Lisbon, Portugal

Docked at Lisbon before sunrise this morning. The lights of the city greeted us as we sailed into port.
Our tour left early so had room service for breakfast. We then set out on our tour. We first went to Se de Lisboa in the Alfama district. This 12th century cathedral blends Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Its stern exterior resembles a fortress as do most of the churches we have seen so far. Churches were also used as forts and shelters when a city was being attacked. We had a very brief stroll through the medieval streets and alleys of the Alfama district. It is the oldest district in the city and has some Moorish elements in the centuries-old buildings. This area was not destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami of 1755. That area was rebuilt in a neoclassical style. We had a brief stop in this, the Baixa district, too. From there, we drove to the Ducal Palace for a tour. This was built after the Royal Family decided they didn't want to live near the water after 1755 but rather on a hill. The palace is only 1/3 completed and is now used for state occasions and as home for the President of the country. It was very opulent with magnificent chandeliers and furniture. The guide didn't wait for us to get back from a bathroom break - lineups for the toilets with no seats. We had to break through other tours to find him. He gave his explanations without waiting for the whole group to get into the rooms. Not impressed.
After that, we had a driving tour of highlights of Lisbon, the Church Jeronimos Monastery in the Manueline Style which combines Moorish, Flamboyant Gothic and early Renaissance elements (another UNESCO site); the Belem Tower, also Manueline style, where explorers, Magellan, da Gama embarked on their voyages of discovery. Back to the ship for lunch, blog writing, nap, and trivia.