Tales of the Invisible Ben

Some Thoughts on Lisbon

Having now fully recovered from both jet lag and the excitement of presenting my first paper at an academic conference, I can now take time to reflect upon my recent expedition to Portugal, a country whose achievements---if architecture is to be any guide---seem to have peaked in the fifteenth century before steadily declining all the way to the present. This observation is not to imply that Portugal is run-down, depressing, or a worthwhile destination. In fact, my experience there contradicts each of these points. But by the same token, it does little to dispel the sense of fatalism which looms over Lisbon, the feeling that if only they named one more shopping mall or national landmark after Vasco da Gama, the rest of the world would realize how incredibly awesome Portugal once was and, perhaps, could be again.

I wish I were joking about the Vasco da Gama thing, I really do. But despite the importance of numerous other Portuguese explorers including Ferdinand Magellan, Pedro Cabral, and Bartholomew (Bartolomeu?) Dias, da Gama seems to get all the glory.

I submit the following examples as proof:


1. The Vasco da Gama Bridge






















2. The Vasco da Gama Tower




























3. The Vasco da Gama Shopping Complex (complete with adjoining casino)





















I think I've made my point. Vasco da Gama died in 1524. That has given the Portuguese slightly less than five centuries to lionize his memory with only the interruption of an occasional mad monarch or natural disaster to otherwise punctuate the nation's historical landscape. Yet Lisbon still clings to its glory days, with its baroque plazas and its imperial monuments.

This became evident to me as I wandered around the city during my first afternoon after arrival. I was fortunate to be able to sleep on the plane and so, having mostly avoided jet lag, spent that Friday strolling around the city's waterfront and then hiking up to the Castle of São Jorge.





















From the parapets of this 14th century castle, one could catch glimpses of the city's diverse neighborhoods, each with a distinct architecture. One particularly noteworthy landmark was the Elevador de Santa Justa, a vertical lift connecting two neighborhoods in the older part of the city, constructed by a disciple of Gustav Eiffel.





















Unfortunately, my sightseeing was largely limited to the castle during my first afternoon. The next day, I was fortunate to participate in a tour of the city's aqueduct system, constructed during the 18th century to secure water for the thriving metropolis.





















FYI, the middle of that bridge features the world's tallest stone arch, stretching a full 65 meters above the ground.

The following two days were devoted mostly to conference talks, which are unfortunately far less photogenic, but the final evening before my departure, the conference arranged a wonderful banquet at a nearby suburb located on the salt flats of the Tagus estuary. A fado band played and plenty of port wine was served. All in all, it was a wonderful way to end my visit to this beautiful country...far better to the five separate lines I had to wait in before getting on to my return flight.






















(Oh, and in case anyone tells you otherwise, Portuguese is definitely not the same language as Spanish. Fluency in the latter will allow you to navigate the subway system and read important street signs and menus written in the former, but if you plan to talk to anyone, you'd be better off going with English than Spanish, because the locals will peg you as an outsider either way. Good thing everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) seems to speak English in Portugal.)