I am, I know, the world's worst and least reliable blogger, but I had to chime in today to thank some of you who expressed concern after Wednesday's terrible funicular derailment here in Lisbon. Fortunately, we were nowhere in the vicinity at the time, though it was shocking and distressing to hear about and we're so sad for the victims and their families. It could certainly have been us on another day, so although of course terrible things happen every day all over the world, it does somehow hit a bit harder when it's so immediate and personal.
It's also particularly sad for the city because the trams and funiculars have become such symbols of Lisbon in recent years. They were, of course, originally practical public transportation for locals, but since they became Instagram-famous, they're must-sees and must-photographs for visitors to the city, particularly the Gloria funicular, which crashed on Wednesday, the most famous of the three funiculars, and Tram 28, the similarly Instagram-able tourist favorite of the city's six tram lines, which winds through the most famous and scenic areas of the old town. People wait for an hour or more in high season to take Tram 28 (we did it on our first trip here). Of course, the tragedy of this accident would be just as awful if it had involved a different vehicle, but somehow it feels a bit more personal that it happened on the world-famous funicular.
BTW, brief insider tip for tram fans: If you're one of those travelers (like Andy) who absolutely must recreate exactly what you've seem on social media, then Tram 28 is unavoidable. Just go to the first or final stop on the route, preferably early in the day or late, and prepare to wait. But for those (like me) who just think the vintage trams are a fun and charming experience and will enjoy the ride and the scenery regardless, you might like to know that Tram 24, for example, which doesn't go through Alfama but does pass under the magnificent aqueduct and through the popular Principe Real neighborhood, is often not crowded at all... Just please don't post about it on Instagram!
There's your free Lisbon tourism tip for the day, as a thank you for the concern about our safety. And although I will not make any specific promises about future posts, as I'm too prone to breaking promises, I will say that I have begun jotting notes again as I read, which makes the chances of me being unable to resist sharing thoughts with you here and there much higher. I won't promise that the thoughts will be worth reading, but you never know!
Hope you're all doing well!
