What goes up must come down, and down I came.
In Lisbon, whenever you come down from one of the hills, you likely end up in Baixa. There was still some nice afternoon light, therefore I followed Rua Augusta, the Baixa’s central axis, all the way down to the great square by the water, Praça do Comércio.
Through the truly imperial gate of Arco da Rua Augusta I went, around the rider statue of King José I, all across the vast square, across the street and down to the the river, to Cais das Colunas, the Quay of Columns.
This has always been the noble entrance to Lisbon for heads of state and other prominent figures. Today this majestic pier is used by ferries and boats that connect the city to the opposite shore, and it is marred by Avenida da Ribeira das Naus and Avenida Infante D. Henrique, a main traffic route along the shore, cutting it off from the square.