Accomodation
by mapedosmar1
The districts you have chosen are very nice. Bairro Alto is known for its night life, that means that, if you are looking for a quiet location avoid it. Chiado is, in my point of view, the best of the three choices, though it is very touristic. I would suggest that you book an apartment near Rossio, the real city centre of Lisbon, and full of nice cafés (Nicola, Suiça or Brasileira). There are some websites proposing very charming apartments in this area, and some of them are really quiet and well located. Santana is a very good alternative district, very central, close to the Rossio and a real old Lisbon area full of families living there for generations. Good trip to the magic city of Lisbon.
Castelo São Jorge
by nunobjorge
Visit Castelo. It's located in one of the hills of Lisbon city and it's the place where first pesants arrived in X century. Castelo streets are very friendly and warm. May and June are the best months to visit Castelo. 12 of June is city day and there are a lot of parties and cultural activities in Castelo area - You can't miss that.
Somewhere under the rainbow . . .
by acemj
. . . I was trying to stay dry! The first couple days we were in Lisbon, the rain was annoying as heck! It would rain for five minutes and then stop for two, then rain, then stop, then start again, then . . . well, you get the picture. While visiting the Castelo de Sao Jorge, we were caught in a sudden, drenching rain, but fortunately we were able to duck into one of the covered watchtowers and wait until it passed. It only took a few minutes and when it stopped, we saw this beautiful rainbow arching through the sky.
Ginginha
by akikonomu
Try the local cherry brandy sworn by locals to have magnificent health benefit. Pretty high alcoholic content so one small cup's a good start. Anything more than that and I doubt the health benefits would exist.
Carnation revolution
by J_Antunes
Hello,
April 25 is an important days in Portuguese history. The April Revolution or Carnations’ Revolution marks the military coup in 1974 that overthrew in just one day the political regime that had been in power in Portugal since 1926. The uprising was mainly led by the military who had fought in the colonial war. This war only ended with the change of political power caused by the April 25 coup. April 25 is considered a “day of freedom” and its symbol is the carnation. As the story goes, on the morning of the revolution, one of the locals joined in the streets supporting the soldiers and began offering carnations who placed them on the barrels of their rifles.
The coup started with the airing of two musics in the radio: E Depois do Adeus (After the Goodbye) from Paulo de Carvalho it was the sign to begin. Some say the song was just about a love others that it was full of double senses (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89LBNSX_vig)
Quis saber quem sou * Wanted to know who I am
O que faço aqui * What I'm doing here
Quem me abandonou * Who left me
De quem me esqueci * Of whom have I forgotten
Perguntei por mim * I asked for myself
Quis saber de nós * Wanted to know about us
Mas o mar* But the sea
Não me traz * Doesn't bring
Tua voz. * Your voice
Em silêncio, amor * In silence, love
Em tristeza e fim * In sadness and end
Eu te sinto, em flor * I feel you, in flower
Eu te sofro, em mim * I suffer you, in me
Eu te lembro, assim * I remember you, like this
Partir é morrer * To leave is dying
Como amar * As Loving
É ganhar * Is to win
E perder * And lose
Tu vieste em flor * You came in flower
Eu te desfolhei * And I unflowerished you
Tu te deste em amor * You gave yourself in love
Eu nada te dei * And I gave nothing to you
Em teu corpo, amor * In your body, love
Eu adormeci * I have fell asleep
Morri nele * I have died in it
E ao morrer * And while dying
Renasci * I reborn
E depois do amor * And after the love
E depois de nós * And after us
O dizer adeus * The saying goodbye
O ficarmos sós * The staying alone
Teu lugar a mais * Your place is sparing
Tua ausência em mim * Your absence in me
Tua paz * Your peace
Que perdi * That I lost
Minha dor que aprendi * My pain I have learn
De novo vieste em flor * And once again you became in flower
Te desfolhei... * I have deflowered you
E depois do amor * And after the love
E depois de nós * And after us
O adeus * The goodbye
O ficarmos sós * And we will stay alone
The next signal was to take control over significant control points in town and it was done using the song "Grândola, Vila Morena" forbidden by the censorship (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg0W_hOA66o)
Grândola, vila morena * Grandola (town in Alentejo), tanned village
Terra da fraternidade * Land of fraternity
O povo é quem mais ordena * The people is who commands the most
Dentro de ti, ó cidade * Inside of you, oh town
Dentro de ti, ó cidade * inside of you, oh town
O povo é quem mais ordena * People is who commands the most
Terra da fraternidade * Land of fraternity
Grândola, vila morena * Grandola, tanned village
Em cada esquina um amigo * In each corner a friend
Em cada rosto igualdade * In each face equality
Grândola, vila morena * Grandola, tanned village
Terra da fraternidade * Land of fraternity
Terra da fraternidade * Land of fraternity
Grândola, vila morena * Grandola, tanned village
Em cada rosto igualdade * In each face equality
O povo é quem mais ordena * People is who commands the most
À sombra d’uma azinheira * To the shadow of a tree
Que já não sabia a idade * That no longer knew the age
Jurei ter por companheira * I have sworn as a companion
Grândola a tua vontade * Grandola your will
Grândola a tua vontade * Grandola your will
Jurei ter por companheira * I have sworn as a companion
À sombra duma azinheira * To the shadow of a tree
Que já não sabia a idade * That no longer knew the age
The Carmo Square was the centre of the events where Marcelo Caetano, the prime minister took refuge and left in a blinded car tand went to Brazil,
Every year, in the 25th of April, the main celebrations are normally political. Maybe some movements will happen around the Carmo Square close to Chiado where all took place. Last year there was a fair there but don't know what they had.
Main Monuments and museums such as Torre de Belém, Castelo, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos some smaller places might be closed. Many stores and some restaurants will be closed but malls will be open.