Lisbon, Portugal - a Weekend Trip
As one of the excursions hosted by AIFS on my summer study abroad trip to Spain, we were taken on a weekend trip to the capital city of Portugal, Lisbon. After a long, 5 hour bus ride from Salamanca, we were rewarded with the first incredible sight of the city: the arches of the Aguas Livres Aqueduct. There are 35 arches that cover the valley across 941 meters, the tallest arch standing at 65 meters, and is considered a masterpiece in engineering for the Baroque period. Our first stop off the bus was the Jerónimos Monastery, a famous Gothic-style church with beautiful, integrate cravings on the outside. Nearby the church, we had our first look at the Atlantic Ocean from the nearby Belem Tower at the mouth of the Tajo River. Also a little ways from the tower was the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, or 'Monument to the Discoveries'. It's a monument to celebrate the Portuguese Age of Exploration. On another stop in the city, we were taken to the Museu Nacional d