INTERESTING TIMES
(in Spain, Portugal and UK)
Lisbon to Porto
Monday 27th May, 2019
Tuesday 28th May, 2019
Wednesday 29th May, 2019
Monday 27th May, 2019
First Sight of Sintra
he next disaster of this increasingly disastrous journey struck today at Sintra.
Sintra is in the hills out of Lisbon and is an attractive small town with an agreeable climate and more than its fair share of Royal Residences. Some of these made Disneyland look understated!
Pena Palace, Sintra
e had been having a good day. Pena Palace at Sintra is amazing - a mishmash of architectural styles and periods with a Disneyesque colour scheme with lots of different colours.
Pena Palace, Sintra
Pena Palace Facade, Sintra
alls were painted and also tiled in lots of different patterns. There were battlements and towers and doors in the basement leading who knows where. I have read about Sintra where the Royal Family (mostly mad) went to cool off from the heat of Lisbon, and we also passed Queluz Palace where lived the Queen Mother Juana the Mad back in Napoleonic times.
Door in the Cliff, Sintra
Onion Dome Tower, Pena Palace
ncidentally, no guide has ever mentioned that the Royal Family deserted their country and fled to Brazil when the French invaded. I would not have welcomed them back!
Anyway, the castle was colourful and interesting and well worth the long lines.
Pena Palace Tiled Walls, Sintra
ut after we got back to the town, we had lunch in a pleasant outdoor restaurant, bought a couple of souvenirs, and, in a tiny touristy alley full of people and craft shops, my purse was stolen out of my bag! This is a real problem, debit and credit cards, cash passport and Natwest debits, Medicare and photo ID cards. Not much cash, but no way of getting any more. Christine leapt into action on the phone and we have started cancellation procedures, but all our cards are on the same joint accounts and fellow travellers have told me they had all their cards cancelled when one was stolen. I don't know what we are going to do! What with my ribs still hurting a fair bit, and now this!
Later:
Scene of the Crime, Sintra
ac has now managed to get our Cash Passport sorted out - they have stopped mine, which was the secondary card, but he can still use his. We just have no money in it. Deanna is supposed to have organised a top up but it has not come through yet. Even if we have access to money it is not the only worry. ID and Medicare cards are just what identity thieves look for. I may find my life has disappeared when I get home. Mac does not seem to understand that, he is just concerned about the cash passport and credit card problems. Oh God!
Tuesday 28th May, 2019
Ancient Aqueduct outside Lisbon
oday we left Lisbon (with no regrets) and headed for Porto and the start of our cruise. On the way out of Lisbon we had a good look at the historic aqueduct which is ancient but still brings water into the city!
Coimbra University
orto is about 400 kms from Lisbon so we stopped halfway at Coimbra for a look at their University which is the oldest in Portugal, 13th Century or so. It is quite beautifully set, sited on top of a hill in a former Royal palace (the country seems to teem with them!)
University Church Coimbra
e had a look around the monumental buildings, bustling with black cloaked students selling things for charity, and saw the spectacular view over the town and the river from the large square outside the cathedral.
River View from Coimbra University
River at Coimbra
e had lunch, managing to avoid everyone else (not being antisocial exactly but I do feel that a couple of busloads arriving all at once puts a lot of pressure on small cafes and bars.) and found an Italian pizza and pasta place called Tartufo in a backstreet. We shared a lovely margarita pizza and tomato salad plus cokes and it cost 20 euros. Can't do much better than that. We are being as frugal as possible until we find out whether we can get money from Mac's cards.
Coimbra University from the River Bridge
Rosemary on the Bridge at Coimbra
fter lunch we went for a walk and explored the area of the river. From the bridge there was a wonderful view of the University on top of the hill.
We went for a walk across the river and back and then boarded the bus for Porto.
Later:
Our Cabin Amavida
e are now on board the Amavida, sandwiched between two other river ships, one Viking, don't know the other. All these river cruises are very popular these days and the ships seem to fill the river from shore to shore sometimes. (Exaggeration).
Our Tidgy balcony
he Amavida is not as big as the Amavenita which we cruised on in 2015, because the Douro is not as long as the Danube and there is less room to manoeuvre. The cabin is quite bijou and the bathroom is tiny. I am sure we have had more space in some narrowboat bathrooms. We have a tidgy balcony, just enough room for a tiny table and two chairs, but big enough to sit in.
e unpacked then went up for welcome drinks, safety briefing and the tour briefing etc. Then dinner. I had lobster tail salad for entree, Mac had beetroot carpaccio and blue cheese, we both skipped soup, then both had beef tenderloin for main. Very nice. I had red velvet dessert, very sweet (and unnecessary!) but Mac passed on dessert.
Tourist Boat Porto
e sailed off for a twilight cruise along the river to its mouth with the Atlantic Ocean. There were lots of spectacular bridges, one built by Gustav Eiffel before he built the tower, The lights on shore were very picturesque, but we were tired after the long day of bus travel, so went back to the cabin to crash.
Porto by Night
eanna has transferred our extra euros, so we have some money available, just hope we will be able to access it. Also cruises tend not to accept these cash passports, The documentation says it won't. So we will have to get some cash out. Oh Boy!
Tomorrow we have signed up for a culinary experience and will be cooking our own lunch in a restaurant! More tomorrow.
Wednesday 29th May, 2019
Fishermans Wharf
oday was interesting...We went for our so-called "culinary excursion" which took us to a beachside area beside the Atlantic Ocean where we explored a fishermans' wharf area (not glamorous or touristy) but an actual working fishing port where the boats go out and bring in the fish and plants process and can the catch.
The Market Hall
ur guide, who was the scion of an old fishing family, showed us around and took us to the fish market where we (or rather he) chose the sea bass for our lunch The markets were in a spectacular light filled building of two or three floors, not only for fish but for all other produce, fruit, vegetables, flowers, and also live chickens and rabbits. We preferred not to speculate on those!
Fish Market
e had our lunch (not cooking it ourselves! which was a relief) at our guide's family restaurant. Not only the grilled sea bass which was delicious but many little share plates of garlic prawns, cod cakes, peppers and squid, and the main (sea bass) was served with salad, chat potatoes in oil and garlic, rice two ways and bread. It was all delicious and included wine and espresso. We were all stuffed. There were only six of us so it made a nice change from the mob scenes we usually have. There was one couple from our original Spanish tour, Noel and his wife, and a couple of friendly women from the other group. Noel is a very keen fisherman and I think this expedition was the highlight of his tour. Even Mac, who is not so keen on fish enjoyed his lunch and as always he enjoys seeing how things work, we don't get too much of the everyday nitty-gritty in these deluxe tours. And of course, seeing a cat in the fishermans' wharf always helps.
Traditional Port Boat
hen we came back to the ship Mac and I walked up the road to find an ATM, He tried his Greater Debit Card and the Natwest Debit card and they both worked. So we are now cashed up and feeling more relaxed. Neil and Geoff both think the ID things should be reported but it is not easy to do while on tour. We will try and sort it all out when we get home.
The river teems with tourist boats and other traffic and we were very taken with the traditional "port boats" which were used in former times to bring the barrels of port from the vineyards to the seaport. They were graceful for working boats and reminded us of gondolas (on steroids).
Traditional Port Boat Porto
onight we have a special excursion to a palace that was the main Stock Exchange, apparently it is spectacular inside. We will have cocktails and a fado concert. Fado is a kind of melancholy Portuguese folk music We will be back at about 2130, then a buffet meal. We are both eating too much, as usual. One of my pairs of trousers is getting VERY tight. Drastic action required on our return. More later.
Later:
Bolsa on the Skyline
t was very interesting at the Bolsa (Stock Exchange). The place itself was spectacular, with wonderful timber and plasterwork, and a large stained glass dome in the main stock room, which flooded the hall with light. The decor was a fusion of Baroque, Victorian and Moorish.
We had the fado concert in the so-called "Arabian Hall" and it was very enjoyable, enhanced greatly by the Alhambresque decor. I could have lived without the girl singer but the guys who played guitar, bass and a wonderful Portuguese guitar like a dulcimer, were wonderful. Even Mac enjoyed the music and everyone was saying the same thing.
We had a glass of wine and several tiny but delicious hors d'oeuvres while waiting for the concert, then had a light supper buffet when we got back. Stuffed again!
Tomorrow we actually leave Porto and head upriver, after a morning excursion where I hope to be able to buy a new purse and some souvenirs for the Italian class.
See what tomorrow brings.
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