Sun 8 Nov - Lisbon R&R Day 2

Sunday in a foreign city in a foreign land tend to be a visit to the park day if the weather is fair or visit to the museum day if it is not. Today's weather was very fine indeed so parks it shall be. 

Before exploring parks, I was keen to check out Lisbon's aqueduct called Aquedoto das Águas livres. I had seen the aqueduct from the train and it looked impressive from there. 

The aqueduct is not very far from Parque Eduardo VII, my local park just north of Marques de Pombal, which is a big roundabout and also my local metro station. I had not yet been inside the park. 

First, I walked past Estabelecimento Prisional de Lisboa, Lisbon Prison. There was a queue of people waiting outside, more opposite the prison in the shade, many of them black. I assume given that today is Sunday, we are talking prison visiting hours. 
I had to criss cross some hilly streets to get to the aqueduct. No surprises there. An old aqueduct points to an old neighborhood. Good photo opportunities along the way. 

The aqueduct Aquedoto das Águas livres itself was bit of a disappointment. It looked deserted, unused and you couldn't see very much of it at all. From underneath...
...same level...
...same level again. 
The other way where either the water came from or arrived to. 

Now it was all closed up and not used for anything at all from what I can tell.  
Walking back towards Parque Eduardo VII and I was passing a cafe. I thought that it was time for a mid morning break. 
I'm starting to develop some real fondness for espressos and natas. A very nice combination. I am beginning to understand the Mediterranean habit of small strong coffee on the go. It kind of works. 
Now we are in "my" local park Parque Eduardo VII. We are looking south through Marques de Pombal towards centre of town and Rio Tagus. 
Close up of the elaborate planting. Would take some effort to keep this nice and tidy. 
Parallel to the above, there are long promenades on both sides. 
Statue in Parque Eduardo VII. Hmmm, not sure about this one. 
On the northern side of Parque Eduardo VII is Jardim Amália Rodrigues and this lovely setup. A cafe is there opposite. I will be back. 
I continued walking on combined walking and bicycle paths through adjacent parkland. There were some lovely northerly views to be had. 
Even the aqueduct popped up in the distance. Looks impressive now but fades in comparison to the fantastic aqueduct in Segovia, Spain. 
It's interesting to see that the old USSR ideals are far from dead in Portugal. Note the logos on both of these billboards. And this is by no means unique. You see it in graffiti as well. 
This park is called Jardim da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian and is a shrine to brutalist architecture. Grey concrete was the norm pretty much everywhere including footpaths. 
The amphitheater had also a predominant concrete appearance. However, it was a nice place to stop and relax for a while, which I did. I could see that people had brought books and sat there reading in the autumn warmth. Some were even napping there. 
I was soon back at Jardim Amália Rodrigues having completed walking a loop. It was time for... You guessed it. Coffee and nata. Americano this time. 

Perfect setting again and I sat there relaxing for a while. Again. Sounds like as much sitting as walking today but it wasn't really so. 
A bit later and a bit more wandering around, it was time for lunch. I stumbled onto an American style diner. Why not? I have had fish and seafood almost every day since I arrived in Portugal. 
Hmmm... Not sure about the name of the diner though. 
My burger arrived. What else do you order in a diner? 

While the burger and chips were perhaps not disasters, they were certainly not very good. I quickly ate up and left the Great American Disaster. It just didn't seem right to hang around in a place with that kind of name. 
Back at the hotel for a siesta and relaxation as time approached 3pm.
 
And would you believe it... I got so lazy and comfortable that I didn't go back out again. Another relaxing evening in the hotel room. Why not?





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