LISBON - Portugal - page 68

▲ ▲ Parque das Nações —Lisbon celebrated the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's
voyage to India by hosting Expo '98 here at Parque das Nações. The theme was “The
Ocean and the Seas,” emphasizing the global importance of healthy, clean waters.
To get the lay of the land, climb to the outdoor terrace at the Vasco de Gama Mall (see
previous listing), or stand at the top of the Grand Esplanade (Rossio Olivais). Ahead of
you, lining the esplanade, are 155 flags—one for each country represented at the fair. The
flags are arranged in alphabetical order, so the first ones are South Africa (Africa dul Sul),
Albania, and Germany (Alemanha). In the middle you'll find the US (Estados Unidos),
Spain (Espanha), and Estonia side-by-side. The striped oval dome to the left, once the At-
lantic Pavilion (Pavilhão Atlântico), is now an 18,000 seat concert hall. The oil refinery
tower far to the right marks the west end of the park and stands as a reminder of the in-
dustrial wasteland that was here before the fair.
The basin in front of you pre-dates the fair. Back before World War II it was a watery
“parking lot” (just 1.5 yards deep) for seaplanes. Across the basin to your right, the blocky
building that resembles an aircraft carrier with a spiky rooftop is the Oceanário aquari-
um (described below)—the big hit of the fair and still the park's major attraction. From
behind that the cable car (€4 one-way, €6 round-trip, nothing special) drifts east to the
Vasco da Gama Tower, which marks that end of the park. Directly ahead, the red shipping
container is the bike-rental place (see next listing). Two miles away, built as part of the
1998 celebrations, is the Vasco da Gama Bridge (described later). A delightful promenade
(Caminho dos Pinheiros; “The Way of the Pine Trees”) runs along the riverfront from the
marina all the way to a park at the base of the Vasco de Gama Bridge.
Parque das Nações Bike Ride —The most enjoyable way to explore the sprawling park
is by bike. Simply enjoy a big loop pedaling around modern art, under fancy eaves, along
the riverside promenade, and past local lovers enjoying a little “marmalade” (local slang
for heavy petting). Tejo Bike Rental, which operates out of a red shipping container on
the Grand Esplanade, rents simple one-speed bikes (€3/30 minutes, €5/hour, daily in sum-
mer 10:00-20:00, off-season 12:00-18:00, no locks, www.tejobike.pt ) .
Oceanário —Europe's largest aquarium simulates four different oceanic underwater and
shoreline environments. Built in a modern version of a ship at sea, the aquarium's enorm-
ous centerpiece is a central tank with lots of fish and the occasional hungry shark. Pen-
guins, sea otters, and weekday-morning school groups are all happily on display.
Cost and Hours: €12, daily April-Oct 10:00-19:00, off-season until 18:00, last entry
45 minutes before closing, tel. [phone], www.oceanario.pt .
Vasco da Gama Bridge —Europe's longest bridge (10.7 miles) was opened in 1998 to
connect the Expo grounds with the south side of the Rio Tejo, and to alleviate the traffic
jams on Lisbon's only other bridge over the river, the 25th of April Bridge. The Vasco de