Today was an uneventful day, I got up for a late breakfast around 10 am, and had no sightseeing plans. I had a full day in Sintra yesterday, and I needed to book my ticket back to Madrid. After breakfast, I asked at reception where the closest train station was where I could buy a ticket to Madrid. The staff directed me to Lisbons's Santa Apolonia station, the station I believe I was supposed to go to when I arrived in Madrid.
The woman at the reception told me I could walk to Santa Apolonia, it would take about 30 minutes. I got ready to head out, I knew it was a hot day, I figured it could not be too bad. The walk to the train station took me past Lisbon's Tagus river, the heat was already wearing on me, I stopped at bought a bottle of cold water. I am from Arizona but I have never spent a lot of time walking around in the Arizona heat. I cannot imagine walking half an hour anywhere in Arizona in the summer, but that was what I was doing in Lisbon today.
The heat was not too bad, I did not break out in a sweat on the walk, it was just uncomfortable. I took a break to drink water every now and then. I walked on the side of the street with the river, thinking that would cool things off, and I think seeing the water did have a positive psychological effect. I took a few pictures along the way, but not many, and enjoyed seeing a non-tourist part of Lisbon on my walk. There was a cruise ship, but my walk was not along a tourist route.
When I got to the station, the man I spoke to told me all trains to Madrid were booked for June 26th, the day I thought I wanted to leave. He said I could leave on the 27th, but I would have to come back to buy the ticket because the computers were down. The train station staffer did not know when the computers would be working again, he suggested I come back around 7pm to buy my ticket. When I returned to my hostel, I realized I had booked there through June 24th, I went ahead and booked another 2 nights. It was possible the train on June 25th was not full, but doubtful.
I spent the day hanging out at the hostel waiting for time to go back to the train station. If it were cooler, I probably would have walked around Lisbon, but after walking for an hour in the middle of the day I was tired, did not want to go anywhere. I passed the time in the hostel's movie room, talked to a few people who were around and bought a ticket for the hostel's dinner at 8pm.
I went back to the train station around 6pm, this time the computers were working. After a little confusion, for some reason I asked for a September 27th train ticket when I wanted June 27th, I got my ticket to Madrid. I will be in Turista class again, and I am sure the train will be full like it was on my way to Lisbon.
I went to the hostels' Sunday buffet dinner tonight, it was delicious. I met some interesting people at dinner, 2 women who live in the Netherlands, and a couple from Australia. We talked for a few hours after dinner, the hostel dinners are nice, if you are traveling independently you do not have to eat dinner (or breakfast) alone. Tomorrow, I will visit Lisbon's Castle, not sure what my plans are for the rest of the week, except I am going to the beach at least one day.
The woman at the reception told me I could walk to Santa Apolonia, it would take about 30 minutes. I got ready to head out, I knew it was a hot day, I figured it could not be too bad. The walk to the train station took me past Lisbon's Tagus river, the heat was already wearing on me, I stopped at bought a bottle of cold water. I am from Arizona but I have never spent a lot of time walking around in the Arizona heat. I cannot imagine walking half an hour anywhere in Arizona in the summer, but that was what I was doing in Lisbon today.
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| Add caption |
The heat was not too bad, I did not break out in a sweat on the walk, it was just uncomfortable. I took a break to drink water every now and then. I walked on the side of the street with the river, thinking that would cool things off, and I think seeing the water did have a positive psychological effect. I took a few pictures along the way, but not many, and enjoyed seeing a non-tourist part of Lisbon on my walk. There was a cruise ship, but my walk was not along a tourist route.
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| Lynnae on walk to train station |
I spent the day hanging out at the hostel waiting for time to go back to the train station. If it were cooler, I probably would have walked around Lisbon, but after walking for an hour in the middle of the day I was tired, did not want to go anywhere. I passed the time in the hostel's movie room, talked to a few people who were around and bought a ticket for the hostel's dinner at 8pm.
I went back to the train station around 6pm, this time the computers were working. After a little confusion, for some reason I asked for a September 27th train ticket when I wanted June 27th, I got my ticket to Madrid. I will be in Turista class again, and I am sure the train will be full like it was on my way to Lisbon.
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| View of Lisbon near Santa Apolonia Train Station |
Day 4 in Lisbon Photo Album
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