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Europe 2022
  • Chris Dickson
Sep – Oct 2022

Europe 2022

A 46-day adventure by Chris Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 8, 2022
    Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Greyfriars Chapel
    Canterbury CathedralAnciant water tower at the cathedralThe cathedral quire looking towards Trinity ChapelCrowd hearing the proclamation. Then they went back to their beers.Sandwich guildhall, where the Earl ordered the first meat-and-bread creation. Subway are grateful.The River StourWeir at Abbott's Mill Garden

    Canterbury Tales

    September 12, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    So, after three years, a pandemic and the death of Queen Elizabeth a day before we arrived here, we’re finally overseas again. Didn’t expect that last one, it must be said.

    Canterbury has a bit of a split personality; with old Canterbury the historic destination for pilgrims and the seat of the Anglican Church, and on the other side new Canterbury the fantastically tourist-friendly labyrinth of pubs, restaurants and shops of the old town, full of cruise ship tour groups, other visitors and, especially on weekends, locals out for some fun.

    We did the old Canterbury part by visiting the Franciscan Gardens, historic gardens encompassing Greyfriars Chapel, a 13th-century chapel straddling the river. Then there was the castle - closed due to falling masonry - and the Dane John Garden, providing a valuable public service as a beer-drinking venue and outdoor urinal.

    The cathedral was something else again. Awesome in both its size and complexity, we took a couple of hours to follow the visitor’s route, and we’re sorry that we didn’t stop for longer to savour the atmosphere of an incredible historic building. And one that is, in parts, fourteen hundred years old! It was quite amazing, and the volunteers on duty were all knowledgeable and helpful.

    Then, as we left, the proclamation of the accession of King Charles III was read to an enormous crowd just outside the cathedral gate, a very appropriate place to hear it.

    We also took a trip to Sandwich, but were a little underwhelmed by a town that promotes itself as one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Britain (and as the origin of the eponymous culinary creation). We didn’t have any peanut butter or vegemite, but did have a gin and tonic and a pint for lunch.

    Another wonderful aspect of Canterbury is the River Stour, small and fast-flowing as it runs through the city and the scenic centrepiece of some beautiful parkland. Boat trips abound, with tourists rowed for some distance through the old town to the weir at the Abbott’s Mill Garden.

    We stayed in a pub near the garden, and enjoyed the odd sundowner, perched on the narrow footpath, listening to the rush of water over the weir and watching the near-misses on the nearby road.

    Tomorrow, Brighton.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    The Royal Pavilion
    All LED's of courseBanquetting Hall, clearly for intimate gatheringsThe Music RoomQueen Victoria's bed. No wonder she never smiled - her back was probably aching constantlyBrighton Palace PierMajor Pier activityBrighton health food outletsThe beachGardner Street, near our accommodation and great for people-watching

    Brighton Stories

    September 15, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Well, Canterbury was lively and exciting. Brighton is the same times ten, bigger, more cosmopolitan, more broad-minded.

    We arrived by train, walked down to our accommodation (third floor, no lift) and headed down to the sea-front and the Brighton Palace Pier.

    Being late on a damp, Tuesday afternoon, it was quiet, but all the elements of the British seaside were there - fried food, slot machines, drunks, young people being annoying. It was great, and the views out to the English Channel and up to the ruin of the long-destroyed West Pier were fabulous.

    The following morning we moved from our room (third floor, no lift, bathroom door fallen off its hinges) and into a lower altitude one, with profuse apologies from the landlady.

    Then we walked in light rain down to the Royal Pavilion.

    Prince George, then Prince Regent George, then King George IV, then unpopular fat gouty bastard King George IV, built the pavilion as his party house, and spared no expense in doing so. We were wowed by the Banquet Room, moved by the Music Room, fascinated by the Royal Apartments, all of them beautifully restored and furnished and scattered with helpful and knowledgeable guides.

    We walked around The Lanes, full of quirky shops and restaurants, then back to the seafront for another stroll, this time on the shingles of Brighton Beach. As a beach-building material, shingle is probably not going to take over from sand any time soon, but it does explain the poor injury record of the Brighton beach volleyball team.

    One of the real highlights of Brighton was sitting outside the Dorset Hotel, drinks in hand, watching the passing parade of some of the most varied fashion choices you would ever see. It is an amazingly vibrant, tolerant and, from our brief observations, happy place.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Parc Guell
    Parc Guell - the Greek TheatreParc GuellColumbusLa Sagrada FamiliaSagrada Familia interiorSahrada Familia interiorView over Barcelona from MontjuicPlaca Reial, in the Gothic QuarterLocal out for an evening stroll

    Barcelona Jottings

    September 19, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    There is a lot to Barcelona, to state the bleeding obvious. It has thousands of years of history, a fantastic location on the Mediterranean, Catalan culture and language and a lifestyle perfectly suited to the climate. And it has Antoni Gaudi.

    Our dip of the big toe into the sea of Barcelona started at Parc Guell, designed by the said Gaudi around 1900 and originally intended as an estate of luxury homes. It didn’t work out, and in 1926 it was declared a public park, complete with Gaudi’s stone carvings, concrete structures and mosaics. Based on elements of nature, its appearance seemed impossibly modern - or, perhaps, timeless. We wandered all around, took in the magnificent view of the city from the Greek Theatre and marvelled at the mind of the man who conceived it all.

    Then, the incredible Sagrada Familia. The original architect retired after two years and, in what must be one of the best architectural appointments in history, Gaudi got the gig.

    He adapted the original neo-gothic style to suit his own - let’s say original, if not way-out - ideas, and the result (as yet unfinished) was an absolute masterpiece. We were stunned by the design, internal and external, and astonished to find out that every element of the design had a reason related to either the setting or Gaudi’s profound religious beliefs. We have honestly never, anywhere seen anything like it.

    What else is there about Barcelona?

    The Gothic Quarter was great, crowded, narrow, winding streets, unexpected squares and a number of impressive churches. However, even the cathedral - Santa Eulalia - pales in comparison to its modern competitor.

    We also walked from the impressive waterfront, where Christopher Columbus stands on a 60-metre column and gazes intently out to sea, all the way up La Rambla, a wide, partly pedestrianised and fully touristified boulevard that heads northwest to Placa de Catalunya, full of fountains, statues, pigeons and people. On the way, we called in at the market - La Boqueria - and marvelled at the chaos of people buying, selling, eating and drinking, all with the volume turned up to eleven!

    We also took a ride up to Montjuic, where the views over the city from the steps of the Catalonian Art Museum (with conveniently-located food and beer shop) were also brilliant.

    We stayed out of town a little and enjoyed shopping and eating local - once we got used to the fact that “local” means about 8:30 pm at the earliest! Even in our local area, the crowds out in the squares drinking and promenading - couples young and old, families with young children, young people out for the night - filled the streets with talk and laughter.

    One more thing, for a taste of a different Catalan activity, Google “Castells “, a UNESCO-recognised activity that involves building a human pyramid about six people high then sending a five-year-old scurrying up to the top.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    The Alhambra, viewed from the Generalife
    The AlhambraThe AlhambraPalace of King Charles VThe Nasrid PalacesThe Nasrid PalacesThe. Asrod PalacesThe AlcazabaViews from the AlhambraThe Generalife

    Granada Saga

    September 22, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We left the unique and beautiful Barcelona and ventured south for two nights in Granada, in formerly Moorish territory and final resting place of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, the power couple of the 15th century and architects of the Spanish Inquisition.

    Since 1521 they’ve lain together in the suitably ornate and tranquil Capilla Real, roused only by the shuffle of touristic footprints and the buzz of the audio guides. Not, however, by the clicks of cameras, as there were no photos allowed.

    The highlight of Granada by far, though, was the Alhambra. In 1238, Abdallah ibn al-Ahmar, ruler of the Emirate of Granada, dammed a river, installed a water supply and it all went on from there, with contributions over time from the various rulers of the area. Part palace, part fortress, part gardens, and a mixture of Islamic and Christian architecture, it took us four hours to explore and to take in the incredible views over the city.

    The Nasrid Palaces, which needed a timed entry ticket, were fascinating, with Moorish influence in the structure and the clever use of running water to cool the rooms.

    It started off Muslim, then in 1492 the Muslims moved out (not willingly, it could be assumed) and the Christians took over, making their own additions to the structure in a more western style.

    We also walked through the Alcazaba, the fortress guarding the western extremity of the complex, and finally through the Generalife, a most beautiful garden complex with a palace at its end, again all cooled by running water.

    Sunrise in Granada isn’t until about 8 o’clock at this time of the year, making the mornings crisp and pleasant. It’s very hot by afternoon, though, and has been a bit stormy, so a quick siesta followed by the traditional Spanish beer o’clock (actually, that’s the Dickson tradition), then a late to very late dinner has been the order of the day.

    As we write this we are on the train to Cordoba for some more explorations.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    The Roman Bridge - Puente Romano - originally 1st century BC
    The Mezquita walls and BelltowerThe Mezquita - Patio of the Orange TreesMezquita interiorMezquita interiorThe Mezquita - the main Christian alterationsAlcazar de los Reyes Cristianos - Palace of the Christian KingsThe Palace GardensFriday night in Plaza de Las TendillasFriday night in Plaza de Las Tendillas

    Cordoba Correspondence

    September 23, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    It was mid-afternoon when we arrived in Córdoba and it was hot as anything. The only people about were either finishing up their long lunches or cleaning up after them.

    When we emerged from a short siesta it was still very hot, but we walked down to the River Guadalquivir through the former Muslim Quarter along an endless array of narrow, winding streets and alleys.

    We took a look at the Roman Bridge and the river before hydrating with a few beers and an enormous gin-and-tonic, then set off to walk back. As we did so, life returned to the streets. The bar outside our hotel, which when we arrived looked closed-down, was open and crowded. The Plaza de Las Tendillas, the main square where earlier in the day it appeared that any piece of ground not in the shade was Kryptonite, was buzzing and bustling and the inhabitants of town were out parading, eating and drinking. What a transformation!

    The following morning, while it was still cool, we visited the Mezquita - officially the Mezquita-Catedral de Cordoba and since 1984 a UNESCO site. What a stunning place!

    A Christian basilica in the 6th century, a mosque in 768 then finally a Catholic place of worship from 1236, the building reflects the architectural styles of its various proprietors as it was added to successively over the 1500-or-so years of its existence.

    The interior was quiet and cool, and the pillars and double arches of the Moorish style seemed to go on forever. In the middle was the structure of the current Christian church, looking like it had been picked up and dropped down through the ceiling of the mosque.

    We also visited the Alcazar de los Reyes Christianos - Palace of the Christian Kings, although an hour of visiting after an hour of queueing for tickets probably wasn’t a good use of our time.

    The building itself wasn’t special, but the gardens, with extensive pools and fountains, were fabulous.

    And then it was Friday night. If the town came to life at 8 o’clock on a Thursday night, it positively exploded on a Friday. We had another very happy dinner in the main square - the vibe was so good that even the buskers, seemingly all playing “Those Were the Days” on their violins or piano accordions, sounded pretty good.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Outside The Alcazar
    The AlcazarThe AlcazarGardens of The AlcazarGardens of The AlcazarHospital de Los VenerablesSeville CathedralCathedral interiorCathedral interiorSetas de Seville - the Mushrooms of Seville

    Seville Epistle

    September 26, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    As our train headed toward Seville, the laughter and talk of a group of young women overpowering the carriage, the endless olive trees that were our scenery so far gave way to endless orange trees. Otherwise the country all looked about the same.

    We hit Seville on a weekend and it was all abuzz. No namby-pamby siestas for these people, when there was a long lunch and loud conversation to be had.

    The historic area around the Cathedral and the Alcazar was filled with horse-and-cart-riding tourists, cameras and selfie sticks and long queues.

    We visited the Alcazar in the cool of the next morning and it proved to be a worthy addition to our itinerary of Moorish architecture. The interiors reeked with history, either that of the Muslim founders over a thousand years ago, or their Castilian successors since the 1400’s.

    We walked along a raised wall with incredible views of the gardens, with pools and fountains and kilometres of perfectly-groomed hedges.

    A great, probably COVID-inspired development since we last travelled is the downloadable audio guide - scan the QR code with your phone and away you go, although it does need a local data connection.

    For a quick dose of extra culture we visited the Hospital de Los Venerables, a former refuge for ailing priests with a church that has a stunning painted ceiling as well as a small but significant art collection. Who knew there were rules for depicting the immaculate conception? Apparently she must be wearing blue and white, and be standing on a moon, which may or may not explain something about the early religious scholars!

    The Cathedral was our last stop, and it was a little overwhelming, an absolutely cavernous interior supported by monstrous pillars, endless chapels around the walls containing the usual dusty statuary and some stunning altar pieces.

    We had a couple of fabulous dinners close to home in Plaza Abastos, in the shadow of the Setas de Seville, a frankly weird wood and concrete structure that covers the entire square. Just when you think you are starting to understand a place…

    We felt like we barely scratched Seville, but are looking forward to our next few days in Caceres.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Torre de Bujaco
    Arco de Estrella - former main gate to the cityStudy in grey-brownAnother study in grey-brownConcatedral de Santa MariaInside the Concatedral12th-century cisternLuncheon in Plaza MayorEvening in Plaza MayorPlaza Mayor

    Caceres Correspondence

    September 27, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    We left the heat and bustle of Seville and took a very interesting 4-hour local train ride to Caceres, winding and rattling our way up hill from Andalucia until the land flattened out into a vast, brown plain for miles in every direction.

    We saw some interesting places, most of them rather desolate. Modern factories near the main roads had replaced the ruined ones by the side of the railway line.

    At the stations there would be a crowd of onlookers to see the travellers off, as if a train journey was still an event to be anticipated and romanticised.

    Caceres was a pleasant change, cooler and calmer. Dating to the year 25 BC but largely enhanced in the 1500’s using riches plundered from the Americas, its combination of Roman, Moorish and Western architecture got it onto the UNESCO list in 1986.

    The Monumental City of Caceres, the old town, is a monochromatic tribute to the art of stonemasonry, all brown-grey stone buildings and brown-grey cobblestones. The only other colours to be seen are the occasional flag on an official building and the traffic signs.

    We walked around and around, up and down hill, and took a look into the Concatedral de Santa Maria and its bell tower. We then visited the Museo de Caceres, which would have benefited from some English descriptions, although it was free for us old people. It also turned out there were some works by Picasso and El Greco in the fine arts section, but we ignoramuses breezed past them without paying attention.

    The museum building was on the site of the original Moorish fortress from the 12th century and we took a look down into the water cistern that still lies intact underneath.

    Finally, Plaza Mayor, adjacent to the old town, was a great, huge place to have a drink and a snack and watch the world go by (with a brown-grey backdrop). Come eight o’clock it would be crowded with couples, noisy children, dogs and pigeons, the restaurants would be filling up and another day of our Spanish holiday would be coming to a close.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Madrid Cathedral's best aspect
    Palacio RealRehearsal underway in the Palace. No photos allowed elsewhereThe Alcazar of ToledoRiver Tagus from Puente de AlcantaraInside Toledo CathedralThe altar piece lit by the skylightCloseup of the skylightPurveyor of fine letter openers

    Madrid Memorandum (1)

    October 1, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Even a two-hour delay on our train from Caceres couldn’t dampen our spirits, as we left the heat of the south and settled into a cooler and rather damp Madrid.

    Our first stop was the Palacio Real, surrounded all around by beautifully manicured square and gardens and aesthetically matched by the cathedral across the square from it.

    The cathedral has the almost unique distinction of NOT being recommended for a visit by the Lonely Planet, so we skipped it.

    The Palacio Real, though, was stunning. Room after room filled with sumptuous furnishings and works of art, each decorated differently and almost all with incredible frescoes on their ceilings, it was almost a bit “ho-hum, another beautiful room” by the end. The Gasparini Room, entirely floor to ceiling and wall to wall carvings and Rococo swirls, took 55 years to finish, which was unfortunate as the king who commissioned it died in the meantime.

    There was some recent history there as well, including the signed deed of abdication of King Juan Carlos I from 2014. The Spanish people, it seems, didn’t take kindly to either his elephant hunting, his dodgy deals with Saudi businessmen or his mistress. Either way, it was interesting to see some modern history in amongst the antiquities.

    The following day we took a train to Toledo and, no, didn’t see Corporal Klinger anywhere.

    We did see some beautiful windows and stonework (that was just the railway station) as we trudged up the hill and across the Alcantara bridge (11th-century, but originally Roman) into the town.

    We spent longer than expected in the cathedral - Catedral Primada Santa Maria de Toledo, the head honcho of Spanish churches. That was because it was one of the best we have seen, particularly its stunning altar piece - “El Transparente” - lit by light from an incredibly-decorated skylight high in the structure.

    Toledo, was also fun (if slightly hard work) to walk around. Plaza Zocodover was crowded and bustling and the Synagogue of El Transito contained a small and indecipherable museum. Unfortunately, the Alcazar, imposingly commanding even in hilly Toledo, was closed for renovations.

    Since the sword is now pretty much obsolete for anything other than opening very large letters, it was also intriguing to see shop after shop selling this famous-if-now-pointless Toledo product.

    Madrid continues in a few days time…    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Parc de Retiro
    Plaza Mayor by nightPhillip III in Plaza MayorThe Temple of DebodMonument to Don Quixote in Plaza de EspanaAvila's city wallsSegovia's alcazarOn top of the alcazarAcueducto de SegoviaMadrid from Circulo des Bellas Artes

    Madrid Memorandum (2)

    October 3, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Our Madrid adventure continued with a few hours in the Prado. It was a great experience and we walked and stared until our legs ached. But boy, some of those artists must have had some weird stuff going on! Just take a look at Goya’s black paintings, for example (but don’t do it in front of the children!).

    We took a look at Retiro, the huge, manicured park, complete with boating lake, statues, buskers and lunchers that was quite packed on a Saturday afternoon, as was Plaza Mayor, the huge and elegant main square.

    The Temple of Debod, given to Spain in return for helping with the Aswan Dam, was an unexpected sight in another impressive park.

    We also took a day tour to Avila and Segovia, ten hours either sitting on a bus or following a woman with a flag.

    Avila, of which we had never heard, was a neat little town - the historic old town centre almost toy-like - with quite immaculate intact city walls, a basilica and the Iglesia-convento de Santa Teresa, built on the site of her birthplace. Saint Teresa means a lot to the Avilians, although whether it was a good idea to keep one of her wrinkled, decayed, 700-year-old fingers on display is uncertain. Still, apparently Rome has her right foot and part of her upper jaw, and there are other bits of her in various locations around Europe, so they’re not the only ones.

    Segovia, much bigger and with a spectacularly-sited alcazar, was more real, and we walked right across town from the Alcazar to the cathedral and finally the famous aqueduct. And rightly famous it is, too. Running right down one side of the Plaza del Azoguejo, and about 25 metres tall at its highest, it is pretty much unavoidable. It was an impressive end to an exciting, if long, day.

    We finished off our time in Madrid with some more walking downtown, followed by a couple of drinks in the rooftop bar of the Circulo de Bellas Artes. It was crowded and atmospheric, but, to be honest, a beautiful skyline isn’t really one of Madrid’s prime attributes.

    Madrid has been a brilliant, entertaining and interesting experience.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Constitution Square
    The old townThe City Council building, between the beach amd the old townLa Concha BeachPromenade along the beachAnother view of the beachMonte Igueldo funicularLa Concha Bay, from Monte IgueldoPuente del Kursaal, across the River UrumeaAntique elevator. No pappadums were available to photograph.

    San Sebastian Spiel

    October 7, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    What a contrast! We left dry, brown, monumental Madrid, sat on a train for five hours of changing scenery and ended up in Basque Country, in green, seaside San Sebastian.

    With its own language, higher wealth relative to the rest of Spain and independent spirit, the Basque area is a bit unique. With the beautifully shell-shaped La Concha Bay, a vibrant and crowded old town and a fun-loving mix of locals and tourists, San Sebastián is most definitely unique.

    Although each part of the city has its appeal, “attractive” is the common theme. Even the railway station roof was designed by Gustav Eiffel.

    The old town, which, as it dates from the early 1800’s, isn’t really all that old, is an exciting network of narrow streets lined with crowded bars and restaurants and hordes of tourists. At its heart is Constitution Square, very picturesque and formerly a bull ring.

    The beachfront, with acres and acres of sand, is a standout amongst its peers, with a broad attractive promenade lined with some elegant-if-aged hotels from a bygone era. The beach, too, was dotted with leathery, elegant-if-aged humans relaxing in various states of semi-undress.

    We caught an antique funicular up Monte Igueldo, and found, along with the incredible views of the city and up and down the coast, a tacky amusement park taking up prime real estate.

    We also walked along the Urumea River that flows through town, and around the base of Mount Urgull for some great views of the Bay of Biscay.

    It has been good to finish our time in Spain with such a highlight. Some of the little things we will remember include the Hotel Niza, with its elevator dated 1911 and floors that sloped inwards as though the whole building was being sucked down the lift well. Then there was the Indian restaurant that had RUN OUT OF PAPPADUMS!

    We head to Portugal now, still enchanted by the wonders of Spain.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Tram 28
    Tram 28 up closeOur streetArco de Rua AugustaAt yet another viewpointAscensor Saint GloriaMarathon-watching positionCastelo de Sao JorgeView from the castleMosteiro dos Jeronimos

    Lisbon Letter (1)

    October 10, 2022 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    No Lisbon travel story would be complete without a shot of tram 28 winding its way through the tortuous streets of the Alfama district. The photographs, however, don’t convey the shaking of building, rumbling and rattling of machinery and screech of steel wheel on rail that accompanies the passing of each one past our apartment. Two metres from our apartment. Every fifteen minutes (and often much more frequent), six-ish in the morning to after ten at night.

    Actually, despite the noise, the discovery that we were on the route for tram 28 was quite exciting, and we loved watching the trams squeeze through the narrow passageway near our place and being able to use them for some of our commuting into town. The Alfama district was a great and welcoming place to stay.

    We started our look around Lisbon on the bank of the Tagus River, staring at the vast, prosperous-looking Placa do Commercio, with King Dom Jose I in its centre and the massive triumphal arch of the Arco de Rua Augusta guarding the way inland.

    We visited the very well-presented Lisbon Story, an audio-visual telling of Lisbon’s history, especially in relation to the earthquake of 1755, which quite possibly resulted in 90,000 deaths as well as the flat, regular grid system of the downtown Baixa district, while the areas to the east and west are completely higgledy-piggledy.

    We walked up to the Miradouro de Alcantara, one of a seemingly endless number of viewpoints around the seven hills of the city, then rode downtown again on the funicular Ascensor de Gloria.

    By far the best views of the city and surrounds, however, were from Castelo de Sao Jorge (another Saint George - he seems to have utilised his dragon-killing skills in lots of places), where we also stumbled around the battlements and looked into some archaeological diggings.

    On our second day, the Lisbon Marathon took place. How they found enough relatively flat streets for it is anyone’s guess, but there was a great carnival atmosphere downtown, accompanied by cheers from the spectators and limping and groaning from the competitors.

    We also took in some culture at, among others, Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, west of town and containing the tomb of Vasco da Gama, as well as at Igreja de Sao Roque, a quite beautiful church with a museum devoted mainly to holy relics. Fortunately there were no saintly body parts on display this time.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Church of St Francis, Evora
    Capela dos OssosUnusual nativity sceneRoman Temple of EvoraThe Pena Palace, SintraBattlement-walking at the Pena PalaceFoggy morningView of the surrounding countryside.Fancy eating room in the Pena PalaceNational Palace of Sintra with its unusual chimneys

    Lisbon Letter (2)

    October 12, 2022 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    As well as having fun in Alfama, choosing badly in restaurants and eating too many custard tarts, we made a couple of day trips.

    Firstly, Evora, a couple of hours away by train, and probably most famous for the Capela dos Ossos, part of the Church of St Francis. Faced with a dearth of interior design ideas, and having 5,000 exhumed bodies on hand, the entrepreneurial Franciscan monks thought that lining the walls of the chapel would be a good use for all those hard-to-store bones.

    It was strangely aesthetic rather than gruesome, although the building trade are unlikely to offer it to would-be buyers anytime soon. Still, for DIY…

    There was also a museum displaying, among other things, a part of the monastery’s collection of over 2,000 nativity scenes, some of which were magnificent pieces of craftsmanship and others just plain weird.

    Evora also has a Roman connection, and we took a walk past the ruins of the Temple of Evora, another part of the town’s UNESCO heritage.

    We also visited Sintra, set in a lush, beautiful bunch of hills just northeast of the city.

    Joining a surging mass of tourists, we queued up for our turn in the Pena Palace, a fantastical faux fortress built in 1838, by then King Consort Ferdinand II (although it was on the site of a ruined fortress that had existed since the Middle Ages). It had spectacular views of the surrounding countryside (at least, after the fog lifted) and the clambering around the ramparts was fun, but we had to sort of flow through the interiors along with the rest of the sea of visitors and didn’t really get a chance to savour the experience.

    More interesting in some ways was the National Palace, in Sintra township itself. With heritage dating back to the Moors and additions made, mainly in the 15th and 16th centuries, by a succession of kings and queens, it was a quite fascinating look at the way the royal court lived and interacted with the rest of us.

    The National Palace also has a pair of very distinctive tall, white towers and we pondered over their use until, at the end of the tour, in the kitchen, we found out that they were the chimneys!

    Our time in Lisbon has now come to an end, almost as soon as we had mastered the metro, taken the tram and learnt the labyrinth of the local area. We are off to the Algarve tomorrow for - hopefully - some time in the sun.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Riverside promenade
    Bascule bridge over the river - Ponte BasculanteThe river at nightForte de Ponte de BandeiraNear the mouth of the riverViews on the way to Ponta da Piedade

    Lagos Listing

    October 15, 2022 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    After the fun and vitality of Lisbon it was great to calm down for a few days on the Algarve to break up our trip.

     But first, we had to get here, via two crowded trains choc-a-bloc with confused people and suitcases that wouldn’t have seemed out of place on the Queen Mary. The second, local, train was standing room only, the aisles full of bodies and backpacks.

    As for Lagos, although (since it’s a part of Europe) it does have an incredible history - most infamously as one of the first slave-trading ports - we just enjoyed the warmth and the scenery. As Dennis Denuto so succinctly put it in “The Castle”, “It’s all about the vibe”. It’s probably one of the most photogenic places we have seen.

    Lagos is on the River Bensafrim, with a vast marina full of rich persons’ playthings and a whole industry devoted to marketing and providing all sorts of water-based tours, from kayaks to yachts, caving to dolphin-spotting.

    The old town area, winding up hill from the river, is a maze of cobblestones covered in bars and restaurants, with music playing and people eating and drinking at all hours of the day and night. Just wandering around is fun.

     Just west of the mouth of the river is Praia da Batata, the first of a series of beaches, some interconnected through arches and tunnels in the sandstone cliffs, that stretches a few kilometres out to the headland at Ponta da Piedade. The scenery is stunning, with the golden sandstone cliffs and ridges, the almost-empty beaches and the clear blue of the sea making for a postcard view at every turn.

    For a few relaxing days Lagos is hard to beat, and even though we successfully avoided all history and culture (true to form, some might say), we’re still leaving with some great memories.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    River Nabao
    River NabaoCastelo de TomarCastelo de TomarJust to prove we were thereConvento de CristoConvento de Cristo fancy eatin' roomThe Round ChurchThe Festival of Santa Iria

    Tomar Testimony

    October 17, 2022 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We caught the train about 400 kilometres north to Tomar watching the countryside change from flat and dry with lots of Cork Oaks, to greener and hillier with more intense agriculture.

    Cork growing must be the ultimate slow agriculture experience. Plant a cork tree. Wait 25 years. Get first harvest, which will not be up to scratch. Wait another 9 years for next harvest (which also may not be). Repeat.

    It is a most pleasant little town, hugging the banks of the River Nabao, with weirs regulating the water and parks for the inhabitants to enjoy themselves. Away from the river, the old town is very picturesque, although it was a little quiet when we wandered through - and stopped for a drink - on a Saturday afternoon.

    It also has the Convento de Cristo, a stone fortress towering above the town.

    Constructed from 1118 by the Knights Templar, it was controlled and improved by them (between fighting crusades and seeing off the Moors) until 1357, when the Order of Christ completed a “friendly takeover” initiated by Pope Clement I in 1312. The Order of Christ continued in occupation until the tourist industry demanded another historic site on top of a hill but with good bus parking.

    We walked up the hill, paid our 3 euros each (seniors discount; disappointingly they rarely seem to ask for proof of age) and wandered through cloister after cloister and room after room. It was an interesting few hours, and the round church was quite spectacular.

    The Festival of Iria, celebrating the virgin Saint Iria’s drowning and subsequent reappearance downriver in a marble tomb, took place the day we were in Tomar. We wandered around the crowded amusement park and market area, all set by the side of the river and full of happy, laughing Tomarites. We also made our way up the pedestrianised, cobbled main street of the old town, had a drink and thought about anywhere else we could remember going to where the shops were shut on a Sunday.    Read more

  • Chris DicksonTravelerEurope 2022
    Rua das Flores, formerly for flowers, now for tourists
    Sao Bento Railway StationPonte Luis IViews from the bridgeViews from the bridgePonte Luis I from the waterfrontPalacia da Bolsa, the Arab RoomAzulejo tiling at Pinhao Railway StationThe Douro ValleyThe Douro Valley

    Porto Postscript

    October 21, 2022 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    After 14 incredible destinations our trip is coming to an end, and while it wouldn’t be true to say we saved the best for last, Porto is pretty darned good.

    We stayed in Bolhao, about twenty minutes walk up from the bank of the Douro River via a bunch of some very picturesque (but touristic) streets.

    The famous Portuguese azulejo tiles are everywhere - inside and outside churches, on shopfronts and apartment blocks. The bathroom in our apartment was lined with recycled tiles.

    The Sao Bento railway station is a famous tile-spotter’s location, with all four walls of the classic station building lined with tiles depicting great moments in Portuguese history and the people of different regions of the country. Not sure if there are any great moments in Portuguese railway history depicted.

    But it’s the River Douro that sets Porto apart, with the land on all sides sloping steeply down to the wide river, and a series of handsome arch bridges crossing the divide high up on the slopes.

    We walked across the Ponte Luis I, designed, unsurprisingly when you see it, by a protege of Gustav Eiffel, and had brilliant views up and down the river, with Rabelo Boats laden with tourists cruising up and down, and the names of famous Port Wine Houses littering the southern bank.

    At the southern end of the bridge is Jardim do Morro, a small garden with great views that late in the afternoon was full of people lounging around listening to the buskers and waiting for the sunset.

    We also visited the Palacio da Bolsa, a stately building dedicated not to a King or a Religion but which was in fact the Chamber of Commerce (a religion in itself, some would say). The rooms were increasingly handsome and interesting, from the office occupied by the aforementioned M. Eiffel during his several-year stay in Porto all the way to the so-called Arab Room, a fantastical banquet room now available to rent for functions at between 4,000 and 15,000 euros a night.

    For a break, on a rather wet day, we took the train a few hours west to Pinhao, deep in the Douro Valley. The train journey was spectacular, with the track hugging the bank of the river for the last hour of the trip. Then we took a Rabelo Boat a further fifteen kilometres upstream to the junction of the River Tua, admiring the magnificent countryside and the river flowing quite majestically through it.

    So, that’s our trip through the Iberian Peninsula done and dusted. With highlights too numerous to mention, easy transport, friendly people and good company (thank you, Brendan) it was just marvellous!

    Oh, and COVID?

    Well, luckily we didn’t catch it. We had to wear masks on public transport in Spain, and the public were almost universally compliant with this. Otherwise, apart from some fading arrows and spots on the floor, and hand sanitiser almost everywhere, it might never have happened.    Read more

    Trip end
    October 23, 2022
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