The very last day of this 2-week trip in the Iberian Peninsula. I must say that I didn’t want to go, I wanted to stay longer.
Leaving reluctantly is anything but a pleasing experience to go through. Yet, from a different perspective, I’m so pleased that I was leaving reluctantly. Because it’s a worthy testament to the immense pleasure and utter excitement that I’d already derived decidedly throughout the memorable journey.
Having said that, would there be any possible method for me deal with the saddening feeling?
Yes!
Map out my next journey right away!
So, my next city is ……
United States of America Avenue
Strolling along the United States of America Avenue, the major boulevard leading to Roma Metro Station, I didn’t spot anything suggestive of the US but countless blocky apartments.
Belem Railway Station
As soon as I hopped off at the narrow platform of the humble Belem Railway Station, I left the station by going up the pedestrian footbridge. Humble as the footbridge was, it overlooked the Tagus River which was shimmering in the sunlight,and the whitewashed Belem River Station, with the remarkably beautiful backdrop of the hilly landscape of the opposite shore of the Tagus River.
I was over the moon not only with the vista but also the balmy weather.
MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology)
As I was meandering along the well-paved broad promenade, draws including an edgy art installation positioned in the wooden quay jutted into the river, the ochre-hued brick structure of power station-turned-museum, the Tejo Power Station and the futuristic streamlined behemoth of the MAAT, came into sight one by one.
It’s so highly recognizable for its greyish white facade and simple streamlined design. A number of ramps have easy access to the undulating rooftop of the museum, which offered superlative views of the Tagus River and the 25 April Bridge.
As it’s name suggests, the MAAT is a cultural project for Lisbon that is focused on three areas – Art, Architecture and Technology.
Monument to the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos)
Leaving the state-of-the-art MAAT, I was heading west along the pleasing promenade past some alfresco restaurants and marinas filled with yachts.
After an approximately 10-minute stroll, the lofty imposing Monument to the Discoveries came into sight. The most distinctive feature of the monument, the gigantic sword reached towards the heaven. On the eastern and western flanks of the monument were representing figures from the Portuguese Age of Discoveries. These great people of the era included monarchs, explorers, scientists, cartographers, artists and missionaries.
Opened in 1958, the monument celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discoveries during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Jerónimos Monastery
Sited opposite to the Monument to the Discoveries, Jerónimos Monastery was linked by an underground walkway. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s one of the most prominent monasteries in Lisbon.
Belém Tower
Just a stone’s throw from the Monument to the Discoveries, Belém Tower was another big draw along the Tagus River. Being a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers and as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon, it looked as though a lonesome orphans who had lost its parents or one of the many pieces dismantled from a huge fortress.
Monument to the Overseas Combatants
No tourists would get bored strolling along this well-paved spacious promenade where monuments and draws abounded.
Just a short stroll from the Belém Tower, I came across the Monument to the Overseas Combatants. Erected in a vast expanse of translucent azure water, the prominent triangular monument was watched over on three sides by the greyish walls on which thousands of names of the people who sacrificed for their country were written.
It maintained a quiet and somber atmosphere and as a visitor, I understood that I was walking no hallowed ground.
Champalimaud Foundation
At the westernmost end of the promenade was a vast expense of concrete land where only a handful of people were seen. As opposed to the feeling of desolate that many people might feel, I felt a great sense of freedom.
Right next to the promenade was a cutting-edge commercial complex which housed the Champalimaud Foundation, a private biomedical research foundation in Lisbon. The greyish white minimalistic public area adjacent to the promenade offered a stunningly beautiful view where the River Tagus melted into the sky.
Alges Railway Station
Set for the next destination, the Oriente Station, I caught a train in Alges Railway Station.
Alcantara-Mar Station to Alcantara-Terra Station
Changing trains from Alcantara-Mar Station to Alcantara-Terra Station was a one-of-a-kind experience because the stations were not connected by any tunnels or bridges and it took an approximately 10-minute walk on the street.
Oriente Station
The lofty glazed rooftop on the platform level was a big feast for the eyes. The cavernous ticketing concourse was notable for its spaciousness, minimalistic design and the extensive use of concrete as the major building material.
According to Wikipedia, the station was inaugurated on 19 May 1998, as part of the celebrations marking the opening of the Expo ’98. At the time of its opening it was considered the largest intermodal station in Portugal.
Park of the Nations (Parque das Nações)
As the site of the 1998 Lisbon World Exposition, Park of the Nations showcased a modern and well-planned Lisbon as against hilly city centre packed with jumbles of oldish technicolor houses.
Despite the Altice Arena or the Oceanarium being the major draws, the magnificent view of the Tagus River and Vasco da Gama Bridge was my thing.
Strolling along the pleasing boardwalk built along the glassy Tagus Estuary, I could hardly see the opposite shore but a the winding Vasco da Gama Bridge running into the middle of nowhere.
I was completely overwhelmed by the job-dropping beauty of the greyish blue sky and the bluish gray river while the disused cable bar was the finishing touch of this beautiful picture.
My Travel Journal TWO 