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A Close Relationship with the Sea ...
(A second follow-up on our travel experience in Portugal)
The enchanting
Hill town, Óbidos, with pretty whitewashed houses, is enclosed
within 14th century castellated walls. This
pedestrianized medieval town has many interesting shops and ginja
(brand bars) facing onto the cobbled streets.
The Estalagem Do
Convento was originally a convent until it was carefully refurbished
in 1978 as a peaceful gem of a hotel, also boasting one of the best
restaurants in town, serving traditional Portuguese regional food:
- Feijoada
(a stew of kidney and butter beans and cured meats);
- Caldo Verde
(a dark coloured soup / type of kale);
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- Vitela No Espeto
(spit barbequed loin of veal and sprinkled with oil and lemon);
- Cozido á
Portuguesa
(a variety of meats, sausages and vegetables served in their own
broth)
Set on a
peninsula, near Obidos, is the small and pleasant town of
Peniche, still partly enclosed by 16th century walls.
At the water’s edge on the south side of the town stands the
fortaleza, used as a prison during the repressive Salazar regime
during the late 30’s to 60’s.
Sintra’s
stunning setting on the northern slopes of the Granite Serra,
among wooded ravines and fresh water springs makes it a popular
tourist attraction, as UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995,
some 25 kilometres from Lisbon. |
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Not to miss
(if you can survive the traffic jams in the maze of winding
roads) is the Palacio Nacional De Sintra with its pair of
conical chimneys and the Palacio Da Pena, an eclectic medley of
architectural styles built in the 19th century. Today
it houses a museum, representative of Portugal’s rich historic
traditions.
Lisbon is one
of Europe’s smallest and atmospheric capitals. Built, similar to
Rome, on seven hills. It has a vibrant multicultural appeal that
stems from the large number of immigrants from its former Africa
and Asian colonies.
Lisbon
consists of four popular regions, each with its own character
and tour sites:
It is difficult to
believe that the humble neighbourhood of Aflama was once the most
desirable quarter of Lisbon. It comes to life in the late afternoon
and early evening when the locals emerge at the doorways and small
tavernas start to fill. The observation terrace of the Castelo De
Sao Jorge affords spectacular views over Lisbon and the Tagus. |
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Fado, the music of
Lisbon, has its origins in the working class Bairros : an expression
of longing and sorrow.
Lisbon’s best Fado
houses, such as the famous Parreirinha de Alfama, which belongs to
Argentina Santos, the leading traditional singer of today, are run
by the fadistas themselves for the love of the music, not as a
tourist attraction.
From the Largo Das
Portas Do Sol, one of the entrance gates to the old city, Café
tables look over the Alfama towards the Tagus. An interesting wall
would lead you through the snake like cobbled stone alleyways like
the Beco da Cardosa and Dos Cruzes, often with washing hanging
between the tightly packed houses.
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The busiest part
of the city is Baixa. Attractively paved squares, Rossio and Praca
Dos Restauradores are linked by wider and busy streets with pavement
cafes where the locals meet for their morning coffee or during
siesta lunch time.
The well-known
landmark is the Elevador De Santa Justa, which provided a
regular vertical service between Baixa and Bairro Alto, some 32
meters above.
The Belém
region houses Portugal’s former maritime glory : the impressive
monument to the discoveries and huge pavement compass, stand
prominently on the Belém waterfront.
In huge
contrast is the Torre De Belém, built in 1515 in combination of
Moorish and Gothic architectural styles, to the contemporary
centro cultural De Belém as a stark modern building. The
emphasis is on music. |
Two alternative
open deck city bus tours give to visitors to Lisbon the opportunity
to visit attractions and well-known sites. If required, one can hop
on hop off at any point during the course of 12 hours.
On the banks of
the Tagus the innovative ocean pavilion was built for the 1998 Expo
: an environmental theme of the oceans, a heritage for the future.
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Inspired by
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Ponte 25 De Abril is
Lisbon’s suspension bridge which stretches for 2 km across the
Tagus, linking central Lisbon with the Outra Banda on the South
Bank.
The Lisboa
card gives the tourists free travel on all public transport and
access to 26 musuems for either 24, 48 or 72 hours. Fun ways to
explore Lisbon are by tram, furnicular or lift. Since 1998 four
lines serve the metro service.
As member of the
European Union, Portugal is no longer a poor long forgotten country.
Today Portugal is being revitalized as a proud member country with a
rich culture as seafaring nation in the early days of discovering
the new worlds. |
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