May 8: Mother's Day back home & a birthday in Portugal
Our first day in Lisbon we checked into the modern and quite friendly Portual Boutique Hotel, where dark blue is the theme. Our room was cozy with a large round mirror that was also our tv. Our room looked out onto the street which lead to Placa de Figueroa, the source of lively music and street fare on the last day of Lisbon's Iberian mask festival. An uphill walk from our hotel found us with panoramic views over the city from Sao Jorge Castle aka Georgie's Place. Did you know Lisbon has a Golden Gate Bridge and Christ the Redeemer? Both are visible from the castle and along the waterfront. We explored the cobblestone streets and placas and returned to share a 7 euro plate of olives, blood sausage, and grilled chorizo. So yummy.
Cascais was just a 30 minute train ride away. It is a beautiful, quaint seaside town, with Santini's - proclaimed to have Portugal's or maybe the world's greatest gelato - and a small, 3 table restaurant we can't recall the name of that definitely had the world's best leek pie and probably also any pie they offered. Not realizing how wonderful their small pies would be we actually ordered lunch, cod fillet and grilled dorado, both served with potatoes and spinach. What we would have given for less fish and more pies, although the fish was also very good. On the way back to Lisbon we stopped in Belem to visit the tower and see the monument to the Portugese explorers. The day wouldn't have been complete without a trip to the Gates of Hell on the sea.
Sinatra was a 40 minute train ride into the hills outside of Lisbon. Back in the day (speaking medieval days) this area was known for its hunting lodges and palaces, now aptly described as Disneyland for grown ups. This area even inspired the poems of Byron. We didn't have time for everything, but we explored Pena Palace and especially delighted in the grottoes and gardens of Quinta da Regaleira (UNESCO) which was built in the early 1900's by a Brazilian coffee tycoon, once the richest man in Portugal. There were grottoes, and caves, and waterfalls, and trails that led up and trails that led down and a series of tunnels, all very whimsical. We climbed up into the Castelo Dos Mouros, a Moorish castle now in ruins, with amazing panoramic vistas to the Atlantic Ocean. The layered lattice work within the Monserrate Palace was beautiful.
We concluded our day with a delicious dinner at the "Yelp" recommended Incomum by Luis Santos. Amazing creme of chestnut soup, followed by stewed octopus (delicious!!! Tasted like chicken, only better, and not"chewy") and grilled sea bass and a wonderful red wine from Douro region topped off a perfect day in Sintra. An hour later back in our hotel, the bunny was fast asleep.
Three days in Lisbon and it was time to head to the hills of the Santa Estrela mountains in eastern Portugal.
Our first day in Lisbon we checked into the modern and quite friendly Portual Boutique Hotel, where dark blue is the theme. Our room was cozy with a large round mirror that was also our tv. Our room looked out onto the street which lead to Placa de Figueroa, the source of lively music and street fare on the last day of Lisbon's Iberian mask festival. An uphill walk from our hotel found us with panoramic views over the city from Sao Jorge Castle aka Georgie's Place. Did you know Lisbon has a Golden Gate Bridge and Christ the Redeemer? Both are visible from the castle and along the waterfront. We explored the cobblestone streets and placas and returned to share a 7 euro plate of olives, blood sausage, and grilled chorizo. So yummy.
Cascais was just a 30 minute train ride away. It is a beautiful, quaint seaside town, with Santini's - proclaimed to have Portugal's or maybe the world's greatest gelato - and a small, 3 table restaurant we can't recall the name of that definitely had the world's best leek pie and probably also any pie they offered. Not realizing how wonderful their small pies would be we actually ordered lunch, cod fillet and grilled dorado, both served with potatoes and spinach. What we would have given for less fish and more pies, although the fish was also very good. On the way back to Lisbon we stopped in Belem to visit the tower and see the monument to the Portugese explorers. The day wouldn't have been complete without a trip to the Gates of Hell on the sea.
Sinatra was a 40 minute train ride into the hills outside of Lisbon. Back in the day (speaking medieval days) this area was known for its hunting lodges and palaces, now aptly described as Disneyland for grown ups. This area even inspired the poems of Byron. We didn't have time for everything, but we explored Pena Palace and especially delighted in the grottoes and gardens of Quinta da Regaleira (UNESCO) which was built in the early 1900's by a Brazilian coffee tycoon, once the richest man in Portugal. There were grottoes, and caves, and waterfalls, and trails that led up and trails that led down and a series of tunnels, all very whimsical. We climbed up into the Castelo Dos Mouros, a Moorish castle now in ruins, with amazing panoramic vistas to the Atlantic Ocean. The layered lattice work within the Monserrate Palace was beautiful.
We concluded our day with a delicious dinner at the "Yelp" recommended Incomum by Luis Santos. Amazing creme of chestnut soup, followed by stewed octopus (delicious!!! Tasted like chicken, only better, and not"chewy") and grilled sea bass and a wonderful red wine from Douro region topped off a perfect day in Sintra. An hour later back in our hotel, the bunny was fast asleep.
Three days in Lisbon and it was time to head to the hills of the Santa Estrela mountains in eastern Portugal.
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