Gulbenkian Museum, 2017

We visited the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in 2009, and were sufficiently impressed to want to return in 2017. It's a beautiful purpose-built museum/museum campus, a park in the middle of North Lisbon, displaying items from Gulbenkian's extensive collections. In 2009, it would have been the paintings that attracted us. In 2017, it was more the Muslim stuff we enjoyed. Though not Muslim himself, Gulbenkian was Armenian and born in Istanbul and had a life-long interest in Islamic arts. I blogged about the Gulbenkian in 2010 (http://roadeveron.blogspot.pt/2010/01/calouste-gulbenkian-museum.html), and posted many of the same pix I took in 2017. (This happens more than I like).

"Our founder" shot; apparently he had an
eagle thing, like Napoleon; on the other hand,
throughout his life he "tithed" 10% of his
income to art; and his Foundation continues
that tradition (he died in 1955)

In the extensive gardens

Roman medallions, gold, depicting the life of Alexander

Found in the Egyptian desert; as rare as anything one can
imagine

Parthian shot

Of a Parthian vase

Persian rug depicting a "Grotesque" (Roman) theme

Detail

14th century Persian bowl; there were times and sects in which
Muslims could depict things other than geometrical abstractions

Big hall of Islamic and near eastern art

14th and 15th century lamps

14th century Syrian bottle

Now in the far eastern hall

If nothing else, the Gulbenkian has the most comfortable chairs
of any museum we have encountered

With a view, too

Franz Hals represented as well as most of the
other greats

Rembrandt, Not a Self-Portrait, 1634

One of the burglars of Calais

Like other coastal cities, Lisbon gets its share of cruisees, and
even in the museums one is subject to being trampled now and
then; they never stay for long, though

A whole hall of priceless furniture, too; Gulbenkian collected
widely and intelligently; great museum

The Journey Begins

Every journey begins with a few short steps, as the fella says. We have been talking about and even planning a walk on the Camino de Santiago, jokingly*, then more seriously, for some time. In El Escorial a few weeks ago we even procured the current guidebook for the Portuguese variant, now the 2nd most popular of all the official versions of The Way**. And on Tuesday, we made our way from the bus stop to the Lisbon Cathedral to obtain our Credenciales. (No Credencial, no Compostela; no time off for good behavior in Purgatory; also no Camino de Santiago patch for your back pack and NO fridge magnet (!)). It was a Moment for me. I was so moved I even forgot to count the change the guy gave me for dos credenciales, por favor (2 euros each), at the Cathedral gift shoppe. Outside, Vicki took pix, and we later celebrated with a fine Portuguese lunch at Paco Real. In another couple weeks, we will become peregrinos, pilgrims on the Camino Portuguese. Sort of.

Lisbon Cathedral, begun in 1147 and not much changed
since then; it has survived all the city's horrendous
earthquakes

Late, really late, Romanesque, barrel vaulting, etc.; Gothic
bits were added in later years, but they were mostly
destroyed in 1755: maybe God doesn't like Gothic, and
this was a sign...

Pleased, proud, and in my most resolute pose...never mind the impish twinkle

Another sign: walking past the ecclesiastical offices, I
notice a kalanchoe--one of my favorite plants--has
escaped its confines and begun anew on the outside...
thriving

Another sign: much later in the day, we were out stalking art deco buildings,
and this real peregrino happens by, obviously trying to navigate Lisbon on
vellum notes; did you know that there are scores of Camino de Santiago apps?

*Vicki calls it the "Carmen Sandiego"
**Also the name of a good movie on the subject, which you can probably watch in less time than reading the Wikipedia articles

Lisbon Food

The food we have experienced is elemental, not complicated or fussy, but wonderful. Not a good place for dieting, however.

Alcoa...a patisserie...and I thought they made Reynolds Wrap

Plus pastels de nata and other decadence

Legendary cafe

Ginja is the great cherry liqueur of Portugal; you can get it at
stands like this, or non-mobile stands, or lots of other places;
served in chocolate cups

It was lunch time and we couldn't get in to our
first choice; after a bit of a walk, we arrived
at our 2nd choice, the Casa de Alentaje, which
turned out to be the Alentaje cultural center;
with a tavern, and a restaurant, all in a
beautiful Moorish style building

The place was crowded but we boldly walked
into the restaurant, were told the pork and cod
were all that was left, but we agreed that was fine,
and were seated; what followed was one of our
more wonderful meals 

My bread soup; really, a garlic/cilantro broth, with an egg
poached within, topped with bread

Vicki's veggie puree

Baked cod and potatoes swimming in a sea of garlic butter

Vicki's pork and potatoes

Vicki's clams, which devolved to me

The room we were in walled by tile paintings of Alentaje; here,
the dolmen...

In the library, a bull "fighting" scene

Old tile throughout the building

One of the dining rooms

Main floor

We can't believe this place is open to the public

Next stop, the Confeiteria Nacional, to watch pastels being
made; also to eat some

An immobile Ginjateria

Line to get into the Pastelieria Belem

Poor Piglet

Another day, another traditional lunch...Vicki's veal and chips
and rice; and my red sausage (under the eggs) and chips...

At a very plain but wonderful and welcoming place