Tram 28: Lisbon, Portugal

     As I had foreseen, I have not done a good job keeping up with last years resolution, keeping my blog up to date, and here we are, almost one year later.

     Day and I did go to San Francisco to visit friends in January. The trip was good, we had not seen K & J since they had moved out there and a visit was long over due. They were great hosts and great tour guides, although I would have liked to spend more time admiring the Golden Gate Bridge, which was, magnificent. The trip was just a long weekend, so just enough time to see a few sites and visit with friends, all the more reason to go back.

     In April, we went to Portugal, with K & J again. If you are a traveler and Portugal is not on your list, it should be! By far, one of my favorite places thus far. Traveling can be stressful, four people traveling together could be horrific.Traveling with K & J is never stressful, they are easy travel companions, with little needs or wants. K calls to say, "we are going to Portugal, are you guys in?" Well, Day and I can never turn down a vacation, so off to Portugal, with no agenda other than, we will be in Lisbon. Of course, there were things we each wanted to see or do, but we were all happy to meander around Lisbon, explore, and sooner or later with little effort, we would get to do and see the things we each wanted.

     A vacation soon becomes a distant memory, there are always pictures, or blogs :) or in my case one single memory or event that defines your trip. That brings me to, Tram 28.

     Lisbon has a great public transportation system, trains, subway, buses, funiculars and the trolleys. For five or six euros a day, you have unlimited access to; the trains, subways, buses, funiculars and the trolley. I know what you are thinking, what is a funicular. You could click on the link, or simply put, a funicular is a trolley that goes up the hill and down the hill.

     Tram 28 was the real highlight of the trip though. Tram 28 is a trolley car in Lisbon center, that follows a specific route. Tram 28 is popular with locals and tourists, and is the star of Lisbon. 

   
     I had suggested we get a Lisboa Card, a pass that you can load any number of days on, for unlimited public transportation. Where to find these cards was a little unclear, and was the topic of a number of discussions. I suggested asking someone, which was ignored, silly me. Well one morning we set out on foot, in the rain, to explore and find something to do in the rain. It wasn't to long before we all saw how silly this was. Soon enough, we all grew a little irritable, K with J, J with K, I was poking the tiger and Day was silent, hoping nothing would escalate. "Are we going to walk around in the rain all day," someone would  ask. "Lets jump on the trolley," I would throw out there. "Oh that's right, we don't have any passes." Poking the tiger is one of my many gifts, this went on for a while before we saw how silly this was, and decided to call it a day and go back to our apartment. Once at the apartment K & J retired to their room, I am assuming to have a discussion. Day was feeling a little bad also, and decided to find a hair salon to get her hair straightened, not my idea of a fun time, but given the events this morning, whatever makes my wife happy. So off we went in search of a salon and found one quick enough, Espaco Brasil. She didn't speak Portuguese and he didn't speak English, but he understood straighten, and to work he went. My wife was loving life, big huge smile plastered on her face, me taking pics and some good looking Portuguese guy straightening her hair. Well, did you know, once your hair has been straightened, it can't get wet, and it was raining.

     So I was sent out on a mission, find my wife an umbrella. I walked up down the streets of Lisbon in search of an umbrella and along the way, I stopped at the subway and there, a kiosk for the elusive Lisboa Card. Easy enough, swipe your card, enter the number of days you want on your card, and off you go. Unlimited use of public transportation at your finger tips. I could not wait to gloat, but before I could, there was still the umbrella. I found a little store, picked out two umbrellas and went to pay with my card. The store keeper, did is best to explain to me in his broken English (which is way better than my Portuguese) they do not take credit cards. I had no cash and told him I would be right back with cash, he motioned me to take the umbrellas with me because it was raining. Well that is trusting, and refreshing. I took my new umbrellas to the apartment, got the cash, and back to the store to pay this very nice man, grateful for his trust and kindness. Back to the salon I went, with my wife's new umbrella and a cheery attitude.

     There she is, straight hair, new umbrella, and a smile from ear to ear on the streets of Lisbon. The highlight of the day and the trip though, was the Lisboa Card, which we used the rest of the trip with ease and pleasure. All day, every day, we would jump on and off Tram 28, an old time trolley car. This is the same transportation locals would use, so you did not feel like a tourist, but part of Lisbon. We had unlimited use of the subway, which we used and the train we took to Sintra, and of course the trolleys, what a great deal. Tram 28, was the highlight of the Lisbon though and the day in the rain is full of memories I will cherish for a long time.