Friday, August 06, 2010

Just Meandering

One day we decided to just kind of meander around with no particular destination.  We decided we would just take one of the cute trams to wherever it went and then come back and get off if we saw somewhere interesting.  Before catching the tram, however, we had to catch the subway to the tram.

The Train To The Tram


Comfortable Seats, Though


We got off at Restaurades, just three stops and about fifteen minutes from where we are staying and caught the tram.

And Old-Fashioned Tram


The seating isn't quite as spacious and comfortable as on the subway.

A Tight Fit


But you get an interesting view from the rear.

Somewhat Like San Francisco


It was an interesting ride.  You went through a lot of older neighborhoods and wound your way through narrow streets.  Occasionally you caught glimpses of the river and we spotted a place where we wanted to stop off at on the way back.

Hey, The Yellow Umbrellas Just Called Out




Of course yellow umbrellas often mean touristy and this was no exception.  But not a bad touristy if you were just having a beer.

Touristy + Thirsty = Big Beer


And Soft Drinks For The Sisters


But the menu didn't look too appealing.  Typically tourist type of stuff and on the pricey side.  But it was a pleasant enough place to sit.  It was by the river and there was a nice view.

A Pleasant View


After quenching our thirst we wandered around a bit to take in the sights and to find someplace not quite so touristy for lunch.

Some Of The Sights








That last picture was of a whole school of fish going nuts right up by the pier.

We did find a nice looking semi-outdoor restaurant not too far away and it looked like there were a lot of business types eating, always a good sign. And it turned out to be a really nice place.

Very Nice Place, Indeed


Although it was quite hot and sunny outside, a very cooling breeze blew through. Much better than air-conditioning.

I wish I had taken more pictures or paid more attention to what we ate, but I didn't. I know I had clams in a white wine sauce, and they were excellent. We had a nice leisurely lunch, shared a bottle of wine, and I had an espresso and port as my after-lunch treat.

Living Like King And Queens


Of course there is always time for a day to turn a little sordid. I had spotted a tiny bar and had my heart set on popping in.  And I had obviously found a part of town where there was graffiti.  But the sidewalks are clean.

Kind Of Hard To Spot


It Just Called To Me


There weren't any other customers in the place, but somehow I felt right at home.

Not Touristy At All


All in all, it was a very nice day of sightseeing. And the tram, as good as any sightseeing bus, was the same price as the bus or subway. If you ever visit Lisbon, buy the one-day passes. We sure got our money's worth out of them.

Heading out to Coney Island for a Coney Island Cyclones game and party at Peggy O'Neill's. We are going out a bit early to stop at a beer garden in Brighton Beach. Then I will probably pop into Ruby's, and I want to check out the brewpub next to the Freak Bar.  A Bar Man's work is never done.

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