633-642: Porto with Roberto!

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Clunegapyears

633-634 – Sunday 19th February 2017 & Monday 20th: Chores and Catching Breath

Such a lot seems to have happened in the past week or so – these posts may be a little truncated… In advance of our friend Robert (from Brizzle) arriving, we repaired to a campsite for 2 nights – jobs – laundry, cleaning Jez – and resting, our team..

635-636 – Tuesday 21st & Wednesday 22nd February: Robert and Porto

Tuesday – ‘Robert’ day. Always a bit worried about taking our van into an airport (we got really stuck in a narrow car park in Chardonnay at Bordeaux Airport) – it was a relief to find an adjacent parking with a wide access and loads of space. Easyjet bang on time – and off we headed to Porto Centro-ish. Robert had come from cold and Drizzle Brizzle – to Porto in blazing sunshine and 19C! Our identified free overnight parking was fairly central – just along the river Douro. The last road down to it was narrow – and with 2-way traffic – nervy stuff – but safe. Truly excellent parking with about 10 vans. Lunch on board (KHCS) – ‘K Haute Cuisine Soup’ – and the perambulations began. Only 3 km to the bridge.

We passed a queue for a river cruise – instant decision to go – but dog friendly? ‘Si’ – the owner had dogs and we assured him that the boys were placid – Robert, James and Oscar! Stunning tour – Porto has 6 river bridges – different designs – one steel arch truss railway bridge designed by Gustav Eiffel’ colleague whilst working with Eiffel et Cie. And the double decker iconic one, by the same architect, but by this time he had parted company from Eiffel. We passed by all the Port establishments (didn’t sample) – wandered the streets – and took wine – Robert is a Bass beer man and sampled the local Brock Super lager. He late developed quite a taste for white port.

Wednesday, our intrepid tour guide K had us booked on a 9:20 am (!) free walking tour – an hours walk from the van! Brekkie was in the middle of the night, it seemed (our guest doesn’t normally rise early either). The walk to the start included loads of steps – uphill…. We made it in time and drew breath….we were told the walk would be 3.5 hours long! All told, this amounts to about 6 hours on foot…. we were now members of the Royal Porto Light Infantry (or RIPL – well, it scans better…). Our guide was Eugenia and we had 2 other girls (German and French) for company. Porto is quite something – Libraria Lello e Irmao (and worldwide famous bookshop) cathedral, buildings, squares – even the MacDonalds is a listed building with Art Deco and Art Nuveau interior. I could see Hercule Poirot scoffing a MacPortoDeco sandwich!

We rested for very welcome coffee and cake – which attached itself to my beard (as usual) – and visited a famous guitar maker – they explained about Porto and Coimbra Fado guitars. “Fado” is the folk music of Portugal – haunting, sad and very beautiful – Eugenia played us some of the music. The old railways station has the most amazing tiled murals – all telling a separate story.

One of the bridges is 2 level – car traffic below – and Metro rail on top – with pedestrians wandering along the rail tracks! Health and Safety?

Lunch – Eugenia recommended a restaurant and the local ‘sandwich’ a “Francesina”. It’s a cliche to call a meal ‘a heart attack waiting to happen’ – this so-called sandwich is enormous – with ham, sausage, cheese,bread and all ‘cooked’ in a homogenous cube with fried egg, sauce and chips! Just look at Robert’s expression in the restaurant! He ate it though – I managed half – and K sensibly had a small sausage.

On our way back to Jez, we couldn’t help but notice how stunning the river looks by night – with the reflections. Doggydinner was late – whoops, sorry, Oscar…. we may have stopped for a small port on the way home!

The Ponte de Dom Luis 1, completed in 1886. A very clever design with an upper and lower deck. The arches reach 172m hight, is 385m long and all that wrought iron weighs over 3000 tons.

Hooray – Oscar looked calm and was allowed on board.

The old Eiffel Maria Pia railway bridge 1876 with the new one behind. Only closed in 1991. I would not have fancied being in a train crossing in wind … it is very narrow with open sleepers.

Ribeira: a warren of winding lanes with bars and restaurants.

Some of the port lodge flags in Vila Nova de Gaia …. we recognised most of them!

Outside the cathedral – a lovely Manueline Pillory, still with its hooks.

Aah! No wonder Porto keeps being voted best city destination and is getting very popular.

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Lello e Irmao bookshop 1906: apparently it is so popular that there is now an EUR4 entry fee. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. Our guide told us that there were lots of Porto links with JK Rowling, as she had been briefly married to a local chap here, until his physical abuse drove her back to the UK. Porto claims that many of the design features for Hogwarts came from the bookshop. Salazar Slitherin is named after the Dictator.

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Igreza dos Clerigos … we’d just climbed for an hour to get up here, no need to climb the tower too!

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To complete with Lisbon, Porto built the Avenida dos Aliados in early 1900’s. It has a French Boulevard feeling with some super art deco and art nouveau buildings.

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The McDonalds complete with its art deco features … Robert really did not want to be photo’d in front of a McDs! But he did not purchase, honest!

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Sao Bento railway station 1916 and a feast of tiles telling the story of transport and historic scenes.

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Transport above, history in blue.

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Fado guitars with 10-12 strings. The Lisbon and Coimbra versions.

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Our walking tour took us onto the upper deck of the Ponte Dom Luis – we shared the space with the Metro! Apparently if gets so crowded in summer that Porto is thinking they will have to encase the pedestrians for their own safety.

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View off the bridge looking down onto Vila Nova de Gaia, where all the port lodges are.

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Ribeira … looks like unsteady cardboard structures.

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Inside the old town wall. Isn’t it lunchtime yet?

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The Francesina – wood oven baked.

637 -Thursday 23rd: Barcelos Market

We went to Barcelos – for the market – well it’s the biggest in Portugal – everything – except meat and fish – which we wanted… Lots of ‘headed’ chickens (as opposed to headless ones) – Oscar didn’t much fancy the crowds. Directional signs – to everywhere – except the meat and fish – well, we could probably get meat and fish in London, Paris and Las Vegas – but it wasn’t really convenient, just then…

We has a nice run before market time along the riverside…..

Now, to Braga…and a nice secluded campsite for 2 nights.

I’ll take two! Could have picked up some pretty song birds too.

Where next then? Check out those matching stripes!

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Braga municipal campsite … EUR15 per night with 16 amp. BBQ night.

638-639 – Friday 24th and Saturday 25th: Braga & Bom Jesus

It’s Carnival time in Portugal these days – lots of children in lovely outfits on the streets. She wouldn’t sit still, but we spotted a toddler as a little chick, thankfully Not on the way to market.

Sharp-eyed Robert noticed a sign – for a – walking tour (after Porto, he might have learned better) – and we ‘coffee’d’ whilst awaiting the guide. But, the start was actually about 1km away, we observed late…. Olympic-style walk racing was now a priority – with K and O in the vanguard. Just in time, we greeted Paolo -a young Masters graduate from the city. A 2 hour tour was promised – and he introduced the history of Braga first – the mixture of Moors, Spanish, Gothic and Manuelian influences…

Saturday – Bom Jesus (“Good Jesus”) – the star attraction of the Braga area. The Stations of the Cross paved the way to a Cathedral on the top of – the most gigantic set of steps. – everything in reflective white. Visually a huge impact with views of Braga and the surrounding countryside on all sides…

Coffee and ice-cream before descending – to Jez again.

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We’d seen aisles of costumes in supermarkets … seriously ALL the children join in.

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The new gate with the coat of arms of the very powerful bishop … Braga is the Canterbury of Portugal …

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… with the oldest cathedral – design styles are Romanesque and Manueline, with a Gothic porch.

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You little devil!

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The grooves show where a revolving door used to be – for unwanted babies to be placed in the Monastery.

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Braga has lots of squares with fountains … can’t remember all the symbolism on this one….

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This one has a phoenix who has stabbed her heart with her beak to feed her children.

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A marmite building. I loved the blue tiles and balconies … someone else who shall remain nameless … Robert, thought it was OTT. The Palacia do Raio now houses the museum.

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At the bottom of the steps up to Bom Jesus – conceived in 1722 by the very small Bishop … we saw his minuscule shoes – 4’1” tall.

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About a third of the way up … there are three sections built at different times. The lower has 14 chapels with the stations of the cross. The middle the Five Senses and finally the Three Virtues. And yes we did feel virtuous! Especially me as this is my third visit … as a grumbling teen when I could not understand why my parents had not forked out for the funiculare. And then, it slowly dawned on me that we all came again abut 5 years ago when we were in Portugal to celebrate the Aged P’s 50th wedding anniversary!

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That orange bowl goes everywhere … O needed a drink …

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… and so did we.

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Grotty! Sorry, grotto!

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Saturday 25th cont… Guimeraes

An initial free parking (possibly overnight – with a faint possibility of seeing 6-Nations rugby? The self-appointed parking attendant (Portuguese) greeted us in fluent Yorkshire dialect! He had lived in UK for some years in Yorkshire/Lincolnshire and talked about returning as an ‘illegal’ – what happened to ‘EU free movement of workers across the continent?

The town search for a rugby bar was fruitless – but the wine was good in the square with lots of bars….. Eventually, K took O back to the van and young Robert and I supped a bit more…

Our ‘Yorkshire’ friend had advised K to move car parks for the overnight – party night and ‘Carnaval’ – wisely, she piloted the van to higher ground and more space – just as R and I arrived back from non-rugby bar – I then followed the game (Ireland v France) by Internet text – a victory for the Irish keeps their Championship hopes alive. To keep the balance, England overcame a spirited Italian side on Sunday – it’s all boiling up nicely indeed…

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Guimaraes was the first Portuguese capital, when Alfonso Henrique proclaimed himself king in 1139. It is beautifuly medieval with lots of overhanging buildings and squares.

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The cap in the doorway was singing along LOUDLY to his music. A rather nice red … I managed two before ….

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… Oscar and I both felt cold so had to have a cuddle!

641-642 – Sunday 26th & Monday 27th: Along the Duoro before it floods to the Atlantic

On being asked what he fancied seeing next, Robert responded with the Atlantic. We plotted a route along the Duro to just S of Porto. We’d planned to stop at a town for late morning coffee but ‘P’ Poor Planning and lack of obvious parking for our big beastie meant we just kept going to Campsite at Parque Seguiresos – plain site – price Eur 16 for 2 nights – 3 peeps and 1 doggo!!! Plus 10 amp electric, which we managed to blow a couple of times! OK – plain adequate facilities…. close to the beach for a couple of wet dog walks … K and R! James, where were you?

Pouring rain, and more teeming rain, and more stair rods of rain for Monday. Just as it started to abate, we headed off for a farewell good lunch. Doggy bags of both some starters and mains and no room for pud!

The week with Robert has flown by – nights of Crib with K, all sorts of medium loud rock music from 60s to 80s – especially the Eagles – the last night doing Crosswords – R – you are so sharp especially at anagrams – what’s an anagram of anagram? Grannymarg? Mannymarg? Grabagranny? Over to you, Robert. And i know he’ll proof read this and find numerous spelling errors and unnecessary explanation marks!

630-632: Coimbra in 3 days!

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Clunegapyears

630 – Thursday 16th – Coimbra 1 – Orientation

Coimbra (pronounced Koyimbra) is very special. One of the best places we have seen in Portugal, definitely – well worth a 3 night stay. 2 days of hot sunshine and 1 day of showers and colder – woolly hat weather for that day. Free parking by the Rio Mondego – lots of vans unsurprisingly – and a short walk to the city centre along the river – free rein for OscarK9…

Easy orientation walking for day 1 – the Botanical Gardens are a haven of tranquility – and the fountain flowed in the river…a very peaceful evening.

The very convenient pedestrian walkway from our parking … a couple of lads were throwing themselves off – they confirmed the water is very cold! It’s the Pedro and Ines bridge … but I don’t think chilly waters and a very sad love story are connected.

The Botanical Gardens with the aquaduct.

631 – Friday 17th – Coimbra 2 – Town walk

We saw tears and love at the fountains – poor Ines – how can you murder someone twice in the same city? Monastery Santa Clara, a Lilliputian Garden and an Igreja before the Santa Cruz cafe for wine – and the most beautiful impromptu open air music performance in the square below…

The old Cathedral and the new – mixtures of Manuellian and Baroque – lots of steep hills and steps – good training for all 3 of us…

Quinta da Lagrimas Gardens – The Fountain of Tears. The guide said this is THE spot where Ines was murdered at the behest of her father in law, the King. The red lichen only turned red after her blood flowed! I just have to wonder if the mad passion Pedro felt (such as exhumation and making subjects kiss her decaying hand) would have survived a longer and more normal course… I just feel that real love deepens despite learning each other’s flaws and foibles, but is not all consuming.

But what!? The Santa Clara-a-Velha Monastery claims that THIS was where poor Ines lost her life. She was buried here until exhumed. The Monastery had to evacuated as it kept flooding and was only fully excavated and made watertight in the late 1990’s.

We decided not to pay the high fee to go into the Portugal dos Pequentos (Portugal for the Little Ones), even though the child sized Portuguese monuments sounded interesting. It was built only in 1940 under the Estado Novo (Salazar regime).

If we ever end up towing behind Jez – we want a Booze Wagon!

Igreja Sao Bartolomeu – the site has been used for liturgical use for over 1000 years.

Originally part of the Santa Cruz Monastery, it became a famous cafe in the 1920’s … we just had to sample a little white wine …

The Interior of the Cafe Santa Cruz … the roof was impressive and the stained glass came later.

Igreja de Santa Cruz: Interior of the former Santa Cruz Monastery church … handed to the locals as a church after the Portuguese Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1834 … as they’d all got too powerful! Either side of the alter are the ornate tombs of the first two Kings – Alfonso Henriques and his son, Sancho I. Another case of a subsequent heir, feeling the existing tombs did not fully dignify their importance and had them exhumed and interred here. Apparently the bodies had hardly decomposed … not sure how long after death … but no one had to kiss their hands!!!

The main reason we chose the Cafe Santa Cruz for a wee glass (or two) … some of the students wearing their traditional year 2 & 3 uniform performing beautiful ballads. Check out the chap doing map leaps.

Would that be glass number 2, Mr C? ….

… While O waits patiently. A pose he seems to have perfected!

Is it a castle? No, the Old cathedral – Se Velha. We did not go fully in due to the costly EUR2.50 each … built under Alfonso Henriques, the first King. Too small, so a larger church was used …

… Interior of the Se Nova C16, but owned by the Jesuits, until they were expelled in C18. Unattractive exterior, but Baroque madness inside … so many cherubs.

632 – Saturday 18th – Coimbra 3 – The University & Museum

Up and at ‘em at dawn – for us, anyway 0730 hours – dog walk and minibrekkie – Oscarusualbrekkie. Then, we left him in the van alone at 0900 – sorry Oscar. We know he has left the WSSU Union and transferred to Younight – not Unysign Union – he was unhappy with his subscription level – 5% of his dogfood – per month! His secretary is no longer Dai – it’s now Hai (you know what’s coming next, folks) Yundai! Sorry – it just had to be. It could have been – Toy Yota – or Ma Asda, even. But not ‘Hill ManImp’. Enough – back to topic, please.

After the sun – came the rain and colder weather. 0930 hours at the University – timed ticket for the Library – anyone could study in this atmosphere – amazing, again. The whole area of the Library, Chapel and Palace is unlike anything we’ve seen – the top University in Portugal, it is said. Some of the structures (replaced under Salazar) are very Mussolini-ish but good lines.

The National Museum is on many floors – starting with the Roman Cryptoporticus – underground – at a junction joining 2 main roads – 2 thousand years ago. Art, paintings, sculptures… maybe a bit much of the dark religious depictions – a la the Ufizzi Gallery in Florence – but of it’s time. Small discovery – 15th Century alabaster – much favoured for sculpture – best supply in Europe – England – and specifically – Nottingham!

3 course lunch across the river – under outdoor cover – heavy rain at times – we were dry, luckily. We did the menu proud – eh, Katherine? (Yes, I over ate – mine and J’s leftovers!)

Now there’s this bar on the north side of the river – we have some minor difficulty passing it without stopping (our third visit in 3 days!) – no such problem this time! We met a birthday girl – Hannah and her family – all much taken with our boy, Oscar – who isn’t?

Back to Jez for R&R – a fabulous time in Coimbra.

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Porta Ferrea (Iron Gate) – the entrance to the old part of the University. C17, topped with the female figure of wisdom two kings either side – Dinis and Joao III; the founder and a major investor / developer.

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Entrances off the Paco das Escolas to the Library, Chapel and Palace. Originally the Royal Palace of the first King Alfonso Henriques.

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No pix allowed in the library, so an internet image. Joao III was asked for a new room for the expanding library … he liked to large things up (he had Mafra built with its amazing library) so he gave them a whole new building on several floors. The upper is the show case with every artistic feature from coats of arms to chinoiserie paintings, the middle is plain for more serious study and the basement is the academic prison. Yep, Universities administered their own law, but students could only be interred for a week. I wonder what penalty non submission of homework would warrant?

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St Michael’s Chapel C15- the organ (2000 sounds) and the beautiful tiles stand out. Nice that the chapel is still in use – there’s a service every day at midday.

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Inside what was the Royal Palace – the Sala dos Capelos or Ceremonial Hall. Originally the Throne Hall, this is where the University holds its official ceremonies, such as awarding Doctorates and opening the academic year. A bit intimidating for the candidates, but this is where PhD oral examinations (viva voce) are held.

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The Private Examination Room with 38 past Chancellors images.

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The Bell Tower 1753 is the highest point in the city. It is 15 minutes slow and of its three bells one is called the cabra – the goat. So named as first year students had to prance like goats at the end of the day or have older students pounce on them. Students have removed it’s clanger to prevent it reminding them to go to bed and arise in time for studies! This courtyard originally had all the classrooms off, but under the Marquis of Pombal, the number of faculties was increased from Cannons, Law, Letters (grammar and philosophy) and Medicine.

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Salazar had many of the old buildings replaced with these square edifices in the 1940s.

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The Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro is housed in what was the Bishop’s Palace. It sits on top of a Roman cryptoporti – being atop a hill, the Romans needed more level land for a Forum, so they built a two tier archway support, which has been excavated. The rest of the museum included some of the best stone and wooden sculptures … really well laid out.

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Inside the cryptoporti.

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Some of the finest Alabaster – all the way from … Nottingham.

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Life size terracotta 12 apostles that had been made for the Santa Clara convent.

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View down to the old Cathedral.

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Lunch and the grey skies and rain have returned.

628-629: Leiria and Coinimbra

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Clunegapyears

628 – Tuesday 14th February 2017: Leiria and Lunch

Luxury – showers in the van! Overnight in a quiet free car park just a few km from town centre along the riverside. Just one noisy event when a passerby thumped the back of Jez – I suppose we were sort of blocking a few metres of a footpath – but plenty of room to pass by. Peaceful sleep and running in the morning – I did 2k and K and O ran a splendid 4k!

Lunch at a nice little cafe (EUR 7 each incl wine, dessert and coffee – can tell we’re not in tourist land) – and we ‘castled’ (not just a chess move, you know…). Beautiful narrow streets and just a nice town…

Oscar (as you can see) was made to ‘walk the plank’ (sort of) – a grillage section of pavement – he looked as if he would grill us after!

The riverside walk into town.

You expect me to cross that? But it has holes in it!

I’m only doing it, as you are forcing me!

The castle, which we made it up to after lunch!

629 – Wednesday 15th – Coimbra

We decided to bypass Pombal (K read that the museum was all in Portuguese) and navigated to Figuera da Fonz “Happy Days – Henry the Fonz” – who remembers that USA TV show? It’s actually Figuera da Foz. The Apps showed a large free motorhome parking on the seafront – no chance! They may have been moved on by the Police – we drove on in the hopes of finding another overnight parking – but our version of ‘Henry the Navigator (Colin CoPilot) dragged us up an uneven mountain road that could have been in our beloved Sicilia – ’NFW” – don’t ask the children to translate that acronym, please….. About turn and Fig da Foz was left to FigFoz itself – our gain, as it happened. Heading towards Coimbra for a Roman Ruins site – Conimbriga – a small piece of heaven for free overnighting – lovely open car park – some vans for company – and quiet…. The best Roman remains site in the Iberian Peninsula as advertised – we are biased as we saw the creme de la creme in Italia et Sicilia – but it was pleasant for a late afternoon stroll. O stayed in Jez – on the dashboard. When I was a working person – in later years, displaying ‘essential’ company data had to be on a ‘dashboard’ – all the rage. In my working life, I have seen so many fads coming and going – QA, KPIs, CSRs, NVQs, – ad nauseam…. They sort of meant – just do your job efficiently. K, as teacher is more familiar – each government, tampering with education, invented more acronyms and targets. Why not call a spade a spade? The 2 Ronnies – “4 candles?” Do I undress – sorry, digress? Yes.

We retired to – some Moscatel and food – and qietitude, not dietifood.

A brief note from Oscar… “I’ll fill their dashboard with narcissyisms, if they persist in leaving me with the hysekeeping – posh voice, you see… I can be a posh K9 – K is a bit of toshpotty, sorry, poshtotty. J is – how shall I say it – Irishness, par3sonified… Now, Shirley and Margaret – did he really talk an 8 on a par 3 on 3rd of January near Lagos? James – hang your putter in shame, you Omadawn…” Don’t look it up, please…

Now, next toast (this Mushcasstuffee stuff is good), post – will be Coimbra – extra special place… hold your breath, (readers)..

We get the squeletons too sometimes!

A couple of old ruins!

The best of the mosaics – whilst under a cover, it was covered in dust, so the colours did not fully come out.

625-627: Of Science and Religion

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Clunegapyears

625 – Saturday 11th February 2017: Fatima and Rugby

Brought up as a staunch Catholic, I still hold lots of beliefs that are not easily explained logically or scientifically – a good friend (sadly deceased) strong Catholic became an agnostic because he (as a scientist) could not reconcile his science to religion. We had been to Lisieux in France and were disappointed – the place is dirty and unkept – why – the shrine to St Therese?

Fatima is immaculate and huge – the square rivals St Peters in Rome – the white Basilica is sympathetic and dates from 1953. The new church at the end of a wide colonnade seats 9,000 worshippers and was completed in 2007. Watching the faithful light candles at the scene of one of the apparitions and the believers making their way on their knees hundreds of metres to the shrine – we couldn’t but be impressed – there are strong beliefs here… People are obviously taken by the fact that 3 small children were at the heart of all this. 2 died at the ages of 9 and 10 and the third died age 97 in 2005. Well worth the visit, whatever one’s creed.

Well, it does me good to say that Ireland woke up at rugby today and scored 9 tries in Rome – I feel sorry for Conor O’Shea and Italy – but he has a longer term plan – oh dear, it had to come out “Rome wasn’t built in a day”…

(By the way, England won, also.)

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The Sanctuary with its 65m tower.

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And the esplanade twice the size of St Peter’s Square in Rome. And we saw pictures of it packed, especially on 12 & 13th May and October when pilgrims arrive to commemorate the Shepherd children’s sightings of the Virgin and an angel. We watched people slowly make their way down the marble path to the right of the pic on their knees.

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The windows tell the tale of the sightings.

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All three of the Shepherd Children are burried here, the two girls together.

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An inferno melting the several tons of candle offerings on the site of one of the sightings.

626 – Sunday 12th February: Dinosaurs, Knights Templar and a Monastery

To cut to the chase – we have seen Dinosaur footprints from – yes believe it – 175 million years ago – even before Bruce Forsythe was born!!! The site proves that America was once joined to Europe. The staff were amazing (as usual in Portugal) and so informative in perfect English. It rained – but we were prepared for that. These beasties were up to 30 metres long and weighed in at 70 tonnes – 17 times the weight of Jez – even without our wine!

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Monumental Natural das Pegadas dos Dinossaurios: The site was a quarry and the excavations were deep … all those layers of subsequent rock.

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You can make out some of the tracks here – one was 175m There are several which proves that these sauropod herbivores travelled as a pack. The enthusiastic attendant spoke really good English and explained that the site had very rare conditions: it was a lagoon with no tidal water to erase the prints. The muddy water contained calcium carbonate which created a crust over the prints and protected them. They helped to prove tectonic plate theory, that Europe was once attached to America. Interestingly this place gets only a few lines in one of the guide books … the attendant said that people from Fatima do not promote it as it science and contradicts religious belief. Surely there is room for both.

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Up close you could make out the toes.

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For scale.

On to Tomar – free parking by the river for overnight, we walked up to the Castle and Convent – Oscar with us – we had left him in the van twice in the last couple of days. We took turns for the visit – huge and hugely impressive convent/monastery – Knights Templar originally – immense structures and the K photos tell a a lot. Back to our Jez and more of Tomar planned for tomorrow …

Oscar’s pre-next diary note: (We were not allowed to read this before publishing.)

“Look here – see – they left me twice in 2 days – now boyos (Welsh, you see) – I cannot admit to them that I’m getting used to it – that would be madness. But, I am developing my routines – I arrange things as I like them – ok pulling their coats off the hooks was a bit of a boo boo – they should buy proper gloo gloo – but it sniffed well – made me feel a high. The hooks can be reused… I straighten the rugs (my way) and make nice imprints (I think) on the dashboard – art,it is… When I saw them returning yesterday, I showed my usual extruderance and leaped up at the window (they like to know I missed them). I saw a switch thing and put my paw on it – and ‘hocus pokeus’, it opened the blinking window! They praised my K9 endeavours – so next time, I may try the cooker controls – not sure about the spark switch – I haven’t been trained in Fire Extinguisher usage – I suppose you pull the plug and point it somewhere?”

“I wasn’t going to mention but – K arose from her slumbers – at 10:00 am this morning – standards Katherine, you know…. slippage may not be toiletrated!”

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The Knight’s Templar on the pavements.

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No idea of the size of the complex from this angle. The C12 castle contains the Convento de Cristo – the headquarters of the Knights Templar. The Knights were founded in 1119 to protect pilgrims visit ing the Holy Land. They became a strictly organised and semi religious gang. Members took a vow of poverty, but that did not stop them accepting land and riches in return for military victories. In Portugal they played a key part in expelling the Moors. By the C14 they had become so strong that the French and Portuguese Kings disbanded the order. However, the Portuguese King reinstated them under a different name and his control. They pretty much funded the Age of Discoveries started under Henry the Navigator.

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An exhibition about medicine and its development within monasteries.

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Sorry about the number of pix … I have got keen on the Manueline architecture … last years it was the Scilian Baroque!

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Just love all those curves.

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One of the main sights is the C12 Charola: based on the Rotonda of Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulchre, with a central octagon of alters. It is said that the circular design enabled the Knights to attend mass on horseback.

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The longest dormitary, I’ve ever seen. Doors off on either side for Friars’ cells.

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The Manueline window.

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From the roof of one of the cloisters … think I counted 5 cloisters.

627 – Monday 13th February: Tomar-2-Not-2-Be and Batalha

Hard and noisy rain overnight – not conducive to continuous sleeping… However, out to run early-ish. K and O ran 4km (and got wet) and I – a lot less (in the dry) – but, we are getting back into it. We had intended seeing more of Tomar, but a security guard at our (market) parking advised us that we needed to leave in a couple of hours – so up “we rose and twitched our mantle blew – to fresh pastures new” – Lycidas by John Milton – abridged.

Batalha the destination – another monastery to view. Sadly, we left our alarmed dog – Oscar. As we exited the van, we heard him mutter “What’s with these people and blankety monasteries, anyway? They’re all the same – towers, pinnacles, colonnades, promenades, rosy posy windows and gargoyles! The face of a monkey spouting out rainy water over your head – exciting or what? I can spout water on them from my drinking bowl, if that’s what turns them on…”

It was very different, Oscar. Manuelian, Gothic, unfinished chapel, tomb of the unknown soldiers and just hugely impressive.

In the afternoon, we rested and did some admin – and K planning for the next adventures – and no rain – sunshine, we hope!

Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Vitoria, built to commemorate the 1385 battle Aljubarrota when 6,500 Portuguese defied the odds and repelled the 30,000 strong Spanish army. Thus securing the Portuguese throne for the House of Avis, through Dom Joao, the illegitimate son of Fernando I. It has an instant wow factor with its flying buttresses, pinnacles and ornate windows and doorways. On the left is the Capelas Imperfeitas, the unfinished chapel, commissioned in 1437 – huge columns head skyward. It was abandoned in favour of Jeronimos monastery in Belem. Joao I and his wife Philippa of Lancaster are buried here, as are their 4 sons, including Henry the Navigator.

The Unfinished Chapel – more Manueline Architecture.

Much of the stained glass inside the Church was replaced after the 1755 earthquake, but the sun came out … finally.

This glass is original and was developmental from mid C14.

The Royal Cloisters have the most amazing Gothic arches embellished with …. Manueline tracery.

In the Chapter House lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers form the First World War.

Limited off lead walking for O, but we did find the Ponte da Boutaca 1862 with its 4 empty towers.

622-624: Prisoners and Murdered Lovers

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Clunegapyears

622 – Wednesday 8th February 2017: Penitents of Peniche

AM and K leaped into action – running shoes and kit on and Oscar at the ready – off they went for a 4km run – the furthest she has run for weeks/months? I (excuse coming up, James?) rested my brawn, brain and back! As the parking area was free – quite a few vans – we decided to stay 2 nights and enjoy the area. We walked into town after breakfast – coffee and custard cake… I had slept badly so I retired to have a sleep catch up – K and O has a marathon walk – about 11km in all. Afternoon – I had revived myself and we perambulated to Dictator Salazar’s notorious prison for his political prisoners…… Oscar’s thoughts ringing in our ears “They’ve blankety blank left me again in the van – I’m no political poisoner – I vote Plaid Crumbly in Wales and the Deservative Party in England”! We can see an Omail going to the Union, again…

A truly grim reminder of what happened only about 40-50 years ago – and not just in Portugal…

The town Lace Museum was a gem – including a very informative film with English sub titles.

Supper was sardines, we think, bought from the fisherman who knocked at the door last night. He tried to sell us a massive bag for EUR10, but what would we do with that much fish?

Peniche women supplemented the household income with bobbin lace making.

The rocky cost had massive waves breaking with a periodic ‘boom’ as they hit the rock.

Oscar and I had the odd shower from the spray.

I was so close to the Lighthouse, I kept going …. it looked closer than it was and then there was the rest of the peninsula to walk … fine on a non-back-to-running-day.

From the light house viewing platform, I could see the nature reserve islands of Berlenga.

The approach to the Fortress – this was the sight Salazar’s political prisoners would have first seen of their new ‘home’’. Originally a C16 castle, it has also seen service as a refuge for soldiers from the Boer War, a temporary home in 1970’s for refugees from newly independent African Portuguese colonies and now the town museum. The council seized a vacant moment in the 1980’s to locate the town museum here.

Visitors were ‘received’ by the prisoners here.

Some of the prison cells overlooking the exercise yard.

A number of inmates effected an escape in 1960, but we could find out very little as most of the info was only in Portuguese, except that Alvaro Cunhal went to Russia and was the Head of the Portuguese Communist Party. He later served in the government.

Drying fish in town.

At the Lace museum there were some superb examples. To keep the skills being handed down, there is a Lace Making School with classes for all ages. I watched an older lady deftly spin and twist the bobbins. Not for me … too complicated – I’m still regularly unpicking my jumper

623 – Thursday 9th February: Touristy Obidos

Question for our reader(s?) – how many of you have stripped stark naked and showered in a supermarket car park? That many? Well, we did it (showered, that is!) in the Intermarche car park – do we need to say it was in the van? Otherwise, we might have seen the inside of the Penichenciary… K arranged more philaundering as we bathed….

All motorhome services at Intermarche as well – fully serviced and cleaned – we set the compass for Obidos. Our overnight parking App showed a nice small aire with services right beside the town – and a ‘trace’ of UK vans – well, if 2 is a brace – why not 3 for a ‘trace’. One motorhomer chap turned out to be a Chicago Cubs fellow-fan.

Oscar accompanied us to the town – simple and lovely (yes, Oscar – you are lovely) – lived in and lively. Lots of Ginga sellers but nowhere to sit outside for a nip. Nice walking around the perimetre and at last we saw some tables outside for a glass of vinho – just as we finished, the rains came down – hotfoot back to Jez. It rained cats and dogs (where does that come from, Oscar?) during the night – prompted by my cooking? Maybe not. I produced (eventually) a Risotto for 2 very small people (Lilyputian portions) – not my finest culinary hours! It will get better, James…

Sleep – and rain…

Porta da Vila with C18 tiles and the initial evidence of ‘touristy’.

All along the street the sour cherry liqueur Ginja was being sold. There are 3 main producers locally, but none were offering tours – I had emailed two!

Walking the walls was an option, but not one that J agreed to take! Something to do with heights and lack of barrier.

The Pousada occupied the castle at one end of the town … liked the look of the dining room window, but that was as close as we got, given a main dish was around EUR31!

Is that my boy coming in for a cuddle?

A number of book shops in the town; this one inside a church.

The Pillory is docrorated with a fishing net, the emblem of Dona Leonor (wife of Joao II) to commemorate the fishermen who tried to save her drowning son. The Santa Maria church is where the future Alfonso V was married to his cousin, Isabel in 1441. Not remarkable in that, except that he was 10 and she only 8!

Inside more beautiful blue tiles and the wooden celling was painted by Josefa de Obidos in 1661, unusually a female painter when the only ‘careers’ for women were wife, mother or nun!

624 – Friday 10th February: Alcobaca and Porto de Mos

Alcobaca has the largest church in Portugal – the nave is 60 metres long and 23 metres wide – really simple design – very effective. The Cistercian monks developed into a more corpulent community – a special door led to the refectory – if you didn’t fit through – you fasted! K could fit – our slimmer of the year, Katherine. The sheer scale is immense – royal lovers buried side by side – murder, intrigue, heart eating, decomposed hand kissing – just like the Conservative Party Annual Conference in Somethingbourne…

Another impressive exterior. Building started in 1178 and the monks were given a lot of land to farm. 40 years later the monastery estate had become one of the richest and most powerful. At one point there were 999 monks, not sure of the significance of the 999, and a whole new cloister wing was built for novices.

The church interior is refreshingly simple.

Tomb of Dona Ines. There is a matching one for Dom Pedro – a true Romeo and Juliet story. Pedro fell in love with one of his wife’s ladies in waiting, but even after he was widowed, his father Dom Alfonso IV forbade the marriage, as Ines had Spanish connections. The King ordered her murder unaware that the two lovers had already secretly married. Two years later when Pedro succeeded to the tHorne, he exacted his gruesome revenge … he ripped out the hearts of the murderers and …. ate them! He exhumed Ines and crowned her body and then …. made the court pay homage to her by kissing her decomposing hand!

Liking the Manueline style.

Whilst the monks ate they were read biblical scripts from this pulpit.

J won’t you come closer to the edge, dear? No, don’t … you’re not insured!

Squeeze in! If the monks didn’t fit through the doorway, then were put on a starvation diet. Having said that William Beckford (British artist and bon viveur, who owned Monsarrate in Sintra, which we visited) was shocked at the ‘perpetual gormandising … the fat wadling monks and sleek friars with wanton eyes …’.

The massive kitchen chimney … Beckford wrote ‘the most distinguished temple of gluttony in all Europe”. Under scaffolding there was a pool diverted from the Rio Alcoa, which provided not only water for cooking and washing, but fresh fish.

The Cloister of Silence. The lower part from 1300’s and the upper Manueline from 1500’s.

Nightly bivouac in a free parking (alone) outside the Porto de Mos Bombeiros – fire service – will they test the sirens during the night? K walked to the Castle while I cleaned a bit and deleted some photos – and guitar practice – fingers are getting the hard skin that I need – to play at the Old Oprey – not!

The C13 castle – much restored so that it has a Disney-esque look. The green roof tiles are echoed in houses’ doors and shutters.

I followed the signs to the castle spring … sadly neglected and abused.

Sao Antonio chapel – shut, but I peered through to glimpse the C17 tiles.

Clune Gap Years

A journal and reflections of our motorhome travels