Dangers to your health, Lisbon

The area between Praca de Figueria and Martim Moniz is only 5 mins from the main square (Rossio) and is teeming with prostitutes standing at doorways and corners. It is done very openly, I was very surprised at that.

As I was just wandering around Rossio and my pension was nearby, I kinda stumbled into this area by chance. Unfortunately I got some leery comments and old guys checking out my chest (I happened to be wearing a strappy v-neck top)... I got the hell out of there!

The prostitutes seem to be tolerated by the locals. In fact, you won't get much trouble from the ladies, they just stand there, but you will get defintely get attention from the men hanging around that area.

However, some of the ladies there are really quite ugly to be honest with you, if you want that kind of female company, I definitely would not go there!! Let's just say, i never knew you could get thigh cellulite that could flop down over your knees!

Well, there are lots of cafe´s in Lisbon and aslo many squares and many pidgeons are there too. I dont like them very much and I feel very uncomfortable when they are around and you sit at a café and drink your hot coffee. So, don´t feed the birds and if anyone do that. Tell him/her to stop doing that. They also make a mess with their *** too!!!!

Unless you plan to take a taxi door to door, wear sturdy shoes. The mosaic stones in the streets are loose and uneven. Slippery on an incline because they are so smooth from all the foot traffic. Plus very slippery when wet.

The Lisbon sidewalks are marvellous with the pictures in black stones on the white pavement.
But they are also dangerous.
First because the surface is slippery especially if it rains. Mainly, because the cobblestones are not well fixed and there are a lot of holes in the sidewalks.
After her fall, my wife was able to continue to walk. The young female tourist I saw, seated on the pavement with people around her, seemed to wait the doctor.
So choose good shoes.

Watch where you're stepping and don't hurry or run around. Since the stairs in castles are often steep, bumpy, and don't have a railing to hold on to, be careful when going up or down. If you're not careful, you might trip and fall (and I don't think falling on rock would be very pleasant...). Since the passages in castles are often very narrow and bumpy, be careful there too. Don't try to pull a stunt and stand in the spaces on the edge of the tower tops. If you fall, you're in big trouble (remember, you'd be crashing onto rock).

Comfortable sneakers or sandals are best for castles. That way, it's easier to walk and your feet won't get as sore.

Don't forget that if the sun and the light of the city are very beautifull, in summer this could be extremly dangerous specially for people not used to sun exposure. I saw a lot of foreigners with their skin burned by the sun, specially the ones from north of europe (scandinavian). DO NOT FORGET to protect yourself, if you have a very sensitive skin avoid the sun between 12:00 to 15:00 and use always sunscreens. If you have babys please take this as a serious advice!!!

Lisbon's sidewalks are often paved not with concrete, but with well-worn white cobblestones. Add that to the steep grades of the city's many hills and you get a recipe for a broken ankle, unless you're wearing proper footwear. I had to creep cautiously down many slippery, sloping sidewalks to avoid having my feet shoot out from under me!

Lisbon is situated on many steep hills. Be prepared to walk down and up and again down all the day. Then wear good walking shoes and use 'mountain trams' where they are available. The only flat area I saw in Lisbon was situated at the ocean coast (look at the picture: Praca do Comercio with the Monument Don Jose and the Triumph Arc).