CHARITY WITH A NICE VIEW....

On Saturday, while I was playing golf, I heard information by word of mouth about an off the track place located in downtown, not easy to be found, serving home-style meals at very reasonable prices and surprise of the surprises... with a nice terrace overlooking the Tagus river: in short, all the ingredients that suit my taste. I returned back home and Googled all the information about that place. 
On Monday morning, I got up earlier than the usual, in good mood to go ahead with my schedule that implied arriving earlier than the opening hour for lunch - only lunches were served -  to be sure that I would get a good view from a table on the small terrace.
I had never been on that alley, let alone seen those few buildings none of which looked like a restaurant. I had the full address and from the door number I was sure I was not wrong. I rang the bell, the door opened and as I was walking up I wondered whether I was going to someone's house... 

I reached the 3rd and last floor and stepped into a dining room where there was nobody at all but a servant only. I was told it was still early for lunch but I could have a seat at a table on the terrace and enjoy the views. Either these were over the river or over the rooftops, all were amazing to me. And more amazing was being there for the first time, after living in Lisbon for many, many years. 

It was a nice place to have simple food. A place with a nice view from the roof terrace - tucked between the lush gardens of expensive apartments - of the rooftops and the suspension bridge (the top photo was taken exactly from my seat).

I had codfish croquettes with carrot rice and salad, a slice of pudding for dessert and a glass of the classic Spanish sangria. It was hot and when the temperature soars, I like having a glass of sangria. 

Of course, the sangria was not served in a Fabergé 'kissing dove' crystal glass... I had never expected such a luxury. 

That place was not about it. It was not expensive at all. Even if I had paid a higher amount, I would have always thought it had been very reasonable. Sitting in the sun, having a meal and looking at the views were priceless moments... 

~~ Thanks all of you who tried to guess where/what I had gone to/for ~~ 
You all put broad smiles on my face... Thank you!

ONE WINDOW ~THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS

Picture #1

Picture #2

  The picture #1 was taken last year, in February, while the picture #2 was taken this year, in March.

When you look at both pictures, you easily notice two big differences, other than the curtain material: one shows a dog and no board behind that ironwork while the other shot shows a woman and a board behind it. Do you think the dog had grown up in the meantime and the owner had to place that board to prevent him from jumping down onto the street?
I thought so when I passed there again last week and took the picture #3.

  Picture #3  

Thanks for stopping by

        ~~ Have a wonderful weekend ~~        

                                                                           

TWO SYMBOLS IN ONE...

Since last month, there is a new, 40-minute journey that can be made through the historic centre of Lisbon in a cork covered, typical tram! Two symbols of Portugal - cork and tram - integrated into one!

 The tram departs from a square...

runs by the Romanesque Cathedral with its twin castellated bell towers, an architectural feature that lends the building an odd military character...

and by a belvedere in the Moorish quarter, that commands a wide view... 

Passengers breath in a bit of the local atmosphere as the tram runs up to the top of one of the seven hills...

At a short distance from the terminal, stands the imposing Church of St. Vincent, while a recently remodelled building is erected at the terminal spot. 

Traditional trams... suitable to run up and down the hills

A modern tram ... this runs only on city's flat areas.

Hope you have enjoyed the ride...

~~ Have a wonderful weekend ~~

~~ Thanks for stopping  by ~~

FOLLOWING THE REQUEST FROM SHAYNA....

Our good friend Shayna as she dropped her comment on the latest post, she mentioned how she would love to see the Belem Tower when the tide was full. I'm pleased to satisfy her curiosity, although, unfortunately, the weather conditions were not the same, which doesn't enable an ideal comparison.

Then you can compare with the photo posted in the previous post...

~~ Thanks for stopping by ~~

WHAT DOES MONOPOLY MEAN TO YOU?

Perhaps all of us or, many of us, have played the worldly popular board game MONOPOLY that yesterday celebrated its 80th anniversary. I remember well how I spent enjoyable hours playing it with my siblings and friends. I always tried and, very often, I succeeded in 'purchasing' as many properties as possible and, well located, preferably. Those little red and green wood houses and buildings were cute, weren't they?

A new edition to commemorate the milestone has been put on sale and Lisbon is one of the 22 cities  included in it.

National media reports that the Portuguese capital was the fourth most popular city in a poll organised by Hasbro - the American toy multinational - to decide which places should feature in the game.

Illustrated by a photo of Belém Tower (photo below), Lisbon features in what will be the “second most valuable neighbourhood” - alongside Istanbul (Turkey) and Riga (Latvia).

Belém Tower, on the bank of the Tagus River, is  a UNESCO World  Heritage Site  because of the significant role it played in the Portuguese maritime discoveries.

~~ Thanks for stopping by ~~

~~ Have a nice weekend ~~

BOLLARDS THAT MAKE PEDESTRIANS STOP AND LOOK AT THEM

Old mooring bollards in the port of Lisbon have been object of creativity... see below how they have been painted to look like something different from the original. 

A stretch of the non-operational quayside of the Tagus River has been turned into something like a street art gallery...

~~ THANKS FOR STOPPING BY ~~

~~ HAVE A WONDERFUL REST OF THE WEEK ~~