Michael Powell's Blog, page 24

The Castelo de São Jorge

If a city can be said to have a birthplace, Lisbon’s is the massive stone bluff which soars over the Tagus River Basin. This hill was home to the earliest humans to populate the area, and has served as a fortress and a castle throughout Lisbon’s history. Today, the remains of the Castelo de São Jorge serve mostly tourists, who show up in droves to take in the best views in the city.

Evidence of human activity on top of the hill dates back to the 6th century BC, when ancient Celtic tribes ext...

The Museum of the Geographical Society of Lisbon

A gem hidden in plain sight, the Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa has been operating for almost 150 years, in a beautiful hall in the center of Lisbon. It’s worth stepping inside to see the ethnographic collection cobbled together from around the world, as well as to check out the elegant headquarters of the society.

The Geographical Society was founded in 1875, and has always been based in the same building just north of the Praça do Rossio. During the days of colonization and exploration,...

The Basilica and Jardim da Estrela

The Basilica da Estrela lies west of the Baixa, in the upscale neighborhood of Lapa. Built by the Queen of Portugal to fulfill a promise to God, the church sits atop a hill, with a giant dome that’s visible throughout Lisbon. We visited both it, and the adjacent Jardim da Estrela on an overcast Sunday.

Queen Maria I reigned between 1777 and 1785. In Portugal, she was known as Maria the Pious, while Brazilians called her Maria the Mad (in my book, the terms are synonymous). In any case, it wa...

Welcome to the Mouraria

The neighborhood of Mouraria will be our base of operations during these 91 days in Lisbon. Ranged along the hill east of the center, underneath the shadow of the Castle of São Jorge, this has historically been the city’s most ethnically diverse section. We took a long self-guided tour, to get to know our new home a little better.

The meaning of “Mouraria” is approximately “Moorish Quarter”. Lisbon was part of the Umayyad Caliphate for centuries, which had been a period of great innovation a...

The Praça do Rossio

Rivaling the nearby Praça do Comérico in history and prestige, is the Praça do Rossio. Officially named Praça de Don Pedro IV, in honor of the former king who stands atop a massive column in the plaza’s center, Rossio has been at the heart of Lisboan life since the earliest days of the city.

The buildings which once surrounded Praça Rossio were all destroyed by the 1755 earthquake, and the plaza was completely redesigned as a centerpiece of the new Pombaline city. “Pombaline” is a term we’ve...

The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos

We’ve only been here for a couple days, so it’s hard to be definitive, but one of the most unforgettable sights in Lisbon must surely be the Jerónimos Monastery, in the western neighborhood of Belém. Construction began in 1501, during the height of Portuguese power, and the complex has remained in incredible condition. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 1983.

The Jeróminos Monastery was ordered by King Manuel I, at a time when Portugal was the wealthiest nation on Earth, and it...

The Praça do Comércio

What better place to begin our exploration of Lisbon, than the square which has long served as its entrance gate? The Praça do Comércio, usually called the Terreiro do Paço (Palace Yard), is situated at the base of the Tagus River, where ships laden with riches from around the world once came to shore.

When we turned the corner at Rua da Alfândega and emerged onto the wide, open expanse of the Praça do Comércio, we were disoriented. We had been in Lisbon for twelve hours, but had already com...

Olá Lisbon!

Our home for the next three months is going to be Lisbon, Portugal’s capital and the oldest city in Western Europe. Within the past few years, this city has become extremely fashionable among both tourists and expats, and it’s no wonder. Lisbon boasts a fascinating history, affordable way-of-life, eclectic culture, excellent cuisine, thousands of things to see and do… and a whole lot of hills.

The hills were our first challenge after arriving. Our apartment is found in the neighborhood of Mo...

Tạm Biệt, Hanoi!

When we said goodbye to Hanoi, it wasn’t merely the end of another 91 day adventure. We were putting an end to six months in Vietnam. That is a serious chunk of time, and it really affected us. While packing our suitcases, our emotions were all over the place; there was both sadness and contentment, relief and regret, fulfillment and pride. I guess we were just feeling.

It’s impossible to spend half a year in a new country, and not be affected by it. And that’s especially true for a country...

The Zoological Museum of Hanoi University

Walking around the streets of Hanoi, it’s impossible not to wonder how many treasures the city has locked away, safely out of the view of tourists. There’s so much history here, so many ancient houses and darkened alleys, that there simply must be secrets. One of the most interesting we discovered is a colonial-era zoological collection on the second floor of the Hanoi University science building.

Our first attempt to visit the collection was not a success. We were definitely in the right pl...