Lisboa y Parque Natural da Serra da Arrábida

Last weekend we took a group excursion to Lisbon, Portugal for a relaxing weekend after Finals. It’s hard to believe that my time here is roughly halfway done. Needless to say I have been enjoying it greatly but am starting to miss the amenities of The States a little bit. America truly is the land of luxury, which can be hard to see until you don't have it anymore

After a week full of tests I started the weekend out right by climbing Friday afternoon then going to the river to chill with friends.  Our bus to Lisbon departed at 7am Saturday morning; so myself, a few friends, and one of our Spanish tutors decided to bypass the whole sleep thing.  After adventuring around Seville and its discotectas all night with some Spanish girls we met I was exhausted to say the least. Lucky for me I had a six-hour bus ride ahead of me, which was perfect for catching up on sleep. While I wasn’t preparing myself for the eventful day ahead I couldn’t help but notice the amazing Portugal countryside.  Thick fog around lush green mountains made for a great view between naps.

 Group picture in front of the Jeronomo Monastery

Once we had checked into the hotel and taken an hour to relax we set off to see Lisbon. Our first stop was the Jeronomo Monastery, equipped with a massive library, this was the wikipedia of the time from the late16th century to early 19th century. Once a monk entered into this house of God he was never again aloud to leave. Therefore, these monks were often asked to find the answers to difficult questions regardless of the subject matter.  In the center was a massive courtyard complete with a fountain in the middle. Although it was quite relaxing, I could not imagine spending all my days there. 

 Courtyard

After wandering around the Monastery we made our way to the Belém Watchtower. Constructed in the early 16^th century, this tower proved key in the defense of Lisbon. Wielding several cannons capable of firing up to a mile away it was a deterrent to any fleet entering from the Atlantic. The tower was also used as a dungeon for political prisoners. These prisoners were put in cells in the floor that would fill up with water and ocean life as the tide came in. Crabs need to eat too right?

 The watchtower in all it's glory

That night we went to a very reasonably priced all you can eat Brazilian steakhouse. It was delicious to say the least. After digesting at least five pounds of food da itus kicked in and I proceeded to crash. This probably had nothing to do with the lack of sleep from the night before.

 El Cristo-Rei standing 82m high

Sunday morning we started our day at El Cristo-Rei, which is a giant statue of an open-armed Jesus over looking the bay. Although I did not pay the 4E to ride an elevator to the top I still got a great view. Once we were done taking in the sights we took a short drive to the Lisbon Aquarium. While the aquarium was nothing out of the ordinary, it was still very entertaining. The rest of the day and night was spent relaxing around the city. 

 View from El Cristo-Rei.

I can easily list Monday as one of the top three days, if not the best, I’ve had so far this semester. The day started out with 9 of us taking a bus to the airport in order to rent cars. After much confusion and almost not being able to get our second car we we’re zipping around Lisbon. Prior to leaving for Lisbon we had been warned not to rent cars because the Portuguese drivers are “notoriously” bad. Like that was going to stop us. On the contrary, drivers in Seville are for more reckless than those in Lisbon.

 View near the top of the mountain.

Our destination for the day was the Parque Natural da Serra da Arrábida. About an hour away from Lisbon, it is situated between the cities of Setubal and Sesimbra. The plan was for Matt and I to climb at Fenda, a cliff band above the beach, while everyone else soaked up some mother nature. The drive through the park before reaching the beaches will stay with me until the day I die. We ended up on top of a mountain looking out on the Atlantic and tropical beaches of Portugal, which was absolutely breathtaking. 

 Fenda, where we climbed, is the closest cliffband to the beach.

Paradise

After winding back down the mountain we arrived at the beaches. Myself, Matt, and Hunter split from the group and went in search of rocks. After spending two frustrating hours trying to figure out how to get to the cliff, which was never more than two or three kilometers away from us, we finally arrived. Because it was so late in the day by this point I was only able to climb two routes. While I would have liked much more time, it didn’t have a negative affect on my day at all. Regardless of how much time we had at the crag; I was able to climb outside, in a tropical paradise, while looking out on the vast Atlantic Ocean, an experience that will not soon be forgot.

 Fin