Portugal - Sort of back on track

Thursday 27 June 2024

We both still felt rubbish today, but JC was on the bounce back (he blamed his 24 hour sickness on the sardines he munched on Tuesday).    My poorliness was more like catching up on 2024 so I was taking longer to recover.  Anyway, we managed to rouse ourselves enough to visit Batalha Monastery, another UNESCO site, and a mere shuffle across from our hotel.

This one had a more austere style church which we prefer.

An interesting side room with amazing carvings and impressive ceiling.

Cloisters.

Spot the photographer.

Then we visited the 'unfinished chapels'.  These are east of the main altar and strangely pretty much complete except the roof.  Odd to get so far and then stop but I suspect either the money ran out or the enthusiasm petered off.

We found a cafe for lunch and I managed a soup and salad which was good for me.  Lovely spot and I do like a fancy salad.

Then it was back to the hotel for a lie down.

We were struggling to find places to eat - Batalha seems to shut down at night and few of the restaurants are open - so we popped to a mini market and bought cheese/ham and bread.  That’ll do.  I dozed whilst JC, who was feeling better, popped out to photograph the abbey at night.  Another day survived!

Friday 28 June 2024

We both felt better today, although I was still on paracetamol for the headache, so drove down to the Monastery of Alcobaça.  It was drizzling, but I’d rather feel better and it rain, than feel ill and it be sunny. Once again, austere rooms but large.

This was the refectory.

And the kitchen was a surprise!  Tiled to the top of the very high ceiling with a massive chimney for the fire.  

Their bedroom was massive.

The church was only used by the monks, as commoners (and even then, only the men) were allowed in halfway on very rare occasions.  The church is notable that the aisles are the same height as main nave.  They are, of course, usually lower.

I was very taken by the stone mason markings that were scattered everywhere.

After sopa (soup) for me and croissant for JC - our standard lunch now - we drove south to Obidos.   Obidos is a historic village built within the city walls.  This is the entrance.

You can climb up and onto the walls.  Like other places we found in Portugal, they are not health and safety managed and people use them at their own risk.  There are no railings to stop you plopping off so you have to watch your step especially when passing others.

The views would have great if the cloud hadn’t been so low.  

Really pretty village.

It was fun to walk around and then we headed through the village.  

Looking down.

We managed to eat supper out in Batalha although it was still tricky finding somewhere open on a Friday night that looked semi suitable.  To be honest, it was tricky finding much open at all - and this was a Friday in June.  But we managed and it was my largest evening meal for days.  Getting there.

Portugal off colour

Tuesday 25 June 2024

I wasn’t in birthday mood when I woke, quelle surprise.  JC had gone out early photographing, as the funiculars and tramways are free of insta tourists.  So he had a peaceful few hours, coffee out etc.

I eventually got up and we headed for an outdoor market, with me taking a few stops to rest as we went. The market was basically a bric-a-brac fest.  It really looked as if some people turned up with a suitcase of stuff they didn’t want, and laid it out on a blanket to sell.  From what I surmised, others didn’t want it either. I managed to eat half a wrap then we visited the Museum Nacional do Azuljo, the National Tile Museum.

This is housed in an old monastery.  In 1834, at the end of the Portuguese Civil war, monasteries were eradicated, so communities became creative about how to save these establishments/buildings.  Somewhere along the way this became a museum, hence the Lisbon tile museum has a Basilica inside.  With tiled walls of course.

Beautiful tiles all round.  And of course, a quadrangle.  Got to love a decent clock.

I liked these tiles extracted from the Lisbon aquarium and the other modern ones.

Not sure I got this one - it's called 'the chicken's wedding'.  There she is in the bottom left hand corner.

It was a long walk back - not helped by my lethargic dawdle - but we stopped for pink lemonade by the river which cheered me up.  I think I was the only person in Lisbon with a cardigan on.

I skipped supper again so JC ate out alone again.  Happy birthday me.

Wednesday 26 June 2024

JC was ill in the night - he blamed the sardines from the day before which may be right. He hadn’t slept well the night before either, so was shattered after two nights of poor sleep.  We made a right pair as we left the hotel and made our way to the airport to collect the hire car.  We looked as if we’d been on a 24 hour Lisbon bender.

JC drove us up to Mafra where we visited the Palacio de Mafra.  Beforehand, we needed lunch which came in the form of anything either of us felt like eating.  A croissant and coke for JC, and iced tea and soup for me.

The palace is huge - I suppose that’s how palaces rock - but at one stage it also housed ~300 monks.  Construction started in 1717 and initially it was going to be quite small, but then money started flowing in from the then Portuguese Brazil, and everything got upscaled.  The Portuguese royal family used it as a second home until 1910 when the republic was proclaimed.  Very sumptuous inside and you wonder what else the money could have been (better) used for! 

It had an infirmary with an isolation ward of 16 beds.  Each bed faced east towards the handily installed altar, so even the sick never missed a mass.

The deer antler room was a surprise but not so much as the antler chairs.  Not my cup of tea!

The library is the largest 18th century library in Europe and pretty awesome.

As we left the palace, JC asked if I’d drive.  It was a toss up between the person who hadn’t slept for two days and the one who hadn’t eaten for two days, so my turn.  As I eased myself behind the steering wheel I cheerfully noted that I hadn’t driven a left hand drive manual before (only automatics).  “Oh dear,” said JC.  “Will you be ok?” “Only one way to find out,” I responded.

Yes we made it to Batalha in one piece.  I hadn’t realised how much I drive holding the steering wheel more with my right hand.  With any manoeuvre I’d release my left hand only to realise the gear stick was on the other side.  I got the hang of it after a while.

Our hotel was an arts and crafts one.  I’d fancied something a little plush (it is my birthday week after all). Our room had a balcony facing the monastery.  I can live with this.  After a long nap JC and I managed to eat out: me half a salad and him a portion of chips.  There’s always tomorrow.

Sintra Magic

Monday 24 June 2024

As most attractions close on a Monday in Lisbon, it made sense to head to Sintra today.  We took a 40 minute train journey north and ascended into low cloud.

Our first port of call was the Moorish Castle.  You can either get a bus up to it or, do as we did, take a magical walk up through tropical woods.  The paths twisted and turned through verdant scenes and it was a delight.  Reminded me of Petite Suisse, Luxembourg.

It was nippy on top at the Fort.  A mighty construction and would have been a more amazing experience if we’d had some views!  But the cloud stayed low.  It was still fascinating to wander around.

We headed back down and to visit Quinta de Regileria. Hey surveyors!

Quinta de Regileria had looked weird and quirky online and it certainly was.

I wasn’t feeling well by this stage (felt like a cold was brewing) but managed to drift around this amazing place.  The owners had built a few grottos into hills.

And this incredible Poço Interfeito - a downward spiral into the grottos. Such fun! Lots of weird and wonderful things to see.  

And at the bottom of the spiral, a waterfall and more grottos.

I was feeling really nauseous by now.  We caught the next train back to Lisbon and I unceremoniously threw up in a dry bag on the journey (told you I was feeling ill).  We also then found out that the dry bag wasn't that waterproof after all...

Once back in Lisbon I couldn’t contemplate the metro so we walked - very very slowly - stopping once whilst I threw up into a Lisbon street gutter.  Such class.  Back at the hotel I crashed into bed, threw up a couple more times, then slept.  And that was my body starting to catch up on 2024.