2018-09-19 Hotel Turim to Hotel Da Baixa, Lisbon, Portugal

In the morning Ric ventures out of the hotel to get some coffees and croissants for our breakfast
It is a beautiful day and despite the lack of sleep due to our late arrival, we decide to get ourselves ready to check out of the hotel
The taxi driver that picked us up at the airport last night told us that there was going to be a strike for all taxi drivers in Lisbon beginning today. When we checked out of the Turim Hotel we set off on foot to find the hotel which we had booked for several nights
As we walk towards our hotel we pass the historical landmark, Monumento aos Restauradores which memorializes the victory of the Portuguese Restoration War in the mid 1600’s
A long line of taxis and striking taxi drivers surround the Praça dos Restauradores
The local Police position themselves nearby in case of possible trouble
The magnificent building of Estaçao Rossio which was built in the late 1800’s, houses the railway station which is situated by Rossio Square
We continue on, passing the National Theatre of Lisbon called Teatro Nacional D. Maria II
We capture a glimpse of a popular fountain situated in Rossio Square
Soon we arrive at Hotel Da Baixa which we had booked for the coming 5 nights
Fortunately our room was ready when we arrived and we were able to check in immediately
Once we had freshened up we decided to do a little sightseeing ….. arriving in Praça do Comercio or Commerce Square, a public square lined with shops and cafes situated by the water
In the centre of the Praça do Comercio is the Monument to King Jose 1
Later we revisit Rossio Square to find crowds of people supporting the striking taxi drivers
Some of the lovely buildings in Lisbon have been painted with wonderful bright colours
The statue of King John 1 in Praça da Figueira with the Sao Jorge Castle on the hill in the background
In the evening we head uphill by foot towards the castle
There was some amazing graffiti by the endless steps near the castle’s entrance
After our rather energetic climb, the restaurant we were searching for was no longer there
It was time for a refreshing Mojito and a Margarita at the Conqvistador nearby
This small restaurant/bar in a tiny alleyway, is popular for food during the day and evening
As we were heading back down the hill we came across a small boutique hotel, called Solar dos Mouros which had a small restaurant with lovely water views
We decide to have an early dinner for a change and enjoy the view from the ‘Terrace Panoramique’
The restaurant served some Japanese food, so we ordered some Gyozas which were freshly made and delicious
Next we had some perfectly cooked fish with freshly cooked vegetables
We return to our hotel reasonably early to catch up on some well earned sleep

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *