Saturday 6th June

The day for some of us started with a queue to get a breakfast table. Fortunately we didn’t queue for long and it was useful practice for the queuing to come.

For our first visit of the day we decided to walk to the castle which was on top of a hill and involved a pretty stiff climb. Forunately, we were all still alive when we got to the top, from where there were good views from the battlements and the presence of the mandatory café for beer and ice cream.

The extensive Dungroamin research had failed to identify a lift which went most of the way up to the castle. So whilst we missed out on this on the way up, we took advantage of it on the way down.

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There were a few steps on the way up to the castle.

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Just inside the castle gate, this street artist was singing and getting his dog barking at appropriate times. But on closer observation, it became clear that he was doing the barking and not the dog.
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A view over Lisbon to the Tagus River estuary from the castle.

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Another view from the castle.
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The castle walls.
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The punishment is tough for those caught not paying the entry fee!
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Jerry leads the step aerobics class.

Next we decided to take a number 28 tram which is apparently one of the top 10 things to do in Lisbon. Fortunately we all managed to get on the same tram (not straight forward when there are 10 of you!).

The tram terminated at the Basilica da Estrela where we got off and proceeded into the park opposite where food and drink was calling us again. The Basilica da Estrela is 96th in the top things to do in Lisbon, so did not merit a visit from Dungroamin it would seem, as we didn’t go in.

When we wanted to return, we went back to where we got off the tram, only to find that only some trams finished there, and there were not many that started there. We also discovered that not many of the trams went back to where we started – what a crazy transport system! So we were left with getting on a tram going in the right direction and then trying to work out where best to get off. This was reasonably successful, as we managed to get back into town from where we could walk back to the hotel – unfortunately temperatures were hitting 35°C by this time.

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A number 28 tram.
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Trade is slow for those living off the streets!
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You have to be careful where you park when you live on a tram route.
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The Jacaranda trees were in full bloom.
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In the park opposite the Basilica da Estrela.
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Was it something we said?

The hotel bar was a welcome sight when we eventually got back. After drinks there, rather than eat at the same place again, we moved about 50m down the street to another restaurant where the owner enticed us in by showing us his cold counter of fresh fish. Alan decided to have the clams but was slightly disappointed when they turned out to be cockles and rather smaller than expected.