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3. ABrasileira
The tramheadsdownhill, through the flatplazas
ofdowntown, and thenuphill intoChiado.Aswell
asbeing the shoppingdistrict, this isalsoacreative
neighbourhood–home to thecity’sartsandcinema
schools.Wealighthere tomeetPortugal’smost
famouspoet, FernandoPessoa,who spent almost
all ofhis lifewithin thecity limits, and isaLisbon
icon.Hisbronze statue sitscross-leggedat a table
outsidehis favouritecoffee shop,ABrasileira,
presumablywaiting forhisusual: anespressoanda
grappa. “Writers still comehere tomeet and talk,”
waiterVictorPorto tellsme,which isfittinggiven
thatPessoaproduced someofhiswork inside the
grandcafé–andunder75differentpseudonyms.
He inventedbackstories foreachof these imaginary
authors, andwrote in radicallydifferent styles for
each.Thegrappamust’vehelped.
2. Castelo de São Jorge
Sittingatoneof thehighestpoints inLisbon,
CastelodeSão Jorgecanbe seen fromalmost
anywhere in thecity.Andwhile it looks
remarkably intact from theoutside, this
Moorishcitadelwasbadlydamaged in the
great earthquakeof 1755,whichnearly flattened
thecity. It’s still possible toclimbup the ramparts
for360° views, butmanyof thewalkwaysdon’t
haveanybarriers, so it’snot for the faint-hearted.
Before rushingback to the tram,we takeadetour to
pop intoRestodoChapito.Aswell ascommanding
viewsof theTagus, there’s theaddedattractionof
thecircus school occupying the restof thebuilding.
On leaving,we’re invited towatch the trainee
clownspractisinga slapstick routine.
LISBON
