Lisbon and Sintra

Lisbon and and surrounding area was our last destination for our visit to Portugal.  Arriving in Lisbon by train we were right away struck by the sheer size and bustle of the city.  Porugals capital city this port city is a blended mix of old and new.  Faded iron work balconies hung with today's laundry exist close to newer modern buildings.  There is construction going on all over and here are now tight rules that the old facades of buildings must be kept so that the flavor of the city is maintained.  We did a guided walking tour for several hours through some of the neighborhoods of Lisbon which was really interesting.  We stopped along the way to try traditional Porugese foods and drink at small local outlets that we would not have found on our own so this was very worthwhile.  Our guide was also a wealth of local knowledge so we learned so much about the history and culture as well. We took a trip to Sintra which used to be the summer retreat for the kings of Portugal in centuries gone by and therefore is the home of several historic sights.  The old town center was charming but packed with tourists so only warranted a quick stop at a bakery for a treat.  It was interesting to visit the Cabo da Roca, Europe's most westerly point and drive along the coast to see some of the beaches and beach towns along the way.

While in the city we spent hours walking the city, visiting the sights and just taking in the feel of the city itself.  Entertainers were quite plentiful in the busier areas and one could stop and listen to some music for a bit before carrying on. Streets,squares and staircases all meet at assorted angles making this a bit of a difficult city to navigate at times but with few wrong turns we somehow managed to find our way.  We so enjoyed walking along checking out menus before choosing which small restaurant we would have our next meal at, usually outside watching the people go by. The only thing in Portugal that was a negative was the number of smokers.  In all our travels we felt there were more here than else where and unfortunately the beautiful cobble stone streets and sidewalks are literally full of butts.  Such a shame in such a beautiful country.  That being said we would recommend Portugal to anyone.  The scenery is beautiful and varied, the food and drink is fantastic and the people are very friendly and genuine.  How lucky we are to get the opportunity to see other parts of the world.  For us this was country number 50 so we feel so blessed.

View of the rooftops of Lisbon with their version of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.  Here it is called the 25th of April Bridge to commemorate the day in 1974 that the rein of Salazar was over thrown and Portugal became democratic.

Sao Jorge Castle remains sit high on a Jill over looking the city.  The castle dates back to the 11th century when the moors built it to house their army but it was soon taken over by royalty where they remained until the big earthquake of 1755 which destroyed much of Lisbon and the castle.

Some of the walls and guard houses are intact and the castle grounds provide panoramic views of the whole city.

This is a cork tree that was growing on he grounds of the castle.  They are native to Portugal and have become a very lucrative business.  The bark is taken from the tree every six years and it does no harm to the tree.  From the bark a vast array of products are manufactured and sent to market including flooring,shoes, purses,books and more.  We were told that one of the richest men in Portugal owns the largest cork tree farm there is.

The church of Sao Domingos is quite the harsh reminder of history.  The charred pillars that support he walls and altar are what remain from the original church when it was hit by the earthquake and the fires that followed in 1755.  The new church was built around these structures.  The earthquake occurred during mass on All Saints Day Sunday and the churches literally collapsed on their parishioners.

This 150 tall iron elevator was built in 1902 to connect the lower and upper parts of the city.  Funiculars also run up and down some of the steep hills but due to the excellence of the food Eric and I chose to climb the streets and the multitude of staircases that wind their way up the hills.

This is a start of one of the staircases and it just keeps going.

This little glove shop is no bigger than a walk in closet and only two shoppers can go in at a time.  The only item that it sells is top quality gloves.  The store has been in business for over 100 years so it would seem hat their business plan is successful.

All over the city there are beautiful statues set against ornate buildings.

We were told that we could not leave Portugal without trying the custard tart.  Warm, they are so light and they almost melt in your mouth.  Our guide told us they only have 150 calories but I find that hard to believe.

A visit to the Queluz Palace gave us a bit of a view into how the Porugese royalty lived in centuries gone by and this was only ther summer palace.

The grand room in the palace was a magnificent mix of gold leaf, mirrors beautiful paintings on the ceiling and walls and elegant chandeliers.  Quite a contrast to the brick floor which was made this way as the room was often open to the garden.

This pianoforte was crafted in 1802 and is one of the few remaining ones in the world that still work.  In the music room of the palace a musician plays it for a short while on the first Monday of each month.  How lucky we were to be treated to an impromptu private concert!

Looking down the main avenue of Lisbon from up on the hill.

The Pena Palace resembles a magical hilltop residence sitting high on the hill overlooking Sintra. Often referred to as the Versailles of Portugal it is the finest example of nineteenth century Portugese Romanticism in the country though it is also the most incredible combination of architectural styles,colours and shapes that you will find in Portugal.

We thought it looked a lot like Disneyland as we approached it.

He dining room would be a fine place to host a dinner party.

The cloisters in the castle were the most serene part of it and the tile work on the walls was quite exquisite.

In Sintra we also visited the Quinta da Regaleira. Though the castle was impressive it was the grounds that we found to be the most impressive.

A long network of tunnels took you from a one part of the garden to another.  The biggest surprise was exiting the tunnel in the bottom of the Well of Initiatic.

Coming out of the tunnel we looked way up to see this wonderful set of windows and stairs leading to the sunlight.

Up,up we went to this spectacular view down. It all had a very mythical feel to it.  One wonders what drives someone to build a structure such as this and for what purpose.

Great views from the top.

A very ornate seat in the gardens of the palace.

The carving over the mantle was exquisite.

We visited Cabo Da Roca which is the most westerly point of Europe.  Very windy and very desolate landscape near the point but neat to have been there.

This is the actual point.  A lighthouse sits above to help ships navigate the waters.

We stopped along the coast to see the beaches and observed this fellow fishing off the rocks in some quite heavy surf.

Cascais was once a quiet little fishing town but has become quite popular with the tourists. Fortunately it has been able to retain its charm and little shops and restaurants welcome you.

The promise of a tasting will get many to enter a shop.

Smart cars are every where in Portugal.  Makes sense due to the size of the streets and the lack of parking.  Even the police drive them!

While in Portugal I believe I had octopus or pulvos in one form or another every day.  Every time it was absolutely delicious and I may go through some form of withdrawal.

The Avenida da Liberdade connects the old town to the newer upper town.  Before the earthquake this was the Grand Promenade.

This chapel in Sao Roque church is one of the most valuable in Europe.  It was the ste of a papal Mass in the Vatican and is constructed out of precious materials. After the mass in Rome it was disassembled and shipped to Lisbon.

This is the view from the little restaurant on the stairs where we sat and enjoyed our octopus rice.

We sat and ate lunch at a small family restaurant in the middle of a staircase leading up through town.  Lunch entertainment was watching the owner behind Eric stop everyone on their way and in his entertaining way try and get them to eat in his restaurant.  His success rate was pretty good and the food was excellent.

Massive monuments on the waterfront draw visitors into the busy downtown areas.

Looking up at the city it is a tightly packed assortment of buildings on a steep hillside with most being multi use having retail or office on the ground floor and housing up above.

Watched this stone carver chiseling numbers out of granite.  Bought one for our home so we have a little piece of Portugal to bring home with us.

For those of you that followed our Africa trip you know how much we loved the elephants, well we even found one in Lisbon.

Coimbra and the Algarve

As we drove out of the Douro Valley the scenery changed dramatically as all of a sudden the vineyards were replaced by large trees on rolling hills and the small clusters of homes were far fewer.  We stopped at a couple of smaller towns on our way to Coimbra to enjoy their sights. In Viseu we saw the Camino signs showing the way for the Porugese Camino which brought a smile to both of us.  Our first major stop was  Coimbra which was the capital of Portugal from the 12th to 13th century.  The old town of the city is charming with a maze of narrow winding streets leading you past little shops and restaurants. Once you reach the top of the hill where the university is situated the views over the city and river are stunning.  After exploring the historical sights of this beautiful city it was time to head off to the Algarve for some relaxation.  

We hopped on a train and headed south to Lagos for some beach time.  Lagos was at one time the location of the African slave market in Europe and the first great Poruguese maritime expedition embarked from here but now it is just an enjoyable little bit of the Algarve.  Pedestrian streets, funky craft shops, bars and restaurants intertwined with sculptures and sea creature designs laid in the cobble stones make for interesting strolling.  The highlight of this town however is the beaches and limestone cliffs dotted with tunnels and grottoes.  The colours and shapes of the stones are magnificent and the tunnels and caves were fun to pass through when the tide would allow.  As summer has come to an end the beaches were quiet which was wonderful even though it was 28 degrees.

 

Leaving the Douro Valley we first stopped at Lamego to visit two of their magnificent cathedrals.  This one sits very high on the hill and has a very impressive staircase leading up to it which has beautiful statues and landings all the way up. So impressive and the view from the top was equally amazing.

Looking up at the cathedral from the second landing on a clear blue day was outstanding.

The cloisters in Viseu were deserted during our visit which was quite delightful 

The clock sat above the cloisters and seemed to be frozen in time.

The streets were narrow and like so many other places we have visited pedestrian only and lined with delightful buildings with shops on the street level and apartments up above.

Eric enjoying a meal at a small family sidewalk cafe where the owner came and engaged in conversation and brought out drinks after our lunch to top off a superb meal.

Inside the church of Santa Clara in Coimbra

The cloisters of Santa Clara. As these are on the opposite side of the river to the old town not many venture here and in fact we were here on our own.  They are no longer used today but were wonderful to visit.

The old town of Coimbra had twisty steep cobbled streets and this one people had artistically decorated with all sorts of whimsical crocheted objects. Fun to walk along.

Coimbra 's university was founded in 1290 and is Europes second oldest university.  Once a royal palace it is situated overlooking the city and the river and is still today regarded as Porugals most respected university.  The library was spectacular to visit.  It is one of Europes best surviving Baroque libraries and displays 55000 books in 18th century splendor.  Only 65 people are allowed in at a time and the doors are kept tightly closed to control moisture.  There are two levels of books dating back to the 1700s with ornate wood throughput.  At night they release some bats to control any insects that may do harm to the volumes.  Of course no photos were allowed.

The inside of the university chapel was quite ornate with a beautifully painted ceiling and dates from 1517.

The cloisters of the church of Santa Cruz were very well preseved as this church is actively used today.

The white buildings with red tile roofs in Lagos have a very Mediterranean feel.

Parts of the old wall remain which once protected the city from the Spaniards and the pirates.

Not a level street to be found but fun to wander the pedestrian ways in search of our next meal.

The biggest appeal of Lagos to us was its rugged shoreline of limestone cliffs with a multitude of caves and grottos.

Small beaches were divided by outcropping of stone. Depending on the tides you could get through the caves to the next beach.

Exploring the coast by boat was a must

The colours inside the grottoes varied depending on how the sun hit the interior 

I found the colours inside this grotto particularly interesting. Nature is so creative.

A deserted piece of untouched sand accessible only by boat. How perfect for a picnic until the tide comes in.

The array of colours was amazing

Here the sun was able to shine under the stone illuminating the water and the cave.

Enjoying some of the beaches and tunnels at low tide.

Passing through from beach to beach.  The tides are quick and one could easily get stranded on a beach if not careful

I am coming out of a tunnel onto this pristine beach. What a perfect day.

Lagos has a lovely promenade along the river which is about a mile long and quite fun to stroll along watching the activity on the water as well as the observing the locals selling their wares along the way.

Every day except Sunday the local fishermen bring in their catch and sell it at the local fish market. You could buy just about any type of seafood you might want and judging by the amount being purchased it must have been quite reasonable.