Areia

Travelled to Lisbon area so we could meet up with Kirsty, who has come to join us for a week. our day was lenghtened by our inabililty to find a supermarket with a big enough car park to use the van. We passed by Obidos which looks like a very interesting town contained within the walls of a medieval castle and Sintra which is famous for its castle and tight streets. Eventually settled on site late afternoon near a beach under some pine trees.
We walked down to the coast in the morning and then drove to pick Kirsty up from the airport late afternoon on Thursday.
We cycled into Cascais and Estoril on Friday - very upmarket - and enjoyed sometime on the beach.
Cycled into Cascais on Saturday and took the bus to Sintra, a city with a great deal of history and a magnificent Moorish Castle which we walked up to through the forest. Great palaces there too. We enjoyed a nice meal in the Palace square at lunch time where we tried the Bachalau [dried salted cod found everywhere in Portugal] recipes and were suitably impressed. Sintra was very impressive and well worth the journey. Another very hilly town, which we walked and walked. There were tuctucs and electric cars everywhere, all for hire. We decided to walk all the way to the castle, having being told by a tour guide that it wasn't possible to walk!!!! Many other people were walking, and it proved to be a very pretty if strenuous journey. We also explored the historic part of the town, which consisted of a maze of narrow alleys full of restaurants and gift shops.
The cycle journey back to the site upon our return was hard work, with many uphill stretches. We all enjoyed a very welcome drink once back in the van.Read more