- by Krista Cornish Scott
One of the things we loved on our last visit was going to the beautiful Oceanario out to the east of Lisbon. Again, travel is SO easy here, the subway line goes right out to a large stop there. This was also the site of the Expo ’98 and Portugal, unlike some other countries, really planned well to use the space after the Expo was over. The whole complex is massive, a stadium, multiple parks, a long boardwalk, a “telecabine” (aerial gondola), little pools, wonderful tree planting, a huge mall nearby and tons of other things we didn’t have time to see.
First we had to Walk. Down. The. Big. Hill. This was a challenge for all of us, not least my mom in her mid-seventies, but we just took our time and rested and stopped when we needed to. The Martim Moniz subway stop is a ten minute walk pretty much straight down with no flat bits. Don’t even get me started on the walk UP.
The neighbourhood between us and the subway stop is very interesting, it seems to be a big place for especially south Asian immigrants. We saw a restaurant called The Yak and the Yeti which looked interesting! Many other little Chinese import or Indian import type stores, a Halal carne store and other fun places to poke our heads into if we’d had time. Always needing more time.
I wish I knew what all of these said! I think this confirms my assessment about the make-up of the neighbourhood, as this is the local subway stop.
There are little knights and bishops and horses down in the station also, named after historical figures.
Subway art at the Oriente station where the Oceanario is.
Some fortification before we enter the land of expensive cafeteria food.
Gorgeous elements like this abound in the Parque.
This was a very long thing maybe a cannon or a telescope thing? Kids liked it. 🙂
We had to walk a far ways from the Oriente station towards the river and west to the Oceanario, but we just took it slow. It was a gorgeous day again in Portugal in June… mid-70’s and a nice breeze. The line was long to get in because I hadn’t ordered our tickets online, but it was such a nice day everyone just sat and enjoyed other park elements until I purchased the tickets. Then we all traipsed up this LONG ramp into the Oceanarium itself.
View from the boardwalk.
The mascot Vasco. Vasco da Gama. GET IT. 🙂
It was actually a much nicer day than this pic shows. Looks grey and gloomy but it was really nice.
SUN FISH! SUUUUN FEEEEEEESH! This guy was a baby five years ago when we visited and now it’s huuuuge. The baby one is behind him.
Last time we visited, their large sun fish had JUST died and we only got to see a little one. He’s chunked up in the last five years so was satisfying to see but not the biggest specimen he could be. Maybe next time he’ll be record breaking! There’s a great pic on their website.
So many great exhibits, I’ll try not to bore or overwhelm with pics.
We watched the otter feeding for a long time.
Many gorgeous displays that my camera doesn’t do justice.
Kept trying to get a pic with the sunfish but he wouldn’t co-operate. This guy wanted to be in one though.
This poet, whose poems are everywhere in the Oceanario, is who our “View”, the miradouro, is named after in our neighbourhood up here on the hill. This stanza talks about the “Rota do Oiro”, the gold route traveled by the Portuguese in search of treasure, where instead they sometimes found terrors.
Can anyone hear the word cuttlefish without hearing Ze Frank pronouncing it? Yes? Ok go watch this then. WARNING NOT SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE. Watch it first and then decide. 🙂 You’re welcome.
Also, Brett later ate fried cuttlefish for lunch. It kind of felt like eating dolphin, after seeing this video.
MOAR PICS OF STUFF!
Next we went to a beautiful exhibit that was like an underwater forest with atmospheric music, etc that was pretty stunning in its scope. We needed some fortification after a long time viewing the aquarium stuff so had some excellent cafeteria food. I really have not visited a single cafeteria type place in Portugal that didn’t have good food. Maybe they’re just less tolerant of crappy food here.
After a snack we headed down to the Telecabine. We decided not to try and wedge the stroller in with us so Brett took a long walk down the boardwalk with Serrin and the rest of us jumped in for about a five-minute ride along the river. It was amazing, just as much fun as last time. Great view of the Parque and all the really lovely things they’ve done with the space.
WOO! Telecabine!
Oh Europe. Fat naked statues are totally your thing.
There was so much greenery and lovely spaces to sit or walk, there just wasn’t enough time to explore them all.
We still had a mission to go to the big Vasco de Gama mall that my mom wanted to visit, so we trekked around a bit and eventually found it. We bought a few fun things in a great kids store and while my mom was adventurous and ate something local-ish at the mall, we all went for boring Western comfort food.
Mom by the Vasco de Gama bridge. Are you sensing a theme in the naming around here?
Then we went home exhausted on the subway. And were idiots and walked up the big hill and I can’t even believe we did that. The woman we rented from even advised against walking up the hill, LOL! But my mom did it. And then we needed the next day to rest and recover from our big Monday.
Things I learned today:
- Always take the cab. (My new motto in European travel. When it doubt, just take the cab. You already spent $1000 on the stupid ticket, spent $15 more on the dang cab.)
- Strollers are awesome except on subways.
- Sometimes you just gotta eat McDonald’s even though you’re saying to yourself OMG WE ARE IN EUROPE DON’T EAT MCDONALDS but just do it and survive.
- If the first person you ask doesn’t know, ask another person. It’s ok. You can do it.
- ……………….. don’t forget to sleep….. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
whyyesweare 