lisboa

Friday in Portugal brought us to Lisbon, crossing through the province of Baixo Alentejo, known for the cattle-raising, cork, marble, and wine industries. To occupy us for the three-hour journey, our tour guide told us all about the beautiful land. I was most interested in the cork industry she explained—the oak trees have two barks: the outer one is what cork is made of and the inner is more like a protective skin. The trees are allowed to grow for twenty years before they’re cut for cork by hand rather than by electric machines to prevent cutting into the inner bark. Once they’ve been cut for the first time, they’re cut again every 9-11 years depending on the weather about 13-15 times in their lifetime. I never knew any of this, so after learning about it, I made it my mission to buy something, anything, made of cork.*

As we approached the 3000 year old city, at some points conquered and occupied by such peoples as the Romans, the Visigoths, and the Moors, we drove over the 25 of April Bridge, a 3.2 kilometer suspension bridge 70 meters above the River Tagos so named to commemorate the democratic revolution of 1974.

Our first stop was the Church of the Jerónimos Monastery, where explorers would spend the night in prayer before embarking the next day.

the tomb of vasco de gama

Just across the street was the Monument of the Navigators.

Down the road we drove to the Tower of Belém, which used to be in the middle of the river, but after the major earthquake in 1755, the river shifted and fell back, so now the Tower is now on the banks.

Our last stop was Rossio Square, where we roamed for three hours, taking in the city beauty of Lisboa.

i can see america!

And, of course, taking widely inappropriate pictures together in public, again.**

I love us.

*I settled on a small wallet, a notebook, and a postcard.
**We were approached several times by people–young men–trying to sell us drugs. We’re pretty sure it was because we were acting so strangely comfortable taking these photos.