After 9 hours on the bus with 36 students and 3 advisors from my program, I arrived in Lisbon, Portugal. We left Granada at around 11:30 pm on Thursday the 26th of March and drove through the night to arrive at the center of Lisbon at 8:00 am on the 27th.
For those of you who don't know, Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. It is located on a river leading into a bay of the Atlantic ocean. The city has one castle on the highest hill overlooking the entire city. Also from the castle you can easily view the statue of Jesus with open arms. He seems to be "hugging" the city, and is facing the direction of an identical statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The architecture of the old city is mainly from the Romantic period. There are arches, statues, squares, fountains, columned buildings, tree-lined streets, and a large cathedral. In 1755 there was an earthquake leveling most of Lisbon, so the city was rebuilt with these structured features of the Romantic period. We visited the castle, cathedral, and rode on the most famous electric tram-cars of Lisbon.
Cathedral
Castel de São Jorge
Overlooking Lisbon from the Castle
We rode this yellow tram (in the background) around Lisbon.
We were given rooms in a lovely hotel in the center of town. That afternoon, I trekked around the city with two friends, Mia and Victoria. Both girls go to school in New Orleans, and are a riot! .We got on the subway and rode to a random stop, got off, and found ourselves at the site of the 1998 World Expo. We walked around for a while among modern-futuristic buildings and rows of flags from participating countries. We also sat along the river for a while. Que bonita!
Mia and Victoria
Can you see me??
We snuck onto a boat for this one!
By the river in Lisbon
Flags of participating World Expo 1998 countries.
One of many World Expo buildings.
Later, we had supper, realized that we could watch Grey's Anatomy and Alias in English, and headed to bed. The next day (Saturday) we visited the Hieronymitic Monastery, the Tower of Belem, a beach-town called Cascais, and had adventures trying to get to the mysterious town of Sintra. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get to Sintra because of downed trees, and instead some of us ran around on the beach in bagillion-mile-per-hour winds. I was COVERED in sand!
Hieronymitic Monastery
Cathedral of the Monastery
Courtyard of Monastery
Inside the Monastery (amazingly intricate architecture)
Tower of Belém overlooking the river
Cascais, Portugal
A black swan!! In Sintra, Portugal
The wind on the beach!!
The next morning, we got back in the bus, and headed home to Granada. The Portuguese/Spanish countryside is stunning, rocky, and covered in vineyards, olive trees, cliffs, plateaus, valleys, and huge, snowcapped mountains.
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