Portugal and Spain 1: Lisbon, Sept. 29 & 30

 

We started this trip with a harrowing but successful anecdote... we were on our way to the Michigan Flyer in East Lansing, MI when we realized we'd left our euros at home... a quick u-turn and race-car-worthy driving from Bruce got us on the bus one minute before the scheduled departure... cuttin' it close! Then, it was bus to DTW, jet to Dulles in D.C., then jet to Lisbon.

Too kitschy to share a shot of the seatback as we approached Lisbon? Welcome to my world...

 Sept. 29 arrival to Lisbon, transfer to hotel (Mercedes limo, I can get used to this), then our meet-and-greet dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz in Lisbon. We met our tour guide, Gracia, an amazingly bright, talented, and well-organized leader, and  the other ten couples. The venue:

Before we start the tour, a note that I lean heavily on Google Lens to reference what I shoot. I have enough on my plate framing and editing the photos, and in no way could do the deep research to describe what I shoot. My niece, however, could easily describe, explain, and expound upon any of my images.

 Sept. 30, the touring really begins. Our merry band of 22 souls will be ferried about by the incomparable Sonia, an expert driver.  First stop, the carriage museum. This is the oldest carriage on display, Coche de Filipe II of Portugal, circa late 16th to early 17th century:

I particularly enjoyed their recreation of the team of horses - the carriage behind them is real:

 

And yes, they did have to transport prisoners and assorted miscreants by, you guessed it, carriage:


Some of the carriages were amazingly ornate:


 

Our next stop was the Museu de Marinha (Navy Museum) in the Belém district of Lisbon:


 

Inside we were greeted by none other than Infante D. Henrique (Prince Henry the Navigator):


 

This is a model of the sort of ships Henry would have sailed... I understand kits for building these sorts of boats can be found (where else) on eBay... Amati Coca Model Kit:


Moving further along in the Museu de Marinha we find among a collection of full-sized boats, the Pavihão das Galeotas. She was built in 1711 and served as the customs barge for inspections along the Tagus River:


This craft was constructed 1711-1728 and was the ceremonial and royal barge, used by the royal family for ceremonies and travel along the Tagus River:


The plane in the background is the actual Fairey IIID 17 "Santa Cruz", a British-built seaplane. It was flown by two Portugese aviators from Lisbon to Brazil, completing the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic in. 1922.
 

Back to the boats...  this frame might look familiar... we saw a similar image at the carriage museum. This is the stern of the royal barge depicted above:


 

And on the northern bank of the Tagus River, the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Monument of the Discoveries:


 

Yes I did go for a telephoto shot... I understand that's Henry the Navigator at the front, flanked by Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan:


 

As this day of touring came to a close, we did get to a park close to our hotel which afforded a great view of Lisbon - click for a short video. 


 


 


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