Lisbon: day 3

November 1, 2024

We had no commitments today, unlike yesterday when assembling our bikes was a priority. Today we planned to go to Belém to visit the Monastery of Jerónimos, maybe visit Casa Pastéis de Belém, the “café that’s the birthplace of the wonderful custard tart that’s called pastel de nata throughout Portugal” (Rick Steves, Portugal). Rick goes on to say that they are really good here, but that may be less because the bakery was established in 1837 and more because they crank out 20,000 or so a day so you always get them fresh from the oven. We also want to see the Monument to the Discoveries and perhaps the Maritime Museum. If we did all that, it would be a packed day!

We started off well fuelled from the hotel’s excellent buffet breakfast, including some odd-tasting cafés com leite. At the nearby Metro station we purchased our Viva Viagem cards and then caught the trolley out to Belém. We got on at the beginning of its route but were lucky to get seats (not together). At the next few stops, more and more people got on until it was like Skytrain in pre-pandemic rush hour. The passengers were almost all tourists and nobody got off until we neared Belém.

As we passed Casa Pastéis de Belém, we saw the queue out the door and well down the block. A fellow near me said to his companion that he certainly wasn’t going to get in that line for a pastry and I felt the same. There was an even bigger crowd milling around outside the monastery so we decided to walk along the river first.

Looking upstream to the Ponte 25 de Abril

Monument to the Discoveries, with Henry the Navigator at the prow holding a model of a Portuguese caravel

A closer look at Henry and his fellow navigators. I think that’s Vasco da Gama with the astrolabe.

On the west side, Henry is accompanied by the men who financed the voyages or glorified them in words and paintings.

The only woman portrayed on the monument is Philippa of Lancaster, Henry’s English mother.

We weren’t sure if it was a regatta (I saw one mark but the boats weren’t turning) or if sailing downstream with your spinnaker was the thing to do on All Saints Day.

There were lots of people strolling on the riverside path.

“Authentically Canadian” caught my eye. I’ve never had poutine in Canada or anywhere else and passed up this opportunity too.

The Tower of Belém was apparently the last symbol of Lisbon seen as the explorers left and the first to welding them back—if they made it back.

Detail, Tower of Belém. No idea what the glowing “eye” might be.

We decided to walk back towards the Monastery to see if the crowds had dissipated. They had—perhaps because the monument was closed due to a strike. Perhaps that was why the pedestrian path along the river was so crowded, or perhaps the crowd was due to the beautiful day. Judging by the number of people on the trolley and milling about in front of the monastery earlier, we weren’t the only ones surprised.

The Maritime Museum was right next door and I wanted to see it, though Al wasn’t particularly excited. When we learned tickets were only 4€ for seniors, we decided to spend what we’d saved by not visiting the “Sexiest w.c. on Earth” yesterday. It was definitely worth it to me.

I didn’t take any photos of the model ships, the development of the caravel, or the exploits of the Portuguese Navy.

Just this one of the type of ships used for “far-away” fishing, such as the Grand Banks off Newfoundland. The large ships carried many (30-60) dories. I think the model on the right is of a shop used in 1947. More info at https://www.visitlisboa.com/en/lisbon-stories/the-codfish-route-13/the-history-of-bacalhau-21

Then we entered the hall displaying real boats, not models. I won’t include too many photos but it was worth the 4€ by itself.

The following photos are of the Royal Brigantine. From the posted info:

This vessel was built by order of Queen Maria I, for her son, the future King João Vi, in 1784. It has 40 oars, operated by 78 oarsmen. Used by the royal family for transportation and several foreign rulers visiting Portugal. It sailed for the last time in 1957, during the visit of Queen Elizabeth Il of England.

The Portuguese Navy also had a flying section until it (the flying section) was merged into the Portuguese Air Force. Can you imagine flying this little brown plane over open water? The aluminum plane at the bottom right was built in the USA by Grumman.

We emerged from the Maritime Museum across this little plaza from where we’d entered and discovered that we’d missed a rainstorm that passed through.

It was time to head back to our hotel. The trolley stop is across from Casa Pastéis de Belém.

Although the queue was significantly shorter than this morning, it wasn’t short enough to entice us over.

While we were sitting on the trolley (we got seats together this time and could even see out the windows), the sky exploded in a thunderstorm. Rain was pelting down. We would have just stayed on the trolley but our stop was the end of the line and we, along with all the other reluctant travellers, had to get off. My shoes, socks, and pants were soaked through in the two blocks to our hotel, but my rain jacket and new rain hat, that I’d carried all day, did their job.

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Betsy EvansThanks a crazy line for pastry. In my not-very-extensive experience, all the custard tarts in Lisbon are delicious. We sampled from as many places as possible!
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1 month ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Betsy EvansOur hotel had them as part of the breakfast buffet so we haven’t had them anywhere else—yet.
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1 month ago

Margie AndersonAs Bestsy Evans said, the Portuguese tarts are a must, and you’ll find then in many places. I think the shear size of the Pastéis de Belém that draws a crowd.
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1 month ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Margie AndersonCould be. Most we saw in bakery windows were about 6-7 cm diameter. The ones at the hotel breakfast buffet were smaller but the supply seemed unlimited.
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1 month ago

Margie AndersonHa, I actually meant the size of the bakery/restaurant itself.
It’s a huge space!! ❤️
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1 month ago