Lisbon, the Lovely.
3000 years ago the Phoenicians,traders from Lebanon,sailing for the tin of Cornwall,named the then tiny settlement Alis Ubbo,a calm roadstead. Over the centuries with new conquerors of this fortunate slip of land,it was renamed Olissipo,then Felicitas Julia (after Julius Caesar), then Al-Oshbuna. In 1147 the English crusaders assisted the first King of Portugal,Afonso Henriques,to take Al-Oshbuna from the Moors,who had it under control for 300 years,and probably from this time the city was known as Lisboa.
In 1498 Vasco De Gama discovered India.Spice trade followed.Lisbon benefited greatly.Portugal became one of the richest countries in the world.
In the 18th century gold and diamonds poured into Portugal from Brazil.
Then a disaster struck.In 1755 earthquake,fire and tidal wave destroyed much of central Lisbon."The silver lining to this horrific event was that it acted as a precursor to the scientific study of seismology".
The destroyed section was re-build in a grid pattern - the streets interact at right angles and form a pattern of squares when viewed from above.
In 1910 the monarchy was ousted.
In 1932 Salazar became The Prime Minister.
In 1974 The Carnation revolution disposed of Salazar. Called Carnation, because the soldiers filled the guns with carnations, not bullets.
In 1985 Portugal became member of The EU.
Lisbon has the second largest suspension bridge in Europe ( The largest in Europe,The Great Belt Bridge,is in Denmark. Japan has the largest suspension bridge in the world.) Completed in 1966 on the lines of San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge,at first known as The Salazar Bridge,now called The 25 April Bridge,after the date of the Carnation revolution.No foot passengers are allowed on the bridge.
One day I am hoping to climb The Statue of Christ (resembling that in Rio De Janeiro).Apparently paid for by the women of Portugal in thanksgiving for the fact,that the men were not actively involved in The Second World War.
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