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Ireland, Portugal and Spain

October - November 2018
We are travelling for six weeks, starting in Dublin and ending in Barcelona. Read more
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  • TravelerIreland, Portugal and Spain
    Day 21

    Last day in Porto

    October 23, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    The tickets we bought yesterday for the Blue Bus included a trip on the Rio Douro on the Blue Boat. We walked over to the riverside dock where we were soon on a boat. Once again, it was interesting and the 45 minutes we spent on board showed us things we would not otherwise have seen. Most of the traffic on the river was tourist boats such as ours, with one going past every couple of minutes.

    Our next planned event for the day was to visit the Offley Port House. We had read a good report about it in the SMH six months ago so we bypassed the ones closer to the tourist area. On arrival, at 1 pm, we were told that the next tour was at 3pm. Not to be deterred we went for a long walk, with gelato, and were back in time for the tour.

    Sophie, our guide, gave a good presentation of the history of Port Wine, how and where it is made, and so forth. I believe that this is not one of the larger port houses, but they certainly had a lot of wine maturing away in French oak barrels. At the end of the tour we were taken to the tasting room where tables had been set up to reflect each ticket. Robyn had bought a two glass tasting, and of course I had to have a three glass ticket. It was all very nicely set out, and we were talked through the various types. Obviously doing two port house sessions in one day would take an effort.

    On our return we showered and changed and went out for a pre-dinner drink. This was a pleasant way of ending our time in Porto, as tomorrow we head to Lisbon for three days.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland, Portugal and Spain
    Day 22

    Moving on down to Lisbon

    October 24, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Sadly it was time to leave our wonderful apartment in Porto. We have enjoyed our four days here, with plenty of room, a good kitchen and secure parking. It really is the benchmark against which we will judge all our accommodation on this holiday.

    Leaving was an issue. As I had mentioned when we arrived, getting into the parking area was a problem, but getting out was not much easier. The traffic had eased a little from the pre 9 am rush, but there was still plenty there. We had to poke our car’s nose out and wait, wait, wait until some kind soul saw our predicament and let us in. That was fine, but we also needed half of the other lane to turn properly so it was interesting.

    Our drive down to Lisbon was straightforward, with our GPS and signs makings it quite easy. The only thing of note was when we needed to refuel and thought a coffee would be in order. At the “restaurant” we walked in, and Robyn asked for a cappuccino. Would you believe they only did strong coffee shots and if you wanted a cappuccino you had to go to a machine and put money in. That was just a bridge too far, so we continued on our way.

    At the next service area we tried again, with little luck. Robyn ended up with a poor excuse for a flat white and I had to get my hot chocolate from a machine. Amazing!

    The apartment we have rented for three days in Lisbon was at the lower end of the price scale, so we didn’t have high expectations, but it has everything we need and the location is great.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland, Portugal and Spain
    Day 23

    Our first day in Lisbon Pt 1

    October 25, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Our friendly host here in our apartment gave us many tips about what to see in Lisbon. Really, if you are happy to walk you can see so much, but if you want to take a “tourist trap” tram you can see even more without the sore feet.

    We decided to walk into town this morning to see a little and visit the main Tourist Information Centre, post some postcards and change some Aussie dollars for Euros. Funnily enough we managed to do all of these things before midday, as well as buy another T-shirt for Robyn, this time one with Lisbon on it. Typical tourist!

    We found a post office point, not actual office, but a point that sold stamps and you could post according to type of mail. It was very well done, and so in no time we had bought 5 stamps and put the postcards in the International slot. Little things like that show how much better other countries do some things than Australia.

    While strolling around we found a museum dedicated to money. It was contained in a huge building that had originally been a church but had been bought by the Bank of Portugal in the 1930s and used as a head office. Entrance was free so we went in, were put through airport type security and saw a very interesting history of money, from the first coinage in 7th century BC through to the introduction of the Euro in Portugal.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland, Portugal and Spain
    Day 23

    Our first day in Lisbon Pt 2

    October 25, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The afternoon was spent walking. I had left our map at the cafe where we had a little lunch so finding our way around was a bit difficult, We managed to make it up to the Castle, but missed the Cathedral on the way. Given its size I don’t know how we managed that.

    Anyway, we bought a map and backtracked to the Cathedral where we lit a candle in memory of Sue Whiteley. It seems that their cathedrals are all dark, sombre places, and this was no exception. However, its scale was impressive and we enjoyed taking it all in.

    Next was a walk down to the docks where we saw two gigantic (to us) cruise ships. We watched them being re-provisioned and some painting being done as well, and then saw bus after bus of passengers coming back to board. We are not sure that this type of holiday is for us, but maybe, perhaps, when we are too old ...

    Our walk took us a long way along the bank of the Rio Tejo before we headed back to our apartment. One thing we have noted is that there are many hills, and while not particularly steep, they seem to go on forever.

    Literally around the corner from our place we noticed a little bar/restaurant that looked very inviting. After a shower and change we went back there and had a quiet drink. We are going back tomorrow evening for dinner.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland, Portugal and Spain
    Day 24

    Last day in Lisbon - the walking tour

    October 26, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Instead of taking a Yellow (or Red or Blue) Bus we decided yesterday to book ourselves in to a guided walking tour of the centre of Lisbon with Take Lisboa. So, at 10.30 we were at Largo Chiado to meet up with Afonso Pereira and 16 other people for a 2.5 hours guided tour. Our tour was in English, naturally, but it was interesting how many nationalities were represented - Canada, USA, Germany, Sweden, Malta and Australia.

    For the next two hours we walked around, stopping at various points of interest, and hearing stories about many different things. I really enjoyed his commentary about the bloke who is head of the movement to return the monarchy. He has headquarters in Lisbon, and wants to be the King. Afonso said that whenever there is a slow news day he will be interviewed by the press on whatever topic comes to mind, and he is usually good for a laugh.

    The big earthquake of 1755 devastated Lisbon. Many thousands died then, and the person put in charge of the cleanup was very mindful of disease. He ordered bodies be taken on a barge and taken well out in the river and dumped, an action that saved many more from death. However, he clashed with the Catholic Church over this because it did not constitute a Christian burial. Prior to the earthquake he had been put in charge of urban renewal, and his town planning ideas were way ahead of the times. It turned out that some of the new areas, perhaps seedier ones, survived the earthquake because of his radical building ideas, whereas the thousands who piled into the cathedral for safety died when it collapsed.

    The tour ended in the square where the 1506 Easter Slaughter took place. About 1900 Jews were killed, burnt, or hung by a wild crowd, incited by a couple of Dominican friars who promised absolution for the sins of the past 100 days if one killed a “heretic”. This was a dark day in the past of both Lisbon and Portugal.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland, Portugal and Spain
    Day 24

    Our last day in Lisbon

    October 26, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    After our walking tour, we went for a long walk, mainly along the river heading for the ocean. It is quite a big river, and has a working port. After going as far as the big new bridge, Pont 25 de April, we turned north and wended our way up the hill, through quiet neighbourhoods and parks.

    We finished the day off with a lovely meal in the little cafe just around the corner at 22 Rue Bempostinha (we were staying at No 7). The menu changes from day to day, and you get what you are given. Today was watercress soup followed by bread with goats cheese and honey mustard. It was just delicious, and of course it was washed down with house red and white. We even had dessert. We chatted to the owner for a little while, a lovely young lady. She really regards this place as her living room which she shares with her neighbours and people like us. A lovely way to finish our time in Lisbon.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland, Portugal and Spain
    Day 25

    Time to move down to Tavira

    October 27, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    It really doesn’t take long to pack up and move if you are organised, and so it was that we left our little apartment in Lisbon fairly early. Using the parking station (14 euro/day) was expensive, but at least the car was safe.

    Once out of the car park though it became really, really difficult. Because so many of the streets are close together it becomes difficult to know which one the GPS is telling you to take, and so we went round and round a few times. In the end, at one intersection, I looked and looked and pretty well closed my eyes and put the foot down and hoped for the best!

    Eventually we ended up on the A2 and things calmed down. The drivers here are pretty good, and much better mannered than Australians. However, they do drive much faster. On the freeway, signposted to 120 kph, I had to put cruise control on to 135 kph before other cars only passed me slowly. At 120 kph they flew past, and quite a few of them had to have been doing 160 kph. Interestingly we didn’t see ONE equivalent of our Highway Patrol or roadside radar, and only one time when there might have been an accident.

    Tavira was 300 kms down the road, and about 230 of those kilometres were on the tollway. Ouch! $32 later we were free to travel on the local roads, only to find that they photographed your number plate and indicated that a toll was due. Because we don’t have an e-tag and have a Spanish registered hire car we have no idea what will happen because there is nowhere to pay.

    We arrived in Tavira and found that the streets where we had to go are really, really narrow, and the GPS struggled. Eventually, by reversing back up a one-way street I was able to turn into our little one. I nearly took the side of the car out though, and it was only because Robyn saw it happening and screamed that we avoided an expensive sound.

    We were really early, so headed down to the riverside for a coffee and sent a text to Carla letting her know we were here and would meet her there at her convenience. 20 minutes later we met her at the apartment.

    The place has been well renovated/built, and is very tidy and well equipped, but soooo small! The main point is that it has a conservatory, which is accessed via an external spiral staircase, and we were bemused by it. It is almost pointless, unless you are having a fight and want to spend time apart!

    Anyway, we unpacked, went and bought some groceries, and settled in for the night.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland, Portugal and Spain
    Day 26

    Sunday in Tavira

    October 28, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    While having breakfast I noticed that the time on my phone was an hour earlier than my watch. It took a few minutes to work it out, but Dr Google of course was able to advise that daylight saving had ended early this morning. We are now 11 hours behind NSW and 10 hours behind Queensland (I think).

    Tavira is a mixed sort of place. Where we are is obviously fairly old, while a few blocks away you can see quite modern blocks of apartments. One travel guide said that it had a population of around around 11,000, while Wikipedia said it was around 25,000. After a walk around we tend to think that the latter is nearer the mark, as there are quite a few residential areas of significant size. Alas, some of them look destined to be the slums of the future.

    We headed over the river first for our morning coffee (for those who know me, this is code for one coffee and one hot chocolate). It was quite cool in the shade so we found a sunny cafe and sat down. Just after ordering, another couple came along and as all other tables were taken we invited them to join us. It turned out to be the best thing we did all day. They were Canadians who are in Portugal for a while, staying a few kilometres away and day tripping to Tavira. They were so interesting to talk to. He is retired, and doesn’t look a day over 50, but when he said that he had been a portfolio manager for high net worth individuals it made sense! Furthermore, his wife had not worked while raising their two children. In many ways we had quite a lot in common and it would have been nice to see more of them, but such is the way with holidays. They even paid for our drinks, a nice gesture.

    Our walk pretty much ended our day, with reading, Scrabble, grocery shopping and generally doing nothing the order of the rest of the day. I managed to cook omelettes this evening in our “galley” with some success, only because I am not too tall.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland, Portugal and Spain
    2
    Day 27

    Monday in Tavira

    October 29, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We were up relatively early this morning so that we could get a good walk in before lunch.

    We headed out, at first looking for a French bread shop that we saw on Saturday on our way in, and soon found it. Naturally it was closed until Tuesday, but at least we know where it is now.

    After following the main road out of town for a few minutes we turned north and headed through another residential area. This soon petered out into a gravel road through agricultural land, which was very picturesque. While we had no real idea of where we were in general, we were headed towards the ocean. The soil here is very fertile and, as we found elsewhere, the Portuguese like to grow things. We counted 12 different crops: potatoes, pomegranate, oranges, limes, lemons, chokos, passion fruit, beans, olives, peppers, avocados and grapes.

    Eventually we came to a sealed road that went to our left and which wandered through a huge holiday villa complex. It made anything we have stayed at look positively small by comparison. Being the end of the season there was not much activity there but it was well kept. Amazingly, there was a plaque next to an olive tree, claiming that the tree was at least 2000 years old, and it had been kept as part of the development.

    To get to the beach you have to walk along a path, over a bridge, and then for quite some distance. We decided that this was not necessary for Australians so we turned left instead and headed back towards Tavira, through the village of Santa Luzia. This little village is apparently the octopus capital of the world although how you would know that, and where they get them from, is anybody’s guess.

    By the time we arrived back home we had done around 12 kms, a fair effort, and one that needed rewarding with a coffee and pastry.

    When in a foreign country it is usual to try the local cuisine, but ... as seafood features highly in that list we have tended to eat plain fare. So it was this evening that we had a pleasant time at a little pizza place where we enjoyed the food and the wine. Our waitress for the evening was a Bulgarian wrestler, and looked as though she could handle herself very well!    Read more

  • TravelerIreland, Portugal and Spain
    Day 28

    Tuesday in Tavira

    October 30, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    It was slightly cooler this morning when we headed out for a walk. Being very original in planning our walks, this time we decided to do yesterday’s walk in reverse.

    Santa Luzia was pretty much the same as it was yesterday, very attractive on the building side of the street and very unattractive on the river side with the tide out. We kept going until we reached the walkway, walk bridge and railway line to Praia Do Barril, or Barril Beach. Unlike yesterday, when we decided that we didn’t need to see a beach, this time we decided to go in. It was about a 20 minute walk to get to the beach and associated restaurants. Originally it was a tuna fishing village, or community, inhabited for about four or five months of the year. This ended up being uneconomic so it fell into disrepair for a while until revitalised as a tourist spot. The beach is nice, and there is plenty of opportunity to eat. It must be busy in the summer season but was pretty dead today.

    On the sand dunes is an Anchor Cemetery, where old anchors used in the tuna fishing business were laid to rest.

    I mentioned the train line earlier. For those less inclined to walk all the way to the beach there is the opportunity to take a little train, saving about 15 minutes walking. This train also doubles as a freight train because there is no road to the beach and its buildings.

    The return trip was slightly different to yesterday, but still included a long walk along gravel laneways with fruit and veggie gardens either side. Because of our trip to the beach we ended up doing about 13.5 kilometres, quite a good effort, and we were rewarded with coffee and waffles.

    Our evening was very quiet, with dinner and an episode of “Vera” on British TV.    Read more

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