Travels in the 2nd half

Alcântera, Lisbon   During my recent visit to Lisbon, I ran into an interesting situation. Due to a quirk in EU funding, nine of the city’s museums were closed for renovations at the same time. For me this provided an opportunity to indulge in my favorite activity - visiting small museums that often go overlooked. Berardo Museu Arte Deco (B-MAD) B-MAD Museum Support for the 25 de Abril Bridge Eletrico 18   I headed to the Alcântera neighborhood, which sits under the approach for the 25th of April Bridge. In the 17th century, the area became home to several palaces for members of Portuguese royalty. One of these buildings, formally owned by the Marquis de Abrantes, has become the Berardo Museu Arte Deco (Berardo Art Deco Museum).    B-MAD has an amazing collection of Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Art Deco furniture and decorations. Most of the objects come from the collection of Joe Berardo, a Portuguese businessman who has a checkered past.   The museum can ...

Eletrico 28 in Alfama Lisbon is a city built on hills. While its Baixa neighborhood sits in a valley, it is surrounded be steep climbs on either side. In the past two weeks we have explored Chiado and Bairro Alto to the west. This week we are going to look to the east of downtown, to the Alfama neighborhood. Before I got to the twisting streets of Alfama , I had the opportunity to ride Lisbon’s Metro system. One thing that I noticed right away was that, just like in New York City, riders there were mesmerized by their phones, ignoring everything and everyone around them. I exited the Metro at Terreiro do Paço, the Palace Square station, and its ferry terminal. The terminal was constructed in 1931, and its art deco style was highlighted during its 2011 renovation.   Terreiro do Paço Ferry Terminal Praça do Comercial Cais do Colunas Alfama is one of Lisbon’s oldest neighborhoods, dating back to the days of Moorish control of the city. It sits along the slope between the Tagus River a...