THINGS TO DO IN AND AROUND LISBON PART III (Inc Portugal)
Aug 7th, 2006, 05:56 AM
#363
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Hi Matt and all. These were very low profile holdays. The main purpose of this period was scouting properties for my early retirement. I don't have yet decisions made, but Vila Boim in Alentejo is taking the lead.
Meanwhile, I've been to Sogra's Inn, Mealhada (to eat the pig), Conimbriga, Lisbon, Elvas, Marvao, Badajoz and Lisbon again.
Plans for second period of holidays include beach (2 or 3 days are more than enough for me) and may be a long weekend in Valencia (Spain).
Three notes I wish to share from my recent experience.
1. Carapau. This is a less appreciated Sardine's relative, however I can't figure out why. It's in the low cost end of grilled fish. It's bigger than sardines, easier to prepare, as tasteful as sardines. I always ask "molho espanhola" and some salad to go with carapaus. I love it.
2 Ammaia
The ruins of this roman city are just under the shadows of Marvao hill (south flank) . If you are driving Marvao to Portalegre, Ammaia signs are easily seen. If you are in the vicinity, give Ammaia a chance.
3. Marvao
My very favourite place on Earth. The typical activity in Marvao is doing nothing. Just take a seat in a coffee terrace overlooking Spain, ask a soft drink and stay there enjoying the pleasure of being alive.
It's all now. I'm still recovering from the jet lag since yesterday I traveled from Alentejo to Lisbon. After waking up, I'll post some more.
Meanwhile, I've been to Sogra's Inn, Mealhada (to eat the pig), Conimbriga, Lisbon, Elvas, Marvao, Badajoz and Lisbon again.
Plans for second period of holidays include beach (2 or 3 days are more than enough for me) and may be a long weekend in Valencia (Spain).
Three notes I wish to share from my recent experience.
1. Carapau. This is a less appreciated Sardine's relative, however I can't figure out why. It's in the low cost end of grilled fish. It's bigger than sardines, easier to prepare, as tasteful as sardines. I always ask "molho espanhola" and some salad to go with carapaus. I love it.
2 Ammaia
The ruins of this roman city are just under the shadows of Marvao hill (south flank) . If you are driving Marvao to Portalegre, Ammaia signs are easily seen. If you are in the vicinity, give Ammaia a chance.
3. Marvao
My very favourite place on Earth. The typical activity in Marvao is doing nothing. Just take a seat in a coffee terrace overlooking Spain, ask a soft drink and stay there enjoying the pleasure of being alive.
It's all now. I'm still recovering from the jet lag since yesterday I traveled from Alentejo to Lisbon. After waking up, I'll post some more.
Aug 9th, 2006, 01:01 PM
#365
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Sher/Matt..somehow managed to send off my previous note without finishing it..Matt I will have some more questions concerning meeting for the LDC etc on the 25th but will contact when we are a little closer to our arrival. Will also be packing the wine that I owe Loba from the soccer matches.
Bob
Bob
Aug 13th, 2006, 11:29 AM
#367
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Aug 16th, 2006, 10:13 AM
#368
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LDC scheduled events:
- 25 August - LDC with Bob (BYoung4u2) + Ruth + Frog (?) + boy friend (?)
- 21 September - LDC with David (dwsnyder) + Susan + Kenderina + Emilio - Páteo da Memória (?)
- from 8 to 12 October - cheese and wine in Leslie's (Imernal) appartment
- x>20 September - LDC with Sher
Hi Bob, Matt and Froggy, are you out there??
Bob, I think it's the due time for you to contact Matt for preferences and arrangements.
- 25 August - LDC with Bob (BYoung4u2) + Ruth + Frog (?) + boy friend (?)
- 21 September - LDC with David (dwsnyder) + Susan + Kenderina + Emilio - Páteo da Memória (?)
- from 8 to 12 October - cheese and wine in Leslie's (Imernal) appartment
- x>20 September - LDC with Sher
Hi Bob, Matt and Froggy, are you out there??
Bob, I think it's the due time for you to contact Matt for preferences and arrangements.
Aug 16th, 2006, 01:37 PM
#369
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Hi Guys - Glad to see you're still planning new LDC meetings. I've finially got my photos from my July trip done and I've started a trip report. The not-so-creative title is "Isabel's July Portugal Trip Report with Photos". The photos are at www.pbase.com/annforcier and as I said in my report - be warned, there are ALOT of photos - including the one's I took of our July 18 LDC.
Aug 17th, 2006, 06:34 PM
#370
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Isabel.
Your pictures, well words cannot describe them
They not only brought back so meny memories of our last trip to Portugal, but give me a great sense of expectation of our upcoming trip.
Thank you.
Sherry
Your pictures, well words cannot describe them
They not only brought back so meny memories of our last trip to Portugal, but give me a great sense of expectation of our upcoming trip.
Thank you.
Sherry
Aug 18th, 2006, 03:07 AM
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Wonderful photos, Isabel! Thanks for sharing.
Leslie, I hope your plans are all finalized by now.
October 9 or 10 works for us for the wine and cheese party if it is okay with the rest of you. I am looking forward to it.
Leslie, I hope your plans are all finalized by now.
October 9 or 10 works for us for the wine and cheese party if it is okay with the rest of you. I am looking forward to it.
Aug 20th, 2006, 05:25 PM
#372
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Things are a little quiet at the moment - I guess you, like me are on vacation 
and I've used these past few days for a bit of travelling myself. Last weekend Lizzy and I took the train south to Albufeira in the Algarve so to have dinner with friends in some little village about 15 mins drive from the town centre. It was my first trip that had taken me further south than Evora: took some wine on the train and ended up dozing in the afternoon heat but what I saw from the window looked appealing - I'll have to do a proper rail write up some time on it. So returning to Lisbon the next day, one night at home and then I took the two girls up to the mountains, Elisabete stayed home with a tight deadline and her parents drove: the nearest town of note to their village is Serta which is more or less in the centre of Portugal in a region called "Beira Baixa". One of it's most picturesque locations is the Roman bridge which has been recently restored.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps15.jpg
I took quite a few photos though mainly family orientated which I won't bore you with and we spent our time with Elizabete's grandmother who is 97:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps10.jpg
Here she is extolling the virtues of growing your own crops. She still maintains her own field where she grows all manner of vegetables and fruit, not to mention the grape vines...
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ngland/ps3.jpg
Regarding the wine it should be a pretty good year this one, the grapes themselves soon reaching maturity,
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps18.jpg
and
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps12.jpg
Ready for harvest "vindima" later in September.
I made sure to drink a lot of last years vintage poured straight from the barrel. The word Cav in Portuguese (spelling Lobo?) means cellar - a cool place with a table, some home made goats cheese, home smoked chouriço sausage, home baked bread and olive oil, and copious amounts of red. Here is the pathway down...
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps19.jpg
Not so easy climbing back up!
There were a number of nice sunsets over the old house which she built herself many years ago...
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ngland/ps4.jpg
And despite the fires of recent years there are still enough pine tree left to give a good sunset shot:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ngland/ps6.jpg
and
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ngland/ps8.jpg
Nearly every meal was done outside on the grill and here is Elisabete's father with the sardines and carapau...
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps11.jpg
whilst taking in the view from the patio.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps14.jpg
It really proved to be a relaxing time well needed, and I spent some quality time with my girls and the rest of the family: it makes a change not to hear any cars, not to smell their exhausts and see wonderful nightscapes with a million stars. And plus the fact that no one speaks English up in the mountains so I really had to speak Portuguese all the way. Did I succeed? ;-)
Anyway, just a little filler to give you a taster of rural family life here in Portugal.
By the way, Jen, if you are still ever about your holiday finally ended this evening whilst I was editing the photos, the last of the Port departed into my inner realms and with it's sweet passage I recalled our last night in Lisbon. Pleasant memories indeed.
So, take care and be good.
Happy trails,
Matt
and I've used these past few days for a bit of travelling myself. Last weekend Lizzy and I took the train south to Albufeira in the Algarve so to have dinner with friends in some little village about 15 mins drive from the town centre. It was my first trip that had taken me further south than Evora: took some wine on the train and ended up dozing in the afternoon heat but what I saw from the window looked appealing - I'll have to do a proper rail write up some time on it. So returning to Lisbon the next day, one night at home and then I took the two girls up to the mountains, Elisabete stayed home with a tight deadline and her parents drove: the nearest town of note to their village is Serta which is more or less in the centre of Portugal in a region called "Beira Baixa". One of it's most picturesque locations is the Roman bridge which has been recently restored.http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps15.jpg
I took quite a few photos though mainly family orientated which I won't bore you with and we spent our time with Elizabete's grandmother who is 97:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps10.jpg
Here she is extolling the virtues of growing your own crops. She still maintains her own field where she grows all manner of vegetables and fruit, not to mention the grape vines...
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ngland/ps3.jpg
Regarding the wine it should be a pretty good year this one, the grapes themselves soon reaching maturity,
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps18.jpg
and
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps12.jpg
Ready for harvest "vindima" later in September.
I made sure to drink a lot of last years vintage poured straight from the barrel. The word Cav in Portuguese (spelling Lobo?) means cellar - a cool place with a table, some home made goats cheese, home smoked chouriço sausage, home baked bread and olive oil, and copious amounts of red. Here is the pathway down...
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps19.jpg
Not so easy climbing back up!
There were a number of nice sunsets over the old house which she built herself many years ago...
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ngland/ps4.jpg
And despite the fires of recent years there are still enough pine tree left to give a good sunset shot:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ngland/ps6.jpg
and
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ngland/ps8.jpg
Nearly every meal was done outside on the grill and here is Elisabete's father with the sardines and carapau...
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps11.jpg
whilst taking in the view from the patio.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...gland/ps14.jpg
It really proved to be a relaxing time well needed, and I spent some quality time with my girls and the rest of the family: it makes a change not to hear any cars, not to smell their exhausts and see wonderful nightscapes with a million stars. And plus the fact that no one speaks English up in the mountains so I really had to speak Portuguese all the way. Did I succeed? ;-)
Anyway, just a little filler to give you a taster of rural family life here in Portugal.
By the way, Jen, if you are still ever about your holiday finally ended this evening whilst I was editing the photos, the last of the Port departed into my inner realms and with it's sweet passage I recalled our last night in Lisbon. Pleasant memories indeed.
So, take care and be good.
Happy trails,
Matt
Aug 20th, 2006, 09:08 PM
#375
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It is perhaps a bit early to plan the exact date for our October LDC, at least for those who will be leading their real lives during those days. But, that said, I am OK with October 9, since it is likely we'll stay in town for that day. I would love to have some wine and cheese at our place, then perhaps a light dinner. Would enjoy some jazz or music, but I imagine it is a work night for Matt and Joao and their spouses, so we may need to have reasonable hours. And clubs may be closed on Mondays?
Joao and Matt, I think your emails are somewhere in this thread, so I will send you the exact address, etc once the date is set.
Judi, if you post your email, I will get the info to you, or you can get it from Lobo or Matt.
Let me know what works. The 10th is OK for me too.
Joao and Matt, I think your emails are somewhere in this thread, so I will send you the exact address, etc once the date is set.
Judi, if you post your email, I will get the info to you, or you can get it from Lobo or Matt.
Let me know what works. The 10th is OK for me too.
Aug 21st, 2006, 06:23 AM
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Matt:
Wow ! Are those really sardines ? They're huge (at least by comparison to the ones we can get here). Thanks for another great photo journal !
According to my calendar we'll be dining with the LDC exactly one month from today - yippee !
We're very receptive to a 'mini' LDC the evening prior (that would be the 20th). Our flight is scheduled to arrive in the late afternoon so we don't know exactly when we will really arrive but we're the types that like to hit the ground running (or at least moving !).
We're staying at the Casa Costa do Castelo above Lisbon, directly below the Castelo S. Jorge and it would be great to find something within walking distance. We very, very much prefer places with local color & flavor, good food ... a place where we'll find more locals than tourists ... anyway - we're open to ideas.
Thanks -
David
Wow ! Are those really sardines ? They're huge (at least by comparison to the ones we can get here). Thanks for another great photo journal !
According to my calendar we'll be dining with the LDC exactly one month from today - yippee !
We're very receptive to a 'mini' LDC the evening prior (that would be the 20th). Our flight is scheduled to arrive in the late afternoon so we don't know exactly when we will really arrive but we're the types that like to hit the ground running (or at least moving !).
We're staying at the Casa Costa do Castelo above Lisbon, directly below the Castelo S. Jorge and it would be great to find something within walking distance. We very, very much prefer places with local color & flavor, good food ... a place where we'll find more locals than tourists ... anyway - we're open to ideas.
Thanks -
David
Aug 21st, 2006, 09:11 AM
#378
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Beautiful pictures. Isn't it beautiful to spend holidays in "Sogra's Inn"?
Answering your question, a place where the wine is produced and stored is "adega", like "Adega das Gravatas". Usually big wine companies have special precautions to age the wine under controled temperature conditions and for that reason they built stores under the ground level. In that situation, the "adegas" turn into "caves".
Carapaus and sardinhas seem to be sharks because the camera's lens is very close in Matt's photo.
Answering your question, a place where the wine is produced and stored is "adega", like "Adega das Gravatas". Usually big wine companies have special precautions to age the wine under controled temperature conditions and for that reason they built stores under the ground level. In that situation, the "adegas" turn into "caves".
Carapaus and sardinhas seem to be sharks because the camera's lens is very close in Matt's photo.
Aug 21st, 2006, 11:09 AM
#379
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They grow 'em big up in the mountains...
We definitely had sardines that lunch, perhaps he cooked them next, I'd been drinking a few glasses of red by this time ;-)
For that pre LDC dinner we could visit that small place where we went before the Dulce Pontes concert, I'll check back through the LDC thread.
Lobo, the wine celler is actually a cave in this instance, the lower level of that old building is dug into the mountainside so perhaps in this case it is appropriate? I have my own conditions for monitoring and storing the wine...
Matt
We definitely had sardines that lunch, perhaps he cooked them next, I'd been drinking a few glasses of red by this time ;-)
For that pre LDC dinner we could visit that small place where we went before the Dulce Pontes concert, I'll check back through the LDC thread.
Lobo, the wine celler is actually a cave in this instance, the lower level of that old building is dug into the mountainside so perhaps in this case it is appropriate? I have my own conditions for monitoring and storing the wine...
Matt
