Portugal Week 10 Lisbon

LISBON - We decided to spend our last 4 nights in the capital city of Portugal and we're pleased that we made such an intelligent choice:-)

Our apartment is on a hill a block away from a lovely area providing romantic views of the city. 

Musicians, cafes and a fountain give the park a real European flare. Every evening before retiring to our comfy bed, we take a walk to see the lights the stars and people getting on and off the ascendor that transports them from the city below to Bairro Alto. Up here on the hill we have a botanical garden bursting our in spring flowers, a museum of natural history and science, theatre district, fashion district and more restaurants than imaginable. You could go hungry trying to decide where to eat! 

Our favourite bakery for Natas.

Anyone who has been to Portugal knows nata pastries can be very addictive. Especially when served warm, right from the oven with espresso or double dark hot chocolate. I'm so glad we have a Portuguese bakery in Oakville close to home it will be necessary as apposed to going cold turkey if you know what I mean. Pass the cinnamon. Mmmmmm!

Spring is in the air 

On our walks we come across narrrow streets, graffiti and lots of kissers.

Our last full day in Lisbon

This morning we went to the museum and Botanical Garden. Then we watched as director and crew all dressed for the weather filmed the scantily clad actress rolling around in the dirt. I knew there was a reason for not going to acting school. Then off to find a barber shop and Figaro's was a very unique, funky place with 5 old fashion chairs, patrons drinking beer with jazz music playing in the background. Women not allowed! Can you believe it? And with that attitude a famous customer was lost. No worries at 25 Euros for a classic cut this cool place will be in business for a long time to come.  Couldn't let the day go by without one more trip to a bakery for buns and something they call "god's bread"=Sweet bread with coconut..to die for!

We went to the Metro station to get our tickets for the subway. It took 5 escalators to take us down to the trains.  We sure hope those escalators are working tomorrow morning, cause if not it's back to the bakery and we'll just roll down the stairs. ... Ah! But we're off to the airport and coming home. It's been another fabulous adventure with memories of a beautiful country, wonderful people and of course lots of History. Adiós Portugal. We love ya and certainly hope the feeling is mutual.

This trips blog has been authored chiefly by Sweet Sue co-edited and photos principally but Ansel Adams Apple. 

Portugal Week 9 Ericeira and Peniche

ERICEIRA (air-i-Sierra) is a quiet town with boardwalks so you can enjoy the sea without the sand between your toes. 

When we arrived, men were working on the main road, setting 6" square blocks, one at a time, in sand. They worked 12-14 hour days and after only 3days it was complete and ready for the long Easter weekend traffic. Notice they are working all the way to the top of the street.

These pups are really happy. Their smiling faces allowed us to better enjoy the down days here, walking on narrow streets and along the waters edge. The waves are really something to watch and we could sit for hours listening to them roar and crash. 

Ericeira is also very much a tourist destination with stores such as Zara, Globo and Billabong. We did see a dozen or so surfers but in the summer we hear the town goes crazy with big wave riders. Many hotels offer lower level showers for surfers coming back from the beach. Lots of restaurants, tapa wine bars, (we had a wonderful evening in a very cool 3 story roof top beanery opening at 7:30 pm closing at 3 am) and snack bars offering espresso and yummy pastries. We fell easily into the Portuguese life style, rising at 9:30, napping at 3 and partying till midnight. (Well, not everyday! -sometimes we slept until 10 :) )

It's Good Friday and the town exploded with tourists. We headed for the bus station leaving for Peniche, (pay-neesh) known as "the wave capital". The road around this ocean spit is about 8km. As luck would have it, the bus station and our accommodation were at opposite ends of the town. We decided to walk to our room, believing our information from the hotel that they were only 1-1/2km from the center of town and us thinking we were in the middle of town. But, night was beginning to close in on us and getting dark fast and with no street lights and soon thereafter concerned with iPhone map draining battery juice fast, we lacked sufficient power for the needed flashlight. Ultimately we made our 4km walk to a welcome nights rest. Oh...what a treat to get those knapsacks and gear off our backs.

It's an awesome location to view the ocean because we are on the most westernly point. Bad news is there is nothing around here except a couple of snack bars (small bakeries with sandwiches, soup). Grocery stores were back in town. So we ventured out on Saturday (we need our daily fix of dark chocolate biscuits) and got caught in rain showers on the way back. That was yesterday and our clothes are still a bit damp. Ah, the adventure of an adventure.

Happy Easter everyone! Today is sunny and 15c. A walk around part of the coast and we were rewarded with roaring waves that sound like thunder as they crash into the rocks and make the most spectacular displays and sprays. 

Loving our stoned horse. He doesn't go very fast...we're thinking he hasn't moved much over a the last thousand years! Great kinda ride.

Tomorrow we begin our last week and head back to Lisbon. Giddy up!

Portugal Week 8

NAZARE

Surfing, fishing,hand gliding all sports 

Nazare is a real surfing town with competitions in November when the waves are the best. Garret McNamara rode a 30 metre wave in 2011, a world record. Although the ocean is very calm at this time of year, these pictures give an indication on how exciting high season can by. One of the shop owners we talked to advised not only are the waves high, but LOUD when they crash. 

A tradition of Nazare is the 7 skirts still worn all year round by the elder women in the village, and by many more during celebrations. The number 7 could be for the 7 days of the week, 7 colours in the rainbow, or as the ladies sat on the seashore they used the different skirts like a rosary and prayed, knowing that after counting 7 big waves there is a flat period allowing the fishing boats to get to shore safely. Whatever your belief, we believe they make the ladies look a little hippy:).

There are 2 sections of Nazare, one being the beaches and the other on a high cliff. Our accommodation was up on the cliff and when we went to the beach we'd walk down and then ride this ascensor back up. Can you blame us?

Guess who's cooking dinner.....again?! This is our accommodation in Nazare.

Accommodation in Sintra.

Most of our reservations/accommodations have been made through Airbnb. These bnb's come in many forms to which the majority of stays have been entire apartments or private suites. So here's a thumbs up to all these wonderful spots and the many other happy adventurers soon to experience this fun, rewarding and economical way of travel.

Regaleira Estate gardens and palace designed in the early twentieth century.

SINTRA is a town full of castles, gardens and very high hills. After finding our Airbnb for the night, walking back to town and then returning in time for bed, we were pooped! Our legs told us the next day to give it a rest!  The architecture of gardens and palaces is unbelievable. 

COLARES is short bus ride from Sintra and allowed us to take a day trip back to Sintra as well as another day ride on a very scenic trip along the coast to the town of Cascais. One stop on the way was Cabo Roca, the most westernly point of Europe. Travelling by bus allows us both to enjoy the sights around us without getting lost on the winding narrow roads. We can easily get lost just walking!

There are many retired tourists travelling in small mobile homes and there are many parking lots everywhere for their convenience to stop for the night. 

Our most enjoyable mode of travel was provided by the kindness of strangers. On one of our walks on a country road in Colares, we met Ana and Phillipe who were hard at work renovating a historic 1700 century estate. In April, they are opening a Spa/Retreat and will welcome guests to stay in one of 4 beautiful rooms,each with their own bathroom. If anyone is planning a trip in or near Sintra, we will gladly supply you with their contact info. We'd love to see it in the summertime when everything is in full bloom.

View from the spa/retreat.

The pool above is filled with fresh water from the hills and then drains into the ocean. Hard to capture the beauty of 2nd beach with its rugged coastline. 

After a preparing a delicious lunch for us, Ana and Phillipe drove us through the countryside to some of the most amazing beaches and views of the Pacific Ocean. A fun day with new friends.

Off to catch a bus to Ericeira, a fishing village on the beach!

Portugal, Week 7

COIMBRA - pronounced "cweem..bra"

One of the oldest universities in Europe

Pics of graduation outfits and students in black capes studying human animation. Brazil didn't have a university in the 18th century and so their brightest students came to Coimbra.

Coimbra is a university town, with the buildings situated on the highest point in the city. It's impossible to climb straight up the hill and so you zigzag your way through narrow passways and streets. They even have an elevator on one side of the cliff to take you halfway up. I think all students and faculty members must be in very good physical shape in order to make it to the lectures on time!

On Tuesday, we toured the Zooilogical Museum and the Physics and Chemistry exhibit on university grounds. The building was built by the Jusuits in 1700's.   We had a private tour with a graduate of the university studying for his doctorate. He even took us to the cafeteria that was busy and full of students. We had a great lunch and even better conversation with Miguel, who is off to Rome tomorrow for 4 days. He and his companions booked tickets in November for a return flight..Lisbon to Rome for 60€, less than $100cdn. What a great deal!

Items made from cork, umbrellas, shoes and even dresses. Wonder how you get a wine stain out!?

Brazil's voice of Ash Ketchum

Sharing our accommodation was an actor and voice actor (dubs Pokemon and other movies into Portuguese). He entertained us with a onesided conversation with Pikachu! Lots of fun. Our hostess just returned from 2 months in Brazil and was leaving 3 days later to her native Prauge, where she is applying for a job back in Portugal in Madeira. There is very little opportunity for young people here and a large number are leaving Portugal to find work. 

The Botanical Garden was created in 1772. 

I can only I magine how breathtaking it will look in full bloom.

Daily work-out regiment implemented to fight off effects of custard tart intake.

TOMAR, the castle was conquered in 1129, original build date is unknown. It was reconstructed in 1171 and put in trust of Knights Templar.  It is the best representation of the influence of Templar Knights in Portugal. The castle was fed water by an 18km aqueduct that has 180 arches. Pretty

impressive technology.

We left Tomar on the 13th. We were up bright and early, well not bright, it was still dark. I plugged in the kettle for coffee and the power went out. Because there are very few windows in the 15th century home, almost every room was pitch black. Thank goodness for iPhone flash lights! So we left the house, without a cup of coffee, breakfast or a shower. Then when we got to the bus station, the driver couldn't find the keys to start the bus. But we finally got on the road, waiting for 1 more insident as everything comes in 3's. It was our lucky day! Smooth sailing to Nazare, next weeks' news.

THE END

Portugal, Porto, Braga, Douro Valley Week 6

I Porto simply amazing. Our 8 day home away from home is a large 1 bedroom apartment situated 200 metres from City Hall and the hub of the historic section. The city has many pedestrian parks and streets to keep you safe from zooming cars. It can't go unnoticed the respect of drivers and pedestrians. Oh so civilized.

Walking along Douro River in Porto, there is no shortage of cafes and bars. 

A GOOD WINE IN EVERY PORT

Our travels north into Pinhao located in the Douro valley, unveiled the largest manufacturer of port wines in the world. This farm consisting of 1,200 acres purchases 80% of its overall grape requirements from other growers in this region. These vineyards are on steep terraced in course sand and granite with poor yields but result in an bolder, muscular taste (more like a heavy hitting cab).

Alentejo is in the southern wine producing area with flat sprawling farms. The reds are a soft, delicious, fruity variety that are easy to enjoy. Sue, historically a white winer, loved these affordable wines.

A collection of wines in the grocery stores. Come on Ontatio! It's a great idea!

Cork Oak is the national tree of Portugal. They supply 50% of the worlds cork. Stores sell almost everything made from cork, note book covers, coasters, belts even shoes.

Braga, city of Religous Tourism

Farricocos walk barefooted through the streets during Easter week, with noisy rattles and torches of lit pine cones, ordering all sinners to get to church and repent and ask for forgiveness. This tradition is carried on only in Braga you say! Notice the statues in the window, some with large noisemakers and others carrying pots for fire. 

Espresso served anywhere

Lello Bookstore in Porto, where JKRowlings sat and had her Cafe, reputably getting her inspiration for Harry Potter novels. She taught English in Porto for 10 years and the uniforms from Hogwart are designed after a local school's.

There are so many parks we enjoyed. Here are collages that captured just a few.

Porto Train Station where we arrived and departed a total of 6 times for our various 1 day excursions, leaving this morning for our 4 days in Coimbra. History in the making!