Lisbon

Sunday
The day was pretty uneventful. Slept late and took another walk into Competa. On the way, I spotted these along the highway.

Avocado trees along the road

Avocados 

Returned from Competa and took a siesta. Took the 6 p.m. bus to Malaga and then, the overnight bus to Lisbon (Lisboa), Portugal.  Unfortunately, the person who sat next to me, had a persistent and nasty sounding cough. The seats were assigned and she bus was full. Tried shielding myself from her germs, but I don't think I was successful. As I write this, I'm nursing a stuffy nose and irritated throat. 

Bus for Lisbon

 

Monday 

Arrived in Lisbon at 6 a.m. Check-in at the hostel, wasn't until 3 p.m. Killed a bit of time, consuming a coffee and croissant, but decided I'd head over to the hostel and see if there was a chance for early check-in.

Hostel Lobby

Hostel garden 

No early check-in, but I was able to store my backpack and offered the free breakfast. I only got coffee, but shared the table with three Germans, one Romanian and one French. Once th we y realized I was American, the conversation quickly changed to their opinions about Trump. They were very clear about their dislike for both the man and his politics. 

Since there were still nearly five hours before I could check-in, exploring the city was next. Here is a bit of what I saw.

The rooftops of Lisbon

A stairway with artwork 

These streets
make for a bumpy ride

Our Lady of the
Immaculate Conception Church 

Images in the church 

Close up of previous image

Another image in the churc

Traffic around Commerce Square 

Commerce Square 

Rua Augusta Arch

Opposite side 

Not statues,
but people made to look
like statues

Along Rua Augusta

A bit further away, there was more.

Elevator de Santa Justa

Mermaid Fountain
In Rossio Square

Steep Hill

Steep Hill Tram

Jardim do Principe Real

Architecture around Principe Real

Took an uber back to the hostel, got checked in, cleaned up and rested, until dinner was  ready, at 9 p.m.

Nothing much, for the rest of the night. 

I found central Lisbon to be very beautiful.  However, the  bus I initialy took to the hostel, was going in the opposite direction, from what I needed. This out-of-the-way journey took me into the non tourist areas, of the city. The contrast was striking. The buildings and the streets were dirty and much neglected.