Portugal 2024
Day 8: Wednesday 25 December 2024
Lisboa
Every metro station has a distinct theme in its decorations. We particularly liked the Martim Moniz station, with its comic figures in wall tiles.
Martim Moniz station comic wall figures
WallStreet English near the Oriente Station, Lisboa
The Torre Vasco da Gama, with the Ponte Vasco da Gama in the background. Two records: the tallest publicly accessible structure in Portugal (160m), and the longest bridge in the EU.
The Ponte Vasco da Gama is the longest bridge in the EU. The road bridge is 12.345 km long, 148m high, and opened in 1998.
The Tagus estuary has 35 species of mammals, 194 species of birds, and 101 species of fish, nine species of reptiles, and 11 species of amphibians.
This map is oriented to the south at the top. We took the bridge on the left (Ponte Vasco da Gama), and returned by the bridge on the right (Ponte 25 de Abril).
The cable car which connects the Torre Vasco da Gama and the Oceanarium, and passes by the Exposition Centre.
The Ponte Vasco da Gama is crossed by local buses, which we take advantage of to travel to Setúbal, before returning to Lisboa by train over the other Tagus River bridge, Ponte 25 de Abril.
On the far side we see flamingos hunting in fishing pools.
Travel Diary
Vasco da Gama Tower and Bridge
The explorer, Vasco da Gama (1460s-1524), is celebrated here more than any other national hero, including Ferdinand Magellan. Da Gama opened up the trade route around the south of Africa (Cape of Good Hope) to India in 1497-99.
This corner of Lisbon is close to the airport, and is well visited this Christmas day. There was an international exposition here in 1998, for which Lisbon built an enormous modern exposition centre at this location. The river arrives from south of Madrid, over 900km, to the Tagus River Basin estuary. It is the largest nature reserve in Western Europe, at over 32 km2.
In winter, up to 120,000 migratory birds arrive to feed on the polychaetes, molluscs, crustaceans, and various fish species, giving the Tagus estuary a vital international importance.
I need a bag.
Preciso de um saco.
What are you doing?
O que està/estàs a fazer?
I prefer the other one.
Eu prefiro o outro.
Where is the cashier?
Onde é a caixa?
I do not agree.
Eu não concordo.