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November 17, 2008
Exploring Lisbon
I took a few hours to explore Lisbon today. I always find that getting oriented in a new city outside the U.S. is an energizing mix of excitement and coping with the unknown - especially when an unfamiliar language is involved. I took the metro (subway) toward the downtown area. The metro was bright and clean, and the trains ran frequently. I went to the Alfama district, which is the old town. Buildings are centuries old, streets are extremely narrow and hilly, and it's easy to get lost in all the twisting and turning.
I started a new novel just before this trip: Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier. It was originally published in German in 2004 and was just translated into English this year. It's about a midlife humanities teacher in Bern who chucks it all and goes to Lisbon in search of something ... he's not sure what ... but obviously in search of himself. I'm about halfway through and enjoying it. It's not a quick/easy read - the text almost demands that you take it slowly in order to absorb its beauty. There are highly contrasting reviews of it on amazon.com. In any case, I've found it engaging to read while I'm traveling here.
Most of the TV stations in my hotel room are in languages other than English, with the exception of CNN Europe. They have been running ads for other places which are trying to encourage investment and/or tourism. Just today, there have been spots for Dubai, Montenegro, Poland, and Al Zorah, that amazing development in the United Arab Emirates, next to Dubai. I wish US TV had more programs in other languages and featuring information about places beyond.
I'll post a few more pictures after I get home - the internet connection here in the hotel is too slow. I hope I can steal away a few hours tomorrow before the conference starts. I'd really like to hear some Fado music, but the Fado bars are in an area that Frommer's clearly says is unsafe after dark. Hmmm
Posted by hgroteva at November 17, 2008 11:40 AM | Travel