Travel Theme: Meeting Places

A meeting place is by definition a place where people meet. It can be a public landmark, a railway station, a pub, a café, a statue, a park gate or something iconic like under a well-known clock.

So how about the  Praça do Comércio, Lisbon’s vast riverside square where over the last centuries numerous processions, festivities, concerts and even executions have taken place. In 1974 thousands of people assembled here during the revolution that overthrew the dictatorial regime.

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The Tourist Information Centre can be found in one of the classical old buildings on the west side as well as one of the city’s legendary cafes, Café Martinho da Arcada which dates from 1782 and was a favourite of poets Fernando Pessoa and Almeida Garrett and of novelist Eça de Queiroz.

The Statue is of King Jose I showing him on horseback, wearing his emperor’s mantle, and measuring 14 meters in height counting from the pedestal.

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And at the northern side is the Arco da Rua Augusta, a triumphal arch that leads to the Rua Augusta, a beautifully paved pedestrianized street.

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Heyjude

I have lived in the UK for most of my life, but when young I definitely had wanderlust and even ended up living in South Africa for several years which was a wonderful experience. I now look forward to a long and leisurely retirement doing what I like most - gardening, photography, walking and travelling.

25 thoughts on “Travel Theme: Meeting Places”

  1. These pictures are beautiful, and you have my interest sparked in visiting this place. I especially love the last picture – the detail in seeing the tiles’ design is mind blowing. I love cities with this type of living art.

    1. Thank you Morgan for your lovely comment. Lisbon’s mosaic pavements are truly wonderful. A few more here on my old blog (I don’t post to it now, but if you search on Lisbon you will find a couple more mosaics including the wave pattern).
      http://wp.me/pL2aa-rY

      1. Thank you for sharing! These are beautiful. I especially love the one with the ship.

  2. Nice square Jude. I have never been to Portugal, but it is not unlike many European squares, built around the same time. The yellow makes a nice change though!
    Regards as always, Pete. x

  3. Jude seeing your photos takes us back to the wonderful meals, coffees and sangrias we had in that square. Wonderful captures and I especially like the last photo of the cobblestone and yellow building.

    1. It is a lovely city. I remember you said you’d been there.I think I may have posted that image before, but I do love that mosaic pavement!

  5. It’s a good square with bad memories, Jude. Love that last shot!
    We must be due a return visit because the Cais do Sobre area has had an upgrade lately. Happy weekend! 🙂

      1. Nope. Just Rumanian pick pockets and a day spent with the police when I could have been at the Jeronimous monastery, I don’t think I have, Jude. I had to look in my ‘Search’ to check 🙂

        1. Arrgh, that is annoying. I allowed the thought of pickpockets to deter me from visiting Barcelona which I am rather cross about now. After my run-in in Windhoek I’m afraid I’m a much more hesitant traveller these days 😦

    1. It is a BIG space! And then everyone is crammed together in narrow houses and apartments. But it is impressive.

      1. I supposed the ‘crammed together in narrow houses and apartments’ says something. Eat and sleep at home but come out into the outside world for the rest of the time?

  7. I love the paving and the elephant. The square would have some meeting stories to tell.

    My meeting place is far less exotic and historic: a cafe called Blue Earth, 9 km from home, with an organic garden attached. I’ve met many friends there, including Christine, when we were sussing each other out for friendship. (Hope it’s OK to do a mini theme-post via comments on your blog. Tell me to desist if not,)

    1. The history of that square must be fascinating – all those clandestine meetings plotting to overthrow the government, romantic dalliances in the cafés, people meeting to watch an execution, brrr… if only inanimate objects could talk.

      And no, I don’t mind a mini-theme, I actually quite like it. And your meeting place sounds lovely. Plans for OZ are in the making. Any suggestions for a solo trip from Sydney? OH is returning home after his conference, but I want to stay on. We were going to do a road-trip around Tassie, but I’m not sure about doing it by myself -what do you reckon?

  8. We never did get to Portugal, Jude; but I wish we had. Marvellous bit of travel reportage, with terrific photos – thank you !!!

    1. So many lovely places M-R, so little time. I wish I’d done the Far East when I was younger and more able to cope with the weather there. Now I shall have to be satisfied with travelling vicariously through other people. That’s one great thing about the Blogosphere 🙂

      And thank you for your lovely comment 🙂

    1. You have to wonder at the many meetings over the centuries that took place in this square, and others like it all over Europe. There is something about them…

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