I went to Starbucks for breakfast and had a smoothie and a muffin. I also went online a bit.
Then I went to Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena. It’s the Roman Catholic Cathedral next to the palace.
At first I was thinking some cathedrals all look alike. Then I realized this one had some interesting features.
Lots of its décor was modern—geometric shapes, rather than precise images. Apparently it was made in the 1990s. No wonder. I should have chosen an older place for my last day in Spain. Oh well.
This one had a really nice golden side altar that rivaled some of the huge older ones I’d seen.
It also had many happier looking figures (along with some of the usual suspects). There was a chapel for a man who had clearly been a priest or some such and had died. He looked very friendly in his statue.
I decided to go to the museum and dome, thinking I’d get a nice view of the painting on the top of the church.
The museum had lots of really nice gold stuff and lots of examples of the clothes that priests, etc. wear. There was also a video showing how to put it all on.
There was a sort of balcony with a nice view of the palace and some of the exterior of the church.
The dome had glass to keep you from the edge. I didn’t like that. It marred my photos! 6511
Also, you could go outside to see the city from above. It ALSO had glass so you could only see off of 2 corners. Eh-hem! I want to see EVERYTHING! The WHOLE city!! Oh well.
After the museum and dome, I rushed back to the hostal to get my stuff. The man had said 2 and it was already 2:20! I rang the bell and the usual man came and motioned a suitcase. Yes!
I had originally intended on getting lunch between getting my suitcase and getting on the metro for the airport, but now decided against it. I had to transfer twice and pay extra to get to the airport. My bag was over its limit by 1 kilo. I moved some stuff to my backpack. I only found 1 restaurant so I had a 4,30 Euro half-bocadilla with jamon y queso, probably my last since I’m leaving Espain!
Then I went to find my gate. It was in a deserted corner of the airport. I was the second to last person to board (because I didn’t get up to stand in line). I was thinking what’s the rush for a 20 minute flight? It doesn’t matter where I sit! Turns out there’s a time difference between Spain and Portugal. The flight was an hour. I still got an aisle seat in row 12. Everyone had carried on and was looking for space. I just needed a chair. They didn’t serve drinks and there wasn’t much legroom, but I was fairly happy. The other option for getting to Lisboa was another night train. Initially, that sounded awful.
I got my luggage and went to the desk with an “i” on it. I asked for a map and was greeted kindly with one. I looked at the man and said “what else do you have?” He gave me a sort of magazine about Lisbon’s sights and told me how to get to town via a bus.
I went outside to the bus stop. There were 2 other American guys there. We got to chatting when 2 Canadian girls came over. We’d all just come from Madrid. They’d spent their time awake all night and asleep all day and were pleased. It was nice to have people to talk to and joke with. It made me feel normal.
Our bus finally came and dropped us off in Rossio square. We all parted ways. I was looking for the metro and walked into a second square and peered down lots of streets but didn’t see it. I DID see people giving me weird looks and felt a little like prey.
I got a taxi. The driver spoke to me in French and told me my hostal was not well known. When I got out, there was a scary homeless man and there had been sex shops on the street up. When I got inside, I wasn’t impressed. I paid my 54 Euros and almost cried in front of the lady (wondering why I’d come in the door!). She took my luggage to my room (even though I tried to do it) and left us there, me and my luggage. Then I did cry and wheeze. WHY did I choose this hostel! I was afraid to go outside to eat!! It was dinner time though, past Spanish dinnertime, even.
They’d showed me a closet-sized room with a computer in it. I went online and emailed mom. What do I DO?! Then I decided I had to eat, no matter what. I went back online and told her I’d be ok. My face was blotchy from crying and the man of the hostel asked if I was ok. There’s a family that lives here—2 boys and their parents. They have various private rooms around the place that’s spread across 2 floors. I asked him where I could eat and he opened a window to show me the alley behind the hostal. Like the main street wasn’t scary enough! He also suggested… ROSSIO square, saying I should take the subway there.
That’s precisely what I did. I had to get help with the ticket machine because I didn’t realize it spoke English.
I had walked right by the entrances to the subway. They’re just stairways that go down under the street. They’re not well marked. I looked around and realized there were lots of interesting things right around there. I wished for daylight.
I ended up at MacDonald’s for dinner. It was easy, fast and cheap. Downstairs, they only had tables to stand to eat at. I went upstairs to a table.
There’s a lot more diversity in Portugal than there was in Spain, I noticed. Also, there are a lot more people here who are having a tough time with life and let it show.
I took the subway home and spent at least an hour in the closet on the internet. Then I went to my own room and realized it has NO HEAT. I was pretty sure this was the coldest I’d ever been, then I remembered being on the Great Wall of China: nope, that was worse. I am happy about one thing, though, there are more guests closer to the main door/stairway (men’s voices) and I’m next to the owners’ room (one of the rooms). However, there’s a sign on the wall about how they’re “only responsible for the values in their coffers.” That makes me worry about my laptop. I’ll sleep here tonight and reevaluate in the morning if I’m not frozen.
The modern cathedral really does have its own flavor. I like it!
ReplyDeleteme too, i'm glad to have seen it for the contrast!
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