Portugal ..... Évora... and Lisboa....it's all in the bones....and the rocks...and the wind....

                           

"There is only one happiness in life, to love and to be loved"

             - an old Portuguese quote -


                                      

                                          ÉVORA, Portugal ...........

                             "We bones that are here, await yours"...
                     ...written on the walls of Évora's Bone Chapel...

Ohhhhh, those monks of Évora's Bone Chapel (Capela dos Ossos), definitely had a sense of humor in their inscription over the doorway to this fascinating building. 

Stuck for a solution of where to bury the dead and running out of room in area cemeteries..... the monks devised an ingenious plan...solving both space and building materials issues by creating a macabre monument using an estimated 5000 skeletons in various patterns and positions to construct the interior walls of the chapel. 

While some may say it's an affront to the dead, the monks of the 16th century may have had the last laugh. .....the thigh bone is connected to the.....whatever bone that fits...

Évora sits about 3 hrs north (see map) of Albufeira and 1.5 hrs east of Lisbon in the Alentejo region. The old walled city is small enough to wander around in. Hordes of bus tourists from Lisbon descend on this UNESCO Heritage site daily to spend a few hours getting lost on the maze of cobblestone streets.

Évora reflects the history that has washed over Portugal for centuries...there's the Moorish quarters and a Jewish neighbourhood....along with Roman ruins. 

All played important roles in Évora's past.

Once tourist buses leave, quiet descends and the evenings are left to locals and a few travellers to sample the fine wines and foods of this region. There are many great little spots to eat and drink....from tapas, to wine bars to a 7 seat restaurant.  

One needn't go hungry here.

We spend a few days in this hill top town just exploring. Our place is just steps off the main square. It is a small 8 room hotel with a common room, breakfast and Port available to taste whenever we want!

The Megalithics Circuit

No....it's not another Transformer movie title or some new series on Netflix....but massive rock collections/arrangements that dot the landscape near Évora.  

Connected to Stonehedge by design, history, myth and legends...seems the Celtic and Druids people travelled great distances.

On a quiet wind swept knoll set among the groves of cork trees...the rock monuments stand silent..here the wickens would (and still) gather to celebrate the fertility rites to honor Spring Solstice.....among the giant strange stone formations that ancient people (somehow) dragged from a quarry kilometres away and set in mysterious patterns yet not fully understood .....some say they reflect the constellations above, or...possibly pay homage to visiting gods?

A Megalithic Crypt

The dolmen (rocks) were used to bury the dead. In this funnery near Évora there is a large corridor leading to a burial chamber. Everything was covered by the tumulus, a protective cover, usually made with soil and rocks"

The Évora Countryside

From plateaus to rolling greenery dotted with fortress remains or blanketed in cork and olive groves, this was the breadbasket region of the Roman Empire...today the gladiators and warring armies have retreated into history and the lands are once more left to be worked on by farmers and estate holders.

Cork is still a product to be mined? Or farmed? The process to remove the cork is a careful one...a portion is cut away every 9 years...and left...,to do again 9 years later...at which time they are numbered with the last digit of that year, so, 2018 would have a tree numbered 8.  This way they keep track of when to harvest that tree again.

...used in wine bottles and on the space station (Not by astronauts popping champagne ...but as protection).

LISBON

After Évora, we hop a bus for an easy 90 minute ride into the bustling town of Lisboa....the bus is spacious, quiet and clean... Wi-Fi is great,  seats comfortable and the countryside that reminds us of the Canadian prairies, just with different vegetation...mainly cork, olive and eucalyptus trees.

What can be said about Lisbon?  It's a great, big frenetic city. It never seems to sleep. Transport is everywhere, and so are people. All of Europe seems to be passing through its streets. 

We stayed in the Barrio Alto section and just wandered....the hills.....the plazas.....the monuments....

...we rode the famous 

Tram 28....

Took the delicious one car venicular tram ( a vehicle elevating you from one level to another). 

We ate....we drank....

visited museums.....this is a city with culture.....with history....a city of importance....

Andy Warhol

Pablo Picasso

The massive stone monument to Henry the Navigator depicting the Age of Discoveries dominates the waterfront walkway of Belem ....just west of Lisbon.......it was a time of exploration and trading routes and Portugal was at the forefront.

Lisboa.....

It is brilliant with old and new....it feels safe....it has an energy that pulses...it's expensive and easily drains the wallet....eating out always seems to be about 25 euros+/-....

Room costs are cheaper the further one is from historico Centro. With all the subway, train and bus services readily available ....you could easily stay 15 to 30 minutes away...and at less cost. Something to consider.

One could spend their entire trip....holiday.....in this city.... just hanging out.....you could stay several days....or several weeks.....it's vibrant.....dynamic.....and another.....great European city...

PS...bus and train/metro stations are actually a pretty decent place to grab a bite to eat..and can save you some Euros.. 

Pictures do more than words can say...

Tchau 

from

Shayne y Yvonne

Next up.....the fairy tale town of Sintra....and the ancient city with connections to the Knights Templar ....plus a shot or 2 of white Port.

Additional Random Photos

On the Algarve, in Lagos Portugal...facing the Zombie Hurricane ...,and back on the road..

Portugal.....On the Algarve...in the beach and party town of Lagos....back on the road for a bit and going to explore some of this country....and a few other stops in between....follow the map....google the stops and plot your Portugal adventure...enjoy the next few weeks...

                                         

We fly out of Vancouver via Gatwick and into Faro, Portugal on a one way ticket...flights good....connections work...no delay...

Upon arrival in Lagos...We discover that Hurricane Leslie is on a collision course for our end of Portugal...batten down the hatches...instead of summer like weather...the next few days have wind, rain and cool temperatures...We miss most the damage...as Lisbon and area to the north get hit the hardest  ....not the way we saw the trip starting.

Lagos (along with most of the Algarve from Tavira to the east)...Is probably the most heavily touristed region in Portugal.... however... if you look, there are still some quiet gems on the coast....but for 'real' Portugal ...one needs to head inland.

It's always comforting to arrive at your accomodation to find everything you were hoping for and more.  We've chosen to stay where we did 2 years ago on a quiet square in the old town...€49 a night and so much room ...small balcony and kitchen, fridge, massive table and couch and plenty of room to spread out and entertain for our 5 day stay. The Lagos Center Studios @Rua Garrett 22 gets our thumbs up again.

Lagos has weather that attracts a lot of Europe and elsewhere wanting to escape the cold. With 25 C this is a good find in mid October.

     

                                 

Lagos's slave market. Built in 1444, it was colonial Europe's first slave market

The Moors arrived in the 8th century from North Africa, renaming the settlement Zawaia (meaning lago, or lake). It became part of the much larger coastal region of al-Gharb, which eventually became known as the algarve. The Moors fortified the town with Lagos Castle and established important trade links to Northern Africa from their bases in the Iberian peninsula.

In 1985 we backpacked into Lagos, stayed for a bit and have returned over the last few years as our daughter lives and works here.

We've brought some old photos from the '85 trip and try to locate the places we remember. With the help of some locals, we track down the old memories and realize that old Lagos has changed little since our 1st visit.

This is the Don Sebastião Restaurante where we celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary in August 1985.  It's still going strong!

The house (Room for Rent) where we stayed after being approached at the bus station by this couple.  Apparently it's a bakery now.

The famous street view of the ocean...then and now...not too different!

The scenery on the coast is stunning, the food good...and the drinks cold.

We party until late with our daughter and friends....meet new friends and try to chase our jet lag away.

October in the Algarve hosts a Tapas Tour called Rota do Petisco-Algarve.  Fortunately we were able to partake in the Lagos portion.  You purchase a pass book for €1 that goes to charities, then you explore the city in search of Tapas such as quail and pureed sweet potato, shown below,  bruschetta, cheese and ham platters, soups, seafood, chicken cakes, desserts and much much more.  Each restaurant visit generally costs €3 per person which also includes a glass of wine, beer, water or soft drink.   One evening we visited 6 restaurants!  So good!

Soon though...We decided to move on....so we catch a bus inland to the town of Beja..,set in the Alentejo plains....north of Albufeira and east of Lisbon....it's a nice old fortress city and perfect as a stopover after a 4 hr bus ride....the Centro is small and cobblestoned....

The 14th Century town castle keep with its nearly 200 winding  stairs provides a nice viewpoint for the surrounding area.

We are on the Portugal wine trail now....good food, great wine (from 3 euros a bottle)....our trip into deepest Portugal has begun....what's not to like...

Upcoming.....Évora...Lisbon, Sintra and more.....