- Order of travel:
Lisbon, Coimbra, Ponte de Lima, Soajo, Carminha, Guimares, Porto, Parque Natural das Serras de Aire Candeeiros, Lisbon
- Lisbon
Bairro Alta district. Jane and Randy on Calcado do Duque. Notice behind us the diners in the middle of the street.
- Lisbon
Alfama district. São Jorge Castelo terrace. The castle site has been occupied by Romans, Visigoths, and Moors and was the royal residence until the late-15th century.
- Lisbon
View from São Jorge Castelo. Arrow points to our (blue) hotel in the Baixa district next to Praça da Figueira (the square).
- Lisbon
View of Tejo River waterfront in the lower Baixa district from São Jorge Castelo. Highlights include, on the left, the Praça do Comercio arch and, to the right in the distance, the 92-foot-high Cristo Rei statue erected in 1959 (a replica of one in Brazil) and the April 25th Bridge
- Lisbon
Randy and Jane at São Jorge Castelo overlook.
- Lisbon
Linda at São Jorge Castelo overlook
- Lisbon
Linda, Jane and Randy at the Jerónimos Monastery in the Belem district 3 miles west of downtown. Built around 1500 by King Manuel I. Note the ornate Manueline decoration on the monastery. This and other Belem buildings survived the devastating 1755 earthquake.
- Lisbon
Linda and Randy enjoy gelado in Rossio Square next to one of many cow art pieces around the downtown.
- Lisbon
Randy and Jane in Baixa district with São Jorge Castelo in the background above
- Lisbon
Randy and Linda in front of our hotel, the Hotel Lisboa Tejo
- Lisbon
Randy walking down Rua Augusta, a major shopping street in the Baixa district. Note the arch at the end at Praço do Comercio, a waterfront square.
- Coimbra
Jane and Randy in café at the old university.
- Coimbra
Linda in front of Se Velha, a 12th century Romanesque, fortress-like cathedral built under King Afonso Henriques on the site of a razed mosque
- Coimbra
Famous 18th century Coimbra University library. Postcard.
- Near Ponte de Lima
View up to the Paço de Calheiros manor house where we stayed four nights.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Upon arriving at the Paço de Calheiros manor house, the group surveys the premises
- Near Ponte de Lima
The night of our arrival at the Paço de Calheiros manor house, we had dinner at the Little Pigeon restaurant nearby.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Susannah leaving after dinner at Little Pigeon restaurant
- Near Ponte de Lima
Great breakfasts in the Paço de Calheiros manor house dining room
- Ponte de Lima
Rich, Celia and Cameron downtown.
- Ponte de Lima
Linda downtown.
- Ponte de Lima
Cam and Celia in front of 14th century Parish Church.
- Ponte de Lima
Cam and Celia closeup at church.
- Ponte de Lima
Cam and Jane in front of church.
- Ponte de Lima
Walking on the Roman-medieval bridge that crosses the River Lima.
- Ponte de Lima
Mary-Carter at the Roman section of city gardens.
- Ponte de Lima
The famous Roman-medieval bridge for which the town is named. This is the medieval part of the bridge.
- Ponte de Lima
Picture of the town from across the river.
- Ponte de Lima
Along a street, a public water faucet dating to 1617.
- Ponte de Lima
The two Birthday Queens reign at the dinner at the Paço de Calheiros manor house.
- Day Trip from Ponte de Lima
Looking down the famous Baroque steps of the Bom Jesus de Monte church near Braga.
- Day Trip from Ponte de Lima
Part of the gang - no Bard-Congdons - at Bom Jesus church. Back row from left: Jim, Kerry, Linda, Randy, Jane, Bill, Mary-Carter. Front row from left: Lysbeth, Sarah, Hope.
- Near Ponte de Lima
View from the swimming pool at the Paço de Calheiros manor house, where we stayed four nights.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Mary-Carter poolside.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Kerry and Sarah poolside.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Susannah and Celia poolside.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Swimming pool and tennis court at Paço de Calheiros
- Near Ponte de Lima
Kerry, Sarah and Jane poolside. Jane eventually did get into a swimsuit and into the pool!
- Near Ponte de Lima
Fields and vinyards of the Paço de Calheiros manor house.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Individual apartments at the Paço de Calheiros manor house. Each one had a bathroom, kitchenette and upstairs loft. Most of our friends stayed in these apartments. We guessed that these were once stables.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Courtyard at the Paço de Calheiros manor house.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Front of the 17th century Paço de Calheiros manor house. The family crest is above doors to chapel (center). Randy and I stayed in an apartment in this house. The Calheiros family has owned the estate since 1336.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Outside door to Randy's and my apartment at the Paço de Calheiros manor house.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Living room in the same wing as Randy's and my apartment at the Paço de Calheiros manor house. Count Francisco Calheiros gathered guests here for drinks before dinner one night. A lot of the wood in the house is chestnut.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Hallway to Randy's and my apartment at the Paço de Calheiros manor house.
- Near Ponte de Lima
View from the Paço de Calheiros manor house of the town of Ponte de Lima and of two bridges across the Lima River, including the famous medieval one.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Kerry relaxes on the Paço de Calheiros grounds before dinner.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Sarah and Jim confer on itinerary outside their Paço de Calheiros apartment. Susannah finds a pan for dinner.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Cam waiting for dinner in a common area reserved for our group at Paço de Calheiros manor house.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Susannah relaxes in a common area reserved for our group at Paço de Calheiros manor house.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Rich and Bill do the dishes after dinner in the common area reserved for our group at Paço de Calheiros manor house.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Count Francisco Calheiros. Some opined that Randy, with a few tweaks to his hair, would closely resemble the count.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Most of the gang in front of Paço de Calheiros manor house. No Sarah, no Linda, no Jane, no Lysbeth or Hope. Count Francisco Calheiros is bottom left.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Most of the gang in front of Paço de Calheiros manor house. No Sarah, no Linda, no Celia, no Lysbeth or Hope. Count Francisco Calheiros is bottom left.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Jim, Sarah and Hope at Paço de Calheiros manor house fountain.
- Near Ponte de Lima
Jim and Sarah at Paço de Calheiros manor house fountain.
- Near Ponte de Lima
The two Birthday Queens, Jane and Mary-Carter.
- Ponte de Barca
Randy and I ran into Bill, Mary-Carter and Kerry at a restaurant in this Lima River town and had a tasty lunch together.
- Soajo
The town name is pronounced So-AH-jzhoo. Everything in Soajo is made of granite, the locally available material. The rural town is in the Peneda-Geres mountains near Spain. Note the long narrow structure with a cross on the roof on the left side of the street. This is for storing grain, usually corn.
- Soajo
Two houses share this courtyard. Casa João Fidalgo, on the right, where some of our group stayed, accommodated eight. Each of the four bedrooms had a bath.
- Soajo
Casa do Eirò, where Randy and I, Bill and Mary Carter, and Kerry stayed three nights. There were three bedrooms and two baths. The granite houses in this town are very dark inside and lighting is dim.
- Soajo
Kitchen, dining and living room of Casa do Eirò. The friendly, eager-to-please owners brought us a delicious breakfast each morning at whatever hour we requested. The freshly baked bread was still warm. Also included were homemade jams, coffee, ham, cheese, eggs, a guava gelatin, yogurt and fruit.
- Soajo
The main square, Eirò Plaza, near Casa do Eirò, where Randy and I (and three others) stayed. The statue, a pillory, dates possibly to the 17th century. It is a national monument and represents a piece of bread on the tip of a spear. In the 13th century, the king Dom Dinis granted special privileges to the local inhabitants forbidding the nobility to remain here any longer than the time needed to cool their bread on the tip of their lances. Bill and Randy, consorts to Queens Mary-Carter and Jane, financed lodging for our group in Soajo and Ponte de Lima.
- Soajo
Water ran through the town in many places.
- Soajo
Newer houses, some built by emigrants. We met several people who live in Boston or New Jersey or Rhode Island and return annually to Soajo. Corn is everywhere, used mainly as livestock feed. It doesn't show up much in the human diet.
- Soajo
Famous community granary. These historic structures, built of granite slats, sitting on stilts and topped with crosses, have for centuries been used to store corn, keeping it dry and protecting it from rodents.
- Soajo
Sheep on Main Street in downtown Soajo.
- Soajo
The environs are hilly and many houses are built on terraced hillsides.
- Soajo
Our chief hangout spot was the front steps of Casa João Fidalgo.
- Soajo
Rich and Randy at cribbage in Casa João Fidalgo living room.
- Soajo
We had a great dinner in the kitchen of Casa João Fidalgo.
- South of Soajo
A lovely morning hike out of the town of Ermida. We encountered lots of cows. Note the one on left side of the road.
- South of Soajo
Corn seems to be the main crop in these parts and there's plenty of livestock to eat it.
- South of Soajo
The rock pathway that we hiked has been trod by livestock and Ermida residents for centuries. They moved between lower and higher elevations with the changing of the seasons.
- South of Soajo
Jane and Kerry pause for a picture along the path.
- South of Soajo
Typical countryside on our hike.
- South of Soajo
Rich in front of a hovel in a largely abandoned summer village in the hills above Ermida.
- South of Soajo
View of Lima River valley below. Notice the summer village in lower right corner of picture.
- Soajo
Another morning hike, this time right out of Soajo.
- Soajo
View back to the town as we ascend into the surrounding hills.
- Soajo
Another view of the town from higher up.
- Soajo
Pastoral scene during our hike.
- Soajo
Another view of the town and environs from further up.
- Peneda-Geres National Park
On a scenic drive through the park.
- Peneda-Geres National Park
Senhora da Peneda church is practically built into the Peneda granite mountains.
- Peneda-Geres National Park
We were puzzled by this new construction in the town of Castro Laboreiro, which is in a very remote area. We couldn't tell what the economy would be based on. We could see no ski facilities. There were some tourists but not that many.
- Peneda-Geres National Park
Sarah, Mary-Carter and I climbed up to the ruins of the Castle of Castro Laboreiro, which dates back to the 11th century. It's perched on a razor-thin mountain ridge at about 3,400 feet and can be rather scary to walk around.
- Peneda-Geres National Park
Sarah at 11th century Castro Laboreiro Castle door.
- Peneda-Geres National Park
View down to the town of Castro Laboreiro from inside the castle.
- Peneda-Geres National Park
View of castle wall and surrounding mountains.
- Peneda-Geres National Park
This is the skinny mountain ridge on which the 11th century castle of Castro Laboreiro is perched.
- Caminha
The tide is out at this pleasant town where the Minho River meets the Atlantic Ocean. We stayed the night here.
- Caminha
This Renaissance clock tower borders a very charming town square with a fountain and many restaurants and cafes with outdoor seating. We bought day-old International Herald Tribunes at a news shop here.
- Atlantic Coast north of Viana do Castelo
- Guimares
We spent six or so hours in this medieval town, the first capital of Portugal in the 12th century. Notice Randy reading the Herald Tribune at a café in Largo da Oliveira. Largo means plaza. Also note the 14th century Gothic canopy in front of the church.
- Guimares
Praça de São Tiago or Santiago Square.
- Guimares
We got our own personal guide at the Museu Martins Sarmento, an archaeological museum in a 14th century convent that holds fragments of pottery, jewelry, weapons, etc. uncovered by archaeologist Martins Sarmento in the 19th century from Citânia de Briteiros and other prehistoric Celtic-Iberian sites in the area. We had earlier visited the spectacular Citânia site, an iron-age settlement probably established about 500 B.C. and occupied until Roman times. Unfortunately, our museum guide spoke only Portuguese.
- Citânia de Briteiros
Postcard of a family compound at Citânia de Briteiros, an Iron-Age settlement that we visited on a day trip from Ponte de Lima. Artifacts uncovered here are kept at the Museu Martins Sarmento in Guimares.
- Guimares
Decorated door jambs and lintels uncovered at Citânia de Briteiros that are kept at the Museu Martins Sarmento in Guimares. I don't know the age of these though.
- Porto
Community laundry. It seemed to us that automatic clothes washers are uncommon in Portugal.
- Porto
Street.
- Porto
The center of the world's port wine industry. View across the Douro River to all of the warehouses holding port wine. Notice the huge brand names on the buildings: Sandeman, Warre, Burmester, Dow.
- Porto
The waterfont promenade known as the Ribeira. Ponte Luis I, one of six bridges crossing the Douro River.
- Porto
Randy on the waterfront promenade known as the Ribeira. Note the light rail train on the Ponte Luis I bridge.
- Porto
Looking up streets from the waterfront promenade along the Douro River known as the Ribeira.
- Porto
View of the town and the remains of its old fortress walls from a boat ride on the Douro.
- Porto
View from a funicular ride from the waterfront up to town above. In background is Ponte Luis I bridge. On right are fortress walls. Below is Douro River.
- Porto
The Casa da Musica or concert hall designed by Rem Koolhaas.
- Porto
Window detail of Casa da Musica designed by Rem Koolhaas. Corrugated windows reminded me of sound waves.
- Porto
Backside of Casa da Musica designed by Rem Koolhaas.
- Porto
Randy inside the Casa da Musica designed by Rem Koolhaas.
- Porto
Undulating grounds of the Casa da Musica designed by Rem Koolhaas.
- Parque Natural das Serras dos Candeeiros
Jane and expansive view of the Atlantic Ocean and coastal plain. We took a short, very enjoyable hike in these limestone hills. The hike went through woods and also the tiny village of Casal Valventos and gave a view of the local limestone quarry operation.
- Parque Natural das Serras dos Candeeiros
Randy on the walking path in this somewhat remote, limestone-rich rural area. Notice the windmills in the background.
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