Capital Pictures – Life Unlimited

There are lots of ways to get around Lisbon. Here are some of my favorites.

**Modern articulated bus – smooth-riding, clean, and able to take tight corners**

**Vintage trolleys dart all over the city**

**Tuk tuks are available in lots of sizes. Hire your own personal guide for a private tour.**

These two edifices tell an interesting story of Portugal. On top is a huge bull ring. While bull fights still occur in Portugal, an 18th century prime minister declared that the animals must not be killed. The photo on the right shows a prison built in the early 20th century to rehabilitate prisoners after capital punishment was abolished. It may have taken 200 years for human life to be given the same consideration as that of bulls, but Portugal is still 100 years ahead of the United States in ending the death penalty for humans.

**Today, bulls are temporarily immobilized by eight strong men using nothing but their arms.**

Throughout the city you can see evidence of Portugal’s prime role in the Age of Discoveries, as seen in these photos.

**Golden sailing ships by the hundreds adorn lamp posts across a large part of Lisbon**

**Massive sculpture on the Tagus River commemorates all of the trades and sciences necessary to make world exploration possible.**

**Building-sized mural depicting Vasco da Gama is brilliant against the vivid blue sky. If you squint a little, you may see Charleston Heston in his role as Moses.**

You’ve seen me write about the stone mosaic pavement that covers all of Portugal. Following are some of the beautiful patterns we saw in Lisbon.

**These are not merely stencils. Each design is made with hundreds of black stones hand cut and meticulously laid by master craftsmen.**

There is a long, broad avenue, The Avenue of Liberty, in the center city. It was originally built as a pedestrian park with walking paths, trees, and water features after Portugal gained independence from Spain in 1640. More than a century later, the wealthy citizens were looking for ways to enrich the coffers of their city after the devastating earthquake of 1755. Many decided to build new mansions along the edges of this magnificent promenade. Most remain today in excellent condition, and are home to world famous fashion boutiques, high-end jewelry shops, banks, and corporate offices. Tim and I enjoyed strolls down the avenue, both day and night.

**Motorway through the avenue. Both sides of the street provide wide shady walkways with benches, statues, and streams.**

**Stately trees festooned with holiday lights.**

**Former homes of 18th century rich and famous**

**These palatial spaces come in all colors**

We enjoyed every sunny minute of our first trip to the capital. We’d be happy to retrace our steps any time any of our readers want to check out this intriguing place. We hope to see you soon!

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