Convent Capuchos and the Royal Palace

I was feeling terrible today,my cold has taken hold and I felt like staying in bed but plans are in place so we set off in sunshine for a walk across the forest on the slopes of Mt Sintra to visit the ancient chapel of the convent of Capuchos.

The walk was lovely,along little pathways and through original Portugese native forest. Victor is very knowledgeable  about the origin and use of plants,his wife is a specialist in herbal medicine. The Portugese have four types of pine trees and elm,oak, chestnut and cork are common.  We also saw ivy,Holly, strawberry trees, box and Hazel trees grown for their nuts so a diverse plant life.
It took us several hours to traverse the mountain and arrive at the Convent gates and to  experience the frugal lives lived by this ancient order who were known for their simple life styles. The door of death led into the convent and symbolized the renunciation of the world.

The Convent of the Holy Cross,also known as the Capuchos or Cork Convent was built in 1560. The cork was used for insulation and I suspect it was badly needed I  the stone cells.
It is remarkable for its extreme simplicity and embodies the ideals of universal brotherhood lived by the Franciscan friars who lived there. The area is now classified as a Cultural Landscape.
St Francis of Assisi was the founder of the order in 11th C.

The monks lived in tiny cells and facilities were very basic. It was impossible to stand upright as we walked through the narrow corridors and looked into the tiny cells.  Franciscan monks were noted for their frugality and the Convent offered little comforts that I could see. There were gardens and herb beds for their use and a library although no one knows where the books have gone. We were not the only visitors as school parties were being shown through as well but silence is required throughout the visit which was a struggle for the kids to observe.
We walked back to the car along another pathway towards the little village of Penedo  for lunch at a restaurant down an alleyway. This was very traditional with trestle tables and a large grill area where you ordered your meat which was laid out in front of you in cabinets.
The restaurant was called Refugo do Ciclista and it had been started up by a national road cyclist who after the days of his sporting glory became a chef. There was a delightful picture of him in his chef's hat astride his bicycle as well as another in his sporting outfit.
Plenty of character here, Victor knew everyone as it turned out his son was born here when he lived in the village.
I had kebabs and Brad had a dish of lamb chops which were well cooked and served with the usual rice and chips.
We were to climb up to the Fortress in the afternoon but it was very warm and I think Victor felt sorry for me coughing and sneezing so he suggested we went to the Pena Palace instead which is in Sintra and we would be inside and out of the heat. Good idea.
We had a extensive tour of the Palace which is where Victor does a lot of guiding so we were getting the full speal until I think he realised my attention was wavering and we went and got some drugs from the pharmacy.
The National Palace is an impressive palace and it has the most extensive kitchens with huge white chimneys. It is of medieval design and contains a number of notable art works although many of the originals have been looted and disposed of.
I have to say I did not do justice to the place but we did have a good look around and we could see the significance of the building.
We got back about six thirty and took a well earned rest before heading up the hill for a meal.

Climbing to the Moorish castle

A cooling start to the day, not eating breakfast on the terrace but we enjoyed our scrambled eggs and fruit breakfast inside instead.
Victor collected us at 9.30 am for our walk up to the Moorish Castle built in the 10th C when the Moors controlled the Iberian Peninsula. The castle is easily seen from our hotel high above the town. At night it took on a mysterious quality because of the foggy helmet covering the mountain.
We walked up the little lanes of cobbled streets opposite the Royal Palace, t is a rabbit warren of little alleyways once you get off the main street and we had not ventured very far previously. There are lots of little shops,cafes and souvenir places which we plan to explore more on Wednesday when we are left to our own devices while Victor does his guiding and then transports us to Lisbon.
We were a little apprehensive about today's walk as it seems such a long way when you look up from the town but it is on the agenda so upwards we will go.
We went up 500 metres through Pena Park, through lovely gardens and up through the forest until we reached large outcrops of huge rocks,some of which form the basis of the walls of the castle and the Gannaries which stored the grain centuries ago.
We paid six euros to enter the Moorish castle grounds with its distinctive turrented walks,towers and the three different Portugese flags flying aloft the towers and to  climb along  the walls built by the Moors. There are also the remains of the castle rooms and the castle keep,the stables and the living quarters of the governors.
It was quite a grunt upwards to the castle, etc but Victor kept up a running commentary on the history of the Moors so we were well entertained and time passed quickly.
We had great views looking out over the countryside and across to the large urban areas springing up around Lisbon. It also gave us views of Pena Palace and some other Palaces which we will not visit this trip.
It is such a good defensive position for the Moors as you command views over the whole area but it is also known to have been a  earlier settlement dating back to the stone ages.
We spent an enjoyable few hours here and the day had become much warmer as we started downhill, l was feeling much better so I was looking forward to my lunch at Pendoa,  another local restaurant known to Victor where I had some delicious soup with cod croquettes, rice and salad. Victor and I shared a bottle of wine and some nibbles of olives and bread so it was quite a feast.
Later we headed off to see the Quinta da Regaleria, another exotic residence built as a summer house for a noble family. It was built in the Romantic tradition where the owners saw them as places to relax and enjoy, a place, of pleasure. Carvalho Montero transformed the place into a exotic place, notable for the plants and structures to excite curiosity and wonderment.
The gardens are most noteworthy with walkways lined with statues,follies,a chapel, a underground towers with hidden caves. The pathways lead you around into places of curiosity with names like Portal of the Guardians, Grotto of the East, Labyrinthic Grotto. It was planned as a garden of the Cosmos which is revealed through a series  of magic and mysterious places. It is very symbolic too,according to Victor of Freemasonry.

This walk was known as the 'esoteric walk' and ranged across the garden and the hillside.

We went inside the Palace of Regaleria,  an example of neo-manueline architecture of the Romantism Era with influences of the Italian  Renaissance period and Baroque architecture . The stairway is carved from the timber of chestnut trees and the porch is of local limestone and carvings of hunting scenes decorate the main hall. Famous artists were called I  to paint masterpieces and no expense was spared to create beauty and add magic to the property.

A lot of the Palace was closed off for restoration but it was an example of the period and the wooden ceilings were a feature of the house interior.
By this time my attention was flagging! We finished our visit with a walk along the Statue Avenue known as the Promenade of the God's.  The classical  goddesses  were lined up to bring good luck to all who walked here.

On our way back we had a look at the house that Madonna was reputed to have recently purchased. She will have to spend some money to bring it up to specifications a different provide her some privacy. Good luck with that.

When we got back to the hotel we got the news that NZ had won the Americas Cup.Yeah!!!

Later we climbed up to the newly discovered part of the town and found a tapas cafe which was lovely. Great vibe and popular with the locals and a new idea, you fill in a checklist with the food you want to order and the bread comes in a drawstring bag.

Monastry trail and Obidos

Our final day out on the walking  trip. This time to visit the monasteries of Bataltha and Alcobaca followed by a visit to the old medieval  city of Obidos.
Victor collected us at 9.00am as we had another long drive to see these places so we needed an early start to the day in order to see everything.
We drove to Bataltha to visit the best Gothic monastery in Portugal according to Victor and it was a magnificent sight. Not quite what I was expecting of a monastery but impressive.We were able to go inside the building a different see the quite austere interior.
This was a monastry with a military history as the King ordered it built in gratitude after the Portugese defeated Napoleon.  Outside is a huge statue of the commander of the army on his horse.
It was a very attractive village too with some quality souvenir  shops which we were able to have a look at before we had lunch.
Lunch was upstairs in a very attractive restaurant. Brad and I shouted Victor lunch as he has been very good to us. We had very nice salads some wine and the usual  read and olives.
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After lunch we drove to another monastry where a modern day Romeo and Juliette story evolved.
Peter, the prince  of Portugal and heir to the throne was to be married to a suitable royal connection but when the prince  set eyes on one of her attendants he fell in love with her and although the royal marriage took place the prince did not waver on his affections for the maid.
The King and his  courtiers were not happy with the situation as she was  considered a nobody and she  bought no royal favours to benefit the country so they persuaded the King to have her killed while Peter was out of the country fighting battles. She was taken to the monastry and interred there but on his return he was heartbroken and vowed to revenge her death.
His wife died young so he was free to marry and after the King,his father died he exhumed his love,married her and crowned her queen.He then made all those courtiers kiss her skeletal hands in duty to their Queen and beheaded those who killed her.
Both the King and his Queen lie at rest here, their sarcophagus face each other and their tombs are engraved with the story of betrayal and the descent into the underworld-the stairway to hell. A cautionary tale as well as a love story .They have suffered some damage by the French soldiers during the invasion of Napoleon hunting for precious gems but they are largely in good condition although the Queen's nose is damaged.
From here we drove to Obidos, an old walled medieval town which was the final stand of the Muslim community after they were cast out of the Iberian peninsula by the Portugese.
The enclave was holed up for two years before surrendering to the hostile locals. The Muslim influence is evident from the design and look of the walls, similar to the Moorish Castle at Sintra. After the siege the town was taken over by the Portugese and the Christian influence can be seen with the churches and religious symbols in the streets.
The walled city is fascinating, colourful streets are narrow and cobbled. Steps lead you up and down alleyways and it is a pretty place, where time stands still. We explored the back streets and we saw the school where Victor had once taught for a year. There were lots of tourist shops down the main street leading from the entrance gates and bus loads of people were thronging the streets in search of local goods.
Victor shouted me a liqueur made from local sour cherries which is poured into a cup made of local chocolate. Delicious.
We climbed around the walls and enjoyed the views over the local fields of vines and  vegetables. It seems quite a fertile area.
We peaked inside the castle which is now a luxury hotel and took lots of photos. I wonder if it is the place Ian Breeze told me not to  miss.
I really enjoyed our visit here and felt pleased it had been included on our itinerary.
Our trip back to Sintra was not too bad with the traffic and we got back about seven.
Later we went back to our Tapas Restaurant and enjoyed a glass on sangria with my tapas.

Coimbra and Netos

We had an earlier start for the day we travelled to Coimbra. Ever since Ros told me about this place I have been looking forward to visiting the place. It was a full on day as we did not arrive back until after nine.
We had to drive a couple of hours north of Lisbon towards Porto along some pretty busy roads and this was a Sunday so guess on a working day it would be humming.

Our first stop was at Fatima,the most sacred pilgrimage site in Portugal and rather extraordinary for its buildings. The old church heads the site but there is a new,very modern church built in a round shape with little adornment on the exterior which is such a contrast to other religious buildings we have seen here. There is a modern sculpture over the entrance of white rosary beads created by a well known Portugese artist who works in plastics in honour of  the Pope's visit . Victor said she has also created a huge cock,the National symbol of Portugal and critics fear the next one might be an erect phallus.

We checked out inside the building briefly but we had better things to see and do so it was onwards to Coimbra and the University area where we were in time to visit the Library before lunch. Victor studied  history here as a student so we had some pretty interesting discussions about life as a student here.
We started at the library, first known as the 'book house' and commissioned in 1717 by King Joao. The library has three chambers, two in black,one in red. Each section has different scenes painted by special Artists and the portal was erected as a triumphal arch between two ionic columns.
The library is amazing. 60,000 books written in Latin date back to the 17 th century and include bibles and other religious texts.
Leather bound books behind mesh screens reach to the ceiling and special ladders are built into the 72  shelves so the top shelves can be reached. The ceilings are richly embellished and painted in the tromp l'oeil style to create optical illusions.  The Royal Coat for Arms is impressive above our heads a different reads " this is the home that august Coimbra donated to books so that the library may crown it's front".
A feature of the library is the presence of bats,special entrance and exit holes are drilled into the rafters for them to do their work eating insects and moths  thus preventing damage to the books.
Underneath there is  depository where books are on display and below that is the Academic prison where students and professors served their time for misdemeanors up until 1832.We exited out the Minerva stairs which lead you up to the main courtyard.

We visited the manuelian designed St Michael's  chapel with a splendid organ still in use today and the other  buildings around the courtyard, including the Ceremonial Hall where the throne hall conducted ceremonies.
An impressive outdoor courtyard  space was  dominated by the Statue of King Joao 111 who built the University and bestowed it to the country was surrounded by all the buildings and the University was thought to have been established in March 1290. It is home to students today from over eighty countries.
We had lunch in a local restaurant known to Victor where we sat outside by a very historic 16th Century  water fountain.
Victor introduced us to his 'republic',here that is a student flat and home to about twelve students.We were invited inside by a very good looking young philosophy student as they have an ongoing association with their flat and reunions take place each year. It was rather seedy with a strong smell of weed present but they were very welcoming. How strange we must have seemed to them.
We wandered around the old streets and back alleys retracing the student days of Victor and appreciating the age of the town.Definitely a student town like Dunedin. Very atmospheric and we visited the oldest, do cathedral and the cafe which McDonald's tried to butyl recently.
We could have spent many more hours exploring this city but we had a long way to travel home and we were to visit Netos,  the village where Victor grew up. We were to meet his mother too. She had been at the hospital all day with his father who is a paraplegic and undergoing surgery for a tracheotomy. I was sure we would be the last thing she wanted to add to her day but Victor thought otherwise. He probably needed to give his mum some support.
We picked plums in the garden until his mother came home and then we helped her herd her goats into the new pasture. It was real village style and she was on her own running all the family land and a long way from medical help with her husband to support.
She gave us fresh goat cheeses she had made which we ate with olive bread that night for tea. We were so late home we did not fancy walking into town for a meal.
Another fascinating day and lots of rich arguments about politics,symbolism,conspiracy theories and life!

Exploring the shores of Sintra.

Our second walk in Sintra was to visit the footprints of the dinosaurs and traverse the cliffs above the Atlantic coastline with Sophia. Victor had to go and see his sons end of year performance at school so we had a charming young woman taking us for a hike along the cliff tops to see the  coastal region of Sintra from Praia Grande,coffee in Adraga Beach and lunch in Buraco do Fojo where we would meet up again with Victor.

It was a great walk, not too demanding but interesting viewpoints and towering cliffs, dotted with narrow snaking pathways running down to the ocean,well used by fiishermen. We were high above the ocean and the limestone and granite  outcrops, the sparse vegetation,  reminded  me of the Otago Peninsula, equally rugged and with similar volcanic origins. There was a fisherman's hut away up here with a stand for them to rest their lines on. Not sure how they could get them down such a height,must be enormous sinkers to get so far down.

Victor drove us out to a meeting place in the National Park area where we would later have lunch at the restaurant. He introduced us to Sophia and he headed away promising to meet is later.

To get access to the footprints we climbed down to a wooden viewing structure high above the beach-shades of Cave Creek to see the footprints embedded in the up thrust of volcanic rock, centuries old. It was quite cool but good temperatures  for walking, not so promising for swimming.
From there we walked on along the headland to another small sandy beach full of surfers and swimmers packing up their cars because of the cold temperatures and rain starting to patter down on their parade. The rain did not last for long,just enough time for us to have a cup of coffee at a small beach cafe in the car park.
The walk continued to the blowholes and viewing platform there before returning along an inland route to the village where we met Victor for lunch.

We went to a small restaurant called Pensao Sisudo 1953 in the village of Almocageme. It was a lovely place,a great atmosphere as a local group were holding a celebration so lots of talk and laughter during the time we were there.
I had a most delicious  dish,best yet, of monks fish, shrimps, mussels and rice served in a case role dish. Brad had hummus and cod fish with olives.

Later we walked again in the area with Victor who introduced us to all the local flora and fauna as we walked along towards the headland and the lighthouse at the most westerly point of land in  Europe and looked at the different plant life and the views of the cliffs and beaches.

We walked up to the lighthouse before heading back to Sintra and competed with bus loads of tourists who were doing a tiki tour from Lisbon for the day to get some photographs of the memorial. There was a Melvin Jones memorial here too.

We called in at a local village food  market on the way home for a look and Victor bought some vegetables for the family tea as he was cooking once he got home.
We arrived back about six thirty so felt rather exhausted,my cold is still bothering me and I am coughing and spluttering so it is making me rather tired.
We went back to our restaurant under the caves once we had a rest and recovered some energy for the walk back up the hill to the town. I tried the pizza but nothing like the quality of our lovely lunch.

Last Day in Lisbon

Another hot day dawns. The sky is clear blue and at eight when we went for breakfast it was already hot.
We planned to wander along the waterfront for one last time. We need to check out our beach artists progress on his installation of rocks along the waterfront in a variety of sculptural forms which he then paints.
We found out about ferry rides and where to go for the afternoon and checked out some art galleries.
We had to check out at twelve so we walked up Alecrim Street to the oldest coffee shop in Portugal. It opened in 1905 and specialised in the new coffee beans brought in from Brazil, one of their colonies. Prior to this conquest coffee came from the middle east.
Unfortunately the taste of the new bean was not too their liking so business was slow until somebody thought of offering sugar to flavour it more to their liking and business boomed and it is on the same site 112 years later.
We had our coffee fix and I tried it in the traditional manner.
By then it was time to check out so we put our bags into a storage facility nearby and headed off across the Tagus River on a ferry to check out the old fishing village on the other side. It was a nice leisurely way to finish our visit as there was a breeze off the harbour  which kept temperatures in check.
We had a wander around the town of Casillas and found the last of the sailing ships to make the trip via 'the India Route' in dry dock alongside an old relic of a sumarine from the Portugese navy.
We took a ride on one of their trams to sightsee the outer suburbs but it was not very interesting so we came back in and had lunch in the village before heading back about 4.00 for a sit in the sun at the park beside the ferry terminal until it was time to retrieve our bags from storage and head to the railway station ready to catch our overnight train to Madrid.
We have enjoyed our stay in Lisbon and leave with things not done which is the way it should be!!! See you in Madrid.😎😎😎😎😎

Tram 28.

A beautiful day is on the way.32° predicted.Not a cloud in the sky so we need to get away early and make the most of before it gets too hot.

Today we bought an all day ticket which covers all the trams,trolley buses and the funiculars in Lisbon and we plan to take Tram 28 which is considered the most scenic route across a number of the hill suburbs and up to the St George's Castle above the  Alfama district.
Later in the day we will get the train out to Belem to see the market and buy the famous custard tarts in the original bakery. According to our guide yesterday only three people know the secret recipe and it is forbidden for them to travel together!!

We caught the tram up at the top of our hill,we were early enough to get a seat by the window and we sat back and enjoyed the ride. The tracks run up some pretty steep streets and traffic management here must be a nightmare. The streets are so narrow in places you can touch the walls from the tram. I managed a couple, etc of photos of board but it was lurching around a lot so not easy.. We got to the end of the line and we had to change trams and now there were queues so several trams later we got on board but without a seat up to the castle.

The trams go quite fast at times,sometimes they are packed with sightseers and when that happens the Tram just goes passed the stop. Some not very happy folk when that happens, ourselves included when we were waiting to get back from the castle at mid-day and lots of buses left us behind but they were tour ones but then 28 came and left us behind.

We arrived at the stop for the castle and we spent some time at the lookout as there were great views off the bay. I succumbed and bought a painting by a local artist who was selling them at the lookout. A charming scene of the steps and stairs,the bougainvillea and other images to remind me of Lisbon.

This site is of great strategic importance, although there is evidence of Stone Age occupation in the archeological excavations the Moors built the walls and established the site as a military site with  accomodation for their rulers.
Along came the Christians and vanquished the Moors and they established  their own military headquarters as well as constructing a castle.We had a great look around the ruins of the castle of St George, built for Royalty in the 13th  century.

Today the walls are a landmark high above the town, over the centuries they have served as a fortress to deter invaders,  they retain the old cannons but much has been rebuilt because of the earthquake in 1755.
Brad had been before so she gave the towers a miss but I explored as much as I could of the towers and walkways before it became too hot. We caught the tram back to Cais do Sodre where we were going to get off and go home for lunch but we decided to finish the tour first and tick Tram 28 off our bucket list.

After lunch we caught tram 15 out to Belem to visit the flea market in the gardens there and try out the Portugese custard tarts which are famous here. We got some and sat in the shade in the park and had a picnic. They were delicious served with cinnamon and icing sugar.A taste treat to remember.
Later we caught the tram back to Cais  do Sodre  and had an ice cream before riding in the funicular. This goes up the steepest incline of them all so we managed to jump on board without too much of a wait and grind our way to the top. We certainly got value for money from our day travel pass.
It has been a lovely day but very hot so time to chill out before tea. We are going to our tapas bar where we had a klovely meal the other evening.
Tomorrow we move on. We catch the overnight train to Madrid so more adventures to come....

Free tour of Lisbon

Today we spent an interesting morning on a free tour of the inner city of Lisbon. As our guide told us Lisbon was the first capital established within defined boundaries under the Roman occupation. The Roman's called it safe harbour.
Oporto was the first capital but it was moved to Lisbon and it be became the centre of exploration during the Age of the Discoveries.
My head is spinning a bit with all the facts and figures given plus the names of generals, kings etc who fought what and when, it was like Victor all over again!!!
However it was a great walk through the older parts of the city.We are right in the heart of the old city as it turns out,the nightlife capital and red light district!!!

We began the walk at 10.00am up the top of Alecrim Street where there is a notable Square the centre of which is dedicated to the first major poet of Portugal( I saw his sarcophagus yesterday lying beside Vasco de Gama),this is in the Barrio Alton area or a place of non stop street drinking at night for locals and tourists.

The story about the poet was a good cop bad cop story as he started life as a nobleman who refused to pay his taxes so was ordered by the King to go to jail or to fight in Africa. He fought bravely and distinguished himself  but on his return he made the mistake of falling in love with the Kings sister so he was banished to the colonies to bring order to Macaw and India. Here he read the Iliad and the Odyssey and determined to write his own epic novel about the voyages of the Discoveries. It took him many years to write and eventually he returned to Portugal with his transcript for publication. Unfortunately the ship was wrecked close to the coast of Portugal and he set out to swim to shore holding his book above his head.Too late he remembered the love of his life, a Chinese women accompanying him could not swim and was in difficulties. What a dilemma! Readers I have to tell you that the book won!
It was published and bought the poet and author great fame and fortune plus being the largest book published.

We went on to visit the first coffee coffee house established in Lisbon in 1902 and the hang out of literary figures,one who used multiple pseudonyms to write under, indeed today they are still publishing his work because on his death they found thousands of unpublished manuscripts in a suitcase under the bed.

We visited the oldest book shop in the world in Chiado and our guide said if we bought a book there we could have it stamped with that fact on it.
We heard about the carnation revolution too which marked the end of the dictatorship after 66 years.On 25th April they celebrate the day with red carnations because  a flower women gave a revolutionary a carnation and he put it in his role instead of firing iIt be ame a symbol of the Revolution.
We saw The convent of the Camalite order  and heard about dictators like Salazar, linked to Harry Potter as JK Rowling lived in Porto and drew on the links to myths like dead Valley and such tales.
We heard about the great earthquake and the devastation caused withholding thousands kind, led and rubble metres high in the streets. The king was useless so the mayor of the town rebuilt it. He said the dead needed burying but the future was the living.He ran foul of the Catholic Church because he ordered the burial of all,  the bodies in a mass grave without any religious ceremony.

Lisbon , a city of contrasts.

Well I have finally managed to load a photo.How?Not sure but it works.
The photo is at the head of the main square close to our apartment.

Well here we are in Lisbon ,the capital city of Portugal and home to about four million people. Built on seven hills and the victim of a severe earthquake  in1755 which destroyed many  of its heritage buildings Lisbon is now a fusion of architectural styles from the Manuelian Era to modern monsters housing the retail and banking sector. Their history goes back to the early stone ages but much of the history now is given as post earthquake.

Our apartment is in the old city, very close to the harbour,the train station,a food market and the main square. We are four floors up with very clean and spacious space to relax in,plus a kitchen and dining room in addition to our own room with a bathroom so we are very comfortable.
We do have a strip club downstairs on the street behind our apartment and the pink marking of  the street suggest a red light district but we may be jumping to conclusions.

Victor dropped us off in Lisbon yesterday at the top of the Avenue of Liberty and we walked to our apartment from there about an hour to find Alecrim Street and our apartment building. It was a bit confusing initially as the landscape is affected by the hills disecting the town so map reading was a challenge but we made it.
There was time for some lunch at the cafe nearby while we waited to be let into the apartment by a very helpful young woman happily with good English.

After a rest and some unpacking we went out for a look around the area and we were delighted to find a food market nearby with this huge food hall stocked with multiple business specialising in Portuguese food and wine. A very convivial  space and we ate our tea there and did some people watching before getting some provisions at the supermarket.

We enjoyed a promenade along the waterfront too which was very pleasant, lots of boats out and people sitting along the river bank enjoying the sunshine. Not as hot as we expected but very enjoyable strolling along and feeling a breeze off the water,not very clean water however so no desire to take a dip.Well I need to get rid of my cold first anyway.
Anyway it is time for bed,we have made the acquaintance of our new home so time to play, an our day tomorrow.