The tram cables create a crisscrossing web over the city. Looking up to the sky, you see their haphazard pattern and it appears you are stuck here. Having heard of Lisbon’s devastation earthquake in 1755, I can see why the city needs all the protection it can get.
Apart from being a protective web, those cables serve a purpose: to effortlessly glide yellow trams up and down Lisbon’s seven hills. I hop on Tram 28, the historic route packed with tourists and pickpockets. The driver of my cutesy tram is not the cutest of drivers. He steers the tram through Lisbon as though he is out for revenge, confused if his profession is tram driver or rollercoaster controller. Speeding up, slowing down, my head dangles out of the window as I view the sights of Lisbon from a rollercoaster ride.
We pass by the Cathedral. Lisbon’s Sé glows remarkably at night. Those tram cables obstruct all shots, but without them, I’m not sure the image would be so alluring. A little rough around the edges, the cathedral has withstood the test of earthquakes in Lisbon’s history. Constructed in the 1150s, you wouldn’t know it had been battered and bruised here and there.
The tram “ride” takes me to Castelo de Sao Jorge, the city’s castle up high on a hill. Somewhat ruined, the views are not. You can see most of the city from the castle that changed hands from the Visigoths, Moors and Christians.
As I step off the whirlwind ride, I pause to appreciate what my feet are standing on below. All around the city, you will find snaking mosaic designs. If you stare too long, you almost feel like it is an optical illusion. Black, white and people all over, Lisbon is the ultimate survivor. 60,000 people lost their lives in the Great Lisbon Earthquake on November 1, 1755. Three tsunamis, fires and aftershocks destroyed Lisbon almost completely. One local wrote after the earthquake, “That was the year when Lisbon town saw the earth open and gulp her down.”
I look out to the Atlantic and ponder what Lisbon could have been if it weren’t for Mother Nature. However, I am brought back to now and Lisbon sure knew how to rebuild. Unlike any other European capital, Lisbon has an air of difference I can’t quite place. Perhaps it doesn’t feel like Europe to me. In the meantime, I don’t want to leave its cluttered and protective web of tram cables.
Suzy, Lisbon is my favorite city in all of Europe. I’ve spent time writing about it and can’t wait to go back. There is so much to love about this city yet so many people don’t know how great it is because it’s hidden away in the corner of Europe.
I’m so excited to finally see Portugal this July. We’ll spend some time in Lisbon, and then Porto as well. Looks like such an interesting city. A couple of these photos are reminding me a little of San Francisco with the bridge and the cable cars, actually…
Suzy –
My wife and spent part of our honeymoon in Lisbon. That was in 2007, and we haven’t stopped raving about it. What an amazing city. Also enjoyed Porto and Sintra, but Lisbon was our favorite. We can’t wait to return.
I am planning a tour in Portugal. Have been to Lisbon once and would also like to visit the northern country now.
I am considering renting a flat in Lisbon for a few days stay – a fortnight or so.
Wow! The floor is the same they have on Senado Square in Macau: http://countryskipper.com/2010/07/06/sightseeing-in-downtown-macau/. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because overall the Portuguese influence there was huge (buildings, food, etc.) and it seemed very non-Chinese (for lack of a better word).
Interesting article, I made a video of Lisbon last year which is a visual of the experiences you had….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtgq3a1HIVw
The roller coaster tram ride and web of tram lines really gave the Lisbon of your post an atmospheric feeling. I have not been to Portugal, but it’s high on my list.
That sidewalk looks pretty familiar to me since they are in Brazil, too. 🙂 Check out this photo from Rio: http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/travel/08Readers.html
I would love to visit Portugal. I met some people from there last year and it sounds like a really great place to visit in the summer.
Hi Suzy! Congratulations for the great post…
Lisbon is in fact a beautiful city, a must see in Europe! For all of those who are planning a trip in the city, be sure you don’t miss the terraces, the views, the light, the popular fests, the monuments, the pavement, the people, etc…
I love how you describe Lisbon as a survivor. That’s exactly how I felt about it when I visited in April. It’s a gutsy city that seems strangely unaware of its own beauty. And it’s certainly beautiful.