Playing Around in Porto

April 15-16, 2019:

For our last two days in our trip, we stayed in Porto, and just explored the town, which has a lot to offer.   Our first day, we decided we needed to learn more about port wine. So we headed across the river to the separate town of Gaia (just on the opposite bank of the river from us) to visit the port houses. Hey! It’s a rough job, but someone has to do it!  Besides, we had a mission … to buy a very special bottle to celebrate our friend’s special milestone birthday.

To get to Vila Nova do Gaia, aka “port town”, all you need to do is walk across the iconic double-decker Dome Luis I bridge from the Porto side of the river. The bridge was designed by Teófilo Seyrig (a student of Gustav Eiffel’s), and inaugurated on Oct. 31, 1886. The bridge is constructed of two metal trays, which underlie the two levels, and spans 391 meters.

Looking at Vila Nova de Gaia

The Dom Luis I bridge over to Gaia

The first port house we visited, Calem, required that you purchase a cellar tour in order to taste their wines. But since it was raining outside, it wasn’t a bad way to waste a morning. The story of how the port houses ( aka “lodges”) ended up here is somewhat interesting. Basically, after the Napoleonic wars, wealthy British investors starting buying up the port producers to ensure their port supply into the future, they realized that the conditions for aging the wine in the Douro Valley were not ideal. Thus, they accelerated the establishment of the port aging facilities in Gaia. However, as we learned on our tour, even though the climate was better here, periodic flooding of the Douro River inundated the caves at the river level several times. We could see the high water marks on the walls of Calem’s cellar. If you are looking for a “one-stop” port tasting experience, there is a facility just a little way further along the riverside called Espaço Poto Cruz. Sadly, it was closed the day were there.

At Calem, we tasted  a white and drt port, a late harvest vintage (ruby) port from the 2013 harvest, and a 10 year tawny port. We also learned about the premier style of port called “colheitas”, which is a port in the tawny style, but aged from a single vintage of grapes. The grapes are left in barrels or in something called “pipas”, for at least seven years before being bottled. Then the port is additionally aged for an almost infinite period of time. In the cellar, we saw several barrels of colheitas from the 1990 harvest, which had not yet been bottled. Obviously, none of those were available for tasting! While their ports were good, they were not as exceptional as what we tasted at Marrocos in the Douro.

From right, the white, ruby and tawny ports of Calem

By then time we got out of Calem, the sun had graced us with an appearance, and we continued our walk along the quayside. One charming facet of this is that on both sides of the river are parked these replica barges of the barges used to ferry casks of port from the Douro Valley to Porto. Every major port house has one parked on the river and they are just charming!  We began walked up into the hills of Gaia, and stopped at Ferreira, but as they also required a cellar tour to taste, we passed on them. Then we climbed all the way to the top of the Gaia hills to visit Graham’s port lodge.  The views are spectacular from here, and you can sit on their loggia to eat lunch, or enjoy the tasting room inside.  Here, we tasted the 10, 20, and 30 year tawny ports. Hands down, our favorite port here was their flagship 20 year tawny port. Interestingly, we liked it much better than the 30 year.

Port storage caves

Views from Graham’s

For our final tasting experience, we walked back over to the Taylor Fladgate tasting room. We also tasted the 10, 20,  and 30 year ports here, but the classic 20 year tawny was the hands down winner of everything we had tasted today, and we deemed it a worthy birthday present for our friend.

The 10, 20 and 30 year tawny ports at Taylor Faldgate

That “chore” completed, Jim and I walked back down to the waterfront, and took the teleférico(gondola) from the quayside up to the top of the Dom Luis bridge.  The views are very good from the gondola, but not so much the photos, as the Plexiglas side reflect the light, and are somewhat scratched.  However, the photo opportunities are much better from the bridge. 

Views on the east side of the Dom Luis bridge.

Porto Cathedral

The Batalha Funicular

Jim, being the transport nerd that he is, also insisted that we ride down the funicular which goes from the bottom of the Dom Luis bridge up to the upper town area of Batalha right next to the Church of Santa Clara. This level of the town is also where the grand Cathedral of Porto is located a few blocks to the west.

Tonight we dined at a really good restaurant just across the square from our hotel, called      . The food was more traditional Portuguese dishes (but you could avoid cod, if you like).  Tomorrow, we’ll explore more of the town of Porto, so stay tuned for the final post from Portugal!

April 16, 2019:

Well, even “Our Lady of The Aggressive Schedule” (me) blows it now and again!  I thought I had scheduled us for an e-bike tour of Porto this morning, only to discover that the Viator website had defaulted to the last date I had booked something, which meant I scheduled our bike tour for November, 2019.  Oops! Fortunately, they are super flexible about refunding your money. Even though we weren’t able to take the bike tour today, we settled for booking a Segway tour (motorized 2 wheel electric scooters) for this afternoon.  The good news its that it is such a beautiful, sunny day that Jim couldn’t even stay miffed at me for long. Instead, we walked back to our hotel, and down to the river, where we booked a one-hour boat tour of the five bridges of Porto.

The river cruise boats

The funicular and old city walls

In advance, I apologize for even more pictures of the river, but it is stunning!  We’ve already introduced you to the iconic Dom Luis I bridge (designed by Eiffel’s student), but there is also a bridge over the Douro designed by Eiffel himself. It is called the   Maria Pia Bridge .  The boat rip takes you a few miles up the Douro, then turns around and takes you downstream (and almost out to the ocean). From Porto, you don’t really realize how close you are to the sea, but all the seagulls in town should have given us a clue!

First view of the Maria Pia Bridgeo

Coming back down the river

Great view of our hotel, the Pestana Vintage

The opening out into the Atlantic

Porto Cathedral (Sé de Porto)

After our boat ride, Jim and I walked up into the upper town through the charming tile-façaded buildings where we stoped at the square in front of the Clérigos Tower, which, when it was built in 1763 was the highest bell tower in Portugal. The area around the tower is rich in points of interest from the photography museum to the Church of the Misericordia to Porto University, and the famous Livraria Lello bookstore. In fact, the bookstore is so popular (and pretty) that you have to buy a ticket and wait in line for entry. With wait times in the line projected to last over an hour, we reluctantly passed on this sit, and went to eat lunch in the shadow of Torre de Clérigos.  Then we met our Segway group in the courtyard of the photography museum, passed our check ride, and off we went! Our guide first pointed out the Estatua de Camilo Castelo Branco, which scandalized Porto when installed, depicting a man holding the nude body of a woman. Locals frequently decorate her bottom with handbills.  We went over to the Ingreja do Carmo with its lovely tile façade. Then we meandered our way over to the San Bento Railway Station, which is an architectural jewel.

Museum of Photography

Sardines Storre-selling vintage sardines and all types of canned seafood

Livraria Lello

Ingreja do Carmo

Art in the Park (and Jim)

Our test drive

Off we go

San Bento Railway Station

The rail station is very near the Porto Cathedral (Sé de Porto). This is an amazing 12^thCentury church, and monastery complex that dominates the Porto skyline with its two towers.  It is well worth a visit up close!

Sé de Porto

With that, the official sites on the tour were checked off the list, so our guide took us freewheeling. We went up on the top deck of the Dom Luis bridge for the views over Porto.  From there, we went down near the waterfront, and rode our Segways along the river, and up into a quiet neighborhood with great views over river.

In celebration of the last night of our trip, we went back to A Despensa for dinner, and were treated like returning royalty.  Tomorrow, we drive back to Lisbon and fly home.  Stay tuned, dear Readers, because another trip is right around the corner (at least in blog time)!

A Day in the Douro Valley

April 14, 2019:

This morning we threw open to see the light of a new day shining on Porto. Sadly, it wasn’t shining too much, but we’re excited anyway, because today is our trip to explore the Douro Valley. This is the wine growing region to the east of Porto. Grapes have been grown here for 2000 years. The Douro Valley DOC was established in 1756, and it comes with very strict rules established by its ruling body, the Douro Institute.  For example, the growers are not allowed to irrigate.   The entire valley has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Area. Because of the steep, terraced terrain, all grapes are picked by hand. In keeping with tradition, the grapes are all crushed first by foot.

On our drive out of Porto, we pass through the Vinho Verde DOC area, which was  established as a unique wine growing appellation in 1907. Our ascent over the mountains into the valley presents some otherworldly scenes of clouds resting on the hills. But finally, we get our first views of the fabled terraces. It is hard to wrap your head around how much labor has gone into the planting and tending of these vineyards over the centuries. Because the soil is so loose and rocky, the terraces can only support one or maybe two rows of vines at most.

Map of the wine regions in Portugal.

Our first stop was in the tiny town of Pinhão, where we had a coffee, and wandered around. Then, it was on to taste some wine!

Pinhão

This is a very old vine. Look how rocky the soil is!

Our first stop was at the Quinta do Jalloto. Here in the Douro Valley, wine estates are called quintas.This quinta is run by its fourth generation of family wine makers. On their estate, some vines 80 years old, and they also produce olive oil. The whole estate is only 6 acres. They also keep bees. Our host tells us that it was a good harvest this year. The grape musts from the wine pressing are spread throughout the vineyards.

Our host told us about the wine making process in the Douro Valley. First, fermentation can take up to three weeks with the help of refrigeration. The grapes are crushed in concrete tanks by foot, and then the workers punch down the stems, seeds and skins, stirred up. The juice is filtered after the first fermentation.  

Second fermentation can take 3-4 months in steel tanks. There is no filtering, but some sediments naturally drain off. From there, the maturing wine is transferred into French and American oak barrels. Reserve wines are kept in oak for 6 months, Grand Reserve wines are kept on oak for 10-12 months. Then, the wines are aged in bottles for 1-2 years or more. All wines from Douro are scored, and the scoring is set by Douro Institute: 0-50 points=regular, 51-74 points = Riserva, 75 points += Grand Reserva. At Quinta do Jalloto, 70% of their products are reds, but they also do rosés and whites. In fact, we bought a bottle of their white wine (Vino Branco) to drink on our cruise on the Douro River. The grape blend was Mavasia Fino, Gouveio, and Viosinho. The rosé was made out of two of the iconic varietals from the Douro Valley; Touriga Nacional and Tinto Roriz (which is called Tempranillo in Spain).

We had a pretty cruise down the Douro and back, and then enjoyed a lunch at a local bistro in one of the small towns on the river. It is a little discouraging that it is so overcast, because we can easily imagine how gorgeous these views would be if the sun were shining. Then we went to our second wine estate; this time to see a port estate.  We visited Quinto do Marrocos, which is a very small producer of ports.  By contrast, Taylor’s has 27 vineyards!

One of the original storage cellars

There are 4 types of port: ruby, tawny, white, and rose.  Brandy is added to the wine grapes to stop fermentation. Port is made from blended grapes. It is usually aged in barrels which have already been used 3 times. White port is actually made from different grapes and spends 3-7 years in the barrel. For tawny and ruby ports, they use exactly the same grapes. However, the main difference between tawny and ruby port is the amount of time spent in the barrel. Tawny ports spend 8-12 years on the barrel, on average, and use smaller barrels. 

At Quinto do Marrocos

After arriving back in Porto, Jim and I enjoyed a light dinner at the quayside restaurant right in front of our hotel, and walked along the river. What a gorgeous place now that it’s not raining!

The café next to our hotel

Our hotel

Coimbra Is One Cool College Town!

April 13, 2019:

This morning, Jim and I awoke to heavy rain. Nonetheless, we packed up the car and headed for Porto by way of Coimbra, the fourth largest town in Portugal.  Coimbra came to prominence when it was the capital of Portugal from 1131 to 1255 A.D., and with the establishment of its university in 1290 by King Denis I.  

The grand staircase climbing up into the campus of Coimbra University

Statue of King Denis I, who founded the University as the Stadium Generale, in Lisbon originally in 1290.

The University is built on a hilltop overlooking the Mondego River, and occupies a location which has been occupied since Roman times.  The area was captured by the Visigoths in the mid-6^thCentury, then by the Moors in the early-8th Century, and re-conquered from the Moors in 1064 by King Afonso VI of Léon and Castile. He gave the stewardship of the city to Henry of Burgundy, who then married Afonso VI’s daughter, Theresa. Henry had his hands full with concentrating power in the area, and fending off several attempts by the Moors to take the area back. Henry and Theresa’s son, Afonso Henriques (aka Afonso I) became the ruler of Portugal, and established Coimbra as the capital during his reign. Afonso I established Coimbra as the seat of the great Monastery of Santa Clara, and built his palace next door. Although the majority of the University was built after the capital was moved away from Coimbra, the University became a great cultural center, drawing students from not only Portugal, but all over the world.  A great library was built here (the Joanine Library) which is one of the oldest libraries in the world. In 1537, the University was transferred to the grounds of the royal palace.

Today, the University campus still has students from all over the world, and we were delighted to see some of them walking around the town in the traditional university uniforms, which includes a long black cape like those worn at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books.

Its buildings have greatly expanded, and it is a very well respected center of higher learning. In 2013, UNESCO granted the University World Heritage status. If you visit here, try to time your arrival for earlier in the day because all access to the buildings of touristic interest are governed by tickets you purchase outside the walls of the former palace grounds.  In particular, the number of visitors to the Joanine Library are strictly limited, and if you arrive too late in the day, the tickets to enter will be sold out., which would be a total bummer because it really is the highlight of the visit. The University offers two main ticket options, which combine visits to the main buildings of interest.  We arrived in the late morning, and the earliest access time to the Library was after 1:00 p.m.

Accordingly, we visited the former Palace first, which now mostly houses professors’ offices and the Great Hall of Acts, where doctoral candidates defend their theses. The thirty foot high walls of the Hall are hung with life-size portraits of the former Kings of Portugal. It looks like a pretty imposing place to have to make your stand! There is a tower at one end of the Palace, but it was closed to visitors when we were there, but no mind. The views from the second floor of the Palace over the river Mondego were great!

The former Royal Palace; now the Hall of Acts

Statue of King Joao III, who permanently moved the University from Lisbon to Coimbra in 1557.

The Hall of Acts

The Royal Portrait Gallery

The doctoral candidates’ seat

Views of the Mondego River from the Palace

The “new” Cathedral of Coimbra. in the Almedina area

View towards the Chapel of St. Michael

Then we visited the Chapel of Saint Michael, which was built beginning in the 12th Century, and sits next door to the Palace.  King Joao III, who donated his palace to the University and moved it to Coimbra, is interred here.

As we waited our turn to gain access to the Library, we wandered around the grand courtyard, which is situated overlooking most of the town of Coimbra and it also overlooks the River Mondego.  Just outside this main palace area and partially down the hill is the ancient section of town called the Almedina, where in Moorish times, the marketplace was located. We didn’t have time to visit this area on our visit, but it looks interesting.

Finally, our turn in the Library (la Biblioteca Joanina) came up.  Construction began on the Library in 1717, and was completed in 1728, in a completely Baroque style. The Library is housed in a three-story building. The ground floor has historical objects from the University’s past on display. The second floor is where students still study at long wooden tables.  But the third floor is the sight not be missed. Again, this is a room of huge proportions with ceilings at least 30 feet off the floor.  There are those great rolling wooden ladders to access the very highest shelves, and a balcony runs partially around the room. I’m pretty sure there must be a “behind the scenes” access to those highest shelves, but it is not on display.  This space is cavernous, stretching across three interconnected rooms. This great library equals or exceeds some of the other great libraries we have seen, like the library housing the Book of Kells at Trinity College in Dublin.  It would not have looked out of place in the castle of Hogwarts! Sadly, no photos are permitted of the interior, but fortunately, there are some murals of the interior in the gift shop, so you can see a little of what it is like to experience the library.  We would have liked to spend a little longer here, but we had to complete our journey to Porto. Just as we were leaving, it started to rain, which was a preview of coming attractions!

La Biblioteca Joanina

Primitive printing press

The photo “selfie” of the interior of the Library in the gift shop

About an hour later, we came into the city of Porto, which is a real labyrinth! Fortunately, the good ol’ GPS got us in to the city center. Our hotel is the Pestana Vintage, located right on the riverfront in the World Heritage area of Porto. As usual, when trying to drive in European historical areas, surprises lurk and tensions mount. It was no different in Porto! When we arrived in the riverfront area, we learned that there was an accident on the small access street to the hotel cutting off our ability to dump our luggage before we had to go park in a public parking facility about two blocks from the hotel. Plus, it was still dumping rain.  Nonetheless, Jim navigated us to our parking spot, and we rolled our suitcases to the hotel.  Fortunately, when we arrived, we were immediately given a glass of port to calm our nerves, and we were enchanted to find that our room looked out over the river.  

Views across the River Douro from our hotel room

Restored, we then headed off to dinner at what turned out to be a fabulous Italian restaurant, A’ Despensa. You can read our review here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g189180-d10700613-r667194844-A_Despensa-Porto_Porto_District_Northern_Portugal.html

Stay tuned, because tomorrow Jim and I venture into the Douro region to learn more about the wines grown in that World Heritage area.

Another Day, Another Castle

April 12, 2019:

As if we haven’t been visiting enough churches during our stay in Portugal, Jim and I decided to travel today to visit one of the holiest sites in Portugal; the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima. The site was consecrated and a giant basilica was built on the spot where three shepherd children said the Virgin Mary appeared to them on three occasions in 1916 and 1917 when they were out tending their family’s sheep in a field.  Two of the children died within a couple of years of the apparitions (Francisco and Jacinta Marto), and the third (Lúcia Santos) became a nun. The Catholic Church has now sainted all of them, and their tombs are in the Basilica.

The Basilica of Our Lady of of the Rosary

You cannot believe the scope of the Sanctuary’s grounds!  As Holy Week is about to begin (Palm Sunday is in two days), the faithful have flocked from all over Portugal (and many from other countries) to visit the Sanctuary. Crowd control barriers have been erected in the immense area outside the Basilica, and a pathway has been set up so the penitent can walk the Stations of the Cross.  We watched a several penitent worshippers walked on their knees across the entire area to get into the church.  They have even preserved the giant oak tree where the children were playing when the visions appeared to them.  Annually, about four million people visit the Sanctuary.

Our Lady of the Rosary

Once inside the church, we visited the tombs of the sainted children, and also the Chapel of Apparitions depicting how Mary was supposed to have looked to the children. There is an air of solemnity which hangs over the whole place, and it is a very powerful monument to the Catholic faith.

Tombs of Jacinta and Francisco

Chapel of Apparitions

We then briefly visited the small hilltop town of Leíria nearby, because, hey, we could see the castle from the highway.  Sadly, there is nothing much there except the ruins of the medieval castle, but we got our exercise climbing up into the interior of the castle, and the views from the top were pretty, although you can walk all around the walls the way you can in Óbidos.  Sadly, there’s  not much in the tiny town except the castle, so I can’t say it would make my top ten list of spots to visit in central Portugal.

Castelo de Leíria, built by King D. João I in the late 1400s

Interesting juxtaposition of the old castle walls with the modern soccer stadium

Coat of arms for King D. João I

Having worked up a good appetite, Jim and I detoured into the actual town of Nazaré to have lunch. We picked one of the countless seafood restaurants (the Restaurant Mar Bravo) along the main promenade and had a good lunch of steamed clams and white wine.  It’s still a little cold for people to be making use of the beach, but the town was still jam packed.  It’s hard to imagine how it can operate in the summer months when it is packed with vacationing Portuguese!

The boardwalk in Nazaré

The bluffs above the town. There is a funicular that runs to the top.

We watched the fishermen returning to the harbor after their day of fishing, and enjoyed an afternoon of sunshine. Tomorrow, we leave the coast to drive to Porto, and we will visit the ancient university town of Coimbra on the way.   Until then, good night!

Open Roads to Óbidos

April 11, 2019: 

One of the things Jim and I really love to do is to rent a car in a foreign country and really explore its tiny towns and people and highways.  This morning, somewhat wistfully, we left our comfy abode and Lisbon and struck off for the north.  Portugal is a really beautiful country, and we are looking forward to exploring more of it!  For those of you who love all those wonderful little medieval hill towns in Italy, let me tell you that Portugal gives them a run for their money!  Plus, they have windmills here!

Today’s journey will take us up to the middle of the country.  We have two stops planned; one at Óbidos (mostly to see the medieval town, and maybe taste a little ginjaha), and the second stop will be at the Monastery of Alcobaça.

Óbidos is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful towns in Portugal. With its whitewashed buildings, winding streets and hilltop castle, it certainly is a popular destination on Instagram and Pinterest!  The town has had settlements here since Roman times, and was freed from the Moors in 1148. During the late 13^thCentury, King Denis enlarged the hilltop fort and built a castle there. Today, you can even stay in a part of the castle that operates as a hotel. For now, I’m just going to let the photos speak for themselves.

Not a Roman aqueduct; built in the 14th century by Queen Caterina.

The King’s Pillory

The castle

From Obidos, we traveled a little further north to the town of Alcobaça, in order to visit the Monastery, which is a World Heritage site. The monastery was originally begun by Cistercian monks in 1153, as a gift by King Alfonso I to Bernard of Clairvaux. Construction on the church began in 1178, and not completed until 1252. The monastery construction was not completed until 1223, and the church and monastery are the earliest examples of Gothic architecture in Portugal. The church and monastery were heavily supported by Portugal’s royalty, and the abbots wielded great local influence. Many of Portugal’s former kings and queens from the medieval period are buried here, but probably the most interesting are the huge Gothic tombs of King Pedro I and his mistress, Ines de Castro, who was murdered on the orders of Pedro’s father (King Alfonso IV). After King Alfonso’s death, Pedro had Ines disinterred fro her commoner’s grave, posthumously married her, and her reburied her in the tomb in the church. The cloister was built beginning in the late 13^thcentury.

The Monastery of Alcobaça

The main nave

The King’s Hall

The Cloisters

The Chapter House

The Mons’ Hall

The kitchen hearth

The novitiates dormitory

Looking down on the tombs of King Pedro I a
nd Ines

Pedro’s Tomb

Ines’ Tomb

Then it was time to head to our lodgings for the night; the Hotel Miramar Sul in Nazaré, which is on the coast of central Portugal. Nazaré is a traditional fishing town, and you can still see the fishing boats coming in late every afternoon. Our hotel sits on a cliff overlooking the fishing port. Today, it is probably best known as a world class surfing area. Big wave riders congregate here each winter to test waves that can reach up to 100 feet in height.  Our lodgings are simple, but they look out on the ocean, so we enjoyed a cocktail while we watched the sun set.  Tomorrow will be another day of exploration, as we visit some more of these small Portuguese towns.

The harbor at Nazaré

The beach at Nazaré

Évora and Ervideira

April 10, 2019:

Our exploration today will take us into the countryside southeast of Lisbon. Specifically, we’re headed to the town of Évora, which is only about 50 kilometers from the Spanish border. The town has been settled prehistoric times. In fact, one of the reasons we want to visit here is the presence of the ruins of a Roman temple, but there is also a stone circle called a crumlechwhich dates to prehistoric times, and the Cathedral is recognized as a World Heritage site.  Plus, we’re going to be in the middle of a wine growing region responsible for 30% of Portugal’s entire wine output!

Our journey began with a drive over the huge 25^thof April suspension bridge. The bridge is named for the nonviolent “Carnation Revolution” which overthrew the longtime Portuguese dictator, Salazar. The bridge has the longest central span of any bridge in central Europe at 1.5 miles long. Shortly after we passed over the bridge, we were in a smaller wine region called Palmela, and then we were in the countryside. It’s about an hour and half drive to Évora, and from there, you’re essentially in the middle of the country with 300 km. to drive north to Porto, and 300 km. south to Faro in the Algarve. 

April 25th Bridge. Notice its resemblance to the Golden Gate Bridge?

Throughout this area, we could see the ubiquitous Portuguese cork trees. Our guide explained that cork is harvested by cutting circular rings through the bark only around the widest part of the trunk. The year of harvest is marked on trunk, and then that tree is re-harvested in 10 years. Interspersed among the cork trees are oaks, and the local farmers raise the very desirable black-footed pigs which range free amongst the oaks eating the acorns. This gives their meat a fabulous slightly nutty flavor, which is then turned into a delicious ham like prosciutto.

Over the millennia, Évora has been a melting pot and a trading crossroads. The Phoenicians traded salt here, and the Romans had an outpost. However, when the Moors took over, it took quite a bit longer to remove them than it did in Lisbon. It was not until 1166 (over 20 years after to recapture of Lisbon) that Évora was freed from the Moors. Nonetheless, all those trading ties with the distant world remained, and helped propel Portugal into the world’s greatest sea power from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance. In fact, when Portuguese sailor discovered Japan, it is said that there was no word for “thank you” in Japanese. Legend has it that the Portuguese word for thank you (Obrigado)became Arigatoin Japanese.

Our first stop as we came into Évora was at the Cathedral of Évora (Sé de Évora), which was originally built between 1184 and 1204 A.D.  It was added onto between 1280 and 1340, the Gothic cloisters were built in the 14^thcentury, and then it was enlarged/remodeled again in the 16^thand 18^thcenturies. Today, it is the largest of the medieval cathedrals in Portugal, and it is believed that the flags of Vasco de Gama’s fleet were blessed here before he set out on his world explorations in 1497.

From my perspective, the prettiest thing about the church was that the midday light was streaming through the stained glass windows, creating a jeweled path across the pews!  

The weirdest thing about it was that there was an ossuary chapel, and someone had seen fit to make “art” out of the bones!  After that, I needed a palate cleanser, so I hiked up to the roof, and took in the views of the town and the surrounding scenery.

View from the cloisters

Translation: We bones that are waiting here; we are waiting for yours.

From there we walked through the middle square in town, where there was yet another late medieval period church.  Then we went to see the remains of the Roman temple to Diana which was built in 5 B.C. I thought it was interesting that some of the views of the temple were juxtaposed with the spires of the cathedral in the background.   The park around the temple offers some great views of the surrounding countryside.

Temple of Diana

After a great lunch featuring the local pata negra pork (and thankfully, no cod!), we headed out to the countryside to do some wine tasting. We arrived at the wine estate of the Ervideira family, and they gave us the obligatory tour of the facilities and the wine cellar. They also had some sample of cork bark lying around outside so you could see what it looked like before they make corks out of it. Then it was time to sample their wines.  

They do a full range of wines, and we sampled a sparkling wine, a very clear white wine called Invisivel, because it is nearly invisible, a mixed white blend that was pretty good, a rosé, and then some aged reds. Virtually none of the grapes were known to us. For example, in the white blend, the vintner had mixed two varietals: Antão Vaz and Arinto. The Ervideira family, descended from the Count of Ervideira, has been making wine since 1880, and is now in the fourth generation of winemakers.  

Invisível wine

Perhaps the most unusual thing we learned was that the family has been experimenting with aging some of their wines underwater in a nearby pristine lake at nearly 100 feet down.  We sampled two wines that were the exact same wine to begin with, but one was aged the normal way and the other underwater. I can’t explain it, but there really was a difference in taste.  We were very fortunate that earlier today, some famous wine publication had been doing a tasting to rate their wines, and thus there were several of their library wines open to sample.  Jim and I both agreed that although the reds were good, they did not age nearly as well as those from Italy or France.

After all the wine we consumed, there was not much conversation on the way home, However, we were able to see several HUGE stork nests in the trees by the side of the highway. In fact, it appears that electric transmission towers are perhaps the storks’ favorite place to build their nests, since several of the towers we passed had multiple nests in one tower. Some were so bunched together, it reminded you of a condominium building.

Condos for storks

Jim and I finished the day by walking down to a nearby shopping and dining outdoor mall in a converted industrial warehouse area. The place is called LX Factory, and its located pretty much right under the April 25^thBridge.  The shops were definitely geared towards millenials, but there were some really interesting restaurants. One in particular seemed to be offering authentic Mexican food, including street tacos. That caught Jim’s fancy, so we tried some tacos and a margarita. The food was pretty good, but not quite as authentic as advertised.  Many of the bars and restaurants offered live music, and the night scene was just beginning to pick up when we went back to the palace. Tomorrow, we’ll be leaving Lisbon to explore more areas to the north. We’re really excited to be done more explorations!

A Little More Lisbon, Please!

April 9, 2019:

Oh, wow! Breakfast in the palace! It’s raining, but who cares! We have decided to take it easy here in Lisbon, since we have seen many of the top tourist spots before.

Jim and I spent the morning in our room watching rain storm after rain storm roll in while I did some blogging. Finally, it seemed as though the worst of the rain had passed, so Jim and I took the hotel shuttle to downtown Lisbon. This time, we had the shuttle driver drop us at the statue of the Marquis de Pombal. For those of you who don’t know, the Marquis of Pombal is a superhero of Portuguese history. After the catastrophic earthquake of 1755, the Marquis took control over the rebuilding efforts of Lisbon. Although many historical areas were remade in his image of a modern Lisbon, he created some really sustaining cultural spaces for the city. One of the enduring monuments to the legacy of his vision is the central avenue of Lisbon known as Avenida Libertado. With its wide street, and beautiful trees and graceful sidewalks, it is like the Champs Elysees of Lisbon! 

Ancient Roman Aqueduct

Looking down Avenida Libertado towards theTejo River

Marquis de Pombal

The walkways along the Avenida Libertado

Jim and I had a little time to kill before we joined our tour this afternoon, so we walked down the Avenida.  We walked up into one of the neighborhoods to check out a botanical park, but couldn’t find it. So back to the Avenida … where we decided to have lunch at one of the ubiquitous pastry shops in Lisbon selling the iconic pasteis do nata (small custard pastries in a multilayer pastry crust). The place we stopped was Fabrica da Nata, and their pastries were hot out of the oven and flaky!

Freshly baked pastéis de nata at Fábrica da Nata

Yum!

Then we walked up another street into the area where we had stayed on our last visit to Lisbon; the Carmo neighborhood.  There is a large quiet square with a bar and restaurant with umbrella-topped tables.  We enjoyed a glass of wine, and then walked back down to the Avenida to join our tour. 

Entering the Carmo neighborhood

At the central square in Carmo

Today we are meeting our guide one plaza further north than the Rossío plaza where we met our guide yesterday.  We have signed up for a walking tour topped off with a wine and bites sampling from our favorite tour company in Portugal; Your Friend in Lisbon.  https://yourfriendinlisbon.com

We met our guide, Elsa, at the Praça de Restaudores (which is the plaza celebrating the restoration of Portuguese rule from Spanish in Dec, 1640) under the statue of John of Braganza, the hero that led that battle for Portuguese independence. Right away, we can tell Elsa is going to be a font of information, and fun, as she doesn’t always perfectly sanitize her accounts of Portuguese history!  An example is that after telling us about the battle to restore Portuguese sovereignty, she asked us if we knew about the “Lisbon Defenestration”, which is what it was called when the Portuguese retook Lisbon, and shoved all the Spanish leaders and generals out the third floor window of the municipal building.

Praça de Restaudores

Elsa dived right into Portuguese history as we walked back toward the Rossío area. We looked up towards the São Jorge fort, which was built by the Moors in the 800s A.D., because it had a source of fresh water there, and water in the rest of city was brackish or sulfuric.  Then she told us about the liberation of Portugal from the Moors. As mentioned yesterday, the Crusaders launched their attack against the Moors in 1143, leading to the siege of São Jorge castle. However, by 1147, Portugal had been liberated, and there has been no change of its borders since 1150. By contrast, the Moors were not expelled from Granada until 1492. Portugal was occupied by Spain in 1580, and as mentioned, liberated in 1640. The Spaniards tried to take control of Portugal again in1808, but were ultimately unsuccessful. One interesting fact about the Fort of São Jorge is that most of its walls fell in the earthquake of 1755. They were not rebuilt until the 1940s by the dictator Salazar.

Fort of São Jorge

The Roccío plaza was built originally by the Romans, and it was roughly oriented on the cardinal points of a compass. It slightly changed during Moorish times, but was totally reoriented after the Conquest. The Black Plague struck Lisbon in 1506. The Dominican friars prayed to God and somehow decided that the plague was caused by tolerance towards Jews and other infidels. Accordingly, the friars demanded that all the Jews be rounded up, and in 3 days, the congregants killed some 2000 Jews by burning them in the plaza. Thereafter, the Dominican friars were known as the “Beasts of God” because they were in charge of the Inquisition.

Formally, the plaza is known as Praça Pedro IV, and the statue in the center is Peter the IV, who both freed Brazil, and gave up the absolute power of Kings. Since the plaza was the former site of the Inquisition burnings, it is somewhat appropriate that the plaza honors Pedro IV, since he was the one who abolished Inquisition burnings.

To get back in a happier mood, Elsa took us to sample the ginjahaat the oldest shop in Lisbon. Interesting fact: as popular as ginjahais in Lisbon, most of it is actually made in the Óbidos area. This the outpost where Anthony Bourdain famously (infamously?) tried to sober up after a long night by drinking ginjaha here. Suffice it to say, it was not a good plan. The ginjaha here is quite a bit stronger than the place we tried it yesterday, but I liked the flavor better here.

Ginjaha

This is the only thing sold here, so it looks like they go through a ton of the stuff!

Then we paid a visit to the Casa do Alentejo, which was built in 1838 as the private pleasure palace for a wealthy Lisbon man to hide his mistress from his wife.  The architecture is fabulous, as it was all built to look like a Moorish palace with a stunning interior courtyard, and tons of decorative tile walls (azulejos). By the end of the 19^thCentury, however, the man had gone broke. A few years later, it was purchased and turned into casino called Le Majestic in 1919. It was closed in 1928 by the Fascists. After standing abandoned for several years, it was reopened as a social club for the people from the Alentejo regions. Elsa tells us that it is in use almost constantly by transplanted people from the Alentejo region, and it is a popular site for wedding receptions and parties. It is also used by elderly men as a quiet place to get away from their wives and have a glass of port with friends.

The courtyard in the Casa do Alentejo

Jim and tour guide, Elsa

We went inside Ingreja do Santo Domingo (Church of Saint Dominic), which had been the predominant Dominican church since the Middle Ages. Most of it burned down in a giant fire in 1959. Many people whisper that it is a judgment for the sins of the Inquisition.  However, the Catholic diocese made a startling decision in that they decided not to restore the interior of the church to its gilded former state. Instead, you can still see where the flames ravaged the walls and columns of the church, and it is somewhat unique to see such a simple, unadorned church from this era.

Ingreja do Santo Domingo

New technology meets old religious practices

We continued walking along Rua das Portas de Santo Antão (a pedestrian street), and saw Independence Palace (the upper windows of which were the site of the Lisbon Defenestration).

Rua das Portas de Santo Antão

Independence Palace. The third floor windows on the closest end were where the Lisbon Defenestration took place.

Elsa then steered us up the other side of Avenida Independencia up into the Chiado neighborhood. This is a cute, trendy area, with narrow streets and beautiful plazas. One of the neighborhoods here is the Carmo neighborhood, which we’ve already explored.  This is the area where the wealthy of Lisbon moved and rebuilt after the earthquake of 1755. The buildings are fronted with beautiful tile facades, and statues in every square.

Walking up into the Chiado neighborhood

The elevator to get to the upper areas of Chiado

Then we walked up into the Bairro Alto neighborhood, which is generally considered to be the bar and nightclub quarter in Lisbon. As we walk through the streets at about 5:30, most of the storefronts are still closed. But we don’t care, because we’re here at the site of our food and wine tasting at Lisbon Winery! This is a new wine shop in Bairro Alto, and it is owned by the proprietors of Your Friend in Lisbon. To our delight, both proprietors, Alex and Adrianna are present, and we can renew old ties!  Then it was time to drink wine!  If Adrianna is not an accredited sommelier, she should be!  She had curated a tasting which highlighted the various wine growing regions of Portugal. To make it easier, the shop had a couple of helpful displays on the walls of both the wine growing regions and the unique wine varietals, which are mostly foreign to us.  The wine shop is darling, and features an abandoned cistern in the center dating back several centuries. But then it was time for the main event! Of all the regional foods and wines we tasted, I think our favorites were the pata negra jamón, and a really great 20 year tawny port by a really small producer called Blackett.  

Elsa in the cistern

Tomorrow we venture out of Lisbon to the south to explore the region known as the Alentejo * meaning south of the Tejo River).

Lovely Lisbon

April 8, 2019:

Dear Readers:

Welcome to Portugal proper! Jim and I disembarked this morning in Lisbon, which will be our home for the next few days.  We are staying at the Pestana Palace in the Encantara neighborhood of Lisbon, a few miles to the west of the old downtown area.  As you probably know from our earlier posts on Lisbon : https://vayacongringos.wordpress.com/2016/10/23/loving-lisbon/

the Gringos LOVE this city!  It is such a great mix of the incredibly ancient mixed with modern vitality.  Everyone we’ve met in Lisbon seems very well-educated and multi-lingual, so that traveling here as an English speaker (or Spanish, French, or German speaker) is no problem. I thought the name of our hotel was just a marketing gimmick, but, no!   It really is a former palace, formerly owned by one of the richest families in Portugal, which has now been brilliantly converted to a five star hotel by the Pestana group; one of Portugal’s most prestigious hotel brands.

We spent the earlier part of the day getting resettled after leaving the ship, and enjoying our park-like surroundings. However, this evening, we have booked a tour of two of the oldest neighborhoods in Lisbon, followed by a fado performance and dinner.

Our hotel provides a shuttle to several major landmark areas in Lisbon about 5 times a day. After a drive through one of the huge parks in the center of Lisbon, we drive into the central city. Much of it is very modern, but we enter the older part of town, which begins about Rossío square. One of the first things I notice is all the little kiosk shops set up in the square, which look amazingly like the stalls you see at the Christmas markets in northern Europe. Sure enough, they are set up in celebration of Easter, and most are selling sweets. Jim was happy to find out that they were also selling mulled wine, so we bought two cups, and a couple of chicken pastries, since we skipped lunch today. Then we wandered over to the Hotel Mundial, where we met our tour group.  What a diverse group; we had a couple of Belgian ladies, a couple with a Swiss guy and his Spanish girlfriend, and two New Yorkers! Our guide told us that this area has great rooftop bars,  especially the Hotel Mundial.

Rossío Plaza

Ingreja do Santo Domingo

Our itinerary tonight is to explore two of the oldest neighborhoods in Lisbon; Mouraria and Alfama. Right away, you need a little history lesson. Although Lisbon was occupied briefly by first the Romans, and then the Visigoths in the first 400 years A.D., the city, and Portugal in general, was really founded by conquering Moors from North Africa and Morocco. In other words, for nearly 500 years, Portugal was an Islamic country. This is readily apparent in the advanced architecture the Moors left behind, most of which was merely adapted after the Christian re-conquest of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) beginning in the mid-1100s. Christian soldiers, led mostly by the Knights Templar, began their assault on the Moors (whom the called the “Infidels”), in Portugal in 1143 A.D.  By 1147, the Moors had been defeated, and the conquering forces expelled all Moorish persons from the area, which they had occupied in the city center on top of one of the hills in the city. The fort in that area built by the Moors was renamed São Jorge (St. George) after the English knights who had assisted in the battle. In 1187, the kingdom of Portugal is founded. By royal decree, the Moorish people were exiled outside the keep to an area below, which was called Mouraria. Over the centuries, it became a ghetto, and as recently as 20 years ago, it was a crime-ridden part of Lisbon. However, that has largely changed today.

Fort of São Jorge

We start our tour in the Rossío area. One of the things you quickly appreciate about Lisbon is that it is a totally vertical city, and that it is almost impossible to walk from Point A to Point B without walking up a steep incline at least part of the way! You also notice quickly that in the old parts of town, the cobblestones have been preserved in both street paving and for the sidewalks. What I’m telling you, dear Readers, is NEVER wear spike heels in Lisbon!  Well-cushioned tennis shoes are your best bet! Our guide tells us that the sidewalks are all laid by hand from limestone, with basalt designs laid over sand. Practically speaking, what this means is that at any given time, for any given stretch of sidewalk, there will always be some portion which needs to be repaired because it is only set loose in sand. Remember Rule 1: No Spike Heels! Fortunately, Portugal respects the iconic nature of this art form, and still trains artisans to be able to repair these stretches of sidewalk anywhere in Portugal.

The Chapel of Our Lady of Health. Notice how the paving matches the roof line.

We stopped first at Chapel of Our Lady of Health. We all observe that the paving in front of the church reflects the curvature pattern of the church roof. Note to self: Ome of the iconic things to do in Lisbon I to ride the antique yellow tram cars which drive over the hills of the old city. The best route is purportedly Route 28, which winds though the oldest part of the city; the Alfama District. From Rossīo, you can catch Tram 28, but it is better to do at 7:30 in the morning . We booked this tour through Viator (a Trip Advisor company) and, as usual, our local guide was very well-informed.  He started us out looking at the street art in Mouraria celebrating the fado music tradition. He told us that fadocomes from the Latin word Fatum,meaning Fate. It is thought that fado may have originated from sailors going to the Portuguese colonies and Angola in the slave trade, and that the slaves may have taught the sailors the sad musical tradition which became the blues in America. In any event, fadois believed to have a connection with the sea. The theme is “Life as a journey”. There are three states of mind represented in fado  songs-sad, bittersweet, or cheerful/proud. Usuallyfado songs feature either a man or a women singer, backed by 2 guitars-1 classic guitar and a Portuguese guitar with 12 strings. Occasionally, vocal battles between the singers break out, which is called desgahado.This guide was certain that fado developed in Lisbon! 

The Portuguese 12-stringed guitar

One of the traditions here in Portugal is to take a shot (or more) of the local brandy made with sour cherries.  The Portuguese word for these cherries is Ginja, and the brandy made from them is known both as Ginja and Ginjaha. Although the

Roccío bar has the oldest Ginja outpost in town, our guide took us to another bar where he preferred the Ginja blend (Os Amigos da Severa. The cherries are mixed with an infusion of brandy and cinnamon. I had no idea how long they percolate, but the alcohol content varies from about 14% to about 25%. 

Say, “Saude!” to toast in Portuguese.

As we moved deeper into the twisted streets of Mouraria, we saw an urban art project created by Camilla Watson (a British-born photographer)  with printed portraits of legendary fado singers, as well as elderly residents of the Mouraria neighborhood. One of most famous fado subjects is a photo of Amalia Rodrigues, who also worked with some of greatest composers and poets of Portugal. She performed all over the world and is largely credited with transforming fado into a respectable art form, instead of a peasant form of music. 

Amalia Rodgrigues

As we hiked up from Mouraria towards the Fort of São Jorge, we saw some colorful plastic steamers in the courtyards of several homes. Our guide told us that they were for the Festival of St Anthony, which happens every June. He told us that it is the best time to visit Lisbon, because the streets are all decorated with colorful streamers and people set up tables with food and drinks in their doorways.

Views from Alfama

An important historical milestone to understand about Lisbon is that in 1755, a huge earthquake struck the city, which was estimated to be a magnitude of  9.3 on the Richter scale. That earthquake spawned fires and a great tsunami, which destroyed 85% of the city. A conservative estimate puts the loss of life at 15,090 people. Therefore, most of what we see in Lisbon today is no older than the 18^thCentury.

Here is a hot tip for you, Readers. If you are as loathe to climb hills as I am, a hidden charm of Lisbon is that their residents are in the same camp. Therefore, many times you can find “secret” escalators or elevators to take you up the hills.

After our guoie marched us up towards the Alfama neighborhood, bypassing one perfectly good escalator, but finally taking pity on us by letting us use the elevator to the crest of the mountain. Not only were the views great, but we then got to walk downhill to our restaurant offering a fado experience, and authentic Portuguese cuisine. Warning, dear Readers: when you encounter a sign in Portugal offering “authentic” Portuguese cuisine, you can be sure it involves cod (bacalhão)of some sort. The Portuguese REALLY love their cod. Me; not so much.  The meal started out OK, with some local cheese and bread and olives. However, the main dish was apparently a favorite Portuguese comfort food: a dish called Bacalhão a Bras, which consists of flaked cod, sliced potatoes, mayonnaise, and some olives baked in a dish and dumped on your plate. The Belgian ladies seated across from  us were cracking up at the faces Jim and I were making, but we all managed to fill up on the house wine.

The other thing we noticed was that fado singers are really, really serious! As in, do not talk while the singers are performing! Since this put a little bit of a cramp on the evening, and the singers were just a bit plaintive and sad, we were not too sad to call it an evening,

Making Tracks in Madeira

April 6, 2019:

What a difference a little sunshine makes!  We sailed into the port of Funchal this morning as the sun was rising, and it’s going to be a glorious day. This island is part of an even smaller archipelago to the southwest of Portugal, which is another autonomous Portuguese territory. The island is a popular vacation spot, not just for the Portuguese, but for Europeans and others as well, because of its clear, warm waters, and great seafood.

Once again, the first part of the island which was discovered was on the eastern side of the island, called Machico, . The Portuguese explorers found the only thing of value on the island was wood, and thus named the island Madeira (Portuguese for wood). They tried to build a harbor and port on the east side at Machico, but it was too exposed. Upon further exploration, they found the natural harbor on the south side, and named it Funchal after the wild fennel growing in abundance there.

Jim and I have an ambitious day ahead of us today. First, we are going to take one of the routes of the local Hop On, Hop Off bus to the west a few miles up the coast to a village called Câmara de Lobos. There we will have an opportunity to sample some local foods and drinks before we transfer to another bus to take us further up the coast to Cabo Girão, which is one of the highest seaside cliffs in Europe.

Cabo Girão in the background

The village of Câmara de Lobos is somewhat famous because it was a place Winston Churchill would vacation after WWII, and where he painted many pictures of this typical Portuguese fishing village. Following our visit to the Cape, we will join a walking tour of Funchal this afternoon.

As we drive away from Funchal, you get a real sense of what a verdant paradise Madeira is. Banana trees line the roads and you can see plenty of citrus trees and tropical fruit trees, as well. There are also fields of sugar cane. Further inland, we learn that they grow pineapples, as well.

Banana trees growing by the sea.

Câmara de Lobos is a charming coastal town., but we’re on a schedule. After I snapped a few pictures (which you can compare with Winston’s paintings here), we sampled some of the local specialties.

Câmara de Lobos harbor

Winston S. Churchill, image courtesy of ArtUK.org

First and foremost, Madeira makes its own rum, and they also grow grapes for wine. The local rum is mixed with various types of local fruit to make a drink called poncha, which is most commonly made with the citrus fruits. There are abundant beehives, so many local foods feature honey. For example, we sampled a type of cake made with honey and dried fruits.

All too soon, the bus came to transfer us to Cape Girão, and the drive to get there was very picturesque.  This attraction may not be for the faint of heart, however, as the prime viewing area requires you to walk out on a Plexiglass ledge! The views down were cool, but I preferred the views of the coast. There is an opportunity to do a little souvenir shopping for the ubiquitous cork handicrafts (you can’t escape them in Portugal!), and there is a cafeteria and restrooms, as well. Then we headed back to the ship.

View of Cabo Girão from Câmara de Lobos

View down through the Plexiglass deck

View back towards Funchal

After a quick lunch aboard, Jim and I joined our walking tour, which was led by a Dutchman! Our tour began in the harbor area downtown, where he oriented us to what we were seeing. Funchal boasts a teleférico in its downtown area, which will take you up for a panoramic view of the city. Near the teleférico is the most important church in Madeira; which is Nossa Senhora do Monte (Our Lady of the Mountain). Following the fall of the Austrian Empire, the last emperor of Austria exiled himself in Madeira and his body is buried there.

The teleférico in downtown Funchal

View of Nossa Senhora do Monte up the hills surrounding town

Our guide, who has lived on the island for 35 years, and is married to a local woman, is quite chatty. One of the more interesting tales he told related to Portugal’s entry into the European Union. Like most of Portugal, Madeira has relied heavily on its fishing industry; much of which continued to be done on a small scale by individual fishermen. In fact, the fishing was so good that most Madeirans saw little value in education, and were easily able to support their large families by fishing, supplemented with subsistence farming. When Madeira joined EU, higher tech Spanish fishing boats wiped out fish in one year, and unemployment hit 45% because of the free travel for member citizens among EU states. One wonders if that is how our tour guide ended up here?!  In any event, since those times, Madeira has had to enter the 21^stCentury, and in order to survive, has done quite a lot to grow its tourist industry, as well as improving the education system. However, even today, 39% of Madeirans only earn the minimum wage of 560 euros per month.

One of the things done locally was a beautification project. Local artists secured funding from the town council to paint the doors of businesses along one of the oldest avenues in town. The project was a roaring success, and now Rua Santa Maria in the old town is one of the most visited areas of Funchal.

One of the toboggans braked by men holding ropes, which used to be a mode of local transportation. Today, you can still catch a ride on them as a tourist attraction.

Our next stop was at one of the most significant of the local churches for the fisher families. The Chapel of Santa Maria has been where wives have prayed for the safe return of their fisherman husbands for at least a couple of centuries. Our guide tried to tell us that this is where the sorrowful musical tradition of fado music was born, as the women attending church talked of their love and longing for their husbands. I’m pretty sure that other parts of Portugal will dispute this origin story, though!

The Chapel of Santa Maria

Rua Santa Maria

The painted doorways of Rua Santa Maria

One of the many cafe’s in Rua Santa Maria

Unfortunately, quite a few of the places we were supposed to visit are closed today. Although the guide offered some alternatives, Jim and I decided to head back to the ship. It’s hard to realize, but this incredible cruise will be over the day after tomorrow when we dock in Lisbon. Don’t fear, however, dear Readers. The journey continues as the Gringos explore Portugal following our disembarkation!

Sorting Out São Miguel

April 4, 2019:

We are moored in São Miguel, which is the biggest island in the Azores. Ponta Delgada is the administrative capital of the Azores, and also its main city. Although the island was reportedly discovered in 1389, it wasn’t “officially” discovered until 1418.  Even then, it wasn’t inhabited until 1444, when people from mainland Portugal brought fruit trees and cattle so that there was food for sailors making return trips as a base to launch longer explorations.

This island has had a wild and checkered past. Over the years, all types of pirates have taken up residency here.  Still, the island has grown and become a fairly stable outpost of Portugal over the centuries. However, Ponta Delgada was not the original choice for the colony. Instead, when the island was “officially” discovered in 1418, it was the northern coast harbor, which was named Porto Santo because the sailors who made port there believed that the islands had saved the lost crew of their ship. Still, it turned out to be a bad choice for a colony because it was so exposed as a port.  Finally, the colonists gave up and relocated to the relatively more protected port of Ponta Delgado. The city gate was built 1753, and the harbor was built in 1806.

The city gates

Once again, although we made port early this morning, Jim and I don’t have a set excursion until this afternoon. This gave us a great opportunity to explore the town of Ponta Delgado on our own this morning. We really love these ports where you can walk off the ship and immediately be in the center of town! The day is a little nicer today, and we enjoy walking around in the sunshine.

This afternoon, we are booked on an excursion which takes in some of the scenic highlights of the island, which is 38.7 miles long. Even though spring is not fully here yet, you can appreciate how beautiful the island can be. It seems that little bits of plant life from all over the world have been propagated here, with varying degrees of success. There are pine trees from Japan, hydrangeas from Asia, azaleas, citrus, and ferns. In particular, the hydrangea is now accepted as the national flower of the Azores, and all the lanes are crowned with their bushes, just waiting to burst forth in flower.  May is the prime month for their blooms.

Our first stop is at the Caldeiralookout point, from which you can see a stretch of the beautiful coast here.  The whole interior is filled with lush green fields, most of which have dairy cattle grazing. The total population of the Azores is about 300,000 people, yet there are a total of 500,000 cows. The Azores account for at least 30% of the total dairy production of Portugal.

View from the Caldeira lookout spot

We continue to drive inland and upwards through the former volcanoes of São Miguel. One of the most famous scenic stops in the island is to see the blue lake and the green lake, which fill the cones of an extinct volcano.  There is a charming story that the lakes were formed from the tears of two young lovers who were denied the ability to be together, since he was just a poor shepherd and she was the daughter of nobility. The blue lake reflects her blue eyes, and the green lake reflects his green eyes. Our second stop at Vista do Rei-so named by King Charles, the Third, when he paused to overlook the two lakes. Sadly, because it is overcast today, you can’t see the different colors of the lakes.

We drove downward into the valley to see the Sete Cidades-the seven villages around the lakes. Although this is supposed to be a prime tourist location, I don’t really understand why. The villages are cute, but small, and not much to see, Nonetheless, Jim and I grabbed a coffee and visited the local church and the field behind it.  To be fair, I am sure it’s a lot more photogenic when all the flowers are blooming.

Then we drove back to the coast for our final sightseeing opportunity.  There are some cool rock monoliths that jut out of the sea, but not much else.

Our final stop of the day was supposed to be the highlight of the tour; a taste of the food and wine of the Azores. Sadly, this meant that they dropped us off a hotel right next to the port, where samples of the local cheese were available in a hotel reception room, along with samples of the local wine. Most of the wines grown here are based on the Malvasia grape.  Jim and I downed our samples and decided we’d rather be playing Trivia onboard the ship with our friends, so we walked back.  

We had a lovely sail away this evening along the coast of São Miguel. Stay tuned, because our next port is Funchal, Madeira, on the day after tomorrow!