04.30.2024 Lisbon, Portugal Day 1/2

Today we arrived in Lisbon, Portugal but not until 1:00. We were here last July for four days to start our River cruise so our objective today was to pick up a few gifts and enjoy some fine Portuguese wine and beer. We are here overnight so we were in no hurry.
We walked around and took in some of the narrow alleyways and tile works on the buildings. We went to the Cathedral of Saint Mary Major, often called Lisbon Cathedral or simply the Sé, it is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Lisbon, Portugal. The oldest church in the city, it is the seat of the Patriarchate of Lisbon. It was built in the 12th century.
From there we wandered over to the Plaza de Pedro IV where we sat and had a beer under an umbrella as it started to rain. Perfect timing, we finished our beer, paid our check and walked down towards the water front and through The Praça do Comércio. It is a large, harbour-facing plaza in Portugal's capital, Lisbon, and is one of the largest in Portugal, with an area of 175 by 175 m, that is, 30,600 m. Facing the Tagus River to the South. The plaza is still commonly known in Portuguese as Terreiro do Paço. It was originally a palace and was destroyed in 1755 by an earthquake.
We are here still tomorrow so we returned to the ship. Following dinner in the restaurant we attended the Fado show in the Star Theatre.
Fado a type of Portuguese singing, traditionally associated with pubs and cafés, that is renowned for its expressive and profoundly melancholic character.Read more