Finished Finished Lisbon

Torre De Belem

My last day in Lisbon and I had a place I wanted to go and that was to Torre De Belem which is a World Heritage site it is considered one of Lisbon most famous landmark sin the Tagus River. The only way to get there was via tram #15 I asked at my hostel how to get to the tram and I was told to go Figueira which was adjacent to Rossio station, I remembered seeing it and finally located it, not far from my hostel.  I headed over but I was at a total loss as to where the tram would leave from and finally asked a policeman who pointed out the location.  I went and got in line and then the tram finally arrived it was not the small one car but a long 2 car so we all fit. It was a bit of a ride because they did not go straight along the river but down other streets too.

Jeronimos Monastery

The tram stopped by Jeronimos Monastery and I got off was in a need of a toilet so spotted Mickey D and went in and then I went in search of a something to drink I found a place selling Pepsi yea and they put it in a glass and I sat inside and drank it. I then took some photos of the monastery and then decided to head off to the Monument of Discoveries that I could see in the distance.  As I walked over I came across the Torre De Belem garden and walked around that a bit I then spotted an ice cream vendor and quickly got a “feast” and carried on towards the monument, to get there you had to walk down stairs and across on a passage under the highway. I finally arrived at the monument and was amazed by it, it was huge and there were various “people” on the side among them Ferdinand Magellan and Henry the Navigator.  I then walked over to Torre De Belem but once I got closer I had to go back and walk around the water that was not visible until you were close.  It was a bit of a walk but I finally got there, I decided against going inside because there appeared to be a lot of climbing and I did not feel up to it think I was feeling the effects of my walking tour the day before.  I did take photos and found a place to sit and just admire it, people watch and rest. I then slowly headed off in search of a toilet they had signs and finally found it had to pay but oh well. I noticed there was a boat tour so I walked over the next boat was leaving in moments and it was one way not round trip I want not ready to head back yet as it was not yet 2 pm and seeing the next boat was 4.30 I thought maybe.  I then passed The Monumento Combatentes Ultramar where 2 soldiers were on guard and I watched their back and forth walking for a bit it was beautiful memorial. 
 

The Monumento Combatentes Ultramar

Monument of Discoveries

Love the face

I decided to head back towards the monastery walked over a bridge this time and down a street and got to see another part of Lisbon.  I decided to go in the church and look around some and snap some photos. Then I came out was feeling tired and hungry I had spotted a place that had kabobs so walked over but there was a line a mile long. I walked towards some other places and finally found another place that sold shish kabab so I went in and ordered it was so good and filling, and I really enjoyed it. I came out and realized I was just too tired to walk all the way back to where the boat was leaving from as I would have to either go under the bridge again or over the stairs and either way that meant a lot of climbing and I was not up to it.  I decided it was time to head back to Lisbon I was going to rest a bit and then go out and explore some more in the area of my hostel.

I got on the Tram back to center of Lisbon and I was on it for maybe 10 mins and suddenly we were told to get off the driver kept yelling FINISHED and we all were like WTF?  We got off and everyone was wondering why I thought maybe I picked the wrong Tram 15 that they did not all end at the center.  Everyone was confused and we were all pretty much in the middle of nowhere. I said is this a strike as I saw a TRAM go the other way and everyone get off. We waited for the next tram going in the direction but everyone got off to. So now it was what to do obvious it was some kind of strike as the streets were full of people  walking this is an area where there would hardly be anyone. I knew that if kept along the waterfront I would be eventually be where I wanted but I also knew I was too exhausted to go that far, I was guessing about 5 miles and that was too much for how I was feeling I walked bout ½ hour before I spotted some police officers so I asked if there was a strike or something and they just laughed I asked how to back to Rossio station and the one said there was a train and that is still was running and pointed the station down the street which was about another 20 min walk.  I got there and the line was very long then I had trouble using the ticket machine and someone showed me. It was a bit of a wait for the train finally got it and it was only 2 stops to Cais Do Sodre and I could by a metro ticket there being confused I bought a train ticket instead of a metro then they guard said I could go and try and get my money back and being no escalator I said heck with that and went to put money on  metro ticket however the machine jammed my ticket and in the only way I could get one was to just go and buy a new ticket and pay full price at this point I was too annoyed and since I knew how to get from Cais Do Sodre to my hostel I decided to walk I went a different route and saw some different areas.  Well once I was above ground again saw Trams running so thinking it was either a short strike or because I was near the April 25^th Bridge where I later learned there was a march.  Looking back if I had just spent a little more time in that area probably would have missed the strike