The best of Lisbon and Paris
Rosie Hersch, 68, is a retired pharmacist, whose hobbies include studying, cooking and theatre. Her biggest passion is travel and like the song says, “I've been everywhere man (well almost).”
The last time I saw Lisbon was in 2006. I spent a week then visiting all the wonderful sites. This time we only stayed three days. Lisbon is a gracious town with wide boulevards and magnificent architecture. There is so much history in this town. Probably the best example is the Monument of Discovery in Belém, a short tram ride from central Lisbon. The monument looks out to sea and sculptured onto each edifice are figures representing all the Portuguese explorers, in particular, those in the Vasco Da Gama expedition to the Americas in the golden age of Portugal’s powerful rule in the 15th and 16th centuries. Belém is also home to the 16th century UNESCO world heritage listed Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery and lastly for the famous Belém custard tarts. Don’t leave Portugal without one! They are delish.
Then there is a beautiful coastal promenade from beach towns of Estoril to Cascais, both also a short ride from the city centre. Go for dinner to one of the restaurants in the Moorish influenced historic district of Alfama, home to Fado, Portugal’s own music genre. Finally, Lisbon is not complete without a visit to world heritage Sintra Hill. A whole day is needed to visit the Royal Place at the foot of the hill, the Castle of the Moors, halfway up and the fairy tale castle at the top, fashioned after Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. This castle is said to have inspired Hans Christian Anderson when he wrote Rapunzel.
The 25th of April Bridge which suspends over the Targus River connects north and south Lisbon is the longest in Europe. Cross over this bridge which resembles the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge and visit the giant 110 metre Statue Cristo Rei. Looking back from where this massive sculpture sits, one has a magnificent view of Lisbon.
So for now enough tourist stuff, time to sit back and enjoy a Sangria, a delicious fruity alcoholic beverage, common to Portugal and Spain, for the following day we flew to my favourite number one place: the city of lights, Paris.
Related link: Rosie Hersch’s guide to New York City
Just like in New York, it does not matter if this is your first trip to Paris or you have been fortunate enough to visit numerous times. There is always something new to discover and then again there are the joys of revisiting fond places. Those walking shoes are vital. There are all those stairs at the metro stations. You will spend much time going up and down them and the passageways within that lead from one departure point to another. The bonus is that after a few days in Paris your fitness will have definitely improved despite indulging in those beautiful pastries, croissants, wines, cheeses, baguettes and tempting French cuisine.
I love Paris in the springtime, I love Paris in the fall, I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles, I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles, such famous lyrics.
Well we were there in early summer, it did not sizzle but it certainly drizzled. It rained so much the Seine flooded. You could not walk next to it because the water was waist deep. The Bateaux Mouches were not operating and nor were the floating restaurants on the Seine. The Louvre and Musee D’Orsay were closed as there was a fear the basements that contained excess valuable pieces would be flooded. The metro was mostly operating but the trains were not so we could not go to Versailles, Fountain Bleu or Monet’s garden in Giverny. It rained and it was cold, there were police, gendarmerie and soldiers carrying submachine guns everywhere. Still I have to tell you walking the streets of Paris filled me with such happiness. It is such a magnificent city, my favourite in the whole world. On every street there are fabulous examples of architecture of such exquisite elegance. Around every corner there are reminders of history. The boulevards are wide with the outdoor cafes dotted all along the sidewalks just like the street scenes of Paris we see so often in paintings.
I was slightly stressed when my husband’s Hungarian cousins who had come from Budapest to see us invited us one night to dinner on the terrace of their rented apartment. What freaked me out was that their apartment was immediately next door to the Bataclan theatre. We walked by the barricaded façade of the theatre where so many lives were lost at a rock concert not so long ago in a senseless terrorist act. On the pavement in front of the theatre were fresh flowers from sympathisers including a beautiful bouquet from the mayor of that Arrondissement. We stood for a minute’s silence.
Related link: Rosie Hersch on sailing out of New York and across the Atlantic
Paris is THE city of great museums, galleries, beautiful parks and gardens. There are so many famous landmarks: The Eiffel Tower, the Trocadero, the Arc De Triomphe, Champs Elysees, La Madeline, the Opera Garnier, Montmartre, Sacre-Coeur, Les Invalides, Pere Le Chaise, Notre Dame, the Pantheon, Centre Pompidou, Musée de l'Orangerie, just for starters. Then there are the famous beautifully decorated bridges that span the Seine like Pont de la Tournelle, Pont Marie, Pont Neuf and Pont De Bir Hakeim. One could easily spend three months here and still not see every interesting feature. It is also such a pleasurable experience to just sit in the Luxembourg or Tuileries Gardens and relax and let the world go by just for a while. One thing I recommend for a great view of Paris without waiting in those endless queues at the Eiffel Tower is to book a lunch or dinner at Le Ciel de Paris, a restaurant on the 56th floor of the Montparnasse Tower in Montparnasse. One should book online before you leave home. There are no long lines of people, just take the lift to the top floor. This enthralling view of the entirety of Paris, spread out before you, with the Eiffel Tower at the other end in the middle distance is overwhelming. It always manages to take my breath away and this June was my third visit. So let’s not let the terrorists ruin this spectacular metropolis. Keep on keeping on and visit the most beautiful of beautiful cities on this planet - Paris.
This was an extraordinary five weeks that went by in what seems the blink of an eye, one of the best travel experiences of the many that I have been fortunate enough to have experienced.
If you have a travel story to share please get in touch at melody@oversixty.com.au.
Related links:
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