So what did we learn about Portugal as travellers rather than tourists? The carnation revolution is more recent than you would have thought, after all this is Europe and we’re very civilised aren’t we. Then there’s the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. History is covered by the trips of Vasco de Gama. Wine by the (6 basic types of…) port lodges of Porto and food by the pasteis de Belem. Quirky and dramatic Sintra boasts palaces and history. Trams in Lisbon and Porto are fun. Miguel the cool guides walking tour, was proud and keen to share this, and we were there for a simple holiday.
Sintra is definately worth a visit, with this Moorish Castle along with the Pena Palace and grounds, the National Palace and the Quinta de Regaleira
The Cabo da Roca, once the end of the ‘known’ world is the Western-most point in mainland Europe. In Cascais the Boca do Inferno will be dramatic when the waves are crashing in from a storm. In the end none of us could get the hang of Portugese pronounciation, but Obelix tells us that Javali is Wild Boar.
We worked out Peixe – paysh = fish, Queijo – kaysho, an almost German for cheese but what kind of spelling is that?!. Then Cascais – cashcaish, and Coimbra – Kweembra are all a struggle.
We’d hoped to catch some Fado (vida is more authentic) on a twelve string guitar, but got second year undergraduates dressed elegantly in black, all adorned with a cape.
Sintra Tickets
