Interesting Things in the "baixa"

The word, baixa, has several meanings but in general, when speaking about the city, it is used to describe the town center or "downtown". We have been downtown on several occasions with our friends and it is always a fun place to go, full of all kinds of sights and sounds.

Shops, cafes, churches, historical sights, plazas, ... the list could go on, and around every corner you turn, there is usually something more to see.

This plaza, a historic center of Lisbon and as Rick Steves' Portugal (tourist guide) says, "... is still the city's bustling cultural heart. Given its elongated shape, historians believe it was a Roman racetrack 2000 years ago; these days, cars circle the loop instead of chariots. ... Notice the fine stone patterns in the pavement, which once upon a time made locals seasick." (Rock your computer screen from side to side and you might get a little seasick, too.)

This guy could really play the accordion and I think he would have made money without the little dog holding the cup in its mouth. I felt a little sorry for the dog but it was really cute.

Some streets are really busy with traffic (and you have to watch out for the taxis - those drivers will run over you in a split second) but in the baixa, there are streets for just the people, too.

When we first came upon this guy we thought it was a statue, just drawing attention for the store behind him. It was incredible how still he could hold and then when someone would drop a coin in the can, he would begin to move as if he were a robot. I felt sorry for him, too, as the afternoon was so hot.