Alison

~ Lisbon Adventures – Day 2 – Exploring Sao Jorge Castle ~

I woke up to a bleak and wet dreary day. Nevertheless, I set out with my trusty pink mac and waterproof shoes. After breakfast I stood pondering on the pavement looking at the slick and shiny cobblestones, realising the only way was up.

***The famous yellow funicular – no longer in action***

I was told yesterday that Tram 28 would take me as close to the castle as possible. Jumping on the tram I asked the young female driver if this was correct, nodding affirmatively she drove off. Heavy on the horn and hard on the breaks she made her way slowly up towards the castle.

Through the windows of the tram

Enjoying the ride and lost in thought I was more than surprised when she announced “everybody off”. I had missed the castle stop completely as places were not announced. I was told I had to make my way over to the other side of the square and start again. I waited in line for 15 minutes with the rain pouring down. With irony, I jumped back on the same tram and with the same driver! I pointedly asked her to tell me this time what stop to alight at.

Finally arriving, I walked up to the castle and started exploring. The rain was getting heavier so I did my best to take quick shots while trying to keep my phone dry.

Rainbow of raincoats

So many peacocks of various colours

Slightly on edge with beady eyes staring at me

There has been a structure on the top of the hill since the 1st Century. Sao Jorge Castle was captured in the 11th Century by King Alfonso. It was converted to a Royal palace and lived in until the 16th century.

Arches and Gateways

The walk around the castle was taking me quite some time. With so many stairs to climb on uneven slippery stones, I was being extra careful!

Windows, doors and other structures

Me and the views!

The views were stunning made more magical with the rooftop tiles glistening from the rain.

Feeling wet and cold it was time for lunch. It’s not hard to find a cozy cafe (“tasca”) in Lisbon and I walked into one just outside the castle. Of course I chose another fish dish.

Watching the world go by

The trip back to town did not go as planned, which seems to be the theme so far for this trip. Hopped on the wrong bus, just hoping for the best not really planning for the worst. I had a long walk back to the apartment, arriving completely soaking wet.

However, The Brother had planned a great evening which made up for it. He took me to a secret bar around 15 minutes walk away. Here we enjoyed a cocktail in the most quirkiest of places.

The place was amazing, with World War I and II toys on showcased in cabinets and on the ceiling.

Who doesn’t like a man in uniform!

Cheers!

The Pink Mac in all it’s glory. Here I am looking like a Tele Tubby, according to The Brother.

~ Lisbon Adventures – Day One ~

As my brother is working in Portugal I thought I would take the opportunity to visit him. He booked us into a two bed apartment just down the hill from the infamous funicular. During the day I was left to my own devices, meeting up for dinner at night. I’m quite happy to take tours on my own or follow google maps to explore this beautiful city.

I found a cute little cafe just a minute from the apartment to start the day with coffee and breakfast.
I worked out a walking plan and started down the hill. At the bottom I spied a hop on bus which I jumped on right away. Looking at the map I intended to alight at the Jeronimos Monastery. When I looked at the queue, I realised there was no way I was going to line up for an hour in the sun. I decided a different plan was called for.

Empire Square Garden

I carried on walking towards the water front and through a beautiful park. The song Perfect was being played by a girl with a flute which could be heard all through the park.

The amazing Monument to the Discoveries came into view, looking dramatic against the blue sky. I took a few photos of the figures on the side and it was only when I looked up I saw people at the top. I decided to join them and bought a ticket, no queues this time. An elevator takes you up six floors and then there are stairs to the top. Well worth the price of the €10 ticket.

This monument is located on the banks of the Tagus River. It is shaped like the bow of a caravel, standing at 184 ft tall. The leading figure is Prince Henry the Navigator and followed by 32 other significant figures from that era. (The Age of Discovery during the 15th and 16th Centuries).

Views from the top

Ajuda National Palace and Jeronimos Monastery.

In the basement of this monument is a cultural centre which showcases various exhibits over the centuries. I enjoyed all the murals on display here.

Feeling peckish by now I headed back into the Old Town and looked for a traditional Portuguese cafe for lunch. I found the perfect place.

I didn’t think I could go wrong with a traditional dish of grilled sardines and a glass of Vino Verde.

With still time to go, I caught another bus up to the castle. It was too late to go in. I’ll try again tomorrow.

View from the top of Sao Jorge Castle

Out for dinner

A fabulous first day exploring the sights and streets of Lisbon. With so much to do it’s impossible to see everything in a few days. I am going to do my best.

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Silent Sunday – Lisbon

I attempted to visit the other day but the queue to enter was at least a mile long!

Streets of Lisbon

I’m in Lisbon for a few days and thought I would post some of the streets around this wonderful scenic city.

More photos and posts to come, I’m without my laptop and find it quite time consuming on a phone or iPad. I admire those bloggers who can post on the go.

Anyway Adeus for now, off to drink more Vino Verde.

~ Moonlight Shadows – November Squares #12 ~

I’m in the UK for a quick visit back to see my mum and other family. Last night we sat on the deck under heaters and blankets and watched fireworks and an almost full moon.

“The Moon is magic for the soul and light for the senses.”

“Fly me to the Moon and let me
play among the stars”

🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖 🌖

For Becky’s NovemberSquares
Johnbo’s Cellpic Sunday
Silent Sunday

~ Shadows in the Playground ~

Squares is back for November! This challenge is hosted by Becky from The Life of B and should be tagged NovemberSquares. Read the link to find out more.

For the first day I’ve gone with shadows. Photos I took when I took my grandchildren to the park a few weeks ago. For a better effect I changed the filter to black and white.

A photo of 7 year old Lachie on a net swing

5 year old Rosie on a swing

I also took this the same day at a mini golf course. The dappled shadows of the trees caught my eye. Look closely at the bottom left and you can see me as well!

“That girl whom I never saw save dappled with the shadows of their leaves, was to me herself a plant of local growth, only taller than the rest, and one whose structure would enable me to approach more closely than in them to the intimate savour of the land from which she had sprung.”

Marcel Proust

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~ Fun and Fantastic Free attractions for Melbourne visitors ~

Walking through the Royal Botanic Gardens is an escape from city life. It’s peaceful and quiet with the trees masking the noise from the roads. It was founded in 1846 and covers 38 hectares. As we only had a few hours to explore we followed the path back towards the city. My gallery below shows just a few of the scenes on offer.

I liked these quotes so typed them out to be able read them clearly.

This plant caught my eye, at first from a distance I thought it was a light of some kind.

The photo above is of Guilfoyle’s Volcano. It is a restored reservoir built in 1876 built to look like a volcano. From here you can see panoramic scenes of the city.

Top left, Anthony in the Tacoma Pavilion ; Top right, “Looking out”
Bottom, Shrine of Remembrance.

Looking through the trees towards the City skyline

There is a cafe here for lunches and coffees and also many places to sit and have a picnic. The Yarra River is only a short walk away where there are many cafes and restaurants.

This is one of my favourite places for lunch, especially on a sunny day.

Another interesting place to explore, particularly when it’s raining is The National Gallery of Victoria. It is normally free entrance, if there is a special exhibition an entrance fee might be required. There are four floors to explore with over 76,000 works of art to see.

I have collated a gallery of my own below. I framed my favourites.

Paintings by Nipa Doshi

Tea and coffee salon, Sabo, 1939
Saeki Shunko

Parrots Live Forever
Audrey Flack

I took the above to show my 7 year old grandson as I think some of his artwork is better!

Photograph titled Irises
Robert Mapplethorpe

This last one appealed to me because of the shadow and light thrown across the flowers. Tea and Coffee Salon is my favourite and think it would look excellent hanging in my living room.

If you’re looking for quirky places to eat in Melbourne off the beaten track, we found an excellent French restaurant. Midnight in Paris is situated in Prahran High Street and is also an art gallery. They have live music on Fridays and Saturdays. The service and food are excellent.

Our tasty mains

A sample of the artwork on display

Cozy garden at the back

I was tempted to get up and have a little boogie and danced like no-one was watching! But everyone would have been watching it was so small.

I’m linking to Jo’s Monday Walk and Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share and PPAC

~ A Medley of Murals in Melbourne ~

During our week in Melbourne we saw many new murals. I managed to find a few without too much graffiti drawn on them. It seems to be a thing now that all murals are being defaced with graffiti.

It’s great to walk around the different neighbourhoods in Melbourne and find street art. You can often miss various artworks if you’re walking on the wrong side or not looking up. These murals really brighten up the drab walls and sides of the buildings.

“The Phlegm Robot”
By Phlegm a British street artist. A five story tall robot depicting a small village inside his head. The light on the building has been incorporated to show the beating heart.

My favourite is the one with the dogs. Although the most interesting is the last one, so intricate. Also the only one with any information about it.

Monday Portrait

~ Monochrome Madness: Capturing the Essence of Old Ruins ~

Sarah @ Travel with me is the host for this week’s Monochrome Madness.

There is something about old ruins of houses and castles that look better in monochrome. The first photos of these buildings would have been in black and white anyway! I’ve put together a small gallery for the theme this week.

My feature photo is the Ruins of St. Paul’s, Macau. A 17th century catholic religious complex.

I love walking through old buildings and ruins and touching the walls and stones. It makes me stop and wonder about what went on before, who walked on these floors and touched these walls.

Gjirokaster Castle, Albania

Butrint National Park, Albania

I had fun editing the above photo with the Snapseed App. I think I used the retro filter and a frame that makes it look like an old negative.

A bleak looking Alcatraz, USA

A depressing building to say the least! There was not much colour in there anyway.

The above two photos were taken a few years ago and the collapse of the house looks like it had happened recently. In actual fact it has been left like this since 1968, when there was a massive earthquake. The homestead was owned by the Snooke family and dated back to 1904. Alice Snooke managed to rescue her 2 year daughter from the ruins and lived to tell the tale.

Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh

Stonehenge, England

“OLD BUILDINGS ARE LIKE A BOOK. YOU CAN OPEN IT AND READ THE HISTORY OF A PLACE, OF A PEOPLE, OF A CIVILIZATION”
RICHARD HENRIQUEZ

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Author: Alison

~ Lisbon Adventures – Day 2 – Exploring Sao Jorge Castle ~

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~ Lisbon Adventures – Day One ~

Empire Square Garden

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Silent Sunday – Lisbon

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Streets of Lisbon

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~ Moonlight Shadows – November Squares #12 ~

“Fly me to the Moon and let me
play among the stars”

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~ Shadows in the Playground ~

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~ Fun and Fantastic Free attractions for Melbourne visitors ~

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~ A Medley of Murals in Melbourne ~

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Monday Portrait

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~ Monochrome Madness: Capturing the Essence of Old Ruins ~

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Empire Square Garden

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“Fly me to the Moon and let me play among the stars”

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“Fly me to the Moon and let me
play among the stars”