Sintra - the Royal country retreat

Sintra - a town 28km from Lisbon is located in a spectacular mountainous region, housing a Palace that was used by the Portuguese royals before the 1910 revolution, as their summer holiday residence.

The hills and surrounding area of Sintra, have been classified by Unesco as a world heritage site due to their cultural significance as well as natural beauty.

Moorish Fountain (Fonte Mourisca)

Castelo dos Mouros, (Moorish Castle) was built in the 8th century by the Moors and conquered in 1147 by Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, known as "The conquerer".

Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle) on top of the hill, as seen from the centre of Sintra

From the old town centre, there is a stone pathway to the ruins of the Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros) starting on the Rampa do Castelo. It´s a steep climb that can take up to 1 hour, so you have to be fit, but the views are rewarding. (get a map from the Tourist office in town or at the train station)

From these ruins it´s a short walk to the Pena Palace (Palácio da Pena), which was built in 1839 by a German nobleman - Dom Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who became King Fernando II of Portugal, due to his marriage to Queen Mary II. The palace built by a German architect, Baron Eschwege, was modeled on Bavarian palaces. The entry fee is expensive (13.50Euros),  so it´s only worthwhile if you have a few hours to visit the huge gardens and the inside of the palace. 

(photo from Wikipedia)

The entrance gates to the Pena Palace and gardens

Palácio da Pena (Pena Palace)

Gardens at Pena Palace

If you don´t want to climb the hill, you can board the 434 bus, at the train station or other stops in the town centre, en route to the Palácio da Pena, Castelo dos Mouros and other sights. The bus runs every 40min, and you can buy your ticket from the driver for 3Euros.

In the centre of Sintra you can see the National Palace or Royal Palace of Sintra (Palácio Nacional ou Paço Real) with its two huge white chimneys. It was built in the 14th century, and was used as a summer house for Portuguese kings since the early 14th century. New wings were added over the centuries and the design became somewhat haphazard with a mix of various styles. The interior has some of the oldest and most valuable tiles in Portugal. It is now used as as Museum and each room has an interesting story to be discovered.

National Palace of Sintra

I didn´t get time to visit the next two attractions, but check with the Tourist office for opening times, guided tours and entry prices.
Monserrate - a romantic botanical garden with a Victorian house. The gardens were first landscaped by a wealthy Englishman, William Beckford - in the 18th century when he rented the place. Later another wealthy Englishman, Sir Frances Cook - had the mansion built and transformed the gardens installing lawn, camellias and sub-tropical trees from all over the world.
Quinta da Regaleira (Regaleira Farm) - in the historical centre of Sintra, it is a Unesco heritage site. Designed by an Italian architect for a wealthy Brazilian merchant in the beginning of the 20th century. The gardens have lakes, fountains, terraces and the mansion is a mixture of various styles with turrets, towers and tiles.
Other attractions in Sintra are the Toy Museum and the Modern Art Museum.

And while you are in Sintra try a chocolate cup with a tot of sour cherry liqueur - "ginja or ginjinha". You can get it in Lisbon as well. Delicious!

My family and I had a thoroughly enjoyable day visiting historic, romantic and beautiful places, and of course I will have to return with plenty of time to visit what I couldn´t visit now!

Second time lucky!

While I was on holiday I was contacted by Rachel from the blog Mishaps and mayhem of a gluten free life, announcing I had won a prize of Gluten-free goodies.
Tonight, as I arrived home from my first day back at work, 2 boxes were awaiting...I eagerly brought them inside and opened them to reveal a lot more than what I was expecting.
I received - pancake mix, rice chips, muffin mixes, various vegan and gluten free curry mixes...
I´m looking forward to some experimenting with the products I don´t yet know, like the muffin mixes and the curries.
Thanks again Rachel and thanks to your sponsors too: Basco, Tasty Bite and Mamee.
I was diagnosed as "gluten intolerant" about 2 years ago and have felt much better since going Gluten-free. While on holiday, most of the time I had no option to eat what was given to me, and I also found that even in the big supermarkets in Portugal the choice of gluten free goods like flours, breads, pastas, etc, were non-existent. Of course going off-course had its effects -  swollen tummy, constant heartburn (I would get up during the night to brush my teeth...) etc. So I´m now back to my normal diet, my stomach is back to flat but the heartburn is still there. It was a month of wrongdoing so I presume it will take a while to put right again!

As the title says - "second time lucky" - as not so long ago, I won a silk scarf painted by Gill from African Aussie blog. So this is my second win in a short time!!

One of the boxes...

Rice sticks - I have never tried them before

The rice chips I have tried and like, the muffin mixes I never tried...

Curries galore, a product I had never seen or tried either

I am back home in Perth, but still behind with the posts about my holiday, but didn´t want to let this occasion go by, so those posts will come later.
I totally forgot to celebrate my 1st blog anniversary on the 18th June, but I was so busy travelling up and down the country, visiting family and friends that the date went unnoticed. So next year I will have to do something special.
Have a great week, enjoy the sun if it´s shining at your end or wrap up against the cold if you are living through the winter months like I am!  Bbbrrrr... I don´t much like the cold!

Algarve - the Southern secret

The Algarve, in the south of Portugal, is the most visited as well as the third richest area, following Lisbon and the island of Madeira.
It´s mediterranean climate with short winters and long hot summers, calm sea waters, historical patrimony and delicious gastronomy, attract millions of Portuguese, as well as other tourists to this area.
While I lived in Portugal it was always our favourite holiday destination, and through the years we visited a few of it´s most popular destinations - Vilamoura (still my favourite), Albufeira, Portimão, Quarteira, Lagos...

This time, we went for 6 days to Vilamoura, and it was specially great since there were 12 of us - a big family reunion!

The whole family, minus the photographer

Vilamoura Marina at night

Vilamoura is one of the best known tourist destinations with some of the best beaches in the area and lots of golf courses where some of the world championships have been held.
During summer the population triples with over 1 million visitors.

The typical products of the Algarve region are - figs, almonds, oranges and cork. The figs and almonds are used to make a variety of pastries and sweets. There is also a fishing industry, with various factories that make preserves with tuna, sardines, etc.

The gastronomy is varied with plenty of fresh fish in the menus - grilled sardines, various pork sausages, grilled chickens are some of the most known.
We also went to visit the "Fiesa 2012" - the yearly International Sand Sculpture Festival, held in Pêra since 2003. It started on 25th May and will end the 25th of October. It´s beautiful by day or night and an event that is quite unique and amazing, considered one of the largest in the world.
This year´s theme was "Idols" - from movies, science, history...

Valentino, Greta Garbo and Alfred Hitchcock

Johnny Depp

Elvis Presley

Marilyn Monroe

I also had the chance to meet up with one of my blog readers (I'm also a follower of her blog) - Carole from  Piglet in Portugal to hand her the gift she had won on my 100th post.
It was great meeting her and we spent a couple of hours chatting at the Algarve shopping centre.

Box made by me, that Carole won

And here is Carole's post about our meeting:
https://pigletinportugal.com/2012/06/27/piglet-meets-up-with-fellow-blogger-sami-from-australia/

Sao Miguel, Azores - The green island

A short visit to family in Lisbon, and soon I was on my way to Ponta Delgada, the capital of the Archipelago of the Azores, comprising of 9 islands.
I just visited the island of Sao Miguel, as this is the island where my husband was born and brought up until the age of 5, and where his youngest brother and his maternal uncles still live.
It had been 8 years since I last visited and I could see the changes in the city, in the way of new construction and new roads that have enhanced the island.
Maybe because they aren´t very well known and still not invaded by the tourists, the islands of the Azores are still very much a natural paradise.

(Note the Lagoons of Fire and Furnas in the centre of the island)

Ponta Delgada is the capital of the island of São Miguel, (the biggest island), with museums, monuments, streets with history, hotels, restaurants and shops. There is a newish marina with a variety of restaurants - "Portas do Mar" (sea doors), visited by sailing boats from Europe and America.

Portas do Mar - the marina in Ponta Delgada

There are lagoons surrounded by lots of greenery, valleys and mountains, country roads bordered by agapanthus and hydrangeas, basalt covered houses with green doors and window frames, and in some places the warm vapour of the old vulcanic craters remind you of the island´s vulcanic origin.  The beaches have black sand and the sea water is cold, so venture at your peril.

Lagoa do Fogo (Fire lagoon - a former crater)

Miradouro de Santa Iria (lookout)

Lagoa - Pools, church and village

Ribeira Grande - river and garden

The islanders are very religious and there are many processions and pilgrimages to the various Saints, especially during the summer months.

The islands traditional dishes are based on the fresh fish caught on the day (try the Tuna steak), the tender meat of the cows that graze on the green slopes, the Conventual desserts and the flavoursome pineapples the island exports.

Succulent Tuna Steak with boiled potatoes and Salad

The most tender and delicious steak I have eaten! It was only 1/2 dose but I couldn´t finish it.

Try also the delicious Passionfruit liquor and visit the only tea plantation in Europe - Gorreana Tea Factory - that produces about 40 tonnes of tea leaves. The black teas they produce are: Orange Pekoe, Broken Leaf and Pekoe, and the only green tea is: Hysson.

If you visit "Furnas", a town and lake in the east side of the island, the volcanic nature of the island is quite apparent. The "caldeiras" (hot springs) have for centuries been used to cook the "cozido (stew) using the steam coming out of the earth around the lake. Try the various mineral waters that flow from various fountains scattered around the town centre, each with a different taste. Sample also the corn boiled in the steaming pools and taste the sweet flat bread called "Bolos Lêvedos". Visit the Terra Nostra Park, a very lush botanic garden with tropical exotic species, as well as plants from cold climates.

The hot springs at Furnas - don´t touch the water, it is really boiling...

The lake at Furnas

At Furnas we went swimming at Dona Beija´s Pools, thermal pools with ferrous waters at a temperature of 30ºC. What a delight, the gardens and 3 small pools are very well cared for and the surroundings are beautiful.

Dona Beija Pools - you can see the ferrous water in the river

Dona Beija Pools - Furnas



If you enjoy sailing, diving, surfing, fishing, golf or tennis, there are plenty of opportunities for you to practice your sport.

Visit the craft shops and have a look at their handiwork  - miniatures made with fish scale or fig tree kernels, blue and white ceramics, hand loomed bedspreads, embroidered tablecloths and others in the traditional blue colours.

Visiting the Azores is to rediscover part of the original paradise. Where man and nature have joined hands to create eternal beauty.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and feel that the islands have a lot to offer the tourists, things they cannot find anywhere else...and there is something different in all of the 9 islands.

Flowers made with fish scales

Miniature windmills made with fig tree kernels from: rotadashortencias.blogspot.pt

Lisbon - first impressions

My trip from Braga to Lisbon was done in the very comfortable Alfa Pendular, the high velocity (up to 220km/h) train that crosses Portugal from Braga in the north to Faro in the south. 
Due to the fact I had 2 suitcases I decided to travel First class, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience - the seats recline, you are offered a magazine or newspaper to read; tea, free coffee or juice to drink. If you feel hungry you can order a meal if you wish or get something from the restaurant car.
Upon arrival in Lisbon at Gare do Oriente (Orient train station), my brother in law was there to welcome me and take my luggage back to his nearby office, and then I had 2 hours to wander around the area, before he was ready to get a lift to Cascais with him, where my sister and parents live.

The interesting Gare do Oriente(Orient train station) with the "palm tree roof"

Vasco da Gama shopping with a very interesting building behind resembling a ship

The 2 "ship like" apartment buildings with the shopping in the centre

I walked across the staion through the Vasco da Gama shopping centre, and into the former 1998 Expo grounds, now known as "Parque das Nações" (Nations Park) that adjoin the river Tagus. Although the pavilions of the various countries are no longer there, the emblematic Portuguese pavilion is there for posterity, as well as some of the other features built at the time, such as the Cable car, the Oceanarium - one of Europe´s most modern that receives 1 million visitors a year, etc.
It´s quite enjoyable to walk by the river or just sit at one of the cafe´s and sip a cold drink while watching the world go by.

The Portuguese Pavilion

The imponent concret slab linking the two sides of the pavilion

Oceanarium

Gil - the mascot of the 1998 world exposition still stands tall

Vasco da Gama tower and cable cars by the river Tagus that is crossed by the 12km Vasco da Gama Bridge.

If you visit Lisbon do not miss this area. It used to be a derelict industrial area that was torn down and built from scratch and is now a very important and much loved area of the city. I had visited this area during the 1998 exposition and a few times after, but I think it has been about 7 or 8 years since I last visited it, and I enjoyed spending 2 relaxing hours walking around the area. It's also a great outdoor area for children.

One of the many "lava" fountains much loved by the kids. Behind the new Lisbon Casino