Stroud and the Gardens of Througham Court and Rodmarton Manor

It was a treat to go down to see Wendy in her new home in Stroud today. It is a very popular, pleasant ride down by train to Stroud. Very rural farming countryside with wheat and corn crops are colouring up and not far from harvest time.
I caught the 11.38 train to Stroud and arrived about 1.05 to be met by Wendy. It was lovely to see her and we walked back to her new home by the canal. Lucy her daughter was there hanging pictures for her so we had a nice lunch sitting outside on her deck. She has all her landscaping done for her as it was the show home for the development,even hanging  baskets in place.
The house is brand new and built over three levels,with lots of insulation and double glazing so it will be nice and warm in the winter. Wendy said it was quite noisy but once the development is done it will be much quieter.  She is overlooking the canal so there is lots of greenery to look out onto and it seems to get plenty of sun. The canal is being restored too so in time it will be a very attractive asset. We walked along the tow path after tea for about an hour and it was lovely,very peaceful and we saw Llama grazing.
Wendy has lots of pictures still to hang but she has all he favourite things there and the house I'd decorated in a neutral tone which shows the paintings to advantage so she is feeling really good about the move to Stroud.
It was a lovely catch up although I got food poisoning from my Cotswold venison meat pie at the hotel where we had our meal. Nasty night to follow😣😣😣😣😣

Friday morning I met up with my gardening group. Wendy took me to the station to meet the tour. Janine and Annie arrived by train but they had delays along the way so I was on board the bus when they arrived.
Our first stop was to Througham Court which has a long history,four hundred years old for parts of the original house but the most recent addition is an Arts and Craft wing with a garden designed to complement it.
The current owner is a scientist who has retrained as a landscape designer and she has maintained the style of the garden but added her own ideas into the structure. She reads scientific books for inspiration rather than gardening books and brings mathematical ideas to her garden as well. Evidence of this was seen in the garden gates she designed and had crafted. Her vegetable garden has a fibonicci number sequence running round the metal edging. The Rose pillars are topped by symbols celebrating the top scientific discoveries of the world, such as splitting the atom.
She had maintained the art and crafts features very carefully with boxed beds,topiary, garden walks,pleached avenues of hornbeams and formal borders. The garden was spread over four levels sloping away from the house with lovely views out to the countryside.
She also maintained a large vegetable garden, a shade house and potting areas to maintain plus large areas of hedging to be trimmed yearly.
She had introduced a wilderness area at the bottom of the garden,featuring a wide moon path painted with a white edging strip leading your eye to the far edges of the garden. She is planting iris's and bulbs through the pasture for impact in the spring as well as displaying banners made by a local artist which adds some movement to the area.
She has also introduced colourful borders of perennials on the third level which were like the trend at Hampton Court. She is a step ahead of the rest but they did look great although she said they were very labour intensive and took a long time to weed.
The most unusual addition was the courtyard space she designed around mathematical principals to mask a difficult site. The shapes were arranged in a colourful pattern with a reflective pool I  the centre.
There were lots of lovely plantings here,special trees and she even had created a maze of bamboo tied together with red cord to stop the snow flattening it.
It was a place to challenge your thinking and see how ideas can be taken from many sources and used to transform or enhance a garden. I could have spent more time here but we were on a timetable.

Rodmarton Manor was our afternoon stop and we had some trouble finding our way there or the bus driver did. Apparently the villages upset the sat maps because the post code system here does not recognise some of the country places which is why we were circling around narrow country roads for an extra half hour.
We eventually arrived at Rodmarton where lunch was served first. I approached that cautiously after my night with food poisoning antics.
After lunch we went for a tour of the house with a guide who told us about the history of the house and the family who live there. The home is still in the same family who built it in 1909. The Biddulph family built it to showcase the best of local craftsmanship and to provide employment for the villagers. The timber was milled on the property and cut for timber by two men using a handsaw and pit on the lawn. The saw is still hanging in the library.
The furniture was hand  crafted by local craftsmen,no machines were used and the women also contributed to the soft furnishings and are seen in the wall hangings and tapestries.
The piano was beautifully decorated as were the dolls house and rocking horses for the children.
After the tour we were let loose on the garden which was also designed in the arts and crafts  mode with lots of topiary,walks,vistas, borders and tennis courts. The garden was not as well maintained as the previous one but it was authentic ,quite sculptural and it looks like work is underway to bring back areas of the garden.
We had to leave by 4.20 pm to catch our train back to London so we were on our way promptly as it was Friday and rush hour but we made it.
I was knackered by the time I climbed the steps to Lou's place but it was a great day out

Exploring the Art Scene in London

I have enjoyed my few days in London spending some  time with Louise and Jonathon, cooking tea and bussing into town on the 91 for a look around my old haunts.
Yesterday I visited the National Portrait Gallery to see the 2017 Exhibition of Portraits. Imagine my surprise to see a New Zealand entry included and then to see it had been awarded the Youth Prize. Well done. I wonder if that made the news back home!
When you consider that 2,580 entries are received from 87 countries it is a accolade to get accepted let alone win an award. My favourite was Honest Thomas but it was not an award winner.

I do enjoy this exhibition and find it amazing that each year I have been there a whole new range of talent emerges and themes change too.
There was a great new portrait in the foyer,pride of place as you enter.I really it being Catherine Middleton, this year it is Ed Sherman.  It was hilarious watching all the younger people lining up to have their photos taken with it. Such is fame.

They have another section too which has been expanding of famous people like Dame Judy Dench, Catherine Middleton and a collection of other famous people.
I  also visited The National Gallery but only part of the ground floor Impressionist section plus a special exhibit on Ruebans and Rembrant artists. There is so much to take in that it is best to just target a small section at a time. It was interesting though to return and remember the greats here too as there are lots of parallels to the other exhibitions we have visited on this trip.
To see numbers of Monet, Pizarros,  and Sisley's in one room is amazing.

I went into see the Wallace collection another day, amazingly it was free to enter plus it offered a nice cafe where I had a cup of tea and a scone.They have an excellent collection of old masters,very ornate rooms with furniture to match but it gives you a great insight into how the wealthy lived.

On Wednesday Brad and I met at St Martin's Crypt for lunch and had a catch up on the past few days.She issue off to see a performance at the National Theatre where she could only get standing tickets for two performances today. Three hours in  the afternoon and four at night,then she had to catch the train back to Hemmel and walk to Elaine's place. She got home at 1.00pm. Not bad for a senior plus she left home at five am!!!! A marathon.

And finally after meeting up with Brad for lunch I went along to the Courtauld Gallery which has a superb collection beautifully displayed  in a grand old building. It is a pleasure to go there and I was one of only a few people so plenty of time to stand and stare. Their Impressionist and Post Impressionist paintings is one of the best I have seen. Manet and Van Gogh, Degas feature works here alongside an exhibition from the Bloomsbury Group.
They have a wonderful selection of Cezanne's originals,such as The Card Players and some of his landscapes and still life's.
The medieval section downstairs was interesting too. I had not gone in here before but the richness of the colour and embellishments on the old ecclesiastical paintings from 12 th C onwards is amazing.
Anyway it has been fun revisiting these galleries and I have not been to the Tate yet so plenty more to do before getting on that plane for home.

Hampton Court Garden Show

Sunday was a beautiful day for my trip out to Hampton Court so armed with sunscreen, sun hat and shades to avoid sunstroke.  Who would have thought that I would strike such a lovely summer spell of weather. Great to make the most of it.
It took me about an hour and a half to get there by train but there was no queue to get into the show so that  was a bonus. My memory was that last time there were large queues snaking back to the road but maybe a Sunday is not as busy.

I enjoyed wandering around the displays and I listened to a couple of talks by experts, one a scientist talking about the  decline of people's consciousness of plants around them and a decline also in how people understand the health benefits of plants. He was very interesting as he talked about the experiments they were undertaking at Wisley to bring better understandings to communities about planting and preserving gardens and parks. I also heard a rosarian talk about pruning and care of rambles and climbers and old roses.

It was a change this time as it seemed much more commercial than I recall. The stalls and food areas were mixed up with the gardens and it was not easy to find them. I think there were less displays too but it was still fun to be there and it was mind boggling all the lovely garden decorations,furniture,tools and accessories that are available to gardeners.
It was interesting trying to gauge the trends but the big thrust seemed to be environmental and conservation concerns. Bees,butterflies and endangered  species all had displays featuring habitats and plants to attract bees and butterflies into gardens so there were more wild spaces, bug houses and scented plants.

The top garden was a very natural garden suitable for exploration by children with natural features. It could be the average back yard in a garden at home (with some additions).
There were some great scarecrows exhibited by local children and well worth having a good look around them. Many featured bug houses and bee homes.

The gardens seemed to be more colourful this time around,reds and orange ruebeckia plants,yellows and deep blue agapanthus with grasses for texture. Usually pinks and pale colours feature more.Sedums,yarrow,coleus, huchea and daisies were also in evidence in many garden designs.
The Rose Pavillion was  a riot of colour and Peter Beales stand was eye catching but with more modern roses than I expected.
2017 Rose of the year was Rosa Lovestruck.
Anyway it was great to be there and check out the displays and plants available to gardeners here.

I decided mid afternoon to have a trip back on the river so I set off for the four o'clock sailing. It was such a lovely warm afternoon,perfect for sitting out on the deck.
I really enjoyed the trip,there is so much activity going on the river and along the river  banks there are walkways and picnic places. People were fishing and some were even swimming although the water looked pretty murky,not sure I would be keen. There are some pretty smart houses along the way and many had tables set up for dinner,the barges and house boat residents were making the most of the day too. Lots of sunbathing and picnicking evident.

It took two and a half hours to travel from Hampton Court to Westminster Pier.  The Queen's ceremonial barge passed us too, that was a sight not usually seen according to the captain.
Anyway it was a good day out and the evening was lovely too as Lou had prepared a special meal featuring NZ lamb.
It was pleasant sitting around having a wine or two and eating lamb.

London in Summer

It was a nice return visit to London on Thursday. After all the rain in Madrid London was fine and sunny with 25 degrees so it was  a treat to land into benign temperatures. My shorts and light top was perfect.
I travelled up as far as Ryehill with Brad and then to Victoria Station, Finsby Park and W7 before clocking in at Lou's place.Very  lucky for me she was home as my suitcase lock failed, I was too tired that night to worry too much about it and I thought I could sort it in the morning but  the following morning it was not giving up its secret.
My house keys were locked inside so I was a prisoner. No walking the canal or Regents Park as intended but I had a nice day sitting in the sun, reading my book and getting a meal ready for the workers.
When Lou got home she produced a box of tools and found one to prise the shank of the clasp off and I was able to get into my suitcase and retrieve my essentials. What a star she was. I was very relieved to say the least.
We had a lovely evening sitting out on the deck eating our tapas and having a wine with Jonathon and Louise. A magic night with a full moon and barmy temperatures.
On Saturday Lou and I went down to East Hampton where Jonathon works to check out the housing options. Lou sees it as an up and coming area and she could invest in a bigger property with the capital gain she has made from her place here.
We met Jonathan for a coffee and looked around the shops and the market. Checked out the pub and park and bought some shoes so a good morning.
The park had a big celebration underway which was a great community event which had lots of free things to do for families. It all seemed positive. The pub only needed an influx of Lou's friends and the ambience would change!
We had a wander along some of the residential streets which offered solid terrace housing,villa style with lots of trees and an open sunny aspect. No large high rises to shade your back yard so I think it could be a likely place to find a bargain.
Lou went off to meet Donna and go to a music festival at Hyde Park so I sat out in the sun and read for awhile,caught up on my blog and checked out Hampton Court for tomorrow. I also tried for some cheap flights to go and see Justine but nothing on offer. Lou is competing in a ten km run next weekend so I thought I could fly down for the weekend but prices are rather eye watering at late notice.

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.

Magnificence in Madrid

Another day of wonder ahead. We awoke to sunny skies and warm temperatures. It is predicted to reach 34° by 4.00 pm.
We had breakfast in the apartment and then headed to the Hop on Hop Off Bus station down near the Prado Museum. We started the day with the first run of the day so we did not frizzle up on the top deck.
The historical tour takes you around the old city highlights so we were able to see the beautiful old boulevards with street frontages to die for. Much reconstruction has been going on and cranes and buildings wrapped in fabric are a common slght but the end result is worth it. So many beautiful squares with monuments to past heroes,lots of decorative iron work and sturdy wooden doors designed for a siege. The  city is an elegant one.
The commentary was a big improvement on the Lisbon tour plus the headgear all worked so no evidence of travellers jumping from one seat to the next.
Traffic was eye watering too, five lanes heading in  one direction down the main street so slow progress around the tour.
We passed by several areas to return to later in the day,notably the Mayor Square, the castle and gardens plus the cathedral all rather notable sites.
The tour lasted for over an hour and then we took up the queue at the Prado for tickets  to enter. The queue circled a great distance but we stuck it out and three quarters of an hour later we arrived. This is the premier museum for the Renaissance arts up to the 19th century and it  features Spanish,Flemish, German,Italian artists plus minor European artist. There is a Joshua Reynolds  and some from Munch.
We spent a couple of hours exploring this huge museum before taking a break for a coffee at our friends cafe followed by lunch and a feet up time. We had been walking since nine in the morning so a break from sandals was welcome.
Our next venture was to walk up to Mayor Square. This is a beautiful square ,very geometrically designed with six archways into it plus lovely mosaics on the main building.No traffic is evident but it was a place of Commerce and justice in the past. One of the historical paintings at the Prado showed the  Spanish Court of King  Charles presiding over a large meeting in the square to deliver verdicts on informers. A grand spectacle bought to life by the artist.
We walked on to the castle which occupies a grand site on a high point over the city and up until recently years has been inhabited by their King and Queen but these days it is the King's office. We just missed the changing of the guard.
I had a walk around the gardens adjacent to the castle, very refreshing on a hot day with the sound of water in the fountains. It would have been great to see the castle gardens which are said to be modelled on Versailles but it was a bit late in the day and Brad is not too keen.
We caught the bus back to the Prado and resumed our pilgrimage around the old masters for another couple of hours until we got kicked out at eight.
We were not allowed to take photos inside the gallery but my pamphlet did have a number  of masterpieces to identify.
I am over a lot of the religious ones but it is hard not to appreciate the skill and draftmanship of those artists who pioneered many of the major art movements during the last century. Titian,Ruebans,Bruegal,Tintoretti, van Dyke , El Greco,Goya and thousands of other notable early European masters filled the halls with paintings and sculpture.  I liked the large historical paintings and the still life masterpieces best. The fruit on some of the still life pictures made you want to pick them and the flowers looked good enough to touch.
I liked the Iranian artists deconstruction of the early war pictures with film and light effects which provided movement to the figures which she used to   create a filmstrip sequence along the wall by a strobe light passing across in a pathway of light.
We finished our day with a walk through the Jardins Botanica which is next door to the Prada.
It was a lovely way to finish our tourist activities for the day. Still lovely and warm but comfortable to stroll around the gardens which are used for research and development.
There was a big section of old roses but flowering has finished so not able to appreciate the scent. We spotted home here's from NZ plus the cabbage tree and Brad's pet hate the agapanthus !
Later we checked out the other  restaurant  our friend from the cafe nearby recommended. It was one he and a partner had opened recently. It took a bit of finding but we'll worth it as we dined on Spanish-Argentinian fusion cuisine in a traditional area of the city.No English sports, entertainment but our waiter was a history professor who had spent some time in New York as a child so we were well looked after and enjoyed our meal.
Another day of new experiences.....

Marvellous Madrid

What a fascinating city to visit. It is a pity we had not booked for an extended stay as we have a great apartment very central to the historic area and the art galleries we hoped to visit.
The vibe is good here and the weather very warm. It is lovely going out for a meal at night and walking home without a cardigan. Warm air envelopes you as you emerge from the air conditioned buildings.
So far we have been lucky as we arrived into Madrid early morning from our overnight train trip and found our way via the metro to the nearest spot to our apartment. We could not check in until 15.00 hours but they stored your luggage at another place a few blocks away which was a great advantage.
We checked out the street where we were staying and found a nice cafe across the street which was perfect for breakfast. We had thick toast and home made jams with great coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice so not a bad start to our day.
We decided to visit the Thyssen Art Gallery until the apartment opened and then go back for a second visit late in the afternoon.
The museum is very large with different floors containing the collection built up and donated by the Thyssen benefactors plus ongoing purchases. Masterpieces abound and I liked the Reniors particularly The Wheatfield but the Monet of Charing Cross Bridge was not one I knew plus there were so many Sisley, Pacarriso,and other impressionists that were unknown to me.  A treat to be able to see so many works. Three colour and intensity of these originals make the trip worthwhile.
We headed back before three to get our bags and check into our apartment. It was only a few blocks but in the heat of the day I was glad to find it and horror of horrors,three flights of stairs to negotiate.  My back is unforgiving!!!!
After a rest we headed back to the museum and stayed until closing time at 7.00 which was perfect as it gave me time to revisit my favourites and finish seeing the collections. Well worth a visit. Highly recommended.
We dined at a little cafe down the street that had been recommended to us by the cafe owner we visited in the morning. Brad is great at extracting places to eat from the locals and getting her hot coffee translation.
Felt into bed knackered I have to say. It seemed a long day and I expected to sleep well but I could not turn the air conditioning off so it was a long night!😶😶😶😶😶😶😶

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.

St Petersburg and the Palaces of Peterhof and Catherine

Today was very special. We had an all day tour of the Palaces of Catherine and Peterhof booked so it was an early start as we were to travel twenty six miles out of St Petersburg to the summer palace. Six ò'clock start for breakfast and on the bus by 7.15 am.
It was a cloudy and cool start to the day but the day improved as we arrived at Peterhof and it became quite warm as we walked around the grounds of the palace.

Peterhof was the vision of Peter the Great who established St Petersburg on the swampy site on the shores of the Baltic sea. He designed and built hi palace on the great castles he had seen on his travels in France and Amsterdam. Peterhof was said to rival Versailles. This Palace was his retreat and he sailed here from the city and sailed his barge up through the canal to the steps of the castle. He did not like mechanical things however and craftsmanship was highly valued.

Our trip took us out into the countryside where there was evidence of industrial Estates and agricultural activity.

Catherine's Palace was our first stop and we were ahead of the tourist crowds for a change although there was a bit of waiting around for tickets. I think there could be a tourist revolution here in the future -queuing is so boring and the cruise had already booked us on the tours.

There was quite a bit to see as we waited though and groups of musicians were tuning up to entertain us ( for money of course) but they were entertaining and played the Russian Folk music in stirring fashion. The outside of the palaces is spectacular, a beautiful blue and white exterior of the main wing topped with golden domes and spires which were burnished with gold and shining in the light. Later we saw the sun shining on them and it was even more spectacular.

Catherine's Palace was designed for Catherine by Resletti, an Italian architech much favoured by Catherine. It was completed in four years on the back of much hard labour!!!! It is a baroque style and much of it has been rebuilt after the Germans gutted it during their  occupation during WW2. It also suffered fire damage so the chapel is still under restoration.

The blue and white exterior has many cherubs, staues and adornments covering the facade, pillars, balconies and the gold filigree entrance gates were stunning. I had some fun with my camera trying to capture this grandure. The facade is nearly 1000 feet long and shimmers with the gold features.

Catherine's Palace is an amazing experience inside too. We toured through the rooms in our groups to see the refurbished palace. The opulence and extravagance of this era was mind boggling,  no wonder they met a sticky end!

The interior is narrow, one room in depth so you can see out to the lovely park gardens, all manicured and  designed to set off the palace.

 It did make for narrow corridors and rather a crush as we progressed through the palace. Twelve thousand visitors pass through this place a day in summer. We did not get to see the private quarters of the family,they are only shown to small groups in winter but we did see the state rooms, dining areas, reception rooms and Catherine's study. Catherine was well educated,intelligent and eventually she encarcerated her husband and became ruler. She was much loved by the people. She had begun life as a washer women at the palace.

We also got to see the much vaunted amber room but I did not find it to my taste.

After we explored the palace we did get outside into the gardens where we explored part of Catherine's Park. There were lots of elaborate Pavillions dotted around the park for musical soirees. We were 3ntertained to a classical performance while we were there which was amazing.

After this experience we were transported to a new palace built in a traditional style.  It was a replica of the baroque style,even the toilet  had gold mosiacs and we were served lunch here.

The meal was very traditional with Boosh, chicken,salad  and a fruit dessert with champagne.

Then it was off to Peterhof. The day was improving and by the time we arrived the sun was out and it became quite warm. The palace was out on the coast so we travelled past the traditional dacaus(holiday homes) once allocated to the people by the communist state but now they are on the private market.

Peterhof is noted for its fountains. When you stand on the terrace of the Palace and look down on the Grand cascade of fountains and out to the long canal running out to the Baltic Sea where Peter would arrive on his royal barge.

The fountain was built to celebrate the overthrow of Sweden and there are allegorical links to the state of Sampson and the overthrow of the enemy.

The water to the fountains are not pumped but bought down from Springs twenty miles inland by pipes and fed individually to the fountains. The size of the fountain related to the size of the pipes delivering get the water.

Peter was known own for many things,including dentistry. He treated his soldiers and tooth extraction was considered one of his skills.

We explored the gardens first which was lovely as the sun was out and then day took on a different hue.

We enjoyed walking in the park planted in lovely first, linden trees all had species because of the cold but they did have beautiful displays of tulips which had been bought in from Holland. Lilacs and horse chestnut trees were in flower and hosts, pansies and petunias were planted in the borders.

Our time came to tour inside the Palace and it all went according to clockwork. No photos here but much was similar to Catherine's Palace in terms of grandure.  No money was spared here for the king.

It was very hot I side so I was glad to get outside again. Much of this Palace has had to be restored as the Germans destroyed looted, stole 70% of the artworks,furniture etc. Great efforts were made by staff to bury the treasures and hide things from the invaders but it was left to women who were not strong enough to finish the task.

One million civilians died of starvation during the siege of Leningrad. 

Our guide was very good but by the end of the day my brain was in overload so it was a relief to jump back onto the bus for a hours drive with the joy of asking through the immigration officers scrutiny as we recorded the ship.

Our day finished with a great concert by The Opera Boys, two tenors with great voices in the theatre so we were very spoiled with our day out.

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.

Casa Miradouro and the Sintra sojourn

Waking up in our new home was a pleasant experience.It was too late when we arrived last night to take much in but the morning revealed a charmingly old restored villa with lovely  classical music playing while having your breakfast.
Our room is on the top floor and we have a view up to the castle when the 'helmet' of cloud allows. Sintra is know for this helmet of cloud which gives it a different climate than Lisbon according to our guide,Victor.
Breakfast is taken outside on the terrace if weather allows and fresh orange juice with cooked eggs,cereals with fruits and cold meats greet you each morning. What is not to like?
Victor had arranged to meet us at  9.30am for our exploration of Pena Park, the Palace of Pena in Peninha as well as the Chalet of Edia and later out to see the megalithic stones on the headland.
We had little idea of where we were heading as we had not had much prior information from World Walks but Victor drove us to a vantage point and we started walking through a large park established during the Romantic Era under King Ferdinand.
We started at the Challet of the Countess of Edia. It is like a gingerbread house set amongst the forest.It is quite unique and it has a very romantic story to go with it.
King Ferdinand was an artistic and talented king who married happily but his first wife,Maria died in childbirth bearing their eleventh child.She was much loved by the people and they were a popular couple. Ferdinand was alone for eight years before he attended the opera and fell in love with an opera singer with a child born out of wedlock so there was much opposition to the relationship. She had Swiss connections so the house Ferdinand built Elise had cork ornamentation but looked quite Swiss in design but very ornate inside. Much restoration is going on internally and Victor said many of the treasures were stolen by conquerors of Portugal.
It was the home of the second wife of King Ferdinand 2nd who was gifted it after the kings death. They lived here together after their marriage  which was opposed by the family and lliberals and Elise was not liked by the next King's wife so she refused to bequest it until the next generation took the throne and she left it to the wife of the grandson of Ferdinand.
From here we walked up through the park gardens with lakes and walkways,this was part of the Romantic movement to have gardens for pleasure, a place of relaxation and this garden lead all the way up to the Palace of Pena which was the home of Ferdinand but sadly Maria  died before they took up residence there.
The Palace sits high above the surrounding lands of Sintra and it occupies a site containing a monastery established by the king in gratitude to their service and as he contemporary, aged this he saw Vasco we Gama returning from his voyage to the East.
So this Palace contains remnants of Manuelian architecture and Romantic architecture and our guide filled our heads with many details and examples of these eras. It became the Summer Palace for the Royal family.
We explored the palace which is one of the finest example, especially of  Portuguese Romanticism and integrated with the natural values of the landscape. It also featured Moorish  influences. Some parts of the site date back to the 12th century and subsequent kings added to the structure.
We saw The stables with draft horses ,the glasshouse, lakes and grottos and had the park to ourselves.It was quite a contrast after the crowds at the palace.
We also visited a series of megalithic rock structures and found out about native plants and their uses. We saw many cork trees on our walk too.
We ate lunch in a little local restaurant known to Victor and sampled sardines cooked in the traditional way, very salty. We were very late arriving so the waiter was a little grumpy.
After lunch we walked out over the mountain to see the megalithic rock structures dating back to the stone ages and placed like Stonehenge. I enjoyed getting out into open spaces and seeing these massive structures.
It was a long day and we were knackered when we got back to the hotel. My cold was terrible and all I wanted was an early night but we headed out to find an eating place after a bit of a rest.
Sintra is much quieter after dark so we had a look around before eating at a local place with a grumpy waiter again this time because I did not eat all my meal.
Anyway a walk back down a steep hill where you take your life in your hands because it is narrow and flanked by high stone walls, cars barrel down at speed so you need to have your wits about you.

St Petersburg stopover

Anticipation is tangible on board this morning. For many of the travellers this city is the pinnacle for their trip and I have to say for me too. A dream come true in a sense. I never expected to stand in this city of treasures and historical significance. All the books I have read will now have a focus.

Security is stringent today and time consuming  you do not mess with the Russian immigration officials. Getting a smile out of them has become a tradition for the crew. We had to get past the ship security first as we are all  screened not just the non  EU passport holders but eventually we made it to the bus which was waiting for us to transport us on the Grand Tour of the city. Sadly in the rain and thirteen degrees. Than goodness I bought my puffer vest it has been outstanding and the brolley has done service as well.

We drove around some of the sights and had some photo shots at key places of interest.  The first was at the outlook over the Nevada River. The views would be lovely on a nice day.The two Rostral columns dominate the bridge over the river, they feature prows  of ships and a  figurehead with gas burners aloft to fire up for celebrations.

We saw The Cathedral of St Isaac's with its eye catching golden dome. No expenses spared to create a city of magnificence by Peter the Great to replicate other great cities in Europe such as Amsterdam and Versailles.

Our guide was excellent and filled our heads with facts and figures about the history of St Petersburg or Leningrad or Petrograd, whatever political flavour was on top.
We drove up the main  street, Nevsky Prospect which is where Brad and Jack stayed to see all the shopping hotels,cafes etc before stopping for a coffee at a souvenir shop packed with all the items discussed by Carl at our lectures on board so it was difficult to know what was authentic and what was not so I did not succumb.
We had lunch in a venue designed for tourists I suspect as we were treated to a performance while we ate of traditional folk music and dancing,all in a fairly small space. The three course meal was traditional Russian fare and served with a glass of bubbly and an entre of caviar on white bread.
Just nearby was the Ascot Hotel (?) where Hitler booked for his celebratory party once he captured the city during  WW 2. Invitations had been sent out but the brave citizens of the city defeated him in a massive effort and the city was never conquered by Hitler so the party was a dismal failure.
After lunch we were driven to the Hermitage Museum where we had to queue for a long time in the cold for tickets. Once we got inside it was manic!!!!
The guide was excellent but it was scary thinking you might get lost from the party as there were so many tour groups thronging the halls and filling the corridors but we did have excellent little speakers with earphones so we could hear her commentary. The building is magnificent,  the staircase took my breath away and the rich adornments were spectacular. We were there for a couple of hours but it would take days to see the palace in its entirety so I am just grateful for the opportunity to be here.

Our visit to see the Church of the Saviour on the Spilled blood was eagerly anticipated but what a let down. We were dropped off in the Peace Park to make our way across in the rain to get a glimpse of the iconic building.Photos do not do well in rainy conditions but I can say I did see it. I took photos for Beryl in the park of the lilacs in flower.What a perfume they give off after rain.
We then drove along the boulevards  passing many of the palaces of the Romanov family which today serve as museums and public administration  buildings.
Our last stop for the day was at the tomb of the Romanov in a Church beside the river. It was on an island and was where Peter the Great started his dream of building the city of St Petersburg.
Then it was back to the boat for tea but we were running late so I ended up transferring onto the bus for the ballet at the terminal so no chance to dress up in my special jacket bought with Lynne before I left Dunedin. I had to go in my day clothes but we were not in the main theatre of the Marinjinsky so nobody cared as everyone was from cruise ships. A disappointment not to be in the main theatre though,you are led to believe you are but the performance of Swan Lake was worth it and the costuming was brilliant.
It was a long day by the time we got through the Soviet inquisition and up to my cabin but what a tapestry of images and experiences I have enjoyed.

Copenhagen and fairytale castles

The days are passing quickly now but the weather is not warming up as anticipated. Today it is cloudy and 14°, maybe it will improve as the day goes by.
We got up in time for our stretch class before breakfast as we were  leaving the ship at 10.00 am for a trip out into the countryside to visit two of Denmark's famous castles.

Our first stop was at Hillerad to see the impressive Renaissance Fredericksburg Castle set on three islands amongst beautifully landscaped grounds, including a baroque knot garden which I could only see from a distance, disappointing as I thought we were to see the gardens on this trip. We only got to walk a little distance towards them before returning to the bus.

The entrance to the castle is spectacular with its brick exterior, massive ramparts and a copper roof with impressive spires above the  roofline. Inside the courtyard there is a huge fountain called Neptune's Fountain dominating the entranceway. 

The rest of the courtyard is huge and featured cobblestones, thick walls with ironwork details on windows,  stone statues looking down from the doorways and a grand entranceway leading into the huge halls featuring history over 500 years of Danish rule in the furniture, paintings and portraits of the rulers. Makes the English royal residences look rather impoverished by comparison.

The Danish Royal family no longer live here but sometimes attend mass here.
The interior was very ornate and the ceilings notable for their carvings, decorative features and paintings.The walls were lined with baronial shields bearing the coats of arms of the nobility in Denmark.The furniture was wooden and none too comfortable! Especially the beds!
We visited the impressive chapel which was home to the oldest organ with wooden pipes dating back to 1612 and we admired the ceilings and embellishments to the chapel.

We visited an impressive fashion display in the castle too. This show featured garments made in wool and reflecting fashions of the past in new designs. 

Our next stop was Kromborg Castle, otherwise known as Hamlet's Castle. It is built overlooking a narrow 4 km strip of sea separating Sweden from Denmark and in past times the castle policed this strait by enforcing taxes from sailors entering the Baltic Sea.We were told the Royals had little private money and this was a revenue source until an American sea captain challenged them in the 18th C and refused to pay. That ended the system. Not sure what they did for money after that. Apparently it was the land barons and other nobility who were wealthy and the Royal family had little in the coffers.

Interestingly the area around the castle celebrates the legacy of Hamlet with festivals of theatrical events based on Shakespearean plays. Buildings were named after him and we saw banners up advertising the next festival.There was also an impressive maritime museum under construction, most of it underground because people here do not want ugly buildings impacting on their views of the coastline.There was quite a port here too but we did not have time to explore.
Much to see in this part of the world so maybe it is another visit.

The day was very pleasant by now and we were able to walk out around the ramparts of the castle, not able to go into the grounds though but we could see the area inside the moat and the defensive walls. We had coffee and a Danish sweet pastry inside one of the old buildings before returning to the ship about 4.30 pm.

It had been a full on day, lots of walking and listening to information but it did give us an insight into a proud sea faring nation possessing a rich history of military might between the different Baltic powers, Germany and Russia. Such a peaceful place today.
The countryside is very flat and our drive took us through pastoral land dotted with small towns and villages,all well cared for and comfortable

Before we got back to the ship we had a detour to see the iconic statue, the Little Mermaid perched on the side of the water. This statue was a gift from a rich brewing magnate and based on the ballet of the same name but a tribute to the lead dancer. Apparently the dancer did not want to be depicted naked so the likeness is that of the artist's wifes upper body. It was certainly a draw card for the tourists as it proved tricky to get a suitable viewing space to take photos.
Sailing out tonight we passed by Hamlet's Castle. In olden times we would have been fired at by the cannons across the bows or chased down by castle boatman to extract taxes before we could pass by. We live in gentler times, not as colourful however.

Stockholm

Raining as we cruise up the harbour towards the port of Stockholm and cold,12° which is rather a shock after yesterday.Our hopes of a fine day looked grim.
The trip up the harbour is a pretty one with lots of islands to pass.Sweden has over 30,000 islands so it is an interesting coastline,forested land,rocky cliffs with little jetties to moor their boats and later lots of marinas hosting a huge array of leisure boats.
We were booked on an independent tour for the day which means you are picked up by bus with a tour leader who travels in the bus and then points you in the right direction and you go off on your own.
We were taken to Djurgarten,an island regarded as the amusement and recreation centre. It is home to the Vasa Museum, the National Museum,the Abba museum and Skarsen, noted as a wildlife and cultural centre.
It was pouring with rain when we were dropped off before 9.oo am so our raincoats and brolleys were essential items, it was not walking weather so we took shelter in the National  Museum which was expensive and of little interest to us because it was written in Swedish. We went around the corner to the Vasa Museum which depicts the restored sailing ship similar to the Mary Rose restoration and we browsed the shop until the rain lessened before venturing outside and heading along towards the cafes and Skarsen which we thought would be interesting as it depicted local life and had animals in the outdoors.Apparently the Kings hunted in this area and to this day it is still a place of outdoor interest.
We did find an interesting garden at the back of the Vasa Museum which featured the plants and medicinal herbs used by sailors to keep healthy.
We made it down as far as Skarsen but the lady at the gate said we would need at least two hours to see it all so we took a walk in the Kings gardens instead while we waited for the bus and photographed some impressive rhododendron displays.
Next stop was Gamla Stan in the old town and we were lucky to arrive in time to see the changing of the guard at the palace. Quite a magnificent ceremonial  affair with band performances,some neat footwork from the soldiers who wore silver helmets of viking design and a smart blue uniform. The palace dominates this old section of the city and although the Royal family do not live here in the palace the king works from here and official functions are held here.We did not go into the palace but we did get a taste of the Royal influence by visiting the gift shop.
We wandered around the fascinating old streets ,cobbled and in places so narrow you could touch the walls both sides as you walked through. The massive wooden doors with coats of arms  and family crests which led into to homes and apartments took my eye as did the iron work around the windows. The houses date back to the 16-19th Century
We sat in the sun (yes the weather had improved dramatically after lunch) in Stortorget, the great square out side the Old Stock Exchange now home to  the the Nobel Peace Museum and watched the world go by. Lots of school groups lining up, harassed teachers leading the way amongst throngs of tourists.
There was plenty of window shopping and poking around little courtyards to keep us busy until it was time to meet our bus at three.
This was an interesting city to visit and we only scratched the surface of the options to explore.The boat trips out to various islands looked inviting as the day warmed up and there were lovely parks visible. Maybe a return visit beckons.
Later we went to one of the performances in the Headliners Theatre called Shine and watched some extraordinary agility routines using ropes,hoops and supple bodies to entertain us.I was in awe of what they could subject their bodies to it will be another story when old age calls!!!!