Nulstil søgning
Portugal and Islands - 2019
  • Ladyandtramp
  • Ladyandtramp

Portugal and Islands - 2019

Et 96-dags eventyr af Ladyandtramp Læs mere
FølgOversigtOversigtKalenderKalenderBillederBillederDelDelTræskoliste
Nyeste først
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp

    Evoramonte Castle

    23. januar 2019, Portugal ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    Evoramonte is a little fortified village about 1/2 hour away from our home base of Evora. In the morning, when we set out eastward towards Elvas, we saw this little castle high on the hill. Coming back, it called us to come visit, so we did.

    Its “velha” or medieval centre is about 400 m up on top of the Serra D’Osa hill. The walls were added around the village in 1306 and the turrets in the 16th Century. Incredibly about 400 people still live in the ver old and tiny, white houses with tiny doors (4’ high?) trimmed in yellow.

    We have seen several castles and forts by now and this one was different from the rest. It is little and in very good shape. We could almost imagine people living in it, but it was drafty! As it was an extremely windy day and the castle sits on the top of the hills, the strong winds enter through any cracks or crevices. Wooden doors or shutters rattled and brought a little reality to how people used to live in such a castle. We are not sure how well the big fireplaces warmed the cold rooms.

    We were able to climb to the top of the windy turret and once again, have an amazing view of the farms and fields below. The castle is formed by four turrets arranged in a square. Little concrete rope bows decorate the sides of the castle. A symbol of the Braganca family, I read. The. The knot symbolizes fidelity.

    The place has its importance in the history of Portugal, because that is where the Convention of Evoramonte was signed, a document that ended the Portuguese Civil War in 1834.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    Cork tree with bark removed
    It's a type of oak tree so these were the acorns.Cork bark removedPiles of cork barkBottle corks punched outItems made from corkCork slabs drying.Cork furniture

    Azaruja Cork Factory

    23. januar 2019, Portugal ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    We have seen cork oak trees everywhere on our trip so far. Trees whose bark has been stripped leaving an almost black trunk whose thick spongy bark will grow back in time. In Portugal, the felling of cork trees is prohibited by law and each tree is individually identified, in order to ensure its absolutely traceability.

    On our way home from Elvas, we stopped in at a cork factory and a man gave us a little talk and tour of his families enterprise.

    This area, the Alentejo, is known for its cork as well as its wine. Besides just wine stoppers, cork can used for many things, from bulletin boards to floor tiles to umbrellas and purses. It is pretty remarkable as it is spongy and pliable and water resistant.

    The tree, a type of oak with acorns that black pigs eat, is about 10 m tall with a wide canopy and a very knotty trunk. It grows well in this area of sandy soil and dry heat. After 25 years, the tree is mature enough for harvest. The outer bark is carefully stripped from the trunk using a special hand tool. It takes about 9 years for the bark to grow back and then it is harvested again. The tree can keep producing for 100 years. Six months after harvesting (to dry the bark), the cork bark is boiled to soften in up and flattened it. Then machines can cut it into desired shapes or punch out bottle stoppers.

    So far, the cork industry is doing just fine, even though plastic corks are being used now. Wine consumption has gone up so it hasn’t really affected the industry in Portugal yet.

    We recently heard though, about a bacteria that came on Lavendula plants that has started to damage cork oak trees near Lisbon. Hopefully, scientists can figure out a way to control it soon.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    They were looking at us and inviting us to join them.
    The wallsThe ceiling with a skull trimThere were lots!Museum of DesignAn old vacuum cleanerTelephoneMiniature farm implements

    Evora's Bone Chapel

    24. januar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Today, was a warm and sunny day. Quite a contrast from yesterday, when we were almost blown away by the winds.

    We stayed in town and just walked around, checking out churches and a Museum of Handicrafts and Designs housed in an old grain building.

    There is so much to see here, including ... The Chapel of Bones ...

    The Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) is a fascinating chapel with a very macabre feeling. It ranks as one of Evora’s most visited sites. This small, unassuming chapel is actually home to the final resting place of hundreds of bodies; all exhumed from the city’s graveyards 500 years ago.

    The Chapel is part of the Igreja de Sao Francisco church complex, which is very close to the Inn that we are staying in (which is on the main square, Praca de Giraldo). The old Franciscan church is difficult to miss, as it has recently undergone a major cleaning and restoration project that has transformed it into a very clean and white building.

    The main entrance to the Chapel of Bones greets visitors with a foretelling Portuguese inscription:

     “We, the bones that are here, wait for yours.”

    The human bones decorate every nook and cranny of the chapel’s interior. We thought that it was beautiful.
    There are actually of 5,000 bones carefully cast into the cement from floor to ceiling. Skulls line the roof and walls, ‘watching’ visitors from every aspect.

    Despite its appearance, the Chapel of Bones was created out of necessity and is more than just a religious curiosity. During the 16th Century, the graveyards in Evora were overcrowded so bones were exhumed to make way for new bodies to be buried. The bones were respectfully cast into the cement and housed in this place of worship. By being in a church, the bodies would be closer to God.

    The restoration of the main church (1517) continues, but we were able to wander through the renovated part of the building where religious exhibits had been set up. On the upper floor, there was an interesting exhibit of 2,600 nativity scenes.

    The church acquired this collection of amazing scenes from all over the world in 2015. The materials range from cork (60% of the nativity scenes are from Portugal) to iron, clay, and burlap. What a collection!

    We were also able to go to the rooftop where we saw quite a different view of Evora.    Læs mere

  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    Our walk today. Chris added the left arm section up to a church in the mountain - 11.2 km!
    Parking for a car, 2 motorcycles and a lawnmowerThe jewish quarterLook who is peeing on us.See that white speck on top of the hill? That's the chapel that Chris walked to.Part of our breakfastLots of good drinking water in Castelo de VideIn the centre of the townThe jewish quarter

    Castelo de Vide

    25. januar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    On a lovely Friday afternoon, we drove north from Evora to Castelo de Vide though a rich agricultural area full of vineyards, olives trees, fruits and grains and fields of cattle and sheep. It took us about 2 hours and we ended up in a completely different world. We are in the Serra de São Mamede mountain range in the Portalegre District. This range is named after Saint Mammes. Together with the Serra de Arraiolos, the Serra de São Mamede is one of the few places in the Alentejo region where there might be snow in the winter. We didn’t see any, thank heavens, and the weather was probably the warmest that we have had so far.

    Castelo de Vide is lovely. Our favourite place so far. We are staying in a large house (Casa de Maria BnB) on the edge of town and the hostess is amazing. She treats us like royalty! On our first night, we went to the local Pingo Doce grocery store and bought a delicious roasted chicken, a baguette and ingredients for a salad to eat at her house. Luisa then set the dining room table for us and added cheeses and even a bottle of red wine and offered us a vegetable soup. We had a feast!

    In the morning, we had another feast. Juices and a huge mug of coffee and hot milk started things off. Then toast and a choice of 8 different jams that she had made from plants in her large yard was only a small part of what we were offered. Serrano ham and local cheeses followed. And then to top it off, about 6 cakes were presented to us. And of course the Nata custard tarts. No lunch for us!

    Today was a walking day. We walked all over this lovely town - the square, the old Jewish quarter and of course the castle. The parks are kept impeccably. The mineral water here is so pure that it is said that drinking it will cure all manner of ailments from high blood pressure to diabetes! There are beautiful little fountains all over the town and lavender lines the sidewalks.

    Towards the end of the 15th century Castelo de Vide had attracted a significant Jewish community. They fled here as the result of persecution by the Catholic church's Inquisition in Spain and settled in a part of the town now known as the Judiaria or Jewish Quarter. While Portugal was somewhat more tolerant, the area in which Jews could live was restricted and many were pressured into converting to Christianity.

    The castle was amazing. By now, we have seen a lot of castles but this one was in such good shape. Within its walls, there are many whitewashed houses with pots of flowers decorating them, and people still living in the old houses. The streets are narrow and can really only be walked on. Some walls are scraped at side view mirror height so cars have attempted driving through the town.

    Chris has been itching to walk in the hills across from us, so while I write, he is walking.    Læs mere

  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp

    Marvão - a Medieval Village in the Sky

    27. januar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    One of the reasons we stayed in this area for a few days, was to see “one of the most beautiful fortified villages in Portugal”.

    On a foggy and cool Sunday morning, we drove only 6 km on a winding country road to our destination, through a beautiful forested area, past the ruins of old farmhouses and saw farmers shaking trees to catch ripe olives into nets on the ground. Our goal was to visit the walled village of Marvão, set on a great granite escarpment with sweeping views across the vast plains of the Alentejo region. This village, we were told, is one of the prettiest places in the whole of southern Europe.

    Marvão has been described as “an eagle’s nest hidden away in the hills” and as we rounded a corner and saw the town in the sky, we realized why.
    It was perched, somewhat precariously, on the very top of a craggy mountain. The 865-metre (2,838’) drive up to Marvão, the highest village in Portugal, began near a tiny village called Portagem.

    As we neared the town, we were amazed at how well-kept the 13th-century walls were. We could not see how any enemies could have climbed up that rocky mountain unseen, and then attempt to climb the walls into the village? Not possible, to these 21st century citizens.

    The town has a population of less than one thousand people today, but from what we have read, ‘the village was of immense importance in the Middle Ages and a vital defensive bastion during the frequent skirmishes with neighbouring Spain, when it proved mostly impregnable”.

    The access to the village is through a narrow medieval archway, close to a curiously-shaped Moorish-looking building (the Jerusalem chapel).

    Settled since prehistoric times, Marvão was founded in the 9th century by Ibn-Marúan, a muladi (Iberian who converted to Islam) who features prominently in Al Mossassa, Marvão’s annual Islamic festival held every October. Now, that looks like it would be fun to attend.

    Stone-paved streets wind their way through white-washed, flower-decked houses featuring the beautiful wrought-iron balconies. Budgies and parrots sang in cages hung on the walls of the houses. Laundry hung from pull-out laundry lines high above. Fountains, gardens and orchards are tucked into every corner. It is a lovely, white town overlooking olive and chestnut groves and a beautiful countryside.

    With an ancient interior that’s hardly been touched for hundreds of years, the parish church has a beautiful low belfry with a tiny mosque-like dome on the top. A small museum holding old items donated by families living in Marvao was housed in the church.

    The main focus of this delightful village is the old castle which seems to rise from the living rock on which it is built. Sitting on a pedestal of granite, its walls are home to countless kestrels. Climbing to the top of the keep provides a breathtaking 360-degree view over Portugal and Spain - southwards lies the Serra de São Mamede and the lovely city of Estremoz, while to the north loom the mountains of Serra da Estrela (Star Mountain) with Castelo de Vide to the north-west and finally Spain to the north-east.

    We thought that we were getting a little castled-out, but being in a living castle (not a ruin) was exciting.    Læs mere

  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp

    Ammaia - a Lost Roman City

    27. januar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    After visiting the mountaintop castle and town of Marvão, we went down to the tiny village of Portagem. Just up the river from this village, we stopped in a beautiful valley to see the archaeological museum and site of the lost city of Ammaia.

    The city of Ammaia is the most important Roman ruin in the Northern Alentejo region. It is located in the Natural Park of Serra de São Mammete, not far from where we are staying, in Castelo de Vide. The ruins cover almost 25 metric acres, so it is a huge site. Only a small section has been excavated but it took us most of the afternoon to walk around it.

    The local population have always known about the Roman remains, but it was only at the beginning of the last century did people begin to realize that what was buried in the Valley of the Aramanha was maybe a Roman city, not a villa.

    Built from scratch in the first century AD, it reached its splendor during the next three hundred years. It was a city of 5,000 to 6,000 people with running water, gates, a forum, baths and temples.

    The city suffered after the collapse of Rome on the Peninsula in the 3rd century. By the time of the Moorish invasion the 9th century, the remaining residents fled to high hills of Marvão - easy to defend in a time of chaos. Ammaia's stones served to build other places, walls and monuments. The bridge would stand until the 1980s.

    In the 9th Century, all references to the city being lived in, stopped. Over the years, it was pillaged, looted for stone, and buried.

    Amongst the people who lived in the nearby town of Portagem, there had always been a myth, about a large city that used to be in the area.

    In the middle of the century the first excavations were carried out and then during the last 10 years, the work intensified using new technologies, including radiography.

    Now archaeologists know the extent, design and architecture of Ammaia. It was an amazing find and an article was written about it in a July 2015 National Geographic magazine.

    The work being done to further explore the site is now run by a private foundation. It promises to bring more revelations about this city that may shed more light on the story of Roman power and its decay in the Iberian Peninsula.    Læs mere

  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    From the castle walls.
    Mr. Shnozz. Can you see him?A famous Portuguese singer owned this houseThe village and viewsMonsantoNarrow streets and boldersRocks balancing high above housesSee the steps leading into an enclosureStreets and housesHouses built around boulders

    Monsanto

    28. januar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Wow! We have just stayed for 2 nights in an incredible village, high up on a hilltop with an old Templar castle and surrounded by stunning giant boulders! My words will not begin to explain what we saw and experienced in this amazingly unique place - Monsanto, Portugal.

    Our drive through the country to Monsanto from Vila de Vides only took about 2 hours. Driving here is so easy as there are few cars on the roads and the roads are in very good shape. We opted to rent a diesel car so we can go much further on one tank before having to fill up again.

    We could see the town of Monsanto from quite a distance and took a steep, narrow and windy road up to where we were going to stay. Safe, street parking is available everywhere that we have been, so we were able to park very close to the hotel on a relatively flat surface.

    No one answered the bell when we rang and no one picked up the phone when we called. I guess that we were a little early and probably the only guests at this time of the year. The lady across the street offered us a coffee and told us that there was only 1 restaurant that was open and we better get there soon as it closed at 2. We were assured that it would reopen for dinner at 7 p.m. though. We were hungry so we figured that we would eat and try the hotel later.

    The meal was great. All of the portions are very big in Portugal. Chris usually gets a filling vegetable soup and then we share the main meal. This seems to be how it is done here. So we ordered one delicious lasagna meal that came with a salad and we were full! The waitress in the restaurant called the housekeeper of our hotel (they are related) and we settled into our room. Well, tried to. It was cold!!! The overhead heater was set at 30C but it didn’t really work. We really had to bundle up! Man, it is cold on top of mountains when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind is blowing. There is no central heat in the houses, fireplaces are rare and there seem to be lots of cracks in the stone walls that let in cold drafts.

    In 1938 Monsanto was voted the 'most Portuguese village in Portugal'. Since then it has been protected by building regulations that ensure the village keeps its charm. Granite cottages are squeezed in amongst giant boulders, many of which form part of the houses themselves. The giant rocks also become the walls and steps of the village, in a picturesque, higgledy piggledy way.

    You probably will have difficulty imagining a village built into huge granite boulders that are leaning against and balanced on one another, so I won’t say more but will leave the photos to show you what we saw.

    The tiny streets, just wide enough for one person, are carved out of rock and climb 100 m up a very steep hill. The hill, known as the Mons Sanctus, rises to a height of nearly 800m. It is absolutely beautiful with gorgeous views over the plains and mountains. (We have seen many beautiful views on this trip. Each one seems better than the last.)

    Monsanto is also one of the 12 Historical Villages of Portugal (1995). Any towns or villages with this designation have the emblem of Portugal, the Silver Rooster (Galo de Prata), mounted on a high point. In Monsanto, it can be seen on the top of the Clock Tower.

    After a good night’s sleep, 7 layers of blankets and sheets (haha), and a filling breakfast, we went out exploring the streets and castle of Monsanto. The housekeeper left us another heater, which worked. Yay. A warm room for tonight!    Læs mere

  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    A blustery spot
    The boulders are huge!1,000 year old 'coffins' carved into the graniteOn the rampartsThe town of Monsanto from the castleYup, it's real!Not sure how they built these places.Higgleby piggledy

    Monsanto Castle

    29. januar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C

    I won’t go heavily into the history of the Monsanto castle except to say that there is evidence that humans have lived in this area of Portugal near the Spanish border since Paleolithic times and artifacts have been found that are Roman, Visigoth and Arabian. Documents tell that King Afonso Henriques took Monsanto from the Moors in 1165 and granted it to the Templar monks, who built a fortified castle on the site.

    We found it to be an incredible place to get to and explore. We were the only tourists on the site. No fee to get in, no attendants or guards, no security fences or walls. Haha. If you fell, it would be your fault, or stupidity. We love it there. A castle like no other.    Læs mere

  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    Belmonte's Jewish Synagogue opened in 1996
    The 12 Historic VillagesEntrance to the jewish miseumMuseum artifactsBelmonte muralBemonte old squareBelmonte streets

    Driving Day - Belmonte Jews

    29. januar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Today we headed to the area on the Douro Valley that grows grapes for Port wines. We will be staying in a town called Lamego for 10 days, recharging our travel batteries and sightseeing in the surrounding area. The drive took about 4 hours on the no toll highway through the countryside, with a stop in the historic village of Belmonte.

    Generations of Kings who were concerned about territorial defence decided to populate and fortify the area that is located on the border between Spain and Portugal. In 1991 a government program was set up called The Historic Villages Program. The aim of the program was “to restore and promote a series of ancient villages/human settlements important to the history of Portugal”. Belmonte is one of the 12 designated Historical Villages.

    The border between Portugal and Spain is the oldest border in Europe and there were many rulers who built castles and walls, granted charters and gave privileges to those who would establish themselves in the areas close to Spain, especially since the 1100s. Because if no one lived in a place where so many battles were fought, it would have been easier for the enemy to conquer it. People saw each victory as a miracle, so they quickly built chapels or churches. For each event, a legend was created.

    Pedro Álvares Cabral is without a doubt, the most well-known Belmonte native in history. King Manuel chose him as captain to the second armada to India, but Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil after a journey of 43 days and he became the most prominent figure of the Age of Discovery.

    Also important in this town is the Jewish tradition which still lives on. Belmonte was one of the towns chosen as place of refuge by a small group of Sephardic Jews in the 1100s. Following the non-tolerance policies of the Catholic Kings, King Manuel issued a law which ordered all Portuguese Jews to convert to Christianity (1496). If they refused, they would be forced to leave the country.

    We went to Belmonte because we had heard an interesting story about the Marranos that have been living in Belmonte who are sometimes referred to as the "Belmonte Jews." They are a community that has survived in secrecy for hundreds of years by maintaining a tradition of marrying within their families and by hiding all the external signs of their faith. To all outsiders, they were Catholic since 1496. They and their practices were discovered only in the 20th century. Can you imagine?

    In Belmonte, there is a Jewish museum that we went to, that documents their history.

    The Jews thought that they were the last living Jews and wanted to pass on their traditions. They did that for more than 600 years.

    I found this poem about them...

    PHOENIX
    by Jocelyn Cooper

    For 500 years
    They hid
    In the mountains of Belmonte
    Along narrow streets
    Among pretty flowers,
    olive trees, and apple orchards

    For 500 years
    They hid -
    Their religion
    Forbidden by law

    For 500 years
    They prayed to their God
    With tears in their eyes
    Prayed to be allowed to pray

    For 500 years
    They lit the Sabbath candles
    And drank the sacramental wine
    In the cellars of their homes
    Mothers passed on rituals
    to daughters and grand-daughters

    For 500 years they hid their belief
    For 500 years they kept their faith

    A knock on the door brought fear
    A stranger could not be trusted

    Forbidden by law
    Yet
    For 500 years
    The flame was not extinguished

    Today they walk with heads held high
    To their house of worship

    Magen David firmly planted in the garden
    Menorah standing proudly in the garden
    Outside Sinagoga Bet Eliyahu

    Their voices sing the liturgy
    Their voices sing
    Sephardi melodies

    That
    For 500 years they hid
    Behind closed doors    Læs mere

  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    The buildings at the end of our street
    One of the two Gates into the castleThe castle keepOur apartment building is somewhere in there.

    Lamego in the Douro Valley

    30. januar 2019, Portugal ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

    When researching for a place to stay in the Douro Valley, I kept reading about a small town that people seemed to like, just outside of the touristy areas, called Lamego. It is only 130 km east of Porto, but a completely different place.

    As we have been travelling a fair bit during the past month, we decided to stay in Lamego for a little longer to fine tune, somewhat, our plans for the month of February and enjoy this northeastern area of Portugal. We rented a spacious apartment for 12 days in the historical area of the city, through Air BnB, and are enjoying its close proximity to the town.

    This region is mostly known for its wine and the terraced vineyards which follow the contours of the Rio Douro. However, it is also known for its fruit crops and the quality of its olive oil.

    A city of 26,000 people, Lamego has a history that dates back to the Romans. Lamego’s biggest claim to fame regards the very founding of the kingdom of Portugal itself. It is said that it was in Lamego in 1139 that Alfonso I was crowned the first King of Portugal

    When we arrived, the weather was horrible - rain, snow and heavy dark clouds. Storm Gabriel was making its way through Europe at the same time as Ontario was being pummelled with snow and cold weather. The difference here is that people don’t have central heating, just small space heaters. We put on our layers, turned on the oven, and finally just went out and bought another cheap space heater which did the trick. Once the apartment warmed up and the sun came out, it was great. Part of the adventure.

    As mentioned, we are very close to the city centre. Through the heart of the city runs a long park. Around the park there are cafes, restaurants and everyday shops, and in the park are plenty of locals chatting and smoking on the numerous park benches. A fast-paced lifestyle, it is not. At the end of the park there is an incredible staircase that puts Lamego on the map. The church, or Sanctuary, at the top of the staircase is a beautiful sight on its own, especially at night with the lights on it. Once we saw the stairs, we knew that climbing them would be part of our itinerary while we are here. In fact, Chris may go up and down it every day, if I know Chris!

    The other major landmark of Lamego is its small hilltop castle. Lamego Castle has a documented history back to the 10th Century, but all that is left of it now is a watchtower and walled keep. Our apartment is only a block away from it so we will be visiting it soon. We live in the old Bairro de Castelo or Castle District of narrow stone streets. The area is bordered by a ring of walls and several stone gateways. It is interesting to wander through the few narrow streets in this area.

    Our apartment building is old but the interior is modern and has all the conveniences. The owner said that at one time it was a a residence and then a bank and then another large residence before being renovated into 6 apartments on the upper levels and a tutoring school on the main floor. Hard to imagine how many people are in this building but it extremely quiet here. Outside we have a large, sunny shared patio with a tree laden with oranges.

    Anyways, our choice of place to ‘chill’ is perfect. The city is lovely and safe and the opportunity for having lots of interesting experiences is perfect.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp

    Not receiving notifications?

    1. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ 🌧 4 °C

    Email and push notifications

    Your followers will immediately receive push notifications about new footprints, comments, likes, follow requests and more. This only works if your followers installed our app and enabled push notifications.

    Email notifications

    If your followers confirmed their email address, they will receive emails about new footprints and news in your network. These emails are sent within 24 hours of an event, but to keep the mailboxes clean, no more than one email every 3 days.

    Follow Button => Press it to follow
    Request => A follow request has been sent, but hasn't been answered
    Following => You are following this user    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    Snow!
    The Bishop's Palace, now a museumA beautiful building housing amazing artworkOedipus story in beautiful tapestriesAnother huge Flemish tapestryOriental vasesLovely azuela tilesCarriage and litter

    Lamego Museum and ... Snow!

    1. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ 🌧 5 °C

    Weather Forecast - “Moderate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Freeze-thaw conditions. Winds decreasing.” Well the truth is that it has rained hard almost nonstop, all day for 2 days, and yes, we did see hail and snow. On Saturday, we will see the sun! Apparently Storm Gabriel has been creating havoc all over Europe and now Storm Helena follows.

    Our first rainy day in Lamego was spent doing indoor things - the laundry, buying groceries, cooking, catching up with emails. Today, we saw a bit of sun so we decided to walk to the tourist office and the museum. Just as we neared the tourist office, there was a huge crack of thunder, lightening and the skies opened. We just made it to the office in the nick of time. The people there were very helpful and gave us lots of ideas of what to do, even in bad weather.

    We waited for a little break in the rain and ran to the Museum.

    The beautiful building that was once the bishop’s palace (1773) now houses one of the most carefully kept museums in inland Portugal. We enjoyed it for two reasons. First, for the displays and second, for a chance to walk around the inside of this beautiful former palace. The building was renovated in the middle of the 18th Century and turned into a museum in 1918.

    On the ground floor, there are a series of rooms devoted to archaeology, displaying a number of medieval tombs, a beautiful medieval stone cross and various stones bearing the coats of arms of Portuguese families.

    On the second floor, we saw several paintings done by a famous Portuguese painter called Vasco Fernandes (Grão Vasco) and a collection of huge Flemish tapestries.

    At the beginning of the sixteenth century, the bishop of Lamego, commissioned a large altarpiece which was to be used to decorate the cathedral chancel. Of the 20 panels originally painted by Grão Vasco, only five survived. They have been cleaned up and are displayed in one of the rooms.

    The tapestries date from the same period as Grão Vasco's paintings and were created in Brussels. Nobles and clergy used huge tapestries like these to decorate the interior of their palaces and make them more comfortable. Four of the tapestries telling the Greek myth story of Oedipus. Such attention into detail! We have no clue how they were made or the time taken to make them. They are something to see.

    Back on the first level, we checked out the antique furniture and the old carriages and litters. One room had some lovely, colourful azulejos (painted tiles). These colourful 17th panels, rescued from a Lisbon palace, are extraordinary. The man at the tourist office told us that we had to go visit the railway station to see an amazing wall of these tiles.

    All in all, we had an interesting visit while learning about Lamego’s history on a cold and rainy day. We hurriedly ran up the hill to our apartment and luckily were able to avoid another downpour.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    Red kiteA griffin vultureOn the trailOn the trailChris is gonna get nailed.Different sides of the same treeHigh above Lamego.

    BIological Park in Serra Das Meadas

    2. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    Today was sunny. After two days of rain, we were itching to get out

    The tourist office told us that there is a Biological Park, located in the Serra das Meadas, approximately 7km from the centre of Lamego. The park is an Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Education Centre, funded by the Lamego City Council, on waste land that was donated to the city. It aims to raise awareness of environmental problems and issues about the preservation of species.

    The animal species in the park are native to the area, some of which are in captivity, while others live freely and come to this covered area in order to nest. Many of the animals were ‘pets’ whose owners couldn’t take care once they grew bigger (boa constrictors!) or animals that have been injured.

    Once again, we were the only people in the park and the manager was happy to show us around. He was a pretty creative person and obviously loved the birds and animals he cared for.

    While we were there, we could hear drum-like sounds echoing through the valley. Apparently, wild boar hunts were going on. We saw some boars in the park. Scary looking creatures!

    We doubt if any tourists go to this park. There really isn’t very much information about the park, it would be difficult to get to without a car and most people would rather spend their time visiting wineries. But we really enjoyed our 3.5 km walk through the woods and seeing the native animals and birds that lived there.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    We weren't sure the car would fit...It was narrow.
    A water trough and chicken coopThe more modern part of the villageThe espiguieros, grain huts. See their stone feet.Little old church. The bigger church is about 1 km away.Mossy stairsWood and stone houses on the riverA fast flowing river flows through the townThat doorway is the bottom of a house! See the river.

    Lazarim

    3. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    Today is a sunny Sunday so we took advantage of the lovely weather to drive 12 km to a picturesque village of around 600 people called Lazarim.

    It seems to be a very old village with its ancient stone houses blending into the steep terraced countryside. A clean fast-flowing river runs through it. Wicker work and agriculture, especially grape growing, seems to be the main industry. Hopefully, the new Interpretative Centre of Iberian Masks will bring in more tourists, and money.

    People know the town because of its church, dedicated to the Archangel Saint Michael, and it’s wooden masks. Supposedly, the church has a valuable painted ceiling, where angels and archangels are represented.

    Around the town, we saw long, thin wooden huts set up on stones. As we didn’t have a clue what they were, we asked. They are called a very strange name - Espiguieros or Asparagus! The huts are used for storage of grains and corn, and to protect the contents from rats, mice and other rodents.

    Our main reason for going to Lazarim was to see the wonderful hand carved wooden masks worn by local caretos (young men disguised as devils) during their version of Carnaval, but we were pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the life and landscape of this tiny town.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    Imagine being chased by him!
    Lazarin MaskCork

    Tha Masks of Lazarim

    3. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    Historically, during the six weeks of Lent, people were expected to be well-behaved, which meant no dancing, no late night craziness and most certainly no meats, dairy, or sugar-laden sweets. But with so many goodies around the house, it is almost impossible to “follow the rules”. So, Careto, or Carnaval, time exists when people eat and drink to their hearts’ content, and behave not so well. Get it out of your system. And then when Lent comes, behaviours are supposed to change in preparation for Easter.

    Some people believe that the roots of Carnaval go back to pre-Christian times. In Lazarim, those ancient traditions still exist and some of the most unique celebrations in the country happen in the next few weeks. Careto is one of the oldest traditions that’s still being practiced in Portugal. It’s a pre-Roman, Celtic ritual. Lazarim isn’t the only village in Portugal with ancient carnival traditions, scary masks and colourful costumes. Inside the Iberian Mask Centre, we saw a map of a handful of other regions and villages that have similar festivities along with examples of their costumes. Each village has traditions and costumes that are old and unique.

    The hand-carved, wooden masks that we saw are works of art. A few days a month, workshops are offered that show participants how to make one of these masks. The wood used is alder that grows abundantly in the valley around Lazarim. In the old days, masks were made of lace that covered the face.

    Since all of the information at the centre was written in Portuguese, I had to look up the word careto and found a little info that explained the rituals using the masks.

    During Careto, young costumed men take advantage of their anonymity to play tricks on the rest of the townsfolk and indulge in mischievous behavior, free from the fear of public censure and punishment. It sounds like they go crazy - walk into houses, bump people, hug girls and chase people.

    On Shrove Tuesday, all the caretos gather and parade through the village, accompanied by a marching drum band. They are closely followed by the comadre (godmother) and compadre (godfather), two young single people whose job is to publicly humiliating their peers by reading out a list of humorous and risqué acts their single friends got up to in the previous year, usually found on Facebook.

    Once all the embarrassing “facts” have been shared, the community gather to partake in a bean and meat stew that’s been simmering away in cauldrons around a bonfire in a neighboring square.

    Mask-makers spend countless hours transforming a section of solid tree trunk (alder) into a wondrous disguise. Each tries to outdo their peers with imaginative designs. The masks are amazing but they must weigh a ton and be really hard work to wear.

    While most of Lazarim’s masks are made of unpainted wood, the costumes are more varied. Some are fashioned from old clothes, burlap, woven grasses, cane or scraps of fabric.

    The young lady taking care of the centre said that during the week, school children come in for field trips to learn about mask-making. When we were there, we were the only people there and it didn’t cost anything to enter the centre.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp

    A 'Magnifico' Douro River Boat Tour

    4. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

    Once again, where do I begin to tell you about our trip to Pinhão.

    We had been told that a boat trip through the Douro Valley is a must. Monday is a day that museums are closed but boat tours are not, so we decided to drive to the docks in Pinhão, and what a drive that was! Windy, narrow and with steep drops and no guard rails. Chris was acting confident, but I still hung on to the door and tried to peek now and then at the spectacular views of the river way down below.

    In the winter, Pinhão is a small, sleepy town that just happens to be in the heart of Port wine country. You only have to look around to see that you are surrounded by vines, as the climate is ideal for the grapes that make Port wine. While the small town is quiet and calm for most of the year, the autumn harvest always brings a lively bunch of workers and tourists to town. People can participate in harvest activities such as grape stomping, wine tasting, and river cruises.

    On Sunday, Chris had contacted a river cruise company called Magnifico Douro and made arrangements for a 2 hour cruise, starting at 10:45, up the Douro River, towards Spain, to another town called Tua and then back. As usual, Chris and I were the only two on the boat, besides the captain. How wonderful was that! (Ask Chris about the bet that we made, that I won!)

    Individual English audio guides were handed to us so we could identify wineries and hear stories about the people who had come to this area to grow grapes. We learned that the word DOURO which means hard, refers to the hardness of the rocky land and the hard glare of the sun.

    We passed under Pinhão’s famous bridge, designed by Gustave Eiffel. We were very fortunate that it was a sunny, calm day and the water was like a mirror. The reflections were perfect.

    We could stay in the heated, covered part of the boat or sit outside, which is what we did because we could see better. We had our toques, scarves and mitts so we were all set. Blankets were also provided, if we needed them. The views that surrounded us on all sides were so beautiful - gorgeous green hills covered with terraces with vines, and here and there, a ruin, a rustic country house or a huge manor house could be seen. Noisy cormorants and herons flew over the quiet river.

    The Douro Valley is the oldest wine region in the world and has a microclimate perfect for growing grapes for Port wine. Terraced vineyards practically climb straight up the vertical slopes from the river. It is an amazing sight.

    The original boats that were used on the Douro were called ‘rabelos’. They are traditional Portuguese wooden cargo boats that were used for centuries to transport people and goods along the Douro River. They are flat-bottomed, with a shallow draught, which was necessary to navigate the often shallow, fast-flowing waters of the upper Douro before the construction of dams and locks (1968). Rabelo means little tail and if you look at the boat you can see that the rudder looks like tail.

    A train runs twice a day beside the river. We were thrilled to hear the whistle of the train as it passed us along the narrow gauge railway on the cliff’s edge.

    The captain pulled out a bottle of Tawny Port (19%) and proceeded to pour us samples to try out. Nice touch.

    When we returned to the dock, we asked the captain if he would recommend a good and economical restaurant to try out. Well, he did - Restaurante Cais da Foz. It was full of regulars and some tourists and river on the river with great views. The steak, rice, chips, salad, dessert and expresso that we had was delicious and filling. In Portugal, portions are big and the common practice is to share the food. One dinner for the two of us and we were pleasantly full.

    Then I had to face the crazy, winding road back to Lamego. Mind you, it turned out not being so bad - the Port did a good job at keeping my blood pressure in check.

    A magnifico day! Just look at the photos! The reflections! A memory day.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp

    More Magnificent Photos #2

    4. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    This is an add-on that I just read regarding the road that we took,

    “If you’re going to plan a road trip, how about doing it on the best driving road in the world? According to car rental company Avis, that’s a 17-mile stretch of the N222 in the UNESCO-listed Douro Valley east of Porto.

    As well as apparently having a near-perfect ratio of tight corners to straight stretches, the road from Peso de Régua to Pinhão follows the contours of the picturesque Douro river as it overlooks the stunning vineyards below. It might be one of the best places in the world to drive, but you’ll likely spend as much time pulled over admiring the views as you do powering through another of the road’s nearly 100 bends.”

    That explains why, as a passenger, I felt the way I did!    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    The Douro trainBubbling waterLoading wineA landing

    The Tiles on the Pinhão Train Station

    4. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    When we visited the Lamego Tourist Office, Antonio (the information officer), told us that it would be a good idea to do a boat trip on the Douro River from the mall town of Pinhão. But he told us that when we were in that town, we just had to visit the train station too. Well, all of Antonio’s recommendations so far have been spot on, so after lunch, we went for a walk and visited the train station.

    This little train station is charming. And it has something that no other train that we have seen, has. It is covered with hand-painted blue and white azulejos, pictorial tiles, that have been there since 1937. They tell stories of the history of the town and the vineyards, the wineries, and life in the Douro River alley. The four outside walls of the station are decorated with 24 scenes made out of these tiles, so it was fun to walk all around the outside of the building to see them. They chronicle the history of the town and the vineyards, the wineries, and life along the Douro River.

    By the way, azulejo is a form of Portuguese painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tile work. This type of artwork has been produced continuously for five centuries. We have read that there is a national azulejo gallery in Lisbon, which we may visit when we get there. Although, we have seen azulejos everywhere in Portugal. They are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary homes, department stores, and now we have seen them on a railway station.

    Thanks Antonio!    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    The park at the bottom of the stairs
    Portuguese tilesThe view from about halfway up.The Baroque chapel at the topStatues and fountainsThe view from the topA few of the kings who congratulated us for our effortsThe inside of the churchThe old chestnut treeIn a grotto.

    "Stairway to Heaven" in Lamego

    5. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We’ve had two days of touring around - one day, high on a hill in a biological park and the next day, low in the Douro Valley on a boat in the river. But right in the town of Lamego, there is a church set high on a hill with 686 steps going up to it. We wanted to do it, but just needed the right day and the right mindset. And do it, we did!

    The excursion was actually really nice. We walked through town to the main park and walked up the 686 steps, via nine landings, to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies, built in 1750. The staircase is enriched with tile panels, chapels, fountains, obelisks and statues at each landing. Apparently it took 100 years to build.

    Close to the top there is a landing called the “Pátio dos Reis”, (Patio of Kings) which has carved images of the 18 kings of Israel on high pedestals. They are somewhat comical, like they were welcoming us to the top. “You guys made it up. Yay!”

    The views over the town and the surrounding countryside were beautiful.

    At the top, we went in to the Sanctuary where we saw Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Our Lady of the Remedies) at her gilded and carved altar. It was too late when we saw the sign which said that we were not to take photos. Whoops. The inside of the church was fairly plain compared to many of churches that we have seen and not very big. There was a pipe organ in the loft and some beautiful stained glass windows as well as tiles.

    On this upper terrace we saw a very old tree that had a massive trunk and was covered in ivy. We weren’t sure what kind of tree it was until I read that it is a chestnut tree that is more than 700 years old.

    On our way down, we decided to take the walking trails through the park that is on either side of the staircase. Big old trees, ponds, grottos and lots of picnic tables made it a nice sheltered area to come to for an afternoon. We have heard that in the summer, the climb is harder because it is so hot.

    Pilgrims have been coming to this hill and chapel for hundreds of years, as it is one of the most important Baroque pilgrimage churches in Portugal.

    When we got to the bottom, we went to a bakery where we rewarded ourselves with a delicious Portuguese pastry and an expresso before walking home. A bigger reward waited for us at home - a bottle of Douro red wine. We deserved it!    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    Gate of the Figs entry
    The castle keepCatapult modelChris checking out the viewSteep downhill to the Gate of the SunA few of the 600 Roman Coins found in a jarTwo skeletons, one over the other, were found in one graveLooking through a glass floor to a kitchen fire pitWater troughAndre and Connie

    Lamego's Castle

    6. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    On the second day of visiting Lamego’s castle, a brand new pamphlet in English about the Lamego Castle District, arrived in the castle’s tourist office. We had seen the Portuguese pamphlets but they didn’t help us out very much. As I have mentioned, Portuguese is a hard language to figure out and most historical posters or information brochures in Lamego are only in Portuguese. Yay for the new pamphlet!

    Yesterday, we met Andre, the information person at the castle. He was wonderful and spoke really well in English. Since we were part of the small handful of tourists there, he was able to spend a fair bit of time explaining a lot of things that have puzzled us about castles. He suggested that we come back the next day to see the archaeological museum. So we did.

    The Lamego Castle sits on the higher of the two granite and schist hills (543m/1,781’), in the area where we are staying. The church with all the stairs is on the other hill. Both hilltops have wonderful views of the city, the grape terraces and the Coura, Balsemão and Varosa Rivers.

    It doesn’t cost anything to go through the old walled city or castle so we spent a few hours just wandering, and wondering. There are two gates to enter and exit the city. The one facing the East is called the Sun Gate (1641) and the other one, carved in wood (18th Century) is called the Gate of the Figs. All the medieval streets and alleys are very narrow with cobblestone. People still live in the houses though some of them have been renovated.

    All that is left of the castle is the old keep and some of the walls around the city. Documentation has shown that the castle has been on that site since the 10th Century. But before that, this ancient city was occupied by the Romans and became Christianised in the mid-6th century under the Visigoths. The Moors conquered much of Spain and Portugal during the 8th century and wars were fought between Christians and Muslims in the region until Fernando Magno de Leão defeated the Moors to re-establish the Christian Church.

    Over time, the castle went through many changes. It became a stately residence of the Coutinhos family at the end of the 15th century but was in ruins by 1532. Archaeological investigation shows that there had been an ancient cemetery under it. Then it became the ‘city hall’ and even a jail.

    Located within the walls that protected the city, there is a 20’ x 10’ cistern that is considered to be one of the ‘most remarkable urban cisterns of the medieval period (13th-14th centuries)’. It is a vaulted granite cistern dating back to times of Arab rule and bearing the signatures, in the form of pictographs, of master masons of the era. Actually there are many large stones all over the castle walls that have these drawings. I asked Andre about them and he told me that builders carved them on to show what work they had done, for their pay checks.

    We were able to walk on the top of the renovated walls and we had a great view of the city and surrounding hills. The watchtower with its dungeon had even better views. It looks like displays had been set up but with the humidity of the area, it has caused all sorts of issues with equipment. No

    We met Andre today in the Archaeological Centre and he gave us some more information about the exciting site that was discovered in Lamego. Within the walls, an old house was demolished and archaeologists found more than 2000 years of history in one rather small footprint.

    The layers uncovered showed the earliest residential occupation of that space occurred during the Roman periods (1st - 5th centuries). Visigoth (5th - 7th centuries) artifacts were found, followed by a graveyard from the 9th to 10th centuries which was abandoned and covered with a new wall of the city in the 12th -13th centuries. Then, stones from the walls were taken down to build houses at a later time.

    The most important thing found in this area was a jar filled with 600 Roman coins from the end of the 4rth century. They also found pieces of ceramics, glass and weights used for weaving. Quite a haul for a small site!

    It made all the difference having a knowledgeable, young man like Andre take the time to explain things to us. His English was good and his passion for what he does was excellent.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    A map showing the marcated area for producing wine in this area.Smell test of red, white and tawny port.Bottles of wine that have won awardsOld phot of people working on the terraces.Carrying the grapesNo hands!Two of the three huge bridges over the river.The 90m bridge.Tiles on a hotel showing Douro life in the fields

    Douro Museum

    8. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Every day several cruise boats or trains go from Porto to a town called Peso da Régua, and back as a wonderful day trip through the beautiful Douro Valley. We are staying a short distance away from Régua, (20 minute drive from Lamego), so we decided it was time to visit the Douro Museum in that town to learn more about this area.

    Wine (especially Port in this region) is a way of life in the beautiful Douro River Valley. The Douro river flows for over 900 km/557 miles from north-central Spain all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, and is the lifeblood of the region. Port wine was traditionally floated down the river in flat-bottomed boats to be cellared in Porto, but these days much of the river traffic is cruise boats.

    The museum tells the story of port and the harnessing of the river to make the transportation of the wine to Porto, from the valley where the grapes are grown, easier and safer. The museum is in the center of town and is housed in an old wine-related building that has been renovated.

    At the entrance, there was an old rabelo shipping vessel that used to carry the wine barrels down the river. Such an interesting flat-bottomed boat!

    We were fortunate that the lady, who we paid our €6 to, spoke English well and had time to give us an excellent introduction to the museum. Once again, we were the only people there.

    The two floors of displays were wonderful. There were a combination of photos, artifacts, short historical film clips and models, accompanied by information in good English.

    We watched a few short films showing how the rabelo boats were made, how the dams were made and the challenging process of taking the boats down the river, especially before the dams were built.

    We really enjoyed our time in this museum. It was the most informative and interesting museum that we have visited so far.

    It was a nice warm day so after a tasty bbq lunch in a local Portuguese restaurant, we went to walk on a riverside walking trail, under 3 large bridges that go over the river. One is really high - 90m!

    On the way back, we visited the train station. The train line from Porto through the Douro Valley and on to Spain was an engineering masterpiece when it opened over 130 years ago, crossing the country with 35 bridges and 23 tunnels. In the summer, tourists can take an old steam locomotive (1925) with its 5 carriages on a section of the railway line from Régua to Tua.

    Oh, I should mention that when we got back to the car, we found a little €2 surprise - a parking ticket! Now we have to figure out how to pay it...    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    Flipping it over to waterproof it took all those men and several oxen.
    The old rabelo boat for transporting 6 - 8 wine barrels.Building the rabelo took 2 weeksA long tiller called a rabelo, little tailSquare sails and oars were used.Usually 8 barrels on a boat.Could be pretty scary going down the river.At times, men on shore used lines to pull the boat up the river.A model in the museum

    Rabelo Boat Photos

    8. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Here’s a nice explanation of the boats, that I found in a Tourism Office pamphlet:

    (...) Hundreds of boats, caught up in the raging currents, have been shattered against the rocks. Gradually, a special skill and boat, the Rebelo, were evolved to navigate the river. These boats were something of the Phoenician sailing boats and something of the Chinese junk in them; they are Phoenician in their sturdy, paddle-like rudder (the espadela) wise enormous beam in the larger boats on the dangerous descents needed ten or more oarsman to handle it; the Chinese influence is seen in the high platform at the stern, the apegada, where these seamen stand as they steer. (...). Jaime CortesaoLæs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp

    Eating, Without Breaking the Bank

    9. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    As you could imagine, eating out while travelling for 3 or 4 months would start adding up fast. So, often the places that we choose to stay in have breakfasts that are included or have kitchens that we can use. I usually ask if there is a grocery store nearby when booking. Bringing Italian Spices with me from home always works. It can be used to add taste to anything!

    Portuguese food is really tasty though, and not terribly expensive, so we have been eating out at least once a week, sometimes twice. Every day, we get a pastry that we share from the local bakery. These bakeries are everywhere and the pastries are good.

    But back to how we deal with food, and not break the bank. Breakfasts are simple. We buy a few items that we carry with us. We may go out for a hearty shared lunch and then we have a simple dinner at our accommodation. The go to grocery store here is Pingo Doce but every street has its own little vegetable and fruit store too.

    So what might go on our shopping list or a week? The following is one big bag of food and gives me options for all sorts of meals.

    Local cheeses (Azores), and Parmesan, Gouda and cream cheese
    Milk, butter, eggs, yogurt
    Cereals like Special K, Cornflakes or granola
    Sliced meats (salami, ham, prosciutto and any local meat)
    Canned tuna
    Pasta (a very good jarred sauce here is Barilla’s Marinera)
    Coffee (Delta ground or Buondi pods) and a variety of teas
    Mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Sometimes hot sauce (piripiri here)
    Peanut butter
    Lettuce, tomato, onion, red pepper, carrots, lemon, avocado
    Apples, oranges, grapes
    Cereal
    Knorr Chicken soup mix for a base + tomato pieces
    Nuts, dried fruit (apricots, dates, figs)
    An oil and vinegar salad dressing in a bottle.
    Olives
    Bread, tortillas, crackers or baguettes
    Wine, and sometimes Baileys for our coffee.

    Here we can buy pre-cooked BBQ whole chicken, chorizo and spare ribs, so we are set with dinners and leftovers for sandwiches.

    We also go into the local Chinese store and pick up some containers to store things in. Eggs are hard-boiled so easy to eat for breakfast, a snack or on the road.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • LadyandtrampPortugal and Islands - 2019Ladyandtramp
    Here's the Recommended Port that We Bought
    5 minutes from our ApartmentWe are staying in the upper part of the City and are standing on the BridgeThe Se Cathedral - a trumpeter is playing in the backgroundIn the distance ClerigosTower (225 step ups).Upper part of the city close to where we liveA huge water fountain - the biggest that we have seen yet!Old city streetsLove the colours and the balconiesA photo just for Karen and Rob

    On to Porto with a bottle of Porto

    10. februar 2019, Portugal ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    To start off, we felt very proud of ourselves. We figured out how to pay the parking ticket by deciphering the Português instructions on the ticket without use of a translator or dictionary!!!! On our way to Porto, we had to drive through the town where we got the ticket anyways. There are machines on the street where you quickly pay your fine ($3) and we were able to do it. Actually a kind Portuguese firefighter wanted to help too, so he did. He told us it was his first time using the machine too so we all learned something.

    Porto is not that far away using the toll road (2 hours) so we opted to use that road because of the rain. We have been lucky to have had only a handful of rainy days and a driving day in the rain with no cars on a well-maintained highway works for us.

    We passed the town of Vila Real where the Mateus Palace is located. If you remember the Mateus bottles with candle drippings on it, we know how old you are!

    We have had the car for a month and decided that we would return it a little earlier as we didn’t feel that we needed it in Porto, and onward. The area from Porto to Lisbon is very touristy so there is a good transportation system here. We drove to the Porto airport where things went smoothly. We still wonder how much we paid in tolls (we had a monitor). We avoided the toll roads in most situation and took the much nicer scenic roads. They were all in good condition and usually the dries were only a little longer and much more interesting.

    The moment we arrived in Porto, the sun came out and it was a beautiful warm day.

    We were excited about actually getting to Porto. Most people rave about it and we were meeting our friend Vaughan, from Toronto, there. We rented an apartment in the historic area of Porto very close to the Sao Bento train station, the Se Cathedral and the big bridge that goes over the Douro River. We couldn’t have asked for a better location. We can walk everywhere.

    Remember that we have only been in small villages for the past month. Now we are in the big city and tourists. A brave new world.    Læs mere

    Se oversættelse
  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Hjem
  • Om os
  • Gruppesporing
  • Presse
  • Betingelser
  • Privatliv & Cookies
  • Hjælpecenter
  • Aftryk