-
DSG_0878.NEF -
DSG_0866.NEF — On our own, we visited the Pena Palace in Sintra, a day trip from Lisbon. -
IMG_4982.CR2 -
DSG_0867.NEF -
DSG_0873.NEF -
DSG_0830.NEF — One of the most crowded places we’ve ever been to, and this was the off season. -
DSG_0769.NEF -
DSG_0731.NEF — Quermesse Restaurante, an inexpensive restaurant with great food. -
DSG_0882.NEF — Organizational meeting of our R.S. tour -
DSG_0889.NEF — Maria, our guide for the whole tour -
DSG_0547.NEF — We took the Funicular to Upper Lisbon. -
DSG_0895.NEF -
DSG_0727.NEF — Manteigaria, the best place for pastel da nata -
DSG_0720.NEF -
DSG_0912.NEF -
DSG_0915.NEF — After an evening of touring, our first R.S. dinner -
DSG_0917.NEF -
DSG_0918.NEF -
DSG_0920.NEF -
DSG_0941.NEF — In memory of the thousands of Jews, victims of intolerance and religious fanaticism, murdered in the massacre of April 19, 1506, in this square. -
DSG_0944.NEF — São Roque Church, see the São Roque Museum in Portugal Museums 2017. -
DSG_0958.NEF — City of Lisbon in the foreground, 25 de Abril Bridge in the background -
DSG_0962.NEF -
DSG_0981.NEF — São Jorge Castle -
DSG_0975.NEF — It’s popular with the locals. -
DSG_0987.NEF — Vasco de Gama is venerated in history, but he was actually pretty horrible. -
DSG_0989.NEF — These giant cruise ships come into Lisbon, disgorging vast quantities of tourists. -
DSG_0998.NEF -
DSG_1006.NEF — Azulejo tiles covered many buildings. -
DSG_1019.NEF — On our way to lunch on our own, we went by this Rubber Duck store! -
DSG_1018.NEF -
DSG_1021.NEF — We came across some fellow R.S. tourists for lunch. -
DSG_1023.NEF -
DSG_1093.NEF — We gather for an afternoon of sightseeing, including visting the Tile Museum. -
DSG_1110.NEF — A former casino for dinner -
DSG_1116.NEF — Dinner was punctuated by a performance of fado. We would see the guitarist again in Porto. -
DSG_1117.NEF -
DSG_1121.NEF — The next day, we go to Belém, which is at the waterfront. -
DSG_1127.NEF — by tram -
DSG_1133.NEF — Our tourguide for the Belém district -
DSG_1139.NEF — The Monastery of Saint Jerónimos -
DSG_1149.NEF — …where the tomb of Vasco de Gama resides. -
DSG_1179.NEF -
DSG_1184.NEF — The Caravel — the ship that let Portugal conquer Asia -
DSG_1198.NEF — Exploring the Monastery & Cloisters -
DSG_1159.NEF -
DSG_1207.NEF — Donald Trump was reincarnated from the 14th Century! -
DSG_1217.NEF — One the actual waterfront—the Tower of Saint Vincent -
DSG_1260.NEF — Monument of the Discoveries -
DSG_1257.NEF -
DSG_1247.NEF — The figures sort of look like they were sculpted by Mad Magazine’s Kelly Freas. -
DSG_1277.NEF — Eduardo VII Park on the way to the National Art Museum -
DSG_1365.NEF — Aquaduct, on our way out of town to our next stay -
DSG_1366.NEF — 25 de Abril Bridge -
DSG_1369.NEF — Santuario Nacional de Cristo Rei -
DSG_1533.NEF — M’Ar De Ar — a ★★★★★ hotel -
DSG_1382.NEF -
DSG_1390.NEF -
DSG_1394.NEF -
DSG_1430.NEF — Évora, the next city we visit -
DSG_1428.NEF — Roman ruins were discovered in the Évora city hall. -
DSG_1420.NEF -
DSG_1421 [1].NEF -
DSG_1406.NEF — Terminus of the Roman Aquaduct that fed the city -
DSG_1433.NEF — Super narrow streets, date back to Roman times. -
DSG_1439.NEF — Modern developments outside of town are beautiful with white stucco and red tile roofs. -
DSG_1453.NEF — Church of Santo Antão -
DSG_1455.NEF -
DSG_1477.NEF -
DSG_1482.NEF -
DSG_1483.NEF -
DSG_1490.NEF — The Cappella dos Ossos — Chapel of Bones, to remind us of our mortality. -
DSG_1499.NEF -
DSG_1491.NEF -
DSG_1508.NEF -
DSG_1519.NEF — Lunch on an Évora street -
DSG_1521.NEF — and a nap afterwards -
DSG_1525.NEF — Nick goes for a swim while Barbara attends an R.S. outdoor cocktail party. -
DSG_1527.NEF — We ran into Westport’s Roger Leifer, who was actually at the wrong party! -
DSG_1529.NEF -
DSG_1531.NEF -
DSG_1538.NEF — We leave Évora for our next destination. -
DSG_1540 [1].NEF -
DSG_1621.NEF — We’re visiting Rovisco Garcia, a cork and pine nut farm. -
DSG_1571.NEF — One of the family gives the tour. -
DSG_1618.NEF -
DSG_1582.NEF — Trees that have been harvested for their cork -
DSG_1565.NEF — The trees may be harvested every 10 years. They are numbered with the year they were last harvested. -
DSG_1610.NEF — A closeup of the cork layer -
DSG_1597.NEF — These trees are harvested for their Pine Nuts. -
DSG_1606.NEF — A Pine Cone and the nuts from it. The cones are quite big. -
DSG_1627.NEF — We are given a lunch by the owners. The family hunts non-endangered animals. -
DSG_1634.NEF — Wild Boars are a popular food item in Mediterranean countries. -
DSG_1635.NEF — It’s a family farm. -
DSG_1637.NEF — Maria with the family matriarch -
DSG_1638.NEF -
DSG_1668.NEF — Our next stop is Óbidos, a medieval walled city. -
DSG_1666.NEF — Hotel Real D’Óbidos; is a medieval themed hotel. -
DSG_1665.NEF — Our room is dripping with medieval charm! -
DSG_1964.NEF -
DSG_1695.NEF -
DSG_1686.NEF — The actual city of Óbidos is a crenelated walled fortress. -
DSG_1683.NEF — Inside the walls, the streets are lined with tourist shops. -
DSG_1681.NEF — With hanging Bougainvillea everywhere, it is charming none the less. -
DSG_1677.NEF — We finally get to try Ginjinha, the favorite national liqueur. Maria orders it for all of us. -
DSG_1678.NEF — It’s a cherry liqueur, that comes in little chocolate cups. -
DSG_1692.NEF -
DSG_1700.NEF — We visit the Monastery of Santa Maria originally run by Cistercian monks. -
DSG_1745.NEF — This is the largest monastery in Portugal. -
DSG_1707.NEF -
DSG_1711.NEF — Portugal’s most tragic romantic couple, Dom Pedro and Dona Inês -
DSG_1712.NEF -
DSG_1715.NEF -
DSG_1776.NEF — The enormous kitchen, used to prepare meals for the monks. -
DSG_1788.NEF — The cloisters are very large, though a bit plain compared to others we have seen. -
DSG_1698.NEF — It’s a pretty, quaint town. -
DSG_1702.NEF -
DSG_1812.NEF — We visit the town market, with beautiful vegetables. -
DSG_1807.NEF -
DSG_1846.NEF — and live animals. -
DSG_1864.NEF — Fish market -
DSG_1893.NEF — We vist Nazaré, a former fishing village, now a beach resort. -
DSG_1890 [1].NEF — Fisherman’s wives wear seven petticoats for warmth in the wind. -
DSG_1899.NEF — They sell these dried barnacles, okay, but an acquired taste. -
DSG_1877.NEF — A wedding was in progress with all the standard rituals we see in the U.S. -
DSG_1889.NEF -
DSG_1884.NEF -
DSG_1906.NEF — We are in the upper town with a grand view of the lower town. -
DSG_1914.NEF -
DSG_1903.NEF -
DSG_1913.NEF -
DSG_1937.NEF — We take a funicular, to get from the upper to lower towns. -
DSG_1929.NEF -
DSG_1941.NEF — At the end of September, the surf is a little too rough to go swimming. -
DSG_1924.NEF — Yelp helps us find a great little seafood restaurant. -
DSG_1921.NEF -
DSG_1989.NEF — Batalha, famous for its Monastery of Santa Maria -
DSG_1993.NEF -
DSG_1996.NEF — Another tall sanctuary -
DSG_2004.NEF -
DSG_2033.NEF — Cloisters -
DSG_2062.NEF -
DSG_2055.NEF — The monastery houses the Portuguese Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We saw the changing of the guard. -
DSG_2086.NEF — The shrine city of Fátima. -
DSG_2096.NEF — Daily outdoor services are conducted by a great number of priests. -
DSG_2101.NEF — In the old church -
DSG_2138.NEF — In the modern church. Masses are held in different languages. -
DSG_2134.NEF -
DSG_2131.NEF -
DSG_2121.NEF — A bicycle club came riding through the town, -
DSG_2125.NEF -
DSG_2097.NEF — and a girl scout troop. -
DSG_2141.NEF — Our group, waiting for our bus to pick us up. -
DSG_2188.NEF — A highlight of the trip is the University of Coimbra. -
DSG_2378.NEF — The University was the inspiration for Hogwarts and the capes the students wore. -
DSG_2151.NEF — We have a special guide to show us the University. -
DSG_2158.NEF — A 500 year old lecture hall… -
DSG_2160.NEF — …with a magnificent tile ceiling. -
DSG_2184.NEF — The library, which we could not photograph, was the inspiration for the one in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. -
DSG_2187.NEF -
DSG_2179.NEF — The quadrangle features a statue of João III—the king of Portugal from 5121–1557. During his reign Portugal became a world power. -
DSG_2191.NEF — We could photograph in the University chapel. -
DSG_2200.NEF -
DSG_2174.NEF — Looking down on Coimbra -
DSG_2180.NEF -
DSG_2209.NEF — Coimbra is the center of Fado -
DSG_2248.NEF — The next day we visit a ceramics factory. -
DSG_2232.NEF -
DSG_2238.NEF -
DSG_2239.NEF — A finished piece — the glazes come to life. -
DSG_2265.NEF -
DSG_2275.NEF — We finish the visit by painting our own tiles, which they will fire for us. -
DSG_2331.NEF — Lunch -
DSG_2328.NEF -
DSG_2334 [1].NEF — A very compatible group -
DSG_2339.NEF -
DSG_2349.NEF — The highlight of the evening will be a private Fado performance. -
DSG_2356.NEF -
DSG_2360.NEF — We heard him play when we were in Lisbon. -
DSG_2370.NEF -
DSG_2424.NEF — The next day it is off to the city of Porto with a journey through port wine country. -
DSG_2426.NEF -
DSG_2456.NEF — Santa Eufêmia, where they grow grapes for port, almonds, olives, and figs -
DSG_2415.NEF — A family member is the guide here. -
DSG_2429.NEF -
DSG_2462.NEF — They’ve been around a short time as these establishments go. -
DSG_2482.NEF -
DSG_2492.NEF -
DSG_2502 [1].NEF — We finally get together for a group portrait. -
DSG_2509.NEF -
DSG_2514.NEF — We buy a bottle for our financial manager, who we’ve had for 35 years. -
DSG_2517.NEF — The farm mascot on the prowl. -
DSG_2524.NEF — We pass a modern highway bridge, like none in the U.S. -
DSG_2547.NEF — On the way to Porto, we stay at Village House Hotel, another ★★★★★ hotel. -
DSG_2562.NEF — We are greeted by a personal message on our room TV. -
DSG_2539.NEF -
DSG_2557.NEF — Some fun & games. -
DSG_2560 [1].NEF — Nightime river scenes from our balcony. -
DSG_2563.NEF — Private yacht -
DSG_2573.NEF — and a large river cruise ship -
DSG_2602.NEF — Taylor’s Port vineyard. Port is a fortified wine so it could make the journey to England without spoiling. -
DSG_2617.NEF — We encounter dense fog when entering the city of Porto, the second largest city in Portugal and its largest seaport. -
DSG_2618.NEF -
DSG_2642.NEF — A grand hotel, the last on the trip. -
DSG_2629.NEF -
DSG_2632.NEF -
DSG_2649.NEF — Our guide to A Taste of Porto tour -
DSG_2684.NEF — Bolhão Wine House for wine, port and nibbles -
DSG_2734.NEF -
DSG_2682.NEF -
DSG_2651.NEF -
DSG_2705.NEF -
DSG_2656.NEF — Touring food specialty shops -
DSG_2671.NEF -
DSG_2715.NEF -
DSG_2718.NEF -
DSG_2731.NEF -
DSG_2737.NEF -
DSG_2730.NEF — Heading down to the docks for a cruise on the Douro River -
DSG_2746.NEF — All aboard! -
DSG_2739.NEF — Ponte de Dona Maria Pia, considered a 19th century marvel of engineering -
DSG_2757.NEF — We’ll cross over it on foot, the next day. -
DSG_2763.NEF — The main drag our hotel is on. -
DSG_2762.NEF — High end department store -
DSG_2768.NEF — We take a tram to our next walking tour. -
DSG_2727.NEF — Ponte de Dona Maria Pia -
DSG_2785.NEF — Walking across the top of the bridge -
DSG_2781.NEF — Looking down on a forest of blue petunias -
DSG_2795.NEF — and the roads and houses below. -
DSG_2291.NEF — Stone workers have to go to sidewalk school. -
DSG_2765.NEF — The Majestic Café for Lunch -
DSG_2877.NEF -
DSG_2878.NEF -
DSG_2901.NEF — Our tiles are delivered from the tile shop! -
DSG_2916.NEF — Maria and our final dinner for the trip -
DSG_2917 [1].NEF -
DSG_2918.NEF -
DSG_2919.NEF
