IT WAS an early morning train ride so there was just enough time to eat my little breakfast, then load up the bike for the final time and head out the door. I did have enough time to do one fina little lap. I did a bit of a ring around the old town along the water and past the marina before heading to the train station. This little delay meant that I got caught in a bit of rain for the last block to the station. I got damp but not wet.
Just inside the station I noticed a couple with a pair of EVOC bike cases and a number of suitcases. It turns out there are from Vanvouver and are heading back to Lisbon en route to Switzerland. I gave them a hand rolling one of their pieces of luggage out to the train which was sitting there waiting. Speaking of the train being there, it is a good thing. Rather than the simple roll on and roll off like on the intercity trains from Lisbon to Porto, this one had a narrow door and I had to carry the bike up and through the door to the storage area. Thankfully there was someone behind me who helped life the rear of the bike so I could just squeeze through the door. Then it was a simple matter of popping off the bags and hanging the bike on the hook from the front wheel. I was in an adjacent seat so I just left my panniers clipped together underneath the bike.
The ride took about 3-1/2 hours and the train was 90% full, but fortunately nobody beside me (the other cyclist seat) because my actual seat had a nasty looking stain that I had no interest in sitting on. I spent the time reading onine or looking out the window as the scenery zipped past at speeds up to 200 km/h. There has been a lot of rain all over the country so it was interesting to see the very swollen rivers as we past by valleys and over some bridges. At these points the train slowed - I am guessing that there are concerns of instability in the trackbed.
The train arrived to Lisboa Entrecampos only slightly late (we had left Faro a bit late and aforementioned slowdowns). This time I was prepared so after the penultimate stop, I got the bike down, and had it and the bags ready to heave off of the train once it arrived. All went well. I mounted the bags onto the bike, set the GPS to my guest house, and was away in a rainless afternoon, though really dark clouds were threatening and on their way with the strong winds.
Before any rain started to fall I was to the guest house where I was immediately buzzed in and was permitted to bring my bike into the sitting room where I could box it up at my leisure. I just wanted to get it done in casse I ran in to any delays (which I never do) and within about an hour, the bike was foam-wrapped, into the box and the nylon straps were tightened around the roller wheel gadget. I asked the staff about packing tape, and they directed me to a shop just around the corner where I also picked up plastic wrap to protect the box from moisture. Just like your everyday sandwich, the box was quickly wrapped in plastic. Then to add a safety I added packing tape to hold things in place, and there, it was done.
When I checked in (the room was ready early) I asked if I could simply roll the box into my room - not a problem at all! Yahoo! With that job completed andf out of the way, I dumped my bags in my room then headed out for a walk. I took one of the guest house umbrellas just in case and headed to Saldanha then Pombal and then down... Avenida da Liberdade - my favourite road anywhere. Though not as pretty as when in full leaf and flower bloom, it was nevertheless, very nice to see. I just kept walking and ended up in Rossio Square. I took my photos of 'my spot' which I have been doing since 2003, then to the little coffee shop/bar but it was closed - and will hopefully be open tomorrow. I snapped a few APs then headed toward Amirante Reis street and started the long walk back toward the Alameda. En route I started to get a wee bit peckish, so I ended up going to the little Nepalese restaurant just off of the Alameda for chicken curry. I've been a few times and have enjoyed it every time. This was no different. Delicious.
After dinner I wandered around a bit then gradually made my way back to the guest house. I was getting pretty tired so I called it a night.
I had never explored the park around the Pombal statue. It was pretty but I think woud be amazing once more flowers and leaves were out. -- Lisbon, Portugal
When I was in Lisbon in 2003 I took a photo from around this spot. The trees were tiny and young, and I was much younger, too. Then I returned to this spot to photograph it again in 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, spring 2023, fall 2023, and again now in 2025. -- Lisbon, Portugal
When I was in Lisbon in 2003 I took a photo from around this spot. The trees were tiny and young, and I was much younger, too. Then I returned to this spot to photograph it again in 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, spring 2023, fall 2023, and again now in 2025. -- Lisbon, Portugal
