Last weekend a group of students went to Lisbon on an optional trip. I would like to thank Mr. Knapp and Ms. Tozzi for organizing and leading this excursion. They too, were responsible for this following blog entry:
As an optional trip, CCI organized a weekend in Lisbon, Portugal. Seventeen of our students had the chance to visit this interesting city and discover its Roman and Arabic roots.
Despite the three-hour flight delay the students’ spirits remained high. We arrived in Lisbon late but happy.
After a goodnight’s sleep, the next morning we were ready to visit the port area and the delta of the Tagus River. Our first stop was the Belém Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From this tower the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama and his crew left to search for new worlds. He came back victorious a few years later with spices, precious stones, and silk from India.
The unique style of this tower made us feel as if we were part of a fairytale.
We enjoyed beautiful views from the windows…
…and we discovered secret corners.
Our second stop was the massive Monument of Discoveries. It looks like a boat ready to sail, with Henry the Navigator as captain and with the statues of Vasco de Gama and 32 others as crew. We also felt like explorers.
After a quick break...
...we entered the Jeronimos Monastery, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Its Arabic atmosphere and beauty of architecture made us feel relaxed and happy.
At this point we were ready for a coffee and then we jumped on a crowded bus to enjoy some free time downtown. Some of us still had energy to wait in line at the Santa Justa Elevator to take pictures of Lisbon by night. Our long day was over.
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The next morning we were again on the subway: the final destination was the Aquarium.
Some of these creatures were impressive...
...some others simply really cute.
When we came back downtown, Lisbon showed us its brightest sky.
We were tired but still able to walk to the Lisbon Cathedral.
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At this point we used some free time to discover the colours and atmosphere of this beautiful city.
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That night we met at a local restaurant for dinner where we enjoyed local food and the traditional Fado music.
Unfortunately we were so tired that we did not make it to the end of the concert!
The day after we woke up early and made it to the airport, back to Rome, then on to Lanciano. We were sad to leave but also happy to come home. Thank you Lisbon-group for these amazing memories!