Club Trip to Lisbon 9th to 12th May 2009
One Man's View
Woke up at 5.00 am on Saturday 9th May and set off at 5.30am to pick up Gordon and Joyce. We had decided that it would be cheaper to leave the car with Premier Parking for the three days. We arrived there at 6.10 am; the Courtesy Bus came immediately with terminal 3 as the 1st stop. So by 6.30am we were ready to book in. We boarded the plane (BMI baby) at 7.50 am and by 11.30am were circling over Lisbon prior to landing. This gave us our first views of the Tejo Estuary and the bridges (the 17 km long Vasco de Gama and the shorter 25th April bridge.)
Photos by Gordon Robson
Our Group of 21 people assembled and queued to take taxis to the Jorge V Hotel. Our Taxi man turned out to be part-time. He told us that he organised tours but with business being short he had turned to the taxi work. He showed us his chart which explained the bill would be 22.50 Euros. Being generous we gave him 25. It was disconcerting to find that other car charges varied from 9 to 30 Euros. (On the way back from Hotel to Airport we all paid 9 Euros per taxi!)
Since we were early at the Hotel, rooms were allocated as they became available from the cleaners. Our room, 302, was the last to be allocated. It was small but comfortable (with a balcony) at the front of the Hotel. Jack and Lynne Bamford were last but one. However their wait was rewarded by being allocated a 3-room suite!
We agreed to meet at 1.00pm for a (Diana) Bus Tour of the City. By now it was pouring with rain. We had arranged an open-top bus to ourselves with guide: but the bad weather caused the company to provide a closed-top which for the first half hour toured other Hotels to pick up odd foreigners. Then the girl guide started to address us in Portuguese. Fortunately this was followed by English! We basically did the "Blue tour" taking in the Gulbenkien Museum, the Monsanto Park, (passing under the old Aquaduct) to Belem; along waterfront to City centre (Commercial Square; Rue Augusta , past the Castelo, and back to the Hotel (for 14Euro's each). Stops were made to allow photography and we agreed that this was the most appropriate start to the holiday.
We gathered again at 7.30pm for a short walk to a local restaurant where a very long table to seat 21 people had been set out. The bill for over 600 Euros was given to the other end of the table from where it was pronounced that we each owed 30 Euros. This was fine for those who had sipped several bottles of wine, but those whose personal bill came to less than 15 Euros looked askance!
On Sunday Gordon, Joyce, Milly and Bill took a taxi to the Gulbenkian Museum ( 4.65 Euro); then in the afternoon another taxi to the Castle (5.65 Euro). We went back to Hotel for a brief rest before meeting with Joyce and Hugh for an earlier evening meal. Although we searched for other eating places, none were open, and we ended up at the same restaurant . With similar meals to the first night our bill now came to about 29 Euro per couple. Joyce Streets complained about the boniness of her meat which may have explained why we were given a complementary bottle of Port to taste. We finished off most of the bottle!
Gallery by Tony Redford
For Monday we decided to phone our original taxi man come tour guide (Paulo Ferreira) and at 9.30am set off to Sintra, one of the "must see" places. We drove to the Palacio National, a former Summer Residence of the Portuguese Royal Family. We looked around the outside, deciding not to go in, then went up the street for a coffee and cake. Then, as the mist was clearing our taxi took us up the hill to the extravagant nineteenth Century Palacio da Pena, a fantasy building of Domes, Turrets, ramparts and walkways suitable for a Harry Potter film. From the ramparts one could see the ruined Moorish Castle on an outcrop below. When we walked to the café for refreshment we met half of the NCPS party, already seated.
Our Guide showed us the Hotel Palacio de Seteais before setting off to the Cabo de Roca, the mainland's most westerly point (14 km west of Sintra). Then on to Cascais, a major Resort with a Marina. We were dropped at the Fort and meandered around the bay to the Fish Market where our limousine awaited us. Then on to Estoril (famous for its Casino) and a drive along the coast back to Lisbon and the hotel.
Photo by Dorothy Redford
On Tuesday morning we took a Taxi to the Centre to see the Elevador (not working), walk down Rue Augusta (Lisbon's most expensive but famous street) and then taxied to the Parque das Nacoes (the home of Expo 98). The buildings here are all futuristic, and the Vasco de Gama centre there is a home to over 100 shops on several levels. A Cable Car runs along the sea-front and for 2 Euros we did a one-way trip. We walked back to a restaurant for coffee and to admire the long Vasco de Gama Bridge. It was here that we were accosted by a demented old lady all in Black, who might have been asking for money, but who, when we replied in perfect English that we did not understand, became quite agitated (abusive in Portuguese?) She went away, but later came back to try again. This time we were saved by an understanding waiter, whilst his pals stood in the corner laughing. We caught a taxi back to the Parque Eduardo VII, where we met Geoff and Roger. Bill & Milly walked up the street of bookstalls to see the view from the top, whilst the others had a coffee. We all re-assembled at the Hotel to collect our luggage at 7.00pm, took taxis back to the Airport, and duly arrived at Manchester at 1.00am Wednesday morning.
Looking back, we had an enjoyable four days seeing a range of what Lisbon had to offer in a relaxed manner. Taxi journey's for four around the locality were little more expensive than the bus, tram or metro, and saved time and energy. When those folk who have not yet visited Lisbon see the photographs, I'm sure they will want to put it on their "to be visited" list.