Day 48 - To Lisboa

Early start. The bus left Sevilla at 7:30 am.  We crossed the border where police officers check passports ( I thought people moved freely within the European Union), then we changed bus at Faro and finally arrived to Lisboa at 2 pm.

There is a metro station by the bus terminal so we were in the hotel within half hour.

Lisboa is warm, 30C, still cooler than Sevilla and we could feel the difference.  We found the streets around the hotel closed.  I asked a police officer what was happening and he said a teachers parade and then with a grin, he said, they are the same all over the world.

When we came out for a walk downtown, the parade was starting. A quit affair with lots of banners, most of them did not look very happy to be there.

We were hungry but it is not hard to find food in Lisboa.  We stopped at an outdoor restaurant and had the kind of Portuguese food we like.  Seafood rice for me and salmon for her.

Sitting next to us was a really happy fellow who likes to talk as much as I do. He is from Angola and we talked (somehow) in Portuguese. He was very interested and amazed at our little walk.

Now, to look for a church for Mass.  I had read that the church of San Roque, a Jesuits church, is beautiful and has a museum of religious art.  We decided to find it.  What we did not know is that the church is at the top of one of Lisboa's famous hills. 

We took a very long stairway and finally got there but no Mass. A bit disappointed but the museum was still open.  What a marvelous collection of religious art.  I was truly happy that we made it there.

Then, still hoping to find mass, the lady at the entrance to the museum gave us directions to the church of Sao Domingus. Down and down and down the stairs we went. 

We found the church and went in, Mass was just starting.  I was in awe, this is a gigantic, majestic church but it seems like it is crumbling.  In fact, there was a terrible fire in 1959 and it took some 25 years for it to reopen.  The columns and the stone work are missing pieces, in fact one of the statues behind the altar is missing its head.  Still, the ceiling has been renovated, the altar itself is gold, gorgeous.  It looks like parts have been restored and some others left damaged on purpose.

While we did not understand most of what the priest said, it was a pleasure to listen to him. Obviously a joyful man. He actually greeted us in English after the mass.

Then to the hotel and bed. Tomorrow our last tourist day.

Sao Domingus, pray for us.