Cacilhas and Cristo Rei

While Lisbon is on ne side of the Rio Tejo, its possible to get a ferry across to Cacilhas on the other side. Definitely the less glamorous side.

The regular ferry

It has a little lighthouse

And offers views across to the capital

But it also has a maritime museum, or rather a submarine and a frigate.

Subs are always interesting to visit just to imagine how you could cram that many men into such a confined space. As well as the torpedoes!

This frigate was built in 1843, and has been very much restored. The proportion of original woodwork is small!

Any idea what this was? The ship's chicken coop!

This is the ship's capstan, for hauling up what must have been immensely heavy sails. It said that it could be worked by something like 70 men and we couldn't see how you could physically get that many men round one wheel pushing, even if three to each prong (probably not the technical word, but you know what I mean) pushing. When we went below deck we realised how - the capstan extends below deck so there would be more men putting their backs into it underneath. 

Obviously the ship's wheel - note all the brass work gleaming and the woodwork well varnished. Definitely for display, but one this vessel would be sailing between Portugal and India.

You may also observe that the place wasn't exactly full of tourists unlike a lot of the places we visited in Portugal, even in late October.

Officers dined in style

The bit of the capstan below deck. Note the size (and imagine the weight) of the chains.

In all, we really enjoyed our trip around the vessels even if (maybe especially because) no one else was around to do so.

We then walked along the shoreline, and took the elevator up to the town of Almada

The only reason to come up here really is to see the colossal statue of Christ the King, built in 1959 ostensibly by the Portuguese dictator Salazar as thanks to God for sparing Portugal from the horrors of WWII, although one feels toadying to fascists had rather more to do with it than prayer

Obviously having climbed up here one wants to go up to the viewing terrace which is 80 metres up to the feet of the statue of Christ itself. Cleverly, the ticket booths are all a distance away and around the other side, so you don't see the enormous queue snaking towards the elevator. Honestly, don't do it. It is really not worth the wait. But of course the church hasn't got where it is today by ever being honest!

While the harbour area back at the ferry is renowned for quality seafood, our long wait to go up the statue  meant it was now mid afternoon and Mike was ravenous so we ended up having omelette and chips at side of Alamda's man road next to a building site. Not part of my plans!