Desert (private joke)

Oh Well. One can only hope.

Hi Mr Matt W

This is Mrs Wolf speaking. I'm glad to hear from you, you came out of your Summer hibernation (the opposite to the bears )
Welcome! The old Matt in great form!
As for the dinner, let's go for it.
We are looking for this "little celebration", which I guess it might be one more woman for you

Hugs and kisses to you all (women included)

correction: We are looking forward to

Mrs W

Bookmarking-we are adding Portugal and Spain to our ever-growing travel wish list.

Spain? Never heard...

Oh crikey, no no no. No such announcements from this end. Shall we just say that it involves the future publication of a book by a certain well know travel publisher who we all know...

Great news, Matt

Mrs W

A Book!! Congratulations Matt!

Sounds like a great excuse to make a special trip for an LDC reunion.

keep us posted.

Barb

Yesterday I shared with Mrs W the first chestnuts of the winter.
The same price as last year (12 units/2 euros).

Thursday. are you there? A formal LDC is not possible, I'm affraid, but why don't you show up for a coffee or a drink?

Hi - right now I'm in London - I'll get to Lisbon late tomorrow. Coffee or a drink sounds great - I'm staying at the Residencial Florescente, but I'll be getting a transport pass. Let me know what might work for you. You can email me through my website - www.wilhelmswords.com - click on webms at the bottomm of the page.

Thursday, this is a windy and rainy day to welcome you

lobo_mau - I didn't get in until after the rain stopped - maybe 8:00 at night? Then I ate wonderful chicken at Bomjardim. The best I've ever had was in a little fishing village north of Lisbon in 1970, but this came close. Today I went to the Palace de Fronteira (sp?) and the Gulbenkian. I planned to go to Sintra but it was raining this morning.

Well, I'm just loving Lisbon! There's so much to do I'll have come back! I spent Saturday at Sintra and Cascais, and Sunday at Belem (successfully dodging the crowds). Today my feet gave out after the new Museu da Oriente, so I retired to the Institute of Port Wine. Any interest in meeting me there, lobo_mau? I definitely plan to visit it again.

Hi Thursdays
I sent a message to your email. I hope you are able to see it soon.
Joao

I tried to post a reply from Lisbon, but it seems to have ended up in the bit bucket. I'll see whqt I can do with this crazy Arabic/French keyboard in Casablanca.

I really enjoyed Lisbon - it made me smile, a lot, and I especially enjoyed meeting lobo_mau and his lovely wife over a glass of luscious port! Lisbon is high up on my revisit list. Oh, and I got to eat some of those chestnuts mentioned at the top of the thread - lots of vendors around Praca da Restaraudores (spelling?).

Christmas ligts are lit since last Saturday. At least in Rossio, Rua Augusta, Terreiro do Paço, Rua Nova do Almada, Rua do Carmo, Rua Garrett and Praça Camões.

Nice Leeloo's (the 5th element) pictures around Portugal

http://pt.trekearth.com/members/LeeLoo/photos/Europe/Portugal/

Manoel de Oliveira is turning today his 100th birthday and is the oldest active film director in the world.
I was impressed last year when I was watching his interview and he was asked to comment his past live and he said "the things I have done are not important, what's important are the achievements I have yet before me". He was only 99 when he gave this answer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manoel_de_Oliveira

Thank you for all your reports regarding beautiful Portugal.

Right this moment I am listening to the rain at a Quinta in the Douro. Just amazing. The owners are having a birthday party upstairs and I hear their laughter and try to understand a little Portugese. I feel truly blessed to be here.

Tomorrow we are driving south to Obidos and then to Lisbon where Paulo has graciously rented us a superb apartment in Chiado.

We are blown away by the people, they are so kind!!! I feel like I have met some of the most sincere people ever. Paula, our server in an amazing restaurant in Porto made me cry when she said she set her alarm for 4am to see the results of the US election. What a day to be proud of! The whole world was watching and cheering!

I think I have gained 10 pounds already! Last night some local cheese and a fabulous pumpkin jam on toast with a glass of port was like a slice of heaven!

Thank you again everyone for your tips, reports and pictures. Fantastic in every way but can not compare to actually being here.

Will try for a trip report after the new year but I just wanted to send my love and thanks to all the wonderful Fodorites. (I will probably spell this completly wrong but who cares, I am trying and loving every minute of it!!!)


Feliz Natal

XXXOOO

This post certainly brought a smile to me....as a boy, in the late sixties, I lived in Porto (father in international business). I recall buying roasted chestnuts from street vendors many times. Came served in newspaper funnels, they did, back in those days, and at about three escudos a dozen, what a bargain!

francefling. We were lucky to stay in one of Paulo's apartments in June and loved it.

I am sure you will also.

Isn't Portugal wonderful?

Need some insider tips... where can I find a good guide/driver with mini van to pick our family up at the airport...and one of our days take us on an excursion to Obidos and or Sintra that's affordable.. 800 euros is out of my league, but I do want to go...any suggestions

ttt

"Amalia - the movie" was recently released.

http://www.amaliathemovie.com/en/

Those who have attended the Fado Club "Caldo Verde" in Bairro Alto might remember a gentleman of some age, playing a guitar and singing a balad in the midlle of the fado performances.

If you watch closely the movie, in the recriation of Amalia's performance in Coliseu just after the revolution, you can see that very same gentleman playing the guitar.

In the introduction of the site I referred above, he appears, but only by 2 or 3 seconds.

Have fun

Silverspoon: My husband & I took the prepaid taxi service from the Lisbon Airport to our hotel and our driver was also a tour guide. We booked the taxi at the Visitor's Desk in the airport. Our driver spoke very good English, was dressed in a shirt and tie and was very personable. I would have booked a private tour with him, but we were on a tour to begin with. His price was very reasonable.

Silverspoon - Sintra is very easy to do by public transport - train from Rossi station to Sintra, then local buses. You can get a one day transport pass at Rossio station.

I doubt that it will ever open in Pittsburgh.
Maybe I will be lucky if I get to New York.

Apassionata - musical and horse riding show will be in Lisbon (Campo Pequeno) with performances on the 27th (9.30pm), 28th Feb (4pm and 9.30om) and 1 March (4pm).

As a result of global cooling, 70% of continental Portugal is currently below 32 Farenheit (Lisbon and the Setubal Peninsula are the exceptions).
Weather forecast says that, although unlikely, there is a chance for vestigial snow in Lisbon this evening.

Francefling, which quinta in the Duoro were you?

I think The Guardian editors do read Fodors

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/jan/03/shortbreaks-portugal

Reading suggestion:

http://www.amazon.com/First-Global-Village-Portugal-Changed/dp/9724613135

There goes the neighborhood.

Watching the Inauguration events. Sincere congratulations to American friends for this beautiful day.

Thanks Joao!

Hope all is well with you and Gertrude!

Gina

Last Friday was the 40th aniversary of the inaugural Canairelief flight from Sao Tome Island to Biafra.

I found strange, some time ago, the sight of 2 inoperable Super Constellation airplanes just outside the Sao Tome airport, and after somer research I stumbled in a story of heroism as I had rarely heard.

The whole story may be found in
http://www.biafraland.com/Biafra_Air_Relief_by_Churches.htm

Museum of Ephemeral (Graffiti in Lisbon. mostly Bairro Alto), free entrance

http://museuefemero-eng.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

This is the August archive, check the other archives.

Have fun

Hard to describe the place... they call themselves a "cultural cooperative". A place where anybody may present his/her/their own show of anykind.
A lot of out-of-mainstream experimentalism. A "smell" of woodstock.
If you like to seat on the floor, between walls painted with psychedelic paintings and you are less than 40, at least in your mind, go there, otherwise stay out.

According to them "we supply light meals everydays, pies, soups and today's specials, fruit juice and herb infusions, all of them made with the best vegetables, colors and smells in the world"

http://www.crewhassan.org/

No one under forty was at Woodstock. My husband was, but his memory is a bit blurry. Must be because of his advanced age.

Advanced age??? Not the husband I met!

Age really hits home when you see some of the musicians performing now that were singing then.
WOW. Are we really THAT old?

Today are completed 100 years over Carmen Miranda's birth in Marco de Canavezes (northern Portugal) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen_Miranda).
The singer and actress developped most of her career in Brazil and the US.

The sun shines for the 1st time after 2 months of miserable weather.

We know what you mean. It has been bitterly cold here for several weeks.
But not today. Today it will reach the mid 60's. Yeah!

The Gulbenkian Museum has a terrific special exhibit called "The Evolution of Darwin." For someone like me, who's pretty ignorant when it comes to science, it was fascinating. It has four main components -- first, all the scientists laying the groundwork through botany, anatomy, etc. Then a big chunk on Darwin's life, the 5 year Voyage of the Beagle, etc. Then the elaboration of the theory and how he did it, and how other scientists were coming to the same ideas simultaneously (I never knew he almost got scooped!). And finally, the incredible importance of the theory for genetics, the genome project, etc. Along with one very hard hitting video on how "theory" in science means something totally different than our layperson usage of the term.

The exhibit skirted the edges of the religious implications (as did Darwin try to in his lifetime, in fact, one of the panels said he left human beings out of his Origin of the Species because he thought people would accept it more easily if it were dealing only with animals and plants).

Most of the exhibit has Portuguese/English descriptions. There's one or two rooms where it's all in Portuguese, but their are laminated translations in English. This isn't as convenient as the rest of the exhibit because you have to keep going back and forth to the laminated translations which are chained to the wall, but the fact that the exhibit is bilingual is pretty astonishing to me, and the quality of the translation is exceptional.

We went on a Sunday, when it's free (big crowds but by 1 pm they were gone). Otherwise, it's 4 E (5E if combined with an entrance to the general museum).

We spent almost 3 hours inside the exhibit, well beyond my usual tolerance for museums. I would not try to combine this with the Gulbenkian's regular collection.

Because it was a glorious day, we brought a picnic lunch to eat in the gardens afterwards. The gardens are very pleasant and shaded. There's also a nice cafe where I've eaten before with outdoor seating.

The exhibit runs through May 24.

Thanks a lot Ireynold.
It's in my to-do-list.

I think you'll like it Lobo. I should also add that there were lots of children on the Sunday we went. There are some real animals from the zoo there (some of the species Darwin wrote about and saw on his voyage), some very interesting and colorful displays, and one big video screen taking the vertebrae of a horse and minutely changing it one frame at a time till we get the vertebrae of a human being -- there were kids there watching this very intently.

I have to share an anecdote from long ago that this exhibit rekindled my memory of -- my son was 4 and we were standing in front of a mural (much like one they had at this exhibit) showing the stages of man from monkey to caveman to modern man, etc etc. I thought I had done a masterful job of explaining evolution and how monkeys evolved into human beings, when my son looked at me in disbelief and said -- Mama, did papa used to be a monkey?

This text to speech is excellent. I've tried it many times with difficult words and never found anything less than perfect. The guys behind it should be incredible.

http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tts/tts_example.php?sitepal

As an example try the words óbidos, évora, cascais, belém, rossio, restauradores, estação do rossio.

Don't forget to choose an European character, or them swap between European and Brazilian to check the differences.

Wow! (Doesn't rhyme with...) I was looking for a way to kill a few hours, wasn't I?

Nikki, please help me, after a 2nd reading, I think that "these guys should be incredible" should be replaced by "these guys must be incredible". Am I right, or is there a better formulation?
(Who said English is an easy language???)

Nobody said English is an easy language.

Your second version is correct.

Summer this year arrived ahead of time.

... and the silly season came with the blue sky.

The Spanish newspaper La Opinion de Zamora warns it's readers to the danger caused by crocodiles in the Portuguese section of Douro River.

Please bring your safari equipment

http://www.laopiniondezamora.es/secciones/noticia.jsp?pRef=2009031500_5_341750__Comarcas-Prohiben-presa-Miranda-Duero-carteles-avisando-existencia-cocodrilos

I see. The Douro is now a dangerous place to visit. Is that why the port is shipped by truck instead of by boat to O'Porto?

Have you ever heard about Mexican fado? If you haven't, take note of these names: singer Marcela Ortiz Aznar and group Poetica Saudade Fado Belem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFLJr7nUIbw

And what about Japanese Fado?
The name is Kumiko Tsumori. Lot's of references in the internet, among them:
http://www.france24.com/en/20090119-japanese-fado-singer-captivates-lisbon

A large number of persons (4,000 by some accounts) have lost their lives on the 29th March 1809 in Douro River, trying to cross the river from Porto town to Vila Nova de Gaia, escaping from the French Army's bayonnettes.
In the north bank there is a memorial to the horrors of war, and even 200 years after the event, it is possible to watch small candles lit by anonymous people in memory of the souls of those who perished that day.

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/wie/eubuildit/educational/liberalismo/pontebarcas/#english

This weekend Nuno Alvares Pereira (14th century) was raised by Pope Benedictus XVI to the dignity of saint of the Catholic Church.
As happened usually in Middle Ages, the nobility with their private armies, moved to join the party that looked stronger (watch the Braveheart for analogy). During the dinastic sucession crisis of 1383-1395, all the nobility moved to Castilla with their private armies, and Nuno Alvares Pereira led an army of paisants, poorly armed and organized the resistence against the all mighty castillian army. Both sided engaged four times in the battle fields and the luck shined all the 4 times to the Lusitanian side. The Batalha Convent was raised to give account of this. As a result an obscure illegitimate son on late king Pedro called Joao, gained the access to the throne. Pedro was the "husband to be" of Ines de Castro, who was killed in Quinta das Lagrimas, Coimbra (Place of Tears) by 2 men sent by Pedro's father. Pedro and Ines stone tombs are worth to visit in Alcobaca Monastery. The tombs are placed in such way that in the day of last judgement, they Pedro and Ines are able to raise and watch each other, before they can see anything else.
Joao (by some unknown reason, all outstanding men in Portugal are given the name Joao) married Philippa of Lancaster, the elder daughter of Engand's John of Gaunt and they produced together the most distinguished offspring of Portugal's History, one of which is Prince Henry the Navigator. Joao's horse statue may be seen in Praca da Figueira, looking South.
After his warrier adventures, Nuno Alvares Pereira embraced the religious life, and joined Carmo Convent (Chiado area of Lisbon) where he lived to the end of his days.

correction: crisis of 1383-1385

Lobo, your humble servant and Mrs Wolf, have visited yesterday the new Starbucks Belem.
We've been is some SBs in NYC 2 years ago, and found SB to be comparable to a good coffee shops in Europe and this particular one displays the same standard.
IMHO it has good and not so good aspects. The good point is an upper room and terrace with lots of space, with students and visitors with their laptops. I assumed, but not sure that there is free wireless internet.
The not so good aspect is that an expresso coffee costs 1.35 euros, when is possible to find in the next door the same by .50 euros.

Christ statue in the south bank of Tagus River turned yesterday 50 years old.

Darwin's Origins of Species (Gulbenkian exhibit) ended last Saturday. As typical Portuguese, mr and mrs lobo chose the last day to visit. The exhibition deserves all the good words said about it. Apart from some 30 minutes in ticket line, everything was ok, and the last day croud effect was not felt. No more days for Darwin in Lisbon. I think that in the future, most of materials are to be reloccated to Amadora, but I know no details.

Lisbon Zoo celebrates today it's 125th birthday. When the zoo was young, mr Carlos da Maia was still very alive. It's a beautiful place to spend an afternoon, the other is Estufa Fria

Hello dear Lobo! Still thinking of you and and your very nice wife! Mr. Otto was just here for an English lesson and he sends his greetings.

It seems just about time for another trip. The airfares from the US to Lisbon are almost too good to resist.
Regards from us to Mrs. Lobo too.

Thank you Schuler. I always remember Mr Otto as Mr O-t-t-o It was a Saint Patrick's night, we'll remember forever.

Come, Sher. We are waiting for you. And Nikki is planning too This sounds like a dream for Lobo and Loba and young Lobinhos. And for Matt and Liz too. We gathered all in Gravatas a couple of weeks ago, and we remember you all with a lot of saudades.

Dear Sher, my other activity is begining in the critical phase tomorrow, and will last 3 weeks, more or less. I'm submerged by papers as you may guess

Lobo. Thank you for your kind words.

Mr. Sher said YES!

See you in August.

Lobo Mau, I just came across this delightful thread. We will be in Lisbon June 5-8. Any "inside tips" for those dates? Will we be there for any of the Saints Days?

Flyingaway, I made a selection for you.

Marchas Populares (folclore parade)

The highlight of June in Lisbon is the parade in Avenida da Liberdade during the evening of 12th June, day before the Lisbon's patron day Saint Anthony. Every 23 districts of Lisbon are recriating a theme related to the history of each particular area. There is a competition to the best march, music, customs ad coreography. Before the Avenida da Liberdade grand finale, there is a presentation to their fans in Pavilhao Atlantico, in Parque das Nacoes(former expo98) during the days 5 to 7 of June, 9 pm (metro: Oriente). Tickets 6 euros. Personal comment: You may find this way too much etnic, lot of noise, soccer like atmosphere. Go there if you have some interest on antropology or are looking for photo ops.

Arraiais (I can't figure out any possible translation, sorry)

Is a district festivity. Typical activities are going out, sit in an outdoor informal restaurant, order some sangria and grilled sardines and enjoy your time. Don't worry about finding any particular location, go to Largo do Chafariz de Dentro, near by Museu do Fado, from there go into Alfama, and sit wherever you feel like. 8 to 11 pm are a perfect timing for indulging yourself with this low pace activity.

Fado

Concerts in Saint George Castle

5 June: Vicente da Câmara José da Câmara /Manuel da Câmara/Teresinha da Câmara/Helena Vieira
6 June: Aldina Duarte/Maria do Rosário Pedreira/Nancy Vieira/Manuel Paulo

Entrance 12.50 euros. Ticket office in the Castle.


Fado in tramway #28

From 3 to 13th and from 18 to 21st June, 4 pm to 7 pm. You must have any title available to travel in the tramway. The fado itself is free. The difficulty might be a large number os tourists willing to join tran #28 and enjoy a free performance.

Lobo, it looks like we'll be coming your way sooner than I had thought. Hope you keep your head above water, keep those papers under control, and check your e-mail.

My e-mail box is full of excellent news (so I was told). WIthin one week, I'll answer emails with all due attention.

buying tickets now. need attention sooner.

Since yesterday there is an official list of Wonders of the world built by the Portuguese. And the list is:
Diu fortress (India)
Mazagan fortress (El Jadida/Morroco)
Church of Good Jesus (Goa/India)
Old Town of Santiago (Cape Verde)
Saint Paul Church (Macao)
Saint Francis of Assisi Convent (Ouro Preto/Brazil)
Saint Francis of Assisi Convent (Bahia/Brazil)
These were selected out of a list of 27 spread over 13 countries including Brazil, Uruguay, India, Bahraim, Iran, Malasya, Oman, Mozambique, Angola, Etiopia, Gana, Kenya and Tanzania.

The large majority of venues are of militar or religious nature. The process of selection, image collection and interviews with locals, had all the support and encouragement from the authorities and scholars of countries where the monuments and located.

"the monuments are located".
Flyingaway, I hope you enjoyed your stay in the "western Lusitanian shore".
Nikki, I know about your email (Loba's courtesy). I plan to answer later today, but let me say that I start field work. Come prepaired to eat a lot of moelas and caracois and all kinds of desgusting food

Everything but the squeal. (I googled and translated and I know that moelas and caracois don't squeal, but you get the idea.)

Moelas and caracois definitely don't squeal. Anyway, I don't eat alive food.
In 10 minutes, the whole wolf pack is leaving for Santo Antonio eve, the night Lisbon goes crazy.

Lobo. Are you back among civilization or are you still stuck inside of your papers?

Dear Lobomau, I have been following this thread for some time as I will be in Lisbon in September. Any inside tips for early September? Thanks so much.

Dear Lily. I suggest you to go where no other tourist has been before.
Many years ago, every single town in Portugal and many Lisbon districts had a once-a-year summer market. It allowed producers to sell their products and buyers to spend some fresh money. As time went buy, country side markets changed their flavour (mostly to cattle and agriculture exhibitions) and all but one of the Lisbon's summer markets closed.
The proud survivor is Feira da Luz (Largo da Luz/Carnide area). It stands from 1st to 30th of September. All sophistication is absent there. Come prepared to loud local music, sandwich bars (vans), smoke, hotdogs, bifanas and pregos. Coffee and beer in plastic cups, a lot of photo opportunities (please ask and with 99% probability they will be glad to be photographed).
Word of caution: The environment is 100% safe but, as in any place with a lot of people, it's wise to keep an eye (or both hopefuly) on personal property. Take the usual precautions, don't carry a lot of money with you, I'd say that 20 euros is enough for a couple of beers and some bifanas or hotdogs.

Before somebody asks what a bifana is, check (main picture) http://acozinhadatianita.blogspot.com/2008/10/bifana-no-po.html
It's a hot sandwich of a thin cut pork steak, usualy eaten with mustard and requires a cold beer.
As far as pronunciation is concerned, I think that "beef Ann" is a good aproach.
Prego is similar, but from a different pork cut, and usually less tender.
The combo (bifana + beer) should cost about 2,20 to 2,40 euros.
A glass of canned beer is a "imperial" (don't ask me why), approx 1/2 pint and less to 1 euro. It's always served ice cold, in glass. Plastic cups are only acceptable in large concentrations, such as sport events.

Thanks LoboMau - sounds very interesting and I'm sure to go!

Lobo Mau is awaking from his turpor/lethargy/hibernation (pick one) at the same pace as the best LDC ever is taking shape. Please watch CNN for further developments.

LDC is scheduled for next Thursday, with an outstanding participant of this forum

Thanks for the snail mail.

Technically not in Lisbon, but I thought worthwhile to include 2 restaurant suggestions for Evora, considering the number of Fodorites interested in the Alentejo's capital city.
The 1st is for somebody looking for a formal dinner is Fialho, good and expensive.
The 2nd is for the adventurous person, is Adega Tipica Quarta Feira (Wednesday Typical Tavern aka Restaurante Ze Dias). Dr Freud founded in Wien in the begining of 20th century the Wednesday Psychological Society. I don't know weather or not the later is related with the former, but it's known that a dinner in Adega Quarta Feira worths for a therapy session.
Think about a restaurant without a menu, a price list or a wine's list. The owner (Ze Dias himself) looks for the clients and according to his feeling and their reactions keeps choosing what they are eating and drinking next. By the end you pay for the quantity of food and the quality of conversation.
This is not a meal for the person who has to travel the same day. This is a meal for the traveler staying in Evora overnight.
If you feel unconfortable with a dinner where you don't know in advance how much you are paying, you can always set an upper limit and make it sure to Mr Ze Dias. This way you may always engoy your time without materialistic concerns.
Location: Rua do Inverno (Winter St) - Evora

In April 09 I had the pleasure of finding Fialho by chance. It is wonderful!! Very Portuguese but at a level I had never had before in Portugal. What you find here is worth every Euro.
I'm planning a trip to Lisboa in January. I'm also planning to go to Evora just to return to Fialho.

4 out of each 5 foreigner visitors in Lisbon are fooled by taxi drivers. The taximeter must be visible and working all times, inside urban perimeter (all sites between airport, city center, Expo 98 site or Belem are within urban perimeter for sure).
It is legal for taxi drivers to ask a small surplus (luggage in the truck and/or airport service, but this is a small surplus, not anything doubling the taximeter value). As a reference, a ride like airport to Rossio Sq or Rossio Sq to Belem should cost below 10 euros. If you are asked 20 euros, then it is a fraud. In case of doubt call the police if there is one in line of sight or ask the taxi driver to drive you to the closest police station.
If you are beeing driven outside city limits (eg.: airport to Cascais or Sintra, ask in advance how much it would cost you).
I've noticed sometimes foreigners trying to enter a 2nd or a 3rd taxi when they are waiting in a line. This is not legal im Portugal, but it's not a situation to be concerned with, because the taxi driver will certainly send you to the 1st in the line).

What I would like to know is if taxi drivers will transport four adults at the same time.

Yes. 1 in the front seat. Safety belts mandatory for everybody.

Thanks.

Hi Lobo_mau,

Love your comments on Portugal and Lisbon. What are some of your favorite historical restaurants?

MBW

I can attest to both the quantity of food and the quality of conversation (quality of food too) at the Adega Tipica Quarta Feira. But if you are trying to find it by car (and good luck to you in that case) make sure you ask directions from the guy with the dreadlocks who lives down the street and will lead you there on his bicycle (in which case you'd better be really good at driving your car in reverse down narrow cobbled streets avoiding the parked cars and the people sitting on the doorsteps). Useless to ask the guys hanging out at the cafes, or even the cops at the police station.

I'm just saying.

Nikki, we are very happy to know that you returned safe and in perfect shape, judging by your upward post

Hello MBW, the historical restaurant is "Tavares" in Chiado, quoted in the 19th century novel "The Maias". A fashionable restaurant is Eleven on the top of Edward 7th Park (not historical). These restaurants are expensive (like 100 euros pp or more). My favourites are in the range of 20 euros, with good food and local flavour. Top 1 for me is "Adega das Gravatas" (Carnide). Alternatives are "Retiro dos Passarinhos" (Campo de Ourique), "Stop do Bairro" (Campo de Ourique) "Cocheira Alentejana" (Bairro Alto).
There are several chains of "Cervejarias" (shelfish and steaks) such as "Cervejeira Lusitana" and "Portugália". Portugália (Almirante Reis av) is opened up to 2 am, which makes it a good option for a late meal.

Hotel Internacional Lisbon, located in the very heart of downtown Lisbon has been subject to a major renovation. The new look from the outside couldn't be better.

http://www.portugalvirtual.pt/_lodging/costadelisboa/lisbon/hotel.internacional/ptindex.html

Thanks to all for sharing so much information. Lots to learn here.

Planning a trip to Madeira Islands. Wondering if someone can share more tips about that area.

Also, what are some good souvenirs to buy in this country and what is the best food we should plan to eat.

Thanks.

ileen, imho Nancy's page on Madeira is a unvaluable source of information.

http://home.online.no/~nancys/portugal/madeira/index.html

The first time we visited Portugal we used this guide to rent a small cottage, which we loved.
I am sorry to see that she no longer provides information personally on rentals as this was the first place I looked this year.

P.S. For Lisbon. I forgot to include that.

The red line in Metro Lisbon was extended to include 2 more stations (Saldanha and Sao Sebastiao). This might look a minor improvement for a occasional user, but will have a major impact in the quality offered by the public transport system.
The next improvement will be the extension of red line to serve the airport, but I'm not expecting it to occur in the next couple of years.

http://www.metrolisboa.pt/Default.aspx?tabid=79

A metro from the aiport would be great. Although, taxis are plentiful and inexpensive.

In general elections held yesterday, Mr Socrates (not the one you are thinking about) was elected to serve another term (4 years).

10 years ago (6th October 1999), the world of Portuguese expression was hit by the news of Amalia's death. She is the biggest expression of Portugueseness and the feeling of "saudades" is increasing by the day in every person out of the millions she touched with her live and career.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am%C3%A1lia_Rodrigues

Who is the current singer do you think that has become as popular or almost as popular as she was? Or maybe no one person.

Hi, Sher and Lobo,
I think there's probably no doubt that in terms of popularity (both at home and abroad), Mariza has "taken over" the position of #1 fado star. But I know that some (maybe a lot of?) Amalia fans think that, though she has a beautiful voice, Mariza just doesn't sing fado, she is more of a new age music person. I have seen Mariza in concert and she has a lot more staging and drama than what I've seen of Amalia concerts on video. But both voices, to me, are hauntingly beautiful and come from the soul. We're lucky to have so many recordings of Amalia, and I think lucky to be able to see Mariza live. Laurie

Nobody has arrived yet to claim the throne. A bad service rendered by the enthusiasts of emerging stars is calling them "the new Amalia", because Amalia has joined the category of "those who, with their valiant works / are from the law of death (men) liberating".

PS: INMO Ana Moura is more "fadista" than Mariza.

I have some recordings of Amalia, but I think my appreciation is hampered by the quality of the old recordings.

Try this online
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFgctURyGp4

It's my favourite fado ever (what a strange way of live). In it the singer is displaying a dialog between her mind (reason) and her heart (emotions) and the reason concludes to the heart: "If you don't know where you are going to, why to you persist in running? Stop!, Cease beating, because I can't follow you anyfurther". (something like that)

Fado sips its origins in Greek tradition, and you might trace this reason/emotion fight to ancient authors like Plato himself.

The music is from another outstanding figure of 20th century, Alfredo "Marceneiro" Duarte and the lyrics from Amalia herself, which proofs that Amalia was not just a performer, but a poet herself.

Lobo,
wow, thank you for this link. That is an amazing song and an amazing performance. I'm really not very knowledgeable in the way of fado, but this is truly electric. And I will definitely check out Ana Moura's work -- I see Amazon has several different cds. Lobo, can you tell me your favorite?

Since I had trouble making out all the words in the Amalia song, I found an amateur translation on the web, to fill in the blanks of what Lobo already told us:

It was God's will
That I should live in this anxiety
That all the woes are mine
That all longing is mine
It was God's will

What a strange way to live
Has this heart of mine
It lives on life that's lost
Who gave it such a skill
What a strange way to live

Independent heart
Heart that I do not command
You live lost among the people
Stubbornly bleeding
Independent heart

I won't follow you anymore
Stop, don't beat again
If you don't know where you're going
Why do you insist on running
I won't follow you anymore

The last one "Para alem da saudade". Check this site before ordering.

http://en.tunesbag.com/music/Ana+Moura/668308-para-al-m-da-saudade/

I like "Até ao fim do fim" (about separation) and "Fado das horas Incertas" (the relativity of time).

Some more about Ana Moura:
http://virb.com/anamoura

Lobo, thank you so much for these links. I have just ordered the most recent CD.

For me, it was interesting to compare Mariza's version of Rosa Cor de Rosa with Ana Moura's (which is on the tunesbag link). Though I know very little about music, it seemed to me that Ana Moura's version seemed more "traditional" and less "hyped" and overly dramatic. But I do love Mariza!

Thanks again -- Laurie

Great info! I enjoyed the fado of Marcela Ortiz from Mexico. Do you know where can I buy the new cd? Thank you

Bullfighters abuse

http://www.malhanga.com/videosflash/

Azorean street amusement

Two questions:

What's the matter with those people?

Which one were you?

I prefer watching on TV

Nikki. Maybe it was their five minutes of fame.

Hi all - long time.

I am still around once in awhile and glad to keep in touch.

So DC will actually have some fado (or close) if you are in the area.

http://lisner.org/eventdetails.asp?id=520

Christmas illuminations were switched on 2 nights ago.

Very cool fado stuff! Many thanks.

lobo_mau. Wish I was there to see the lights.

From the south east corner of Praça da Figueira, direction to the castle, there is a very short street called Rua dos Condes de Monsanto. It's realy short (20 or 30 meters). On the left side (door 4) there is a door looking like an ordinary building entrance. After climbing 3 rows of stairs, there is Caxemira, a Tandoori/Indian restaurant. It's a small place (20 seats, nice staff, reasonably priced (2 for 20 euros, no wine) and my friends of Indian/Asian origin claim that it's authentic.
Opened all days but Sundays and official holidays. 12am to 3pm and 6:30pm to 10pm. tel 218865486 or 218874791.
You only go there if you know what you are looking for because, from the outside, nobody could tell there is a restaurant in there.

For curious minds only:
Praça da Figueira is the "Fig Tree Square", although I've never found the existence of the fig tree itself, and Caxemira means "Cashmere" (similar pronunciation), which makes sense as the name of a Tandoori restaurant.

It's f... cold out there!!!

It's all relative.

It is fairly cold here too. Just in time to be able to use my back deck as an extension of my refrigerator which is overflowing.
It seems as if we will have a white Christmas.

A different checkin procedure in Lisbon airport

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWhQJRtoLxc

Great, great, great.
I guess I have to travel to Lisbon at Christmas to see the show in person!!

Snow in Alentejo and other regions last weekend

... and the link is here: http://www.destak.pt/galeria/50440/3

Are you running out there to throw snowballs?

Not this time. I was in Vila Boim (Sogra's Inn) 23 years ago, and it was a lot of fun.

Is that the last time they had snow in the Alentejo?

Yes and no. It snows every year in Serra de Sao Mamede (Portalegre and Marvao region). It's much less frequent in Elvas and Vila Boim (birthplace of Mrs Loba and one of the places where the pictures were taken). In these towns is snowed the last time 4 years ago.
Snow in Lisbon is much less frequent. It's a twice a century event (unless the global cooling proofs to be right).
Young Lobo has a trauma, because he has never seen snow (unless in television). I guess I have to organize a trip to Serra da Estrela or Sierra Nevada (South Spain) to let him throw some snowballs.
My problem is that snow is cold. My ideal of winter is much more like watching TV and drinking hot chocolate.

My country is poorer today. Zeze Camarinha has retired of a long life career as a sex tourism promoter.
Mr Camarinha has self portrayed as the last Portuguese macho man, claims to have known (in biblical sense) over 2000 foreigner ladies and his "huting territory" was the Algarvian coast between Lagos and Faro.
He was suject to several national TV documentaries about endangered species.
But live must go on and his usage of broken English has afforded him to be the central figure in a commercial campaign (Wall St Institute of Languages). His mytical ice break approach is very popular today: "Hei lady, why don't you go the beach? You are very white".

Not very much is known about followers but a few years are necessary before somebody reaches the same status in a Portuguese or international stage.

If it happens to you to meet Mr Camarinha, you are free to ask him an autograph, but don't expect much more than that.

http://talktozeze.com/

I have escaped the snow in Pennsylvania for sunny Florida. Except it has not been too sunny until yesterday.
Mr. Sher is fishing as I write and I am catching up here at the local bookstore.
We have had more snow so far this year than I care for. I have seen it and if it does not snow again, I will be happy.

Carminho is the next big name of Fado, after (together with?) Joana Moura.

http://fado.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=618&lang=en

For some reason Mariza is best appreciated by foreigners.

Lobo, I really appreciate your fado tips. I did a "carminho" search on youtube and found a couple of beautiful sound tracks/videos. I liked this one a lot, it has pretty scenes of the Mouraria. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqKUEMl0Nro&feature=related By the way, what does "A Bia da Mouraria" mean? (I couldn't find the word "bia" in my online dictionary).

And I wonder if I can ask you a general question. Do these fado singers all draw on the same traditional repertoire or are the songs they sing written especially for them? Or is it a bit of both? I have heard the same song sung by Mariza and Joana Moura, for instance, but wonder whether their CDs tend to introduce new music as well. For instance, I saw some beautiful Carminho videos in which she was singing songs called Escrevi teu nome no vento and Amor marinheiro, and I wondered about where they came from. They are beautiful. As you can tell, I'm not at all an educated fado listener, just someone who finds that it really tugs at my soul.

Thanks, lobo. Laurie

Nice video. Lovely singing, too many stairs.

Bia is a short name for Maria used in some parts of Southern Portugal.

Na Mouraria só falam do namorico
A Bia namora o Chico, as conversas são iguais
Ai qualquer dia (Deus queira que isto não mude)
A Senhora da Saúde, vai ser pequena demais.

It's it a bit of both. Usualy singers mix some classics with songs of their own repertoire.

I'd like to call your attention to this stunning performance of Maria Teresa de Noronha.
By sociological reasons, some phenomena attract the attention of lower and upper ends of society and the disdain of the central ranks. This happened to fado up to the 50s of last century.
The mythical Severa, Amalia or Marceneiro came from very humble origins and the bas-fond style of fado suited then perfectly.
OTOH when ladies of the higher Portuguese social ranks as Maria Teresa de Noronha, Teresa Tarouca, Teresa Siqueira (Carminho's mother) started to sing themselves, a new style of fado was necessary, much more refined from a stylistic point of view (both music and poem). From this style I selected Fado do Castanheiro (fado of chestnut-tree).

This fado is a metaphor for the faithful love. If something is lost in translation, please let me know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRZPZI3elMA

Hi, Lobo,
Thanks so much for this information. The Castanheiro fado is beautiful, and it was great that they had the lyrics scrolling as she sang. I see what you mean about a more refined style of both singing and lyrics. Unfortunately, there is nothing of hers available on Amazon in the US, so that has to go on my list for the next trip to Portugal I guess.
Laurie

Portugal is like the curator's egg. It has some excellent parts. One of them is the local creativity. If fact, what's the point of making left diversion and right diversion signals, when only one of those can do the job?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MALG_k29gwo/S3M_aUEW35I/AAAAAAAAFHo/elvwI_vXAhQ/s1600-h/IMG_0819_2.jpg

On 16th February 1296, the Badajoz Convention was signed off by kings Afonso 3rd from Portugal and Alfonso 10th from Castilla, recognizing the sovereinity of the old kingdom of Algarve to the Portuguese crown.
That's why the Algarvians speak Portuguese (at least they claim they do).
In monuments and other public property is possible to find inscriptions saing "in this kingdom of Algarve..." dated as late as 19th century.
Any traveler driving the motorway from Lisbon the the south will notice that the transition from the rolling planes of Alentejo to the Algarve is composed of a kind of no man's land (a higly rough area, scarcely populated), where only adventurers and people in despair ventured for many centuries.
During many centuries, the only significant travels and trade from/to the Algarve were carried by sea route. During this period, the relations were far more intense between the Algarve and the neighbouring Mouslim countries of North Africa, than with Lisbon itself. This claim may be seen in aspects like architecture, where the Algarve has a distinct flavour when compairing with the other parts of Portugal.
The situation was dramaticaly changed by the end of 19th century when the train arrived the the Algarve. With this quick and safe transport media, the Algarve became much more integraded and the new roads and motorway (end of 20th century) did the remaining of the integration.

As always Lobo, thanks for the fado and the history.

Want snow? Come to DC we have enough for everyone but it is going fast!

Barb

Recipe question! I had wonderful grilled sardines in Lisbon, and I've just discovered that my local Whole Foods sells frozen Portuguese sardines. While not as good as fresh, of course, likely better than nothing. Does anyone have a good recipe?

lobo_mau. Is there anything that is not developed in the Algarve today?
We haven't had as much snow as DC but in Western PA we have had enough.

Lobo-mau,Thank you for the restaurant tip of Adega das Gravatas and others. We will be visiting Lisbon from June 30 to July 4th. We will stay in an apartment on Rua Garrett.

Are there any special events taking place during this time period? Do you know of any nice, inexpensive restaurants in this area?

Floods in Funchal (Madeira island)
Play the slide show

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Madeira-Island-Flooding/ss/events/wl/022110madeiraisland

The tourism infraestructure (airport and hotels) was not hit, but the general population will need some time and support to recover.

Today, there are no isolated areas in Madeira since rescue workers can achieve all areas of the Island. Anyway, the area which suffered bigger damage was the capital city downtown.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2010/feb/21/madeira-floods-funchal

Dear Thursday, I don't know any recipe. I checked with Loba and she doesn't know either. The grilled sardines are, well ... grilled.
Wash them, spill over them some salt, put them over "brasas" and when they look "assadas", remove the skin and "visceras" and eat them.
The proper way is to eat them over a "fatia" of bread (the more rustic possible) with a help with your bared hands (not fork and knife) but I warn you them the smell will last for some hours, no matter how many times you wash your hands.
The side food for this is 1 or 2 cooked potatoes (just let them in boiling water, nothing else) until they are "cozidas" and a salad of some lettuce and onions.
This food (sardines, potatoes and salad) requires some drops of Portuguese olive oil. Loba would add a some vinegar, but I would say "thanks, but no thanks".
I can not guarantee that your sardines will taste the same as those eaten in Alfama in a summer, late, open air dinner, but face it as an opportunity to book a flight and come again

As you can see, there are some words requiring translation. If they are not self explanatory, I require some kind soul to help me.

And a glass of verde or mature Portuguese white wine (cold).

I experienced real snow 23 years ago in Vila Boim (Alentejo). It was quite a snow fall. The winter Olimpics could have been held there that year. It was like 5 inches of snow and every roofs and trees turned white. Very beautiful, but for me, was snow enough for the rest of my life time.
However, young wolf baby boy has a infancy trauma, since he has never experienced real snow, except in TV and internet. I am working on the process to overcome his trauma, as a few selected members of this board will notice.

lobo-mau - many thanks to you and your wife!

Babelfish translated "brasas" as "live coals" (although I'll unfortunately be using an electric broiler, so I already know the results won't be as good as the original) and "assadas" as "baked", which I take to mean they look done. "Viscera" hardly needs translation (just as well, as babelfish won't do it!), although I would have expected to take out the insides before cooking rather than after. Maybe that's the secret! And you don't eat the skin?

Would love to revisit Lisbon, but right now I'm working on a trip to Central Asia...

thursdaysd. I had grilled sardines on a beach near Sintra that Laurie told us about. I didn't use my hands, thank heavens, because I didn't know about the smell lingering.

Lobo, I have a cure for your "baby boy"'s "infancy" trauma (for those who don't know, the baby in question is almost six feet tall). A trip to New England in the winter would almost certainly provide some snow to ease those growing pains.

And we could provide enough warmth and entertainment to decrease your own snow aversion disorder.

Budget travelers who stay in Hotel Dom Carlos Park or vicinity of Marques de Pombal can have decent low cost meals in Escondidinho, Rua Sociedade Farmaceutica 2, tel 213536493.
Todays' special + drink + bread + coffee = 6.50 euros.
Better than Escondidinho, only my very favourite eating place (around 4 euros) but it is the place where the average reader of this forum would never enter by his/her free will. In fact I don't enter it, patrons just seat in chairs and tables located in the sidewalk, and the food keeps coming to them. If some adventurous reader of this forum wishes to join the wonderful world of Portuguese disgusting food, please let me know, and I may arrange a guided meal (It's the place where I eat on a daily basis, so it's not difficult to meet somebody there). Jews may have a hard time there, not because cultural/religious prejudice, but because pork meat is eaten there in all possible ways, from nose to tail (literaly).
As a person with interest in social sciences, I found it very rich, from interaction point of view, because anybody from any background feels free to seat in the chair empty in your table and joins the conversation as if you are close friends. This is not common all over Portugal, but in this particular environment.
One day I was starving, and ask for everything I could remember (soup, souvenir, etc) and the bill came as 7.50 euros. It's very difficuld to "eat" more than this, excluding of course drinks like whiskies and brandies, which can round up the bill a little.

One day I was starving, and ask for everything I could remember (soup, dessert, etc) and the bill came as 7.50 euros. (failed acts, I know)

Federer is considering a carrer change after driving a tram in Lisbon.

http://www.menstennisblog.info/2010/05/photos-roger-federer-drives-tram-in.html

Enjoy the photos

"career change" - my English dysgraphia is developing

Those grilled sardines straight off the boat and grilled on the quayside with copious jugs of vinho verde and among my best memories of Lisbon.

Gertie, you share the name with my best half.
Which dock did the boat use? I pass everyday by Santa Apolonia, but out of 3, it is the less used by cruisers, although the best located, only 100 meters from Alfama.

This was 10 years ago and I can't remember. We found several places around Lisbon with these grilled sardines as we walked about. Once we started we had to keep eating them! Small fishing boats they were, family businesses by the look of them.

Chaos in Lisbon (part I)

Benfica won yesterday it's 32nd national soccer league title. Over 100,000 have comemorated in Marques de Pombal area and Avenida da Liberdade and a little bit all over the country, in the Portuguese speaking world and in other countries with large Portuguese communities.

Chaos in Lisbon (part II)

Pope will be in town tomorrow for a mass in Terreiro do Paço. Major disruption is expected in the public transport system.

Chaos in Lisbon (part III)

Lisbon airport is closed due to the volcanic activity in Iceland. The same happens in Madeira and the Algarve. Porto airport is already opened. I don't know how this part III may affect part II, but this is a volatile situation, changing by the minute.

The Pope is in town.

I'd love to tell the Pope,

Gruss Gott (as the Austrians say when they greet each other)

Dear Schuler, long time no see!
I was walking yesterday near Nunciatura (Vatican's representation) and I saw the Pope who came out for a cigarrette. We chat for a few minutes and he sent a "Gruss Gott" to you.

The Pope better get out of town before the celebrations for Nenfica start. Those fans can get kind of wild.

Oops. Too early in the morning here. Of course I meant "Benfica".

Benfica is touring USA and Canada for friendlies followed by deserved summer holidays until next July.

Btw, soccer teams Benfica, Sp Lisbon and Belenenses offered each one, yesterday, a game shirt to the Pope with the name Bento (Benedictus) and the number 16. Benfica offered a silver eagle as well.

Terreiro do Paço (aka Praca do Comércio) received a complete face lift after some 2 years closed.
The floor was complete renovates and the side streets were closed for any kind of car or bus traffic.
Since 3 or 4 years ago, when it was a giant car parking to the present days, some was done, but there is a long way ahead.
The governamental offices working in some of the buildings are to be relocated and those spaces opened to private innitiative (bars, restaurants, art galleries, etc). The remaining traffic (paralel to the river) will be one day diverted, but that can not be done overnight.

Glad to hear they have taken down the construction fencing around the plaza. Is the ultimate plan to open up the square to the waterfront? A similar thing was done in Boston, but it did take several decades and the most expensive public works project in US history to relocate the highway that separated the city from the waterfront by putting it underground.

Yes. It is. I think something similar is expected here.
From engineering point of view, the situation is very complex due to the sensitivity and unstability of the underground.
This area has been conquested to the river during the last 2 centuries or so. If you can remember, there is a tower, at each end of the arches, and one of them received recently urgent maintenance works, because Lisbon was about to receive a leaning tower like Pizza.
There is a funny story about Terreiro do Paço (c cedilla reads like s in silver). TP means the Palace Ground and it's a designation as old as Portugal itself. Marques de Pombal, the minister of Dom Jose who was given the task of rebuiding Lisbon after the earthquake, and when the Plaza was rebuilt, said that from that moment on, the Plaza would be known as Praça do Comércio. In spite of the change in the official name, 200 years were not enough to enforce the new name of the square in Lisbonite's everyday speech.
The same applies to Praça Dom Pedro 4th. If you ask the official name, the most likely answer you get is "What???", but Rossio everybody knows where it is.

Benfica plays a friendly soccer match against New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough. 20th May, 1am (Lisbon time).
Benfica's president signs in the same day a contract for the cable distribution of Benfica TV in the USA. After another friendly game in Canada, the president and one player will fly to Haiti. Benfica has been very active raising over a half million euros to Haiti through Benfica foundation.

We live ten minutes away from Gillette Stadium.

New York Times piece on the Alentejo region: http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/travel/08next.html

thursdaysd. Brings back a lot of memories.

The New York Times seems to have discovered Portugal! This Sunday's Travel section has a Frank Bruni ode to Oporto and the Duoro: http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/travel/30Douro.html?ref=travel

Too bad for us.

Carla's brother said: "I also developed more respect for Portugal’s affordably priced wines".
With fine wines costing 3 or 4 euros a bottle (in supermarkets, not fancy restaurants), there is no reason to stay sober in Portugal.

We are traveling to Portugal in July and I am enjoying reading all these posts. I would love a recommendation of where to go to enjoy fado. Thank you!

I have also found that some very nice wines are boxed. We were able to buy Monsaraz, a nice every day table wine, in a box in Monsaraz.
We do not have the opportunity to buy some of the wines we enjoyed in Portugal here where we live. We really like the Dao wines we have had.

skill, I think I have been posting a lot of BS during the last 3 years, but I'm glad to know you enjoyed.
I referred a couple of times Caldo Verde in Bairro Alto, mas the last time I went there, I didn't enjoy the atmosphere.
If you go to Alfama, you have a broader choice of options. Baiuca is nice, but they ask 25 euros per person (including diner). I've heard nice reports about Mesa de Frades. It was closed for renovations and I don't know of it already reopened. The Fado Museum (Museu do Fado) has a nice offer during the summer, and possibility of having dinner there too. Very closed to Fado Museum there is Parreirinha de Alfama, a classical fado club owned by mrs Argentina Santos. Any of these is a good option.
Baiuca is a very tiny place, if you choose it you need to
reserve in advance.

Saramago, 87, has died.
In spite of his wide acceptance abroad, he is not a consensual figure in his home country.

Ah, no more dense and incomprehensible books coming from his pen then, more's the pity.

It's 40 centigrades. The best place in Lisbon to be right now, is the Metro tunnel.

It is only 30C here. Not quite as warm as Lisbon but it is supposed to be that way all week.

Too hot for me.

95F in Massachusetts. Wedding in seven days. Doing the good weather dance.

Thanks for the tips lobo_mau on the Fado. Like skill we are headed to Lisbon (to catch a cruise) on 8/21/10 and this is one of the pieces of info that will be helpful.

It's about 40C here in Phoenix today and by the end of this week it's supposed to 44C! I certainly hope it's not that hot in August, but oh well.

Staying in Lisbon from 18 euros/night:
http://www.oasislisboa.com/en/default.html

lobo_mau. Would you care to stay for a night and be our resident critic?

I Sher, ask me something else since I have a place to stay in Lisbon.
Speaking about staying in Lisbon, there are 2 new attractions in town, very close to "your" appartment.
One is Santini's ice cream in Rua do Carmo and 2 brand new Starbucks. One inside Armazens Chiado, just one level above FNAC shop and the other in the ground floor or Rossio Station, a few steps from Avenida Palace.

Does the ice cram at Santini's beat the gelato in Baixa. Because that would be something.

My guess is that Lobo is more likely to test the ice cream than the 18 euro bed.

Ice cream is not my cup of tea (as Matt from England would say).
Ice cream testing belongs to Loba's department.

What is NOT to like about ice cream?

Too cold for me...

That can be corrected with a little hot fudge.

Lobo_Mau, I got a lot of good info about Lisbon reading your advices. Thank you.
We shall visit Lisbon at the end of December, we booked a hotel on Rua Portas de Santo Antoa, which it seems to be centrally located.
I am looking now to find a nice restaurant for New Year’s Eve (Noite Magica). We would like to go to a restaurant which is not far from our hotel and celebrate this night with music (Portuguese and international) and dance, for middle age people. I wrote to some restaurants asking about this and most of them said that they are closed then.
I saw good reviews about Nectar restaurant and about Terrace restaurant at Tivoli hotel, but they did not answer me.
Do you know please some nice restaurants for NYE?

Valtor, thanks for your kind words.
I'll make a selection of 2 or 3 options for you, but I don't know if I can find something near your hotel.

Thank you very much, Lobo_mau. I am looking for your advice.
We already made a detailed plan to visit Lisbon (I was there once, for 2 only days,alone, 19 years ago and I loved it) and to make day trips to Sintra and Cascacais.
We'll go for sure in an evening in Alfama to listen fado. We like very much Amalia Rodriguez's songs and hope to hear them while in Lisbon!

valtor. I would like to tell you that a taxi in Lisbon is very easy to find especially where you are staying. And they are very reasonable.
There is no reason to limit yourself to the hotel area for a nice restaurant. If you cannot find one nearby, then write down the name and address of the restaurant that you choose and give it to the driver.

Sher, in an ordinary night it is not a problem to take a taxi, but in New Year's Eve , when a lot of people will want to return home from the streets, restaurants, friends, etc, it will be probably more difficult to find a taxi.
This is the reason that I want a restaurant near our hotel.
However, I tried to find a restaurant where they celebrate NYE in a nice atmosphere, food, music, dance and good food in whole Lisbon and till now I did not receive any answer.

Hi,valtor,

You will be less than a km away from the Bairro Alto, where there are tons of restaurants. It's a short steep hike straight up, but if you're walking around Lisbon that just comes with the territory.

It may also be that many of the nice/fancy hotels on or near the Avenida da Liberdade are the kind of places where NYE extravaganzas take place. Like the Sofitel, the NH Liberdade, Tivoli Lisboa, Avenida Palace. Those would be very close to your place and wouldn't require walking up a hill!

I agree with you that it's a very good idea to be within walking distance of your hotel. In 2009, my daughter, son in law and son tried to find a cab on New Years Eve, around 3 am or so, and they wound up walking almost the whole way back to our apt., which was about 5 miles away from the raucous center. They were finally able to catch a cab that had taken someone home and was heading back downtown to look for a fare.

Of course. I should realize the day and really was not thinking. You might be better off near the hotel but there are many areas around you that are walkable, like Laurie says.

Is it Venice or is it Lisbon?

http://www.meteopt.com/forum/portugal/inundacoes-na-baixa-de-lisboa-29-de-outubro-2010-a-5022.html

holy cow! (as we say in the US.) has the rain stopped?

lobo_mau. I saw the chestnuts in Rovinj, Croatia two weeks ago and thought of you.

Crazy! I especially like those Portuguese drivers, trying to keep driving down streets where gondolas would be more appropriate.

Yes, the rain stopped, otherwise I'd be posting this message from Noah's Ark
It rained like 40 milimeters (or liters/sq meter) in the peak hour, but in the next hour the normal life resumed in Lisbon. I rode the underground a couple hours later in the low section of town (below the river level) and no traces of service disruption were noticeable.
Sher, there are chestnuts sellers everywhere in Lisbon. There is a chestnut seller near the main doors of Santa Apolonia train station. When the wind blows the smoke inside, the whole station looks like it is taken by the mists, with every woman looking like Morgaine or then I have a fertile imagination, which is most likely correct.
Nikki, I turned the computer's sound on, hoping to hear "Oh sole mio", but I couldn't identify it in none of the videos

Hi Lobo,

I have read many of your helpful posts. Do you know of a rental car company with reasonable price to rent one way from Lisbon to Vila Real Santo Antonio (or as close as I can get to get the ferry to Ayamonte Spain.)?

This is the kind of questions, visitors are most likely more able to do the right answer, since I don't rent many cars.
As a general information, I can say that Avis is the "big name" (although it doesn’t look that big) and I have heard good references about Budget ( http://www.budgetportugal.com/ )

greenerdoc. One way rentals crossing country boundaries are generally pretty expensive with a helty drop off fee.
We have used Carjet and Economy Car Rentals in Portugal with good reasonable results but have no experience with one way rentals. We always drop the car off in the country of the rental.

President Obama is in town.

<<President Obama is in town.>>

Lucky him. So too shall my bride and I be, in February, for our 24th wedding anniversary. Just booked the tickets. Hoping for decent weather.

Lisbon in Feb? You are invited to my birthday party

You are very kind, Lobo_Mau. We shall be in Lisbon February 11th through the 13th. If those dates coincide with your birthday celebration, we should be honored to attend.

We have only eight full days, boots-on-the-ground, in Portugal. That's not nearly enough time, of course, so we are plan to limit our time to the half of the country north of Lisbon. I'm thinking: two days in Lisbon, two in Oporto (lived there as a kid, I did, for several years), one each in Evora, Coimbra, and Guilmaraes. We'll be renting a car, probably, in Porto, and using it to make our way back south.

Trip suggestions are most welcome.

RedStater, you are coming 2 weeks too early
Have you selected the hotels you are going to stay? and the number of nights you are staying in each place?
I don't see Sintra listed. May be you could consider replacing Evora by Sintra, reducing the mileage. Evora is the center of my favourite region in Portugal (Alto Alentejo), but the most of the fun is not in Evora itself, but in the surrounding villages, and you can't do that in one day. Sincerely I don't see the Alto Alentejo as a side trip from Lisbon.

Portugal has a beautiful history almost 900 years old, with a dark page of 60 years of foreigner military occupation (1580-1640). When the poet Camoes died in 1580, his last words were “I die with my country”. However, on 1st December of 1640, a coup carried on by some tens of Portuguese noblemen (some say 40) restored the independence, kindly invited the Duchess of Mantua to return to her homeland and sent Miguel de Vasconcellos (a Portuguese working for the enemy) off a window.
The new king was acclaimed as João IV (John the 4th). One of his daughters, Catherine of Braganza became Queen of England, and according to the tradition, the neighborhood of Queens was named after her. After all these time, the US Portuguese-American community raised funds to erect a memorial to Catherine of Braganza in Queens, but the Afro-American community opposed with the argument that was not PC to honor somebody from an age when slavery was still common practice.
Most of conspiracy meetings happened in the Almadas’ Palace, still existing near the walls of Saint Georges castle in Lisbon.
As today’s consequences, we have 1st December as a national holiday and a monument at the southern end of Liberdade av (near Avenida Palace Hotel). The area of Restauradores means “the men of restoration".
The loss of independence originated the myth of king Sebastian (the hidden king myth), the most Portuguese or Portuguese personality traits.

2 days ago, turned the 75th anniversary of Fernando Pessoa’s death. Fernando Pessoa is the biggest Portuguese item of 20th century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Pessoa

He lived and died as an unknown book keeper of a small business of Lisbon. His work was mostly found by researchers after his death in the form of hand written documents. The researchers say that his work has only been scratched and much more is to be unveiled.

Pessoa’s museum can be seen in Campo de Ourique, in his last address. Pessoa died in Saint Louis French Hospital (Bairro Alto)

http://casafernandopessoa.cm-lisboa.pt/index.php?id=2258

Pessoa’s bronze statue depicts him having a coffee outside Brazileira coffee shop in Chiado (Garrett st).

@ Lobo,

<<Have you selected the hotels you are going to stay?>>

Not as yet. We plan to seek out a B&B, pension or a residencia in a historic neighborhood. Neither my bride nor myself typically seek out touristic luxury. Have you suggestions as to a neighborhood or even a specific place?

Lobo_mau, thank you for the interesting things you told. I shall go to find these places and statues at the end of the month, when we shall be in Lisbon .
Thanks again.

Guimarães/Portugal is one of the 41 places to visit in 2011, according to the New Yourk Times.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/travel/09where-to-go.html?pagewanted=3&ref=travel

Lisbon airport: approach and landing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQgH1GvS6Eg

@lobo_mau,

How long would one reasonably expect to take driving from Sintra to Lisbon Airport, early on a Sunday morning? TIA.

30 minutes, road IC19

nice to read

http://www.upmagazine-tap.com/en/2011/06/allan-j-katz-american/

Radical sports in Portugal (the most viewed ever video of Portuguese origin in the youtube - English subtitles)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEnYO3W4loU

Portuguese promotional video (or We are NOT in the Moody's)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJMLn-SxJvI&feature=player_embedded

OK, but "we made the world round"?

See this: http://www.rogermwilcox.com/square_earth.html

Or this:
http://www.1ststoptravelstore.com/Replogle%20globes%20new%20images/42810_Earth_square_world_globe.jpg

PS: G will email you in the next few days, since we are relocating to Sogra´s Inn during the next week and besides eating and sleeping, writing to friends is a good way of killing Alentejo´s time

Currently reading this:

http://www.amazon.com/Wrath-God-Great-Lisbon-Earthquake/dp/1847247946

Lots of information, a good picture of Portuguese and European 18th century societies.
IMHO is to much centered in the views and memories of the British Lisbon community, but very worth to read.

We plan to visit Lisbon and Ponte Delgada each for one week in May '12. Friends from Germany will join us for a portion of one of the weeks. I have been looking at apartments but I have not decided yet. I really want a green space(outdoor space)with tables and chairs and maybe a view. We were in Athens last year and we misseed not being able to sit outside and solve the world's problems. Any suggestions? Also, we all love neighborhood places to eat. We will do most of our cooking at home but when we do go out we like the kind of place wich has the owner and his kids there.

The beauty of simplicity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m34Wv-2yjQo&feature=channel_video_title

At 1st view I spotted Marvão, Monsaraz, Pena Palace (Sintra), Rocha Beach (Algarve), Comércio Square (Lisbon), D. Luis Bridge (Porto).

ttt----waiting for the return of Lobo ---has he disappeared?
Lobo - does the LDC still exist?

I will be in New York this weekend and I want to try "the best chocolate cake in the world" shop there to compare it to Lisbon.
Wish me luck.
Yes, La_Tour_de_Cause. Lobo mau is alive and kicking.
Alas. The LDC is on hiatus, I believe.

Good luck Sher!!
Lobo Mau is more alive than kicking. The age is collecting it's burden, I'm affraid, there is no more stamina to run after the little red riding hood.
LDC is on hiatus, but always avaible to meet again, in case Sher or Nikky show up in town. We went to Gravatas last week and it is working up to the regular standards.
Matt doesn't look like Chewbacca anymore, he is more like the prophets of Old Testament, perhaps Moses. His 2 children are lovely.