Saturday, 5/11. If the morning Viking tour is a precursor, we’re in for some veeeery slow walking. Tour guide spoke haltingly, constantly searching for the proper word. Recipe for sleeping on the bus. Bus appeared brand new! But we hit the high spots of Lisbon that were too far to walk to. Church and adjoining monastery was simple in design, rich in history. It was sailors’ last stop before setting sail to pray for a good voyage.

The Discoveries Monument points out to the water, so no photo of its front. We weren’t given enough time to get close to it anyway. The Tax Building had been built in the middle of the bay, but the 1755 earthquake and resultant tsunami created land on one side. Good for photos.

Lisbon has a thing for elephants and rhinos. First time the prime animal hasn’t been a lion.

After our siesta we went out for lunch. Yoriko ate massive sardines, I had excellent shrimp soaked in garlic sauce. The promenade outside the hotel had a long row of antique sellers. Old teaspoons were common, selling for 5 euro each. When we saw the long line to go up the Santa Justa Lift, we intelligently went up the Elevador do Lavra funicular and then down the Lift. Both forms of travel were fun, without waiting.

Stopped several times for drinks (once just for cokes). Ate ham and cheese sandwiches in the room with our bottle of Tio Pepe sherry.

Tomorrow the cruise passengers take buses to Porto. We’ll drive, making stops along the way.

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