LISBON'S TOURISTS PASS IN FRONT OF ABANDONED BUILDING IN THE DOWNTOWN, 2001-10-13 (photo)

Lisbon's tourists traveling on an open bus pass in front of abandoned building on the downtown of the Portuguese capital on October 13, 2001. If you're looking to rent an apartment in a nice neighborhood for less than the cost of a phone bill, Lisbon is your kind of town. But that kind of rock-bottom rent comes with a hefty price tag. Its part of a warped housing market that has helped cut the population of the Portuguese capital by almost a third since 1981 and sped the abandonment of hundreds of buildings. TO GO WITH FEATURE STORY BC-PORTUGAL-HOUSING REUTERS/Jose Manuel Ribeiro JR