View of the Panteão Nacional cupola
During my visit to Lisbon, I stayed in Bairro da Graça, on Largo de Santa Marinha, with a view of São Vicente de Fora from outside the door of the small apartment I rented. Hearing the church bells every night put a smile on my face as did my early morning walks around the neighbourhood while it was still quiet and empty of people.
I visited nearby Santa Engrácia (the National Pantheon), as well as Graça church across from a miradouro with wonderful views of Castelo São Jorge and the city. Every night I sat in the outdoor café there and enjoyed the wonderful views while drinking a delicious galão and savouring a pastel de nata. On my last night, I had two pasteis de nata, to compensate for the fact that I was leaving the next morning for Toronto.
I have come to the end of my photo memories of the last time I saw Lisbon in 2011. It’s been good for my soul to revisit the city during these last few weeks but I must now return, sadly, to present time, 2020, a year that, so far, I don’t think I’ll be reminiscing about too much in the future.
Panteão Nacional
São Vicente de Fora
Bairro da Graça
Largo de Santa Marinha
Thank you to all who have taken the time to accompany me on my photo memories of a wonderful visit to Lisbon in 2011.
Emanuel Melo torontonian azorean writer 
One of my fondest memories of the 2005 “A vez e a voz da Mulher em Portugal e na Diaspora” [The Voice and Choice of Women in Portugal and in the Diaspora] conference in my hometown of Berkeley was the musical entertainment for the final dinner at the International House on the University of California campus (my alma mater).
Nuno Cristo (Aida Jordão’s husband) and Hélio Beirão (Napa resident originally from Terceira) performed several Portuguese guitar duets, closing with the song known to non-Luso-Americans as “Lisbon Antigua” (which had a monster instrumental pop hit for Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra back when I was a child).
Apparently “Lisbon Antigua” derives from a popular Portuguese song, to which nearly everyone in the hall knew the lyrics except me — so I just merrily La-la-la’ed along!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeKB3YYV-KQ (with photos of Old Lisbon, of course!)
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Loved your visit to Lisbon, Emanuel! But honestly, two pasteis de nata eaten on your last night in Lisbon? I’m shocked… 🙂
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