Lisbon – The Forgotten Gem of Europe
For many centuries, Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, was
regarded as one of the most magnificent cities in Europe. With
its long history, Moorish influences, stunning location and vast
riches from India and Brazil, it was a trading hub for hundreds
of years. But a devastating earthquake in 1755, followed by fire
and a tidal wave, reduced it to ruins and obscurity. In recent
years, however, Lisbon has begun to return to some of its former
glory. It was the European City of Culture in 1994, hosted Expo
98, and was the major host city for the huge soccer event,
Euro2004. More people are discovering its fascinating blend of
old and new. Even better, it still remains relatively affordable
by European standards.
Located on 7 hills beside the Rio Tejo (River Tagus), Lisbon is
best explored on foot, as driving and parking are difficult, to
say the least. Some of the hills can be taxing to climb, but in
most cases a funicular or tram is available. Much of the appeal
of the city is to be found wandering up and down the streets.
Examples of both Moorish and art nouveau architecture are
common, as well as beautiful mosaic pavements.
One of the highlights of Lisbon is the Castelo de São Jorge,
perched high above the city, and yet quite close by. Originally
built in the 5th century, it has undergone many extensions, and
modifications. It has been used as everything from a royal
residence to a prison. The panoramic views are magnificent.
If your tastes are a little more upbeat, then the area to visit
is Bairro Alto. This area has long had the reputation for
containing the best restaurants and nightclubs in Lisbon.
Alternatively, if you want to go upmarket, then the shopping
district for you is Chiado.
Lisbon also contains a number of excellent museums. The Museu
Calouste Gulbenkian contains what was originally a private
collection of classical and oriental art. The very generous
benefactor left his collection to the people of Portugal, along
with a very generous charitable foundation. It’s very easy to
spend a day strolling around the gallery, even though only about
a quarter of the collection can be displayed at any one time.
Depending on your interests, you can also spend time in the
Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (National Museum of Ancient Art),
or the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (azulejo are the hand painted
tiles which adorn so many of Portugal’s buildings). If you
prefer something a little more modern, there’s also the Centro
de Arte Moderna (Modern Art Centre).
Eventually, if you reach the point where you’re completely
saturated with art, tiles and gorgeous buildings, you can always
spend some time in the Parque das Nações, or the Nations Park.
It was the site for Expo 98, and now contains gardens, various
family attractions, restaurants and bars. It even contains
Europe’s largest Oceanarium.
Lisbon is the type of city that you can try to sample in a day,
but it takes much longer to truly appreciate all of its many and
varied delights. Allow yourself plenty of time to do just that,
and your visit to Lisbon will remain amongst your most treasured
memories.
Felicity Walker
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/lisbon-the-forgotten-gem-of-europe-612.html
This is a video of BIGGEST MISSES in soccer history but hey every body makes mistakes so yeah.
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Highlights from the U.S. vs. T&T in a World Cup qualifying match
You want to make your bet make your own opinion with these statistics before the match Arsenal Vs Liverpool