|
Originally Posted by thursdaysd
(Post 17352204)
Love the photos, but did you not go to Conimbriga?
|
I'm sorry, Melnq8, I must have missed your planning thread. When I see that someone is planning to visit Coimbra I usually recommend Conimbriga. The remains are not the most dramatic Roman ruins around, but I found them particularly evocative, and certainly more interesting than the temple at Evora.
|
Conimbraga used to have a remarkable display under glass. It featured but one item--a beautiful ring with a red gem. Apparently it'd been found onsite.
But the one tragic story that this traveler will never forget about Conimbraga had to do with the lamentations expressed by a former Roman aristocrat. He'd left the town to travel on a business trip, then returned to find that Conimbraga had been sacked (if memory serves by Suebi) in his absence. His wife and daughter had been taken away into slavery, never to be seen again. There was a translation of his heartbroken diary-lament onsite. Chilling. I am done. the Mel egg |
A couple of photos of Conimbriga - I think it cost me a few euros to get the fountains to play.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...753846b84e.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a634af0ac7.jpg |
Yesterday we took the Rede Expressos bus from Coimbra to Evora with a short stop in Fatima, and a 45 minute bus change in Sete Rios. The ride provided an entirely different perspective of Portugal.....wide open countryside, agriculture, rolling tree-covered hills, and green, green, green, which is what I expected in Pinhao. We passed the exit for Conimbraga and Tomar, so I now know where both are.
Some poor kid was hacking like crazy in the back of the bus. We were cringing, hoping it wasn't COVID. Speaking of which - mask compliance here has been wonderful. No whinging, just compliance, which I very much appreciate. And this morning in our hotel, plastic gloves at the breakfast buffet, which I overlooked and was quickly reprimanded mere seconds before my naked index finger pressed the coffee machine. So, we're now in Evora, which is socked in with cloud and rain this morning, so we're taking a brief respite before we hit the streets. When we arrived yesterday, tired, cranky and hungry after our 4+ hour journey, we were turned away from three restaurants and completely ignored by a fourth. Not the best first impression, but 100 Montaditos saved the day, a pub that served fast food type tapas. We booked in at Evora Taste for dinner, which was good, although some of the the warm food was cold. This eating so late is taking its toll though, and by late I mean 7-8, which is late for us, but not late by Portuguese standards. Bill loved his first black pork experience. Off to explore in the rain. |
Rainy days and Mondays...
Chapel of Bones, the Aquaduct, the Roman Temple and the WOW of the day, the Evora Cathedral https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...afacc50f3b.jpg Evora https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ee2e10cf15.jpg Evora https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...89987dc496.jpg Almost desperate enough for this yesterday https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1005da4518.jpg Evora https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7575a0155b.jpg Aquaduct cum carpark https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...35ac2d6403.jpg Chapel of bones https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3325daa2c0.jpg Evora Cathedral https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df7a70cb7d.jpg Roman temple |
Wonderful photos, once again. Thank you!
Is that a house that is built into the aqueduct? And I love the dainty chapel of bones! |
Yes, many houses and buildings built into the aquaduct - not to mention the parking lot below. Felt very weird - old meeting new. And there is nothing dainty about the chapel of bones.
|
Loving the wine, not loving the food...
Our last day in Evora - walked around the walled city (don't recommend), had trouble finding a lunch we both would eat. Not loving the food here, even Bill, who is much more game than I am. Finally settled on kebabs at a shop hidden away on a side street...followed by a wine tasting, and then a bottle of wine at a tucked away restaurant where we were welcomed as locals although the place was officially closed. We sipped wine while watching Portuguese talk shows - guessing what the show was about - as the family who owned the restaurant ate their lunch at a nearby table and then began to clean up after the lunch crowd and prepare for dinner. This, in all its simplicity, sums up what we've come to love about travel, those experiences that one can't plan for, but merely falls into. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fdeaf50513.jpg Parking skills I will never muster https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ea820f13a6.jpg Exploring outside the walls, Evora https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6cbb89fea2.jpg Evora https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b6def08d0d.jpg Outside the walls, Evora https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f98e528d3c.jpg Evora https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...525e749ebf.jpg Market we stumbled upon, outside the walls, Evora https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1e5fcc93b6.jpg Evora https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...08d1450c67.jpg Outside the walls of Evora, Fire Dept https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...60f231d4a7.jpg Wine tasting, Evora https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c6d81aa9b6.jpg Evora https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b43045feb5.jpg Evora |
Beautiful photos, as always! Sorry you're having a hard time finding food to your liking...but it seems wine can make anything better ;)
|
I am wondering about the food problem, Portugal has the best sardines, and the absolutely best spicy chicken. If you like spicy do not miss Bom Jardim (sometimes Bon Jardin) in Lisbon - very basic but very good.
|
A traditional dish of the Alentejo region is pork with clams, a strange combination, I know, but one we found very tasty (that is, if you're a pork or shellfish eater!, but not Mel!!). And the wine is very good--glad to see you got to taste at Ervideira.
The porco preto, black pigs that graze on acorns on the Alentejo plains, are noted for producing great ham, cousins to the cerdo ibérico of southern Spain that produce jamón de bellota. And it's less expensive in Portugal than in Spain. And Alentejo is known for its breads and its queijo de Serpa cheese. Another hearty dish that we tried, typical of Alentejois açorda alentejana(a type of bread soup made with bread crumbs, sometimes with poached eggs on top) that tasted to me somewhat like Thanksgiving dressing/stuffing. We had a very filling version topped with shrimp at Tábua do Naldo, a cute little taberna with about 6 tables in Evora, which the Enoteca Cartuxa sent us to because they were fully booked. The owner is very engaging. https://tabuadonaldo.eatbu.com/?lang=en |
We haven't found the spicy chicken yet, but it's on my list for Lisbon.
Thanks, but no on the sardines. Which, by the way, we've seen the same sardine store, the one mentioned upthread, in every city we've visited so far. Now in Sintra and feeling a bit ashamed to be a tourist after witnessing the crowds that descend on this town, the graffiti etched into the walls, the overflowing garbage cans and a crazy-assed English speaking Karen who verbally abused a worker for closing the gates of Quinta de Regaleira at 5:29 instead of 5:30. The draw of Sintra is immediately obvious, but I can't help but feel guilty for contributing to the tourist problem. I'm feeling very conflicted at the moment. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1523aaf22f.jpg Sintra train station https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e68104e5af.jpg View from our apartment https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...08adb85e90.jpg Sintra https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2fb0384990.jpg Sintra https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0bab96e959.jpg Sintra https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...48b65ed380.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5f7ead9d1f.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b6259d886f.jpg The ugly side of tourism |
The best dish of Alentejo is "Pezinhos de Coentrada". It's a dish made of coriander (in portuguese, coentros, so coentrada). I will not describe it, if someone is interested you can google it. I strongly advise Mel not to try it.
|
We felt the same, Mel, but hope you can enjoy the quiet of the evenings once the tourist hordes depart.
Our good news was that we had Monserrate almost to ourselves. |
Love the blue in the Sintra station and your pretty apt. view.
|
Thanks for sharing this, Mel. I do understand those mixed feelings, though I imagine those who are part of the hospitality industry are still glad to have tourists back. Hoping those initial impressions ease after the first day.
I’m a little concerned about the hordes as well so hopefully there are ways to escape the worst of it. ! I’m hoping for selfish reasons that you find ways to enjoy Sintra when the hordes are gone! |
PS - I love your photos! They are great, a little fun with a bit of quirkiness!
|
Sorry to hear that the crowds are back. BTW, it wasn't sardines in cans that I meant, but the big ones served in restaurants. I did find Portuguese cuisine, aside from the spicy chicken, on the bland side, which seemed odd given that the Voyages of Discovery were in pursuit of spices. A bit short on veggies in the restaurants too, although not in the markets.
|
We were served potatoes with almost every meal (lots and lots of potatoes-they really know how to prepare them well), and we had lots of grelos. Helena, how do you translate grelos in English--are they turnip greens, broccoli rabe)?
Our alone time at Monserrate- https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...17aa03a02.jpeg Monserrate Palace https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aad3524a0.jpeg Palace interiors--to ourselves https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1e05e34d7.jpeg Without the hordes at Monserrate gardens https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...de1510fa6.jpeg The leafy greens at Ponte de Lima Monday feira |
Maribel, love your photos of Montserrat!
Mel, enjoying your photos! It's too bad you aren't liking the food, but at least you like the wine! |
Mel's photos are wonderful and playful. The owner of the Wine Gallery of InComum really knows his stuff...He might brighten up your day!:)
Thanks, Karen, It was just such a pleasure to visit Monserrate far away from the crowds and so very serene and peaceful. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2cb66bada.jpeg Monserrate ceilings https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c8acb6dab.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0c9355fee.jpeg |
Maribel, Monserrate looks amazing, thanks for the photos.
Helena, we're adventurous eaters and might try "Pezinhos de Coentrada" if we see it on the menu. I've had pig feet before, not my favorite, but I would try them again. |
Not a fish or seafood eater thursdayd, which is part of the problem.
We had our best meal of the trip yesterday here in Sintra. A very late lunch/early dinner at a little place near our apartment and just steps from the historic center. We ran into so many issues finding a place to eat in Evora that we weren't optimistic - kitchens generally close around 2-3 but with sightseeing and moving from one destination to the next, we were eating pretty late - and ran into closures and full restaurants. Yesterday we got lucky though. Lovely slow cooked black pork on mash for Bill (first mashed potato we'd seen on a menu in over two weeks), a nice vegetable curry for me and a shared dish of chocolate mousse. It was the kind of food we'd expected at the Vintage House in Pinhao, but never got. Getting a place at a restaurant here looks like an issue - at lunch anyway - as every single place is heaving. And then there's COVID to consider - not keen on being elbow to elbow with strangers in a tiny restaurant and outdoor dining areas are jam packed (not to mention it was pretty cold yesterday). There's a strike planned for tomorrow Sat and Sunday (Easter weekend) that will affect every site in town except for Quinta de Regaleira - I overlooked the fact it was Easter weekend when planning this trip - so no idea how the next days will play out. Last night I tried setting up a taxi to Pena Palace for today (not sure we want to try the 90 minute climb with our already blistered feet), but was unsuccessful due to language barriers. We'll give Uber a go this morning, but our taxi driver yesterday told us drivers are pretty scarce and they're all working their tails off. Not feeling terribly optimistic at the moment. So worried about things that I couldn't even sleep and am currently waiting for it to get light. Sintra might be bust. |
Are there no more Tuk-Tuk drivers hanging around the bus stop or train station for your Pena visit? We used one once to get up to Pena.
Or rent a little 2 seater electric car for the day? Easy to drive, easier to park, gps navigation directs you site to site. https://www.go2cintra.com/ They use to have a little gas jeep we rented twice, but I don't see it. This allows you to visit Monserrate or the lighthouse at Cabo da Roca. BTW, your picture of Sangria has influenced us, it has been the drink of choice so far. |
Things are looking up. Got an Uber after three tries this morning and were up at the Palace when the grounds opened at 9 am. Got there before the crowds and before the clouds moved in so got some decent photos. Then walked all the main trails in the park and walked over to the Moorish Castle entrance and then backtracked via the hiking trail to Sintra.
Walked many miles; a successful day. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6b60dc5ec7.jpg Pena Palace https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2b4c5dcd66.jpg Pena Palace https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fd817ac248.jpg Pena Palace https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...151e3eaecd.jpg Pena Palace https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...47f849c798.jpg Pena Palace https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...17c138fcb0.jpg Pena Palace https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9ff5195ff2.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...94b1e6af18.jpg Pena Palace Gardens |
Glad you had a successful Pena Park day Mel!
Yes, during high season it's near impossible to find a place for lunch in Sintra-Vila. Monserrate does have a café with outdoor tables serving sandwiches, cakes, pastries, maybe soups, if you find yourselves there at lunch time. It's kind of hidden away, so doesn't attract as many people as the café at Regaleira. It's called the Tea House (pink) in the old stables. Spotless bathrooms! |
Looks like a gorgeous day and beautiful photos!
|
The wisteria at Monserrate should be coming in nicely. Beautiful gardens, with nice paths along waterways. Kinda a jungle feel to parts of it.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...18ef193795.jpg Daughter and SIL in April of 2019. |
Are there no more Tuk-Tuk drivers hanging around the bus stop or train station for your Pena visit? We used one once to get up to Pena.
Yes, as are horse drawn carriages, buses and taxis, but we were well on our way before most of them were out. Trying to find a taxi at the train station to take us to our apartment was a PITA yesterday when we arrived in late afternoon because they were all elsewhere. Wisteria everywhere as well. I've taken many photos of it. The crowds in the center are overwhelming. Bill calls it the 'COVIDtorium'. I feel bad for the people who live here - surely they can't all be in the hospitality business. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...54532f04c4.jpg |
Forgot about your being there during Holy Week, mel. Hope you can have another nice, quiet dinner with (plenty of) wine tonight.
|
Mel, today Porto was impossible! I don't remember seeing this kind of crowds even in 2019! All restaurants were completely full, even the one where I use to go, and never saw a turist there before! Our Spanish brothers found it! So I'm just not starving because today is the "Queima do Judas", burn Judas, and locals at Sé neighborhood already have the dummy of Judas ready to be burned, and are selling some snaks in the street. The burning itself will be at 21:00h.
Maribel, grelos are turnip greens. I don't like turnip, but if they have a good and big greens, I buy them, and use the turnip for soup. There are also "nabiças", wich I think the translation is "collard". They are also very good, but the taste is less green. Both very good and tasty, and I believe Mel would like it very much, but they are winter things. |
A weirdly quiet day in Sintra....thanks to Good Friday and the Parques de Sintra workers being on strike for Easter weekend.
We'd been warned by the tourist office, so had intentionally visited Pena Palace yesterday and left Quinta da Regaliera (unaffected by the strike) for today, knowing full well that the crowds at Quinta de Regaliera would be intense. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bc5dd080ec.jpg Quinta de Regaliera https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1151f46764.jpg Initiation well from above https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5eea7e3579.jpg Initiation well https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1ba13e810e.jpg Initiation well https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e265ba124b.jpg Initiation well from below https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a964f354a2.jpg Quinta da Regaliera - ticket queue https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6c801f4539.jpg Quinta de Regaliera https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e64ed9bc6f.jpg Quinta de Regaliera https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9479c7820c.jpg Quinta de Regaliera Early bird = worm. We were in line 50 minutes before the gates opened, and 10th in line to descend into the Initiation Well, which is the main draw. We then spent a few hours exploring the grounds, followed by a nice lunch and mojitos, then retreated to our apartment courtyard to enjoy the beautiful day, sip a lovely local red and play with the resident cats. Tomorrow, we're off to the biggest of the big smokes...Lisboa. |
That's crazy Helena - when I say it was relatively quiet here I mean no tuk tuks racing up and down the hill taking tourists to Pena Palace. There are still plenty of people in town, but we walked right into Fabrica da Nata, which seems to be the most popular pastel da nata shop here based on the lines out the door the past two days.
|
Mel, I'm not sure if I told you this before, but while in Lisboa, to get up and down (well, mainly to get up) from Rossio/Baixo to Chiado/Bairro Alto, use the electric stairs at the metro station. There are also lifts at some stores, like "Armazéns do Chiado" or "FNAC", but well... it is not very polite to use their lifts and buy nothing.
|
Good to know Helena, thank you. Portugal is many things, but flat is not one of them:)
|
Mel, good for you to get that early bird-worm start! We too were about 10th in line at the Initiation Well but in the afternoon on a "slow" day. I can't even imagine how long the line would be on a "busy" day. Your photos are much prettier than ours--glad you enjoyed your Regaleira day.
Helena, thanks for the confirmation that grelos are turnip greens. That's what I thought. I love caldo verde and caldo gallego. |
I'm getting very, very nervous now! The reports of crowds in so many places!
The photos are fantastic -- I can't believe how empty the Initiation well at the Quinta de la Regaliera is! And the blue sky -- as perfect a backdrop as could be! The early bird and all that...I'll remind my husband that the dawdling in the morning may not be the best idea. Thanks for continuing to post...it's great fun to see the photos and to get your impressions. Helena and Maribel, thanks for your thoughts, too - it's so helpful. |
progol,
You may want to purchase those Regaleira tickets online for your May trip (signs on the way into the ticket office highly "suggested" this, but we didn't because we went in the afternoon on a "slow day" and there were 5 ticket booths open). But by May it may even be more crowded! Helena, That's interesting that they do a "burning of Judas" in Porto too (and in Vila do Conde?). In the little villages of the Rioja, like Samaniego, we've seen it on Easter Sunday. |
We considered buying our tickets for Regaliera online last night and then again when we were standing in line, but we didn't. We were almost first to get our tickets in the ticket line....we were even ahead of those who purchased online as the lines joined together. Then we walked up the hill to the well immediately and pretty much had it to ourselves.
|
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 10:12 AM. |