Final Stop... Lisbon. October 4th.
We arrive by train at Apolonia Station, just a short cab ride from our
hotel, Rossio Garden, in the old downtown area of Lisbon. Here there are many
pedestrian streets - cobblestone streets tiled with white limestone tile. It is unusual for the old streets to be this wide and this
straight and organized.
We later learn that the entire old city of Lisbon was
virtually destroyed and eradicated in 1755 when a massive 8.7 earthquake shook
the city for a full ten minutes. It was November 1st, All Souls Day
in the Catholic Church and many people were at the churches. The domes and
towers shook and began collapsing killing many.
People ran for open spaces to get away from the falling
stones. They ran to the largest open area which was the Royal Palace Square
(now Praca Commercio) by the water. What
they did not know was the earthquake’s epicentre was in the water and
created a massive tsunami. Thousand were killed.
Also, in the 1700’s everything was lit by candles and, being
a holy day, they had lit candles of devotion. And, the construction of the
homes and churches contained a lot of wood. The city became an inferno.
Between the earthquake, the tsunami and the fires, Lisbon
was destroyed.
In the aftermath, the king’s prime minister, The Marquis of
Pombal was enlisted to rebuild the city. He was well-travelled man and with
great insight and vision, he set out to create a planned city with wider
streets, organized in a modern-type grid. He added many walking streets which
were paved with the tiled cobblestone we see today. 
The area around the hotel has numerous squares (Pracas) all centred around towering monuments and
statues of figures important in Lisbon’s history… kings, queens, explorers… including
several of the Marques himself.
Our hotel is in an area called Restauradores… you got it…
the square with all the restaurants around. It is a good location, very central
and easy to access all the main attractions we are interested in.
Good first impressions for sure… Come With Me…
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