Highlights of Lisbon

Up and out early today. We had three walking tours to take that would take us through some of the highlights of Lisbon.

There is a Metro underground station right out the front door of our hotel. We bought all day transportation passes for €5 that allowed us to use the Metro, the buses, the trolleys and the funicular that takes you up to the Barrio Alta (upper city). It is a real deal and the transportation system here is one of the best I have seen in any city in the world.

Sao Roque Church ceiling

We subwayed three stops to the funicular, a cute, very old trolley car that takes you up a short, but very steep street to the Barrio Alta. at the top we walked over to the Sao Roque church. It is a stunningly restored church with a ceiling painting as beautiful as any I have ever seen. Several of the side chapels are also must sees, especially the next to last on the left with Christ on the cross but surrounded by dozens of the cutest little cherubs you ever saw.

Down the street we came upon a little patisserie that we stopped in for a bite of breakfast. We ordered to cafe de leche and two lovely baked items. But the highlight was the people watching. This was a true neighborhood cafe and the folks lingering over their morning cappuccino and roll possessed some of the most wonderful faces you'd can imagine. I wish i could have photographed some of those sun burned and lined faces from years of sun and hard work.

Off we went until we found the trolley line we thought we wanted to take. We saw a lot of the city but suddenly the trolley came to a halt and the driver told everyone they had to get off. He left the trolley and walked towards a cemetery  across the street and disappeared leaving all the passengers wondering what happened. We all milled around getting to know each other a bit and after about 15 minutes, the driver suddenly reappeared and after we all reboarded, without a word, he continued on his route.

Eventually we figured out where we needed to be and that was in the opposite direction we had gone. So we made the decision to take another trolley and head for Belem district, about a 30 minute ride out on the edge of Lisbon.

Here we explored the beautiful Monastery of Jeronimo cloisters and church. The famous explorer, Vasco da Gama's tomb is inside this church. He is paid tribute in part of the designs in the I interior. Knots are carved into the stone pillars as well as symbols of the nautical life. Even artichokes are carved as a reminder of the effect they had on sailors suffering from vitamin C deficiency.

Down the street but also within the old Monastery it the National Maritime Museum. It houses a wonderful collection of antique nautical instruments, period uniforms, ship models and even some old boats. I was most impressed with the old navigation instruments. Other than that it was a rather disappointing collection.

Beginning to feel a bit peckish, we headed for a place we had picked out ahead of time for lunch. The Restaurante Os Jeronimo was described to us a great place for fish and we wanted to try it out. Despite being crowded we got seated within about 20 minutes and the very friendly and helpful staff helped us order just the right items. We'd read that we should allow the wait staff to make recommendations and follow them. We ordered a beer each and the waiter suggested an order of clams to start.  They were amazing! Fresh, steamed perfectly and dripping in a garlic, cilantro and butter sauce, they just melted in our mouths.

 

Our mains were great as well. I had a seafood dish which was supposed to be thickened with bread. Hard to describe but it came out with a raw egg yolk in the middle which the waiter folded into the mushy dish making it turn a bright yellow. It was like a risotto with shrimp but not.

Leslie got a fish we never did get identified but it was a whole, mild white fish that had been charbroiled and was surrounded on the plate by a small salad and boiled potatoes. It was just a lovely lunch and we topped it off with our second cafe de leche of the day.

Out the door, we caught another trolley heading back more toward the center of Lisbon and another that took us up near the top of the Alfama neighborhood. We got off and began a slow and steady climb up the hill toward the castelo, peaking down narrow side streets, into shops selling the famous Portuguese tiles and ceramic statuary and stopping to gaze out across the city below at vistas along the way. Street artists were here and there painting Lisbon scenes and selling their work.

We decided to walk back down the hill instead of taking the trolley which turned out to be serendipitous as we found even lovelier shops and eventually an artist who was selling art that we had to have.

In a small shop we spoke with a very nice proprietor who allowed us to listen to several tracks from a CD of Fado music. If we bought only one Fado CD, this is the one to get he insisted. It included several songs sung by the reputed best Fado singer of all time, Amalia Rodrigues. We have been listening to it as we drive through the countryside. Talk about mood music!

Further on down the hill we came across the artist whose art we purchased.

Finally, at the bottom of the hill we re-entered the Baixa neighborhood where we wandered through a more upscale shopping street with cafes and on to a Metro station. Three stops later we were back at our hotel. What a day!

Arrival in Lisbon and Some Travel Tips!

After a breakfast at the hotel in Evora, we headed for our next stop--Lisbon.

Evora rooftop breakfast space

We arrived sooner than we thought. The directions we'd copied down were so good that we wound up, unlike our experience driving in Sevilla, finding our hotel without getting lost.  When we arrived our room was not ready for us, so we checked our luggage and had a seat in the spacious lobby. It was also raining when we arrived which made going out exploring difficult.

We got into our lovely room after only a few minutes of waiting. I think the desk staff wanted us out of the lobby and to make us happy they hustled and got our room ready. After a picnic lunch in our room of the foods we'd bought in Sagres a couple of days ago, we laid down for a brief nap before heading out into the world of Lisbon.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The nap turned into an afternoon of doing laundry in the sink and tub of our hotel room. And while we are on the subject of travel and laundry, here is my strategy for doing your laundry on the go. First, as I have already written in an earlier entry, laundry is immensely easier if you buy the right travel clothes to begin with. Materials that resist wrinkling and that dry quickly help a lot. This type of clothing is available on-line and at stores that cater to travel, adventure and hiking. REI is one close to where we live but you get the idea.

When we travel anywhere for any length of time, we have learned to take only one carry-on piece of luggage and a day pack. You save money since the airlines don't charge you for carry-ons. Pack lightly! We place our carry-on on the bed in the guest room and pack several days in advance. Then we start thinking about what we've packed and whether we really need each item. If we can't convince ourself of its importance, out it goes.

We are on a 5 week trip that takes us to both warm and cold climates. So we pack with the idea of layering. 2-3 t-shirts, 3-4 shirts (2 long and 2 short sleeves), 3 pairs of pants (2 everyday and 1 for out someplace nice) and a swim suit. I took two pairs of underwear and 5 pair of socks. Two pair of shoes, one for hiking around towns with those nasty cobblestones and the other, also well made but for a nice evening out. Extra shoes and socks are also important because of how hard you're making your feet work. Switch shoes every other day and maybe change your socks for the evening. It'll freshen your feet up and make you feel better all over.

I keep my meds and hygiene items in a zippered bag (get one of these at REI as well. They are great organizers) and I keep it in my day pack. If I wind up having to put my luggage in the plane's hold, I want to have these items with me in case the airline looses my luggage. Believe me, that happens more often than you think. I also carry my camera, lenses and flash in my day pack along with my C-PAP machine. With all that, I also have my iPad and all the cables and adaptors needed to survive. How do I get all that in the day pack? I found a really well designed pack! You probably don't need all the stuff I listed but do keep whatever is absolutely a must-have with you not your luggage. I even put one pair of underwear and socks in that day pack so I can survive without my luggage for at least a few days should I have to. It won't be pretty, but I can do it until my luggage catches up with me.

When I arrive at a new hotel, all the stuff in the day pack comes out and it becomes my pack for hiking around the city, holding only my camera gear and a jacket. Money,  important documents, charge cards, proof of insurance all go in my money belt. Don't have one? Don't travel without one. Period. I keep only few a dollars at a time in my pocket and never carry a wallet.

Now, how can you do your laundry without having to spend a day at a laundromat, which means getting the right change, buying laundry soap that spills all over and then hoping a washer and dryer don't eat your clothes or money?

I simply use the soap the hotel provides, the sink or tub for larger items or loads. First, get some hot water going and place the item or items to be washed into the water soaking them well. Pull up the parts that get the smelliest. Be aware of any stained spots. These are the areas where I apply the soap and the most elbow grease when I scrub. Now, vigorously rub the material together wherever you want to really clean. Knead the article of clothing, squeezing it and pushing it up and down in the water like your washer at home would do. Drain the sink, squeezing the clothing to extract water as you go until the sink is drained and as much water is squeezed out as possible. Except for the soap application, repeat this process once or twice more until the water draining out is clear. Squeeze, twisting the clothes as you go until as much water is out as is possible. Find a spot to hang up the article so air can circulate and dry it faster. Turn it occasionally to aid the process. If possible place the clothes in a sunny or warm place. 

Monument across the street from our hotel

Hotels don't like it when you hang dripping clothes in their wooden closets or over the balcony so passersby can see it. So use some caution in that regard. Many travel clothes will air dry overnight and be ready to tuck back into your luggage. Heavier clothes like my favorite pair of jeans I never leave home without, will take at least a full day to dry. If I'm out of time and must move on, I'll hang them over the back seat in the rental car.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Nap over, Leslie headed out to scope out the city while I stayed in for a night off. Got a lot done doing that. With two days here in Lisbon, I was able to wash out a lot of clothes that will easily dry before we have to leave. And I was able to catch up on my journaling.

Leslie came back excited about the city and she had laid her plans for how we would spend our day tomorrow. With that, we headed off to an early bedtime. Big day tomorrow!

Evora and Fado

I'd like to start this blog entry with a good rant. Nothing gets the blood up and moving better. My topic today is about hotel beds.

You know, hotel companies pour millions into designing their lobbies, common areas and especially their guest rooms with the idea of making them attractive, inviting and comfortable for their guests. And yet so many times I walk into a hotel, impressed with all the above only to sit on the bed and my world comes crashing down.

Too many hotels spend too little time on the most fundamentally important fixture in any guest room. The bed! They are too hard. The pillows don't work. It's always something. Why not offer rooms with options. Feather pillows or hypo-allergenic pillows or how many pillows would you like? Optional mattresses could include pillow tops, latex top, or, my favorite, how about a Temperpedic mattress? The hotel companies could get the mattress companies to give them mattresses in exchange for posting ads in hotel lobbies and even little placards in the rooms. Nothing tacky. Just a hint that "if you slept well last night, it might be because you slept on a thus and such mattress."

I bring this up because of the 10 nights in hotel beds on this trip thus far, last night was the first night I have slept in a bed that didn't feel like I was lying on a board. 9 out of 10 so far. And these have all been 3 and 4 star hotels.

It isn't just in Europe either. I don't believe it is nearly the same problem in the U.S. but in Asia and Africa, the same issue. Hard beds. Am I missing something? Please, friends of my blog, educate me on this issue. I welcome any and all views on this topic.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Well, we have arrived in ancient Evora. A city that has been conquered by the Romans, the Moors, the Visigoths, and the Spanish. It is a university city. The school was founded by the Jesuits who were finally chased off when they got too big for their britches and too unwilling to update their thinking--so the king tossed them out and took all their property.  In the 1970's the university was reopened as a secular school.

We walked all over the small historic core of the city. It lies within walls built in Roman times. The remnant of a Roman Temple still stands at the top of the city today only meters from the 14th century Evora Cathedral.

The town seems to still be slumbering in its winter nap with many stores closed, including the Public Market which was far more closed than open.

We visited the Bone Chapel, a small church whose interior walls are made of human bones. They were used by a monk to give folks an indication of their own mortality. It was interesting but if you have seen the Paris underground tombs lined with human bones, this will be a big let down. It is pretty fascinating though.

We walked up the main shopping street and again quite a bit was closed. I wondered how affected Evora was by the world financial crunch and how much is just seasonal. Some of the shops looked pretty closed up though.

At the top of the street we walked out into the square where the gorgeous Evora Cathedral sits. We toured it's cloister and the cathedral itself. It has a lovely main alter and several beautiful painted statues including one of a very pregnant mother of Jesus.

Outside the cathedral and around the corner sits the ruin of a Roman Temple with 14 still standing columns. Behind it is a well maintained park, once the site of the local Roman forum. We sat in the park and had a pitcher of sangria while taking in the panorama of the temple with the cathedral spire in the background.

We located a local restaurant that features Fado singing so we're heading there this evening. Fado  seems like the Portuguese equivalent of Country Western music. Sad, melancholy, my woman left me, my dog died, etc. Our experience turned out to be quite an adventure. Boy what a story!

We'd read about this traditional Portuguese music called Fado in our travel guru, Rick Steve's book about Portugal. We decided we needed to hear this music and decided that here in Evora we would have an easier time experiencing it than in the big city of Lisbon. Rick book recommended a restaurant that does Fado after dinner several nights a week. Perfect!

So we show up at this charming restaurant, called Bota Alta. Entering the small cafe, the first thing we noticed was how warm and inviting it was. The ceiling was barrel shaped and lined with red brick, the walls covered with small works of art reflective of Evora. Pictures of our host Esperanza with friends in poses while singing Fado lined an altar-like corner. In the center of the back wall was a blazing fire. Each of the 7-8 tables were covered with a pretty patterned table cloth and white place settings. 

Esperanza showed us to our table nestled in the corner by the fire. There was not another soul in the place. Hmmmmmm! "Fado tonight", we ask? She assures us there is. We must just be early. The Fado isn't supposed to start until 10 and can run until 3 in the morning.

Esperanza brings us the menu for the night and through her very rough English and Leslie's Spanish we manage to order our meal. Our first course came. Still no one in the place. Mind you it only has about 8 tables and one of them we had been told was set for the artists who would perform later. We figure we can always leave at some point in the evening when we tire or have had enough. Our evening was only just beginning.

The first course comes out with a basket of very hearty bread. Remember, if you eat any of the bread in Spain and in Portugal, you bought it. If you don't want it, either state you don't want it or don't touch it and you won't be charged. Either way, it is usually only a couple of Euros.

The first course, as I said, arrived. It was a delicious plate of pan fried mushrooms and chunks of chorizo sausage, and parsley, I think. Anyway, it was wonderful. Also, a bottle of Portuguese white wine accompanied it which was poured for us by Esperanza. It was so so. We lingered over our appetizer and sipped our wine. Esperanza was on the phone which rang several times.

About 9:30 Esperanza comes to our table crestfallen. The news is that the guitar player's wife has been taken to the hospital and won't be able to play tonight. No guitar. No Fado. Esperanza is heart broken. What can you do. We figured at least we were having a lovely dinner in an empty restaurant with a charming host.

About 10:00 our main arrives. It is the famous local dish called Cataplana, which has chunks of bacalau or salted codfish. This salted cod is in plentiful supply in Spain and Portugal and in almost every traditional dish in this country. We've enjoyed it in several dishes we've tried during the trip.. The chunks of fish floated in a delicious tomato based stew along with potatoes, small whole shrimp and some small clams. It almost looked like paella, without the rice which would have absorbed the soup, or a version of bouillabaisse.

We each dished out a big helping onto our plates. Our first bite was incredible. Heavenly!

Now, at some point and you'll forgive me, I hope, but I am having trouble remembering what happened next and in what order. But another bottle of wine, this time Esperanza's own label, and a much better wine than the first, was opened and poured into our glasses. Esperanza also decided to have her dinner with us. She pulled up a chair and Victoria, her cook with a very shy smile, brought another dish, this one with with what Esperanza called Dogfish. Basically a white wine based stew.  More wine glasses were placed in front of us along with a new bowl. The next thing we know, after the new wine was poured,  Esperanza ladled portions of this new soup into our bowls. It, too, was delicious. In fact we both liked it even better than the first.

All of a sudden, in the front door walks John, one of the Fado singers. Introductions were made all around and we invited him to sit down. Leslie spent a lot of time trying to convince both Esperanza and John, to sing some Fado for us even though there was no guitarist. John was not a shy singer so with a little prompting he stood up and tosses off his jacket, which he came in wearing like a cape, and broke into song. He finished with a flourish and we all applauded and took another gulp of wine. This goes on for sometime until John bows with a flourish, tosses his coat back over his shoulders and leaves. He returned a short time later with his girlfriend, Leonora, I believe was her name.  She was studying veterinary science at the university in Evora. More introductions were made, more invitations to sit, to eat something and have a glass of wine. Another bottle of wine was opened. More singing!

John and his girlfriend leave. We all hug and kiss each check the way they do in Europe. But shortly, in walks another young man who, as you might guess, also sings Fado. He sits down. He freely admits he is very drunk but he too is not a shy singer so he tosses off a couple of songs, except he keeps forgetting the lyrics because, as he said, he is very drunk.

In walks Esperanza's best friend of over 30 years. She is not a Fado singer but clearly knows the words to all the songs being sung and joins in from time to time while smoking her cigarettes and tossing back drinks she was making for herself in the bar. More singing. At some point another a bottle of Esperanza's best is opened and our glasses are filled to the brim again. More singing.

Then in walks Esperanza's best friend's two daughters, I think? They stayed only a bit and then left. More singing. More wine.

Soon our new male singer friend also needs to leave. He stood up kissed Leslie on both cheeks in the European fashion, shook my hand with his left hand, as is the fashion of pretentious opera singer types, and strode out the door and down the street singing into the cool night air. More wine. At this point Esperanza is singing into the fire that had been burning brightly all evening next to our table. It was dying down and so was our evening. It was just the three of us now as her friend had also taken her leave after the kissing rituals.

We made our move to leave and Esperanza begged us to stay until 1:00. We insisted we had to get up and head for Lisbon in the morning and must go.

We all stood, paid our bill, which was only €48, hugged, kissed on each cheek, exchanged addresses and then we headed for the door. Esperanza waved to us from her front door as we tottered our way up the street in the general direction of our hotel. We were back safely in our room by 1 am and probably asleep by 1:15.

This is why we travel. For unforgettable experiences like this. A once in a lifetime never to be forgotten dinner and impromptu evening of Fado in a small little town in the middle of Portugal. It couldn't have been any better had there actually been Fado that night or if the singers were world class Fado singers. This was just us and few very good friends of a sweet, passionate woman who happens to own an 8 seat restaurant down a narrow lane in Evora, Portugal.

Sevilla and The Portuguese Algarve

Main gate to the Alcazar

We walked in the Santa Cruz neighborhood, a windy labyrinth of mostly pedestrian streets lined with shops, cafes, churches and plazas. People live here, too, in the flats over the street. It's easy to get lost wandering these streets. A map is a must if time is important.

The Alcazar

Our destination, beyond walking through this fascinating part of Seville, is to visit the Alcazar and the cathedral. We walked straight over to the Alcazar.

The Alcazar

This formerly Moorish palace was converted to a Christian king's palace after the Moors were thrown out of Sevilla. Fortunately, his architects had the good sense not to tear the palace down and start over. Many of the Moorish influences remain. It is still a palace today. I can't decide whether I like the the Alcazar better or the Alhambra in Grenada. The Alcazar is just stunning. I actually like the water features better here than the Alhambra. The room where Columbus returned from the New World to report on his discoveries, is in this palace. This is the place where Magellan planned his round the world voyage. Amazing! What history!

Seville Cathedral

Chris Columbus's final resting place

Back through the narrow winding streets to the Sevilla Cathedral, second largest in Spain and the largest Gothic cathedral in all of Europe. Here in a magnificent, raised tomb, is the final resting place of Christopher Columbus himself. He kept traveling for years after his death, being buried in Cuba and Santo Domingo at least, before ending up here in Sevilla. This is a stunningly beautiful church. Massive in every way. Massive paintings, organ bays, stained glass and pillars that stretch almost to the heavens, which was, of course, the intended effect.

We stopped for lunch at Cafe Tomate,  where we got ripped off for the first time on our trip. We ordered several items off the menu boards all of which appeared to be tapas, which means they are usually smaller portions. Everything came to the table and looked great until we got the bill which was much higher than we expected.  Sure enough, we had been charged €10.50 for a plate with toast pieces topped with sliced tomatoes and a filet of anchovy. The waiter looks at us straight faced and went down the bill assuring us that this was a tapas and that was a tapa, but this wasn't and that wasn't. Then walked away despite our upset looks as if we should have known. He overcharged us by $20. He knew we wouldn't be back and that he had us. Lesson learned? Go to places only that are recommended by your tour book or a reputable on-line resource such as Trip Advisor.  There will be, at least some, payback when I write a review of the place on TripAdvisor.

Our daytime adventuring ended with a stop in the Iglesia de Santo Domingo. The side chapels and the main alter were covered in gilded gold, though not nearly on the scale of the cathedral, it is very nearly as equally beautiful.

Our final evening in Sevilla was spent taking in the flamenco show at Cafe de la Memoria. We'd read about this being a good example of traditional flamenco dance, guitar and singing. Only an hour in length, it starred a young guitarist, a male singer and  a male and female dancer. The female dancer was my favorite. She displayed such dramatic depth in her dancing. The look on her face during her solos displayed such a depth of sorrow as she moved her entire body to the rhythms of the guitar and the other two men who clapped out a counterpoint reflected in the determined tapping of her feet. It was a wonderful way to spend the evening and to bring our time in Sevilla to an end.

Tomorrow, we leave Spain for the Portuguese Algarve and a stay at the end of the world.

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We managed to exit Seville without any of the problems we had getting in to find our hotel two days ago. My advice is either to avoid driving into this town completely, or make sure you are well prepared with your exact route to your intended destination before driving in. Have a navigator directing your every turn and then park your car and don't use it during your visit. Sevilla is not to be messed with when driving. Many streets are one way, others can't be driven down, turns right and left are unpredictable, streets often change names within blocks and it is quite common for no street name to be seen where they are normally, which is on the side of a building near the corner. Sound confusing? Try driving in Sevilla and you'll become a believer.

As I said, despite those frustrations we were able to get out of Sevilla without a hitch. We headed west and within about 2 hours we were crossing a river and entering Portugal. Another hour and a half along A22 and we turned off onto N125.

Salema fishing boats

Salema

We had decided to stop for lunch at a beach front restaurant in the quiet little village of Salema. After easily finding a spot to park, we walked up the promenade right next to the beach. The sea was aquamarine in color for a good two hundred yards out, then turned the more familiar blue sea color. This is the open Atlantic. Along the beach, Portuguese fisherman mended their nets, painted their little fishing boats pulled up on the beach, readying them for their next trip out into this rugged body of water. The heavy wooden boats looked stalwart but being only about 20 feet in length and completely open to the sea, it must be a pretty courageous seaman who takes his boats off these beaches.

Salema Restaurant

We'd picked out what sounded like a wonderful place but when we arrived we found out just how quiet the town was. The restaurant as well as a lot of other places were closed for the season. Some proprietors could be seen repainting their places but were not ready to open quite yet. Luckily we found our second choice was open. We picked out a table that looked out onto the beach only yards away. Boia Bar and Restaurant was pretty quiet but it was soon about half filled with other diners also in for their lunch. Our host insisted on speaking English and we soon found out why. We knew this area was frequented heavily by visitors from England anxious to get away to a sunnier climate. Every other diner in the restaurant was a Brit.

We ordered two glasses of the must try Vino Verde. For lunch we ordered a Salada Pulpo (octopus is pulpo) and the sea bass. The bass came out whole, head on along with perfectly cooked carrots, broccoli and little potatoes. On the side was a fresh green salad with thinly sliced onion, shredded carrot and tomato. The sea bass was sautéed to perfection, the skin crisp and the flesh creamy and firm. I swear it was just brought out of the sea. Two coffees served with a silver pitcher of steamed milk put the finishing touches on one of the best meals we had on our trip.

5 minutes back up the winding road that brought us down to Salema and we were back on the two lane highway for the few minutes further along to Sagres, our final destination for the day. We drove through this sleepy little town following the signs to the Pousada were we had reservations for the night.

The Pousada do Infante sits high on a cliff above the sea. These pousadas are often historic buildings owned by the Portuguese government but converted into lovely, usually rather pricey hotels. We found out this Pousada was actually built in 1960 so historic doesn't count here, but the location couldn't be more so. 

We got a really good off season deal. Our room deal, however, did not include a room with a view out to sea. That was another €15.  Eh, we can walk to see the view. So we asked the very nice desk clerk to give us the best room without a view. He laughed and then led us to our second floor room. He opened the door for us, we rolled our luggage in, he thanked us and closed the door. I headed across the room to open the window. But when I flung open the drapes, there spread out in front of us, was a view out to sea in all directions. Oh my! I think we'll just stay in tonight! We got room 225 on the second floor.

That view was too good to resist and we decided to head out on a hike to the end of the peninsula. The End of World it is called, or rather as it was called in the day of Prince Henry the Navigator, who chose to build his school of navigation on the peninsula just across the bay from the one our Pousada sits on. But we are on Cape Sagres, the furthest southwest point in all of Europe.

Sagres Pousada do Infante

We walked out along the cliff edge that drops into the sea a hundred feet or more below.   Rolling waves crash along the rocky ledges below. We didn't get too close lest we join the fishes below. But the views, the wild flowers hugging the ground on this windswept terrain, the ice plant, the azaleas. In fact so many familiar plants are growing here that I wonder if they were brought to the Pacific coast or if they were brought here from there. 

Our walk took us to the very edge. We can walk no further. We had arrived at what those who lived in Europe in the 1400's thought of as the end of the world. Looking out to sea from this vantage point and considering what those intrepid explorers knew about the world, what they had for technology to take them across that great unknown sea hoping to discover new lands, is just awe inspiring. It is humbling, even overwhelming. How did they do it? What an amazing level of self-confidence, curiosity and courage they must have possessed to have attempted those voyages so long ago in vessels with no technology beyond the sextant, no margin of safety, no coast guard chopper to fly to their rescue, no GPS! And when they got to the other side, they had to turn around and do it all again going the other way.

 

We decided to picnic it out on our terrace here at our hotel for dinner. Such a tremendous view deserved to be savored. So we drove over to the Inter Marche market we saw coming into town. We knew it would have normal prices since locals shop there. We picked up several freshly sliced meats, a couple of local cheeses, some olives (so cheap here), some nice bread and some flan. It was enough food to allow us to picnic again tomorrow on our way to Evora. 

It was a lovely evening sitting out, watching the sun set over the sea, munching on some local delicacies along with a nice bottle of red wine. Eventually it got pretty chilly and we decided it was time to head in, relax in the room and read before turning in for the night. Another amazing day, our first here in a brand new country for us--Portugal!

Ronda and Gibraltar

Today we headed into Ronda, probably the most famous of the white hill towns dotting this country side. It sits perched on a cliff over looking a beautiful valley below and surrounded on three sides by a river which runs through a gorge which cuts through the mountain on which the town sits. 

Beautiful Ronda perched on a mountain top.

I am sitting in the shade of an old cypress as I write this entry. The bell in the moorish-style bell tower of what was once a minaret for the mosque that once stood here, strikes one o'clock over the Plaza Santa Maria La Mayor.  The beautiful old Church of Santa Maria La Mayor stood here before the Christian reconquest of Ronda in 1487. It was transformed into a Catholic church but retains some of its moorish, north African architecture.

The plaza is surrounded by quaint shops selling Spanish ceramics, brass objects and art prints. Small cafes dot the square. Locals sit out under cypress and orange trees sipping their morning cafe de leches, reading the morning paper or carrying on animated conversations. A 15th century convent sits on another corner, one other church in another and the town hall takes up one other entire side facing the square.

Imagine walking down a tree lined street where the trees are orange trees covered in sweet, ripe oranges. Just reach up and pluck one from the tree. It's okay.

The Plaza Santa Maria La Mayor

A soft breeze blows through the plazas and up the side streets of Ronda cooling you as you climb to the next look out. You turn a corner and a railing is all that is between you and the river Guadalevin flowing several hundred feet below and through the gorge upon which Ronda is built. For centuries this river, flowing around three sides of town, has offered Rondaites at least temporary security from one invader or another. However, modern day invaders are welcomed with open, friendly arms to explore these same, protective ramparts. The Moorish Swords and spears of 500 years ago have been replaced by the modern day hordes of tourists brandishing Euros and cameras.

We stopped in the central square after having spent most of the day wandering the side streets, popping into this shop and that, to order a cano, a tinto de verano and a few tapas. I intend to find out how to make that tinto de verano when we get home. It was a very refreshing red wine based drink.

We walked on up Calle Molino to where we had parked our VW Polo right on the street saving us the €15 parking fee.

The hill town of Grazelema

We considered calling it day and heading back to our room but decided one more hill town might be possible, so we headed off cross country towards Grazalema. The twisting road up to Grazalema took us through the national park and a forest of cork trees which were being harvested as was evidenced by the lack of bark on the trunks of the trees.    

Turning a corner in the windy road, the white washed walls of Grazelema stood out on the edge of a cliff above the valley we drove through. A few more hair-pin turns and we arrived in this quaint, postcard perfect hill town. Absolutely nothing was going on. A few people sat table side in the city square having an afternoon coffee. Otherwise, it was a quiet, sleepy little town, just as we had been told it was. None of the commercialism of Ronda. Just people living quiet lives in the middle of a perfect nowhere. We wandered about the center of town, taking a few photos and then hopped back in the car to head on back to our retreat at the hotel.

This has been an incredible day. We both wish we could have a few more days here to explore more of this villages and to relax here at this lovely hotel.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Reasons for traveling off season:

1.    The summer crowds are gone.

2.    Prices for hotels drops significantly.

3.    No waiting at great restaurants.

4.    Car rentals are cheaper.

5.    The big attractions can be savored at a slower pace.

6.    People aren't competing for that perfect photograph.

7.    Very few American voices and lots more local's voices to be heard.

8.    No lines.

9.    The weather isn't hot letting you see things in a season other than summer.

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Cable car ride to the top

We decided to pop in on the British colony of Gibraltar today on the way to Sevilla. Since I was a little boy and found out that the rock symbol the Prudential Insurance Company was a real place, I have wanted to see it for my self.  I also have an odd quirk about going to geographic places that have some odd geographic importance. Four corners, the tip of Cape Cod, Cape Flattery, the southern most point of Hawaii. I like to be able to say, when I point it out on a map, that I have stood on that point. Weird? It gives me chills to be able to say I have stood at the closest spot to Africa from Europe or I have stood on the beach at the very tip of Cape Cod. Yeah, weird, huh?

We drove from beautiful Ronda back down the windy road to the Costa del Sol where we turned west. About an hour down the coast we got our first glimpse of the rock of Gibraltar.  It sits right at the closest point to Africa only 15 miles across the Strait go Gibraltar. 

We had to get in a line of cars and cross the border. Though Gibraltar is a small colony plopped down in Spain, it is all British. No Euros here. Pounds only. Signs all in English. We had to drive across the runway of the airport in order to get into the one town. 

Our destination was the parking lot for the cable car taking us to the top of "The Rock." For a small fee, except for very windy conditions, you take a very steep cable car ride up the side of the  mountain to an observation building with stunning views in all directions. To the south across the Mediterranean Sea, on a clear day, is Morocco.

Here and there around the grounds up here, the famous Barbary Macaques scamper around getting into all sorts of mischief, including jumping on tourists that get a little too familiar or are offering food (something tourists are officially not supposed to offer). Dozens of these monkeys make this mountain their home and their waste is being rinsed off by employees quite often. Other than that amazing view, they are the big attraction up here. 

We spent an hour or so wandering around the mountain top taking pictures and interacting with the monkeys  before heading back down the mountain. We drove around the mountain and out to a lighthouse and viewpoint. The wind seems to be always present but Gibraltar is nevertheless a stunning place and worth going out of your way to see.   

Now, on to Sevilla!

A Day in the Albaicin and on to the Costa del Sol

We took the city mini bus up into the narrow streets of the Albaicin neighbor above Granada and wound our way high up to the hill overlooking the Alhambra which sat perched majestically on the opposite hill in the morning sun.

The highlight of our day in this quaint neighborhood was our lunch at Cafe Kiki. An outdoor cafe in a picturesque plaza at the pinnacle of the Albaicin hillside. It was packed with students, locals and tourists alike and doing a brisk business while just next door another cafe seemed to go begging for customers. We ordered our usual beers. Because we ordered a beer we got a tapa with it free. The first one was a small plate of paella. With the second beer came a tapa of some sort of potato thingy. We kept seeing heaping platters of something going to many of the tables. They must know something and so we ordered one. Out came the most amazing fried fish platter piled high with sardines, shrimp, calamari, hake and another fish whose name I missed. Incredible! It was all just delicious and so much fun because of the festive atmosphere in the plaza. Young college age students sat at tables playing their guitars and singing. Other older couples sat chatting. Families munched on their fish platters while the kids played around them. Great people watching! We spent 3 hours having lunch.

Bar Kiki outdoor tables

Rather than take the mini bus back down the hill we chose to walk the winding streets down the hill past shops and quaint residences until we entered a street filled with shops and cafes that seemed to cater to a more alternate, shall we say, lifestyle. In the 60's we'd have called them head shops, selling beads, incense, etc. and many of the cafes featured hookah pipes for hire. Order tea, your choice of tobacco flavor and relax.

After a very long walk down the hill and back into central Granada, the hotel sounded pretty good to relax for me. Instead we headed into one of the plazas for a last dinner here in Granada before getting our rental car and heading to the Costa del Sol tomorrow. We stopped in a very busy place and had a tapas dinner and a couple of beers. Walking home we took the broad pedestrian walkway that ran down the center of the boulevard our hotel was on. It was a lovely starry night, warm and romantic. Tomorrow the weather should start getting even nicer and warmer. On to the Costa del Sol!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We left Granada this morning after a bit of an issue finding our way back to the train station to pick up our rental car at the Europe-car office. Despite telling the bus driver where we were going and his assuring us that he went to the train station, we never saw the station and the driver didn't let us know we had actually driven passed the closest stop which was only one block away. So we wound up in a working class neighborhood across from the bus station. Back on the bus going the other way. This time we sat in front and specifically asked the driver to tell us when we arrived at the stop and Leslie was glued to her city map to ensure we were there. Only a half hour off schedule, we were still a half hour ahead of our pick up time. So no big deal. We got a brand new black VW Polo, a real sporty little car.

The drive from Granada was only about an hour along a nearly completed freeway system. Once in Nerja, we found we were definately overdressed for spring had most certainly sprung on the Costa del Sol.

We arrived in Nerja (pronounced Nair hah) the next day about mid-morning. Here we were making a pilgrimage to one of the beaches along the Costa del Sol. I am writing this while sitting at an outdoor table at Merendero La Parrala "Ayo", a famous beach restaurant that is at one end of the beach here in Nerja. I can hear the surf crashing not 50 yards from me. From my spot I can see the crashing waves on the pristine sandy beach, a rough rocky outcropping jutting out into the sea, and, off to the horizon, the azure blue Mediterranean Sea all the way to north Africa. It is nothing less than stunning and that doesn't begin to describe it.

Ayo's Beach Restaurant

Ayo himself still cooking paella everyday after 40 years

Paella bubbling over the fire at Ayo's

The white hill town of Ronda

Leslie sitting next me with her face to the Mediterranean sun calmly states, "We could be working." She's right, of course. But we're not. We are here on a perfect early-spring day. Shirt sleeves rolled up, shoes off, toes in the sand and hardly a soul here.

Nerja does get crowded in the summer months. It swells in population from 22,000 to over 90,000. We must be here on a day when the locals and a few other foreigners lucky enough to be able to travel this time of year, are all that dot the beaches and cafes. Pick your beach chair, pick your spot on the beach, lucky us!

Our paella, for which Ayo's is famous, has just been served to us. The first bite...paradise. The perfect combination of arborio rice spiced with saffron and layered with the flavors of shrimp, chicken, calamari, clams; a seafood kitchen sink that makes you want to put your head on the table a cry. 6€ for all the paella you can eat?

Another dish that kept going by our table was one called  Cerdo. Only served on Sundays, it consisted of slices of a huge pork roast smothered in a red sauce, piled high with roasted potatoes and veggies. Sadly, my description doesn't do justice to what it looks like.

When we arrived at Ayo's about 11:00, the charcoal fire under the 3 foot wide paella pan was flaring up and over the pan and ingredients, mostly arborio rice and the basic paella spices , bubbled furiously in Ayo's outdoor kitchen. Along side this, on a table piled with the fixings for other dishes was a huge roasting pan in which pork roasts, brown, caramelized and with juices oozing, sat resting. In the bottom was a thick layer of roasted chunks of potatoes bubbling in the the thick pork pan juices. One cook was preparing the pork roast to be carved. He cut the string that tied the roasts together, then sliced off the caramelized, crispy skin, piled it on a plate and slid it across the table inviting the few spectators to take a piece. We each picked up a big gob of the dripping warm crackling and munched away. There was a collective sigh from the small group. Unbelievable!

After our lunch at Ayo's we headed on down the coast toward our goal for the day, the Andalucian white hill town of Ronda. A severely winding road led us up into the mountains, steeper and windier as we went. We stopped along the way and purchased a bag of the most delicious oranges.

Finally, in the distance, there was Ronda, a shiny white jewel sitting on the side of a mountain. In a hurry to get to our hotel, we drove passed Ronda. Five miles further, nestled in a broad valley with a view of Ronda above and along side a meandering stream, we found the small sign indicating the turn off the main road that led us down a narrow paved farm road and through the gate of the Hotel Molino del Puente.

Carly, the daughter of the British ex-pat owners, greeted us and showed us to our room. She also gave us a packet of information that would give us some ideas for how to go about our day in the nearby hill towns tomorrow. About 8 we headed down to the dining room for a bit of dinner.

We went into the library first where they keep coffee, tea and cake at all times for guests and ran into a young couple from Spain who we sat and chatted with for about an hour. Well, actually Leslie did most of the talking since she really wanted to speak in Spanish and they were more comfortable with their own language. I was surprised at the amount I could understand and occasionally tossed in a word or two into the mix.

Elaine and Ian, the very friendly proprietors have been in Spain for 25 years now. They have raised their three daughters, one of whom is at the university in Cadiz. They had run a very successful restaurant in one of the beach towns along the Costa del Sol but had had enough and moved to this quieter slower paced area.

They served us both wonderful lively conversation and a delicious little dinner. We ordered one ensalada and one main to share. The salad was of Ian's homemade gravlax and included thick slices of avocado, greens, cherry tomatoes and was dressed with his own dressing of white wine vinegar, olive oil, honey and mustard and herbs.

The main was a plate of homemade ravioli stuffed with walnuts, Gorgonzola and topped with a buerre blanc sauce. Delicious!

Eventually, tired from another big day, we excused ourselves waved good night to our hosts, a hearty "well done" to Ian for his culinary skills and headed up to bed. 

Tomorrow, we explore the lovely hill town of Ronda.