AlanHo Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 We have just completed three splendid days in Lisbon, Portugal. We are now staying in a villa down on the Algarve near a town named Lagos. We have visited the Algarve several times but have not explored this far west before.I picked up from Avis in Lisbon a Renault Captur car which we have for the next 8 days. This is Renault’s equivalent of my KIA Venga and both cars have similar dimensions and packaging. The Captur has a 1.5 litre diesel engine mated to a 5 speed box and is gutless. It is reputed to be very economical but lacks a trip recorder so I am not able to measure it. I find the car very sluggish and noisy – but perhaps this is to be expected since it is wearing Michelin Primacy 3 205-55-R17 tyres. It has only done 6400 kms so is possibly still loosening up – the gear change could well do with it because it takes some effort to move the gear lever through the gate. Slick – it is not. The reverse gear is where 6th gear is positioned in my Venga and there is no button or sleeve to stop you moving into reverse involuntarily. Fortunately, Renault have built in a very loud sounder that sounds just like gears crashing together – so loud it vibrates the gear lever - to tell you that it’s not a good idea to select reverse at 120 km/hr.These two pictures are taken in one of the main public squares where the paving is crazy. The tiles are laid in a sinusoidal pattern so that when you look along them in one direction the paving appears to be undulating. It is worse when you walk along or cross the paving at an angle because your eyes tell you the paving is moving but your feet do not. Libby suffers from Motion induced vertigo and found the experience particularly difficult "" />There is a tours company that runs a fleet of amphibian buses to take people around the town and along the estuary.Here is the bus afloat "" /> And here on dry land"" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted September 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Lisbon is famous for its 85 year old tram system that runs around this very hill city. The trams are used for commuting by the locals but are popular with tourists. You can buy a travel card for 6 euros which will provide 24 hours unlimited travel around the city on the trams, buses and underground metro. We spent one of our days taking full advantage of the cards and seeing many sights we would have found it difficult to walk to. While we were in Lisbon 3 large cruise ships berthed, the Adriana, Brittania and my favourite the Costa Fortuna – I reckon whoever chose that name had their tongue in the cheek knowing the cruise costs they would charge. There are numerous Tuk Tuks carrying tourists round the city. Many of the streets are rough cobbled and we saw one Tuk tuk with a sign stating “Remove your teeth and tighten your bra straps” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted September 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Another tourist choice – especially for the younger ones – is to hire these three wheelers which buzz about the city. This one went past us climbing a really steep hill and was losing traction and snaking when the rear wheel was allowed to contact the tram tracks This is Belhem tower an old fortification looking over the estuary. British castles are very functional – Portuguese are more ornate. Another large picturesque square with a famous monastery in the background.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted September 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 In the city there is an elevator called Elevator Santa Justa that was built in 1902 to facilitate people getting from the lower level in the city up to a part of the town on a hill. It is a cast iron construction and the castings are highly decorated. It was being painted whilst we were there – hence the scaffolding. This is a tourist “must” - but we didn’t bother. People were queuing for up to an hour to ride the elevator. A shot of typical decorated apartment balcony which took my fancy Another public square – with my wife Libby peering at a cruise ship departing.Our hotel - the Lisboa Pousada – was sited at the far side of this square. This is the ornate gateway from the above square leading into the retail streets. You can go to the top by elevator and finally some stairs to the very top from where you get a splendid view over the retail area to one side and the commercial square and estuary on the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted September 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 This is the breakfast room in our hotel which was opened in May this year. It was formerly the police headquarters and was built as a square with a garden area in the middle. The hotel put a glass roof over the central area and paved it to form the tallest breakfast room I have ever eaten in. This photo was taken through a window on a first floor corridor All the rooms in our hotel had identical en-suite bathrooms – but this was the first time I have ever seen one with see-through all-glass walls. You could see quite clearly from the room into the bathroom. However – for the shy – there was a curtain you could pull across the room Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 What a fabulous array of photos, Alan! I really enjoy Portugal, although have not visited for some time. As I mentioned in another thread, we are travelling on October 20th to the Algarve. The initial 4 days will be in an apartment on Vilamoura Marina, followed by a further week with our daughter and others in a 7 bedroom countryside villa in Quinta do Lago. One of our previous visits was to Porto. We travelled around exploring the area, including Lisbon. So much to see... Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belatucadrus Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Not sure about the en-suite arrangements, the shower could add a frisson with the appropriate person. But sitting on the loo in a glorified goldfish bowl ! That's way too weird for me, curtain pulling time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Yes, I agree, B. Alan, what are you doing finding kinky hotel rooms at your age? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Great photo's Alan. Have a great holiday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted September 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Thanks for the kind words guys and Gals. I had a thought while we were out in the car today. I lifted the bonnet (hood) or whatever you call it to see if there was any indication of the engine details.The engine cover is emblazoned with the words RENAULT - NISSAN but no other information.It got me thinking - I know that Renault and Nissan have merged in Europe - but Nissan used to call themselves Datsun.Now - if I had managed to select reverse at 120 km/hour and shattered the gearbox - would it have resulted in it raining Datsun cogs on the motorway.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Far too technical for me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belatucadrus Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Any more jokes like that and I'll get the hotel staff to steal your shower curtain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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