LISBON, UNRUFFLED
Portugal's capital is a
must visit for those who want to see and experience a historical European city
minus the mad rush
In order to make the most of our
time in the Iberian Peninsula, I managed to persuade my fellow travellers to
utilise a small, weekend-long window during our Euro trip to venture out into
the fascinating-yet-much-ignored tourist destination of Lisbon. They were
assured it was the Cristiano Ronaldofan inside of me talking; but perhaps, it
was more Pascal Mercier's novel Night Train to Lisbon. The book had lured me to
the steep hillsides of the Portuguese capital. With its pulsating night life,
breathtaking locales and extraordinary history and culture, Cidade das Sete
Colinas (as Lisbon was historically known in Portuguese) didn't disappoint.
In the lead up to my arrival at the
south-western tip of the continent's Atlantic Coast, I had drenched myself in
the romantic air of Paris and let the surreal aura of Barcelona engulf me.
Thus, it was the sheer simplicity and a zephyr of tranquillity in the soul of
Lisbon that overwhelmed me as I arrived in the historic centre of the city and
stood there in front of the Praça do Comércio -the square that was once the
main maritime en trance to Lisbon -staring in awe.
Whatever time we had in this port
city, it was a conscious decision to not tread on touristy trails and spend it
in the most `Lisboa' manner possi ble. The availability of a few bunk beds in a
comfortable hostel, over looking River Tagus and costing be tween 8-12 euros
per day for one, was just the perfect way to get the ball rolling. A riveting
conversation with João, the caretaker of the hos tel, informed us of how the
city has stood back on its feet after a dreadful earthquake, in 1755, destroyed
more than 80 per cent of its important structures. Absorbed by these tales from
Lisbon's past, we trekked north, towards the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Mary
Major, dodging and work ing our way past rickety-yellow trams and shiny
tuk-tuks (walking is advisable but even public transport is inexpensive as
compared to other European cities). As we were sipping water from an ornate
fountain across the main entrance of the cathedral, after a spiritual tryst
inside, some lo cals suggested checking out certain famous galleries or lookout
points of Lisbon, called the Miradourous in Por tuguese, while heading towards
the São Jorge Castle. En route, we ended up at Miradouro de Santa Luzia, which
offers postcard shots of the riv er Tagus and the terracotta rooftops of the
old city, as you relax under the shadows of broken roofs and colour ful
creepers.
My interest in the port wine of the
region introduced me to a Brazilian named Joam who was sipping on a 1997
Colheita at a gallery on the terrace by his own. A philosophy student who knew
as many as eight languages at the age of just 20, he first accompanied us to
conquer the opulent castle (pun intended) and then to one of the highest points
in the city Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, which presents probably the
most amiable sunset scenes in the world.
On our way down, the evening greeted
us with small yet warm lamp-lit cafes and Portuguese cuisine. Relishing a
traditional meat and cheese preparation and some famous egg tarts for fewer
than 20 euros for three people, we walked back to the hostel only to find
ourselves in the middle of a party with travellers from various countries, in
the common area. After a rather lengthy pregame, it was time for us to step out
once again and explore the vibrant hues of the capital's nightlife, as a part
of a Pub Crawl hosted by the hostel. On foot, through the Rua Augusta, we
finally reached Bairro Alto home to the craziest gathering of merrymakers and
clubbing enthusiasts in this part of the world. Hopping bars and clubs sem
parar, most of us were glad to wake up fuzzyheaded yet safe the next
morning.And if you think that you've heard or seen it all, you have to once
experience the afterhours in Lisbon to know it for yourself. With 30 euros in
your pocket, you should be able to drink like a fish for one night here.
In search of redemption after a wild
night of partying, we decided to take an inexpensive 3.5 euros (round trip)
train from Rossio train station, on the green metro line, to one of the nearby
towns called Sin tra a serene and peaceful town, 30 km northwest of Lisbon
that, with its rippling mountains, dewy forests, exotic gardens and glittering
palaces, appears like a page torn di rectly from a fairy tale Artistes
cosplaying as various historical characters pave your path to the various Roman
monuments including the pristine Quinta de Regaleira. The approach from the
Portela de Sintra train station till the main area could be through ei ther a
short bus ride or a one-kilo metre walk. Historically, the Celts worshipped
their moon god here, the Moors built castles, and 18th century Portuguese
royals cultivat ed their dreamy gardens. Away from the hustle and bustle of the
urban areas, this summer destination of the royals serves as a perfect place to
just sit back and enjoy your silent rendezvous with nature. The entry fee of
the monuments varies between 5 and 30 euros.
As the sun dropped down in the
mountains of Sintra, the mercury nosedived and made for a perfect setting to
interact with locals in their restaurants, which were extensions of their own
kitchens. Meals for two here would cost you not more than 20-25 euros.
As we returned exhausted to the
hostel, it was barbeque night as the caretakers had prepared a traditional
meal, predominantly made of pork. In the background, inimitable music,
originating from an oldworldly jukebox, also reverberated in the eardrums;
which turned out to be Fado, a genre of classic Portuguese music. Despite a
long, draining day, we felt charged up enough by these tunes to venture out to
the Alfama locality in search of a Fado restaurant. As we made our way into one
just in time, we were welcomed by melodies originating from 12-stringed and six
stringed Portuguese guitars.Costing somewhere between 15 and 25 euros, this is
an experience not worth missing, especially for music enthusiasts.
Having experienced all this over the
short yet limitless course of the weekend, it was finally time to bid goodbye
to Lisbon. While hopping flights from Paris, on my way back to India, a young
lad pointed out at the book in my hand and seemed pretty intrigued after going
through the back blurb. I happily let him keep that copy of the Night Train to Lisbon.
|
alshaar khan
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TOI21JUN15
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