PORTUGAL

All rested up, after our trip to Isla Cristina we headed off on a drive.
 

The border, between Spain & Portugal is a river so the bridge is where
you change countries



Along the southern coast of Portugal to Sagres 'the end of the world' or so they thought 600 years ago when they thought the world was flat! We went to the south western tip of Portugal & saw nothing but magestic cliffs & water, as you might expect, the Atlantic Ocean spread out to the horizon. On the headland there was a fortress build by the Moors but later converted into the navigation college, that's a college from the 1400's of course.  

 

The navigational points made out in rocks inside the fortress, this was
uncovered when they began restoration in the 50's, thought to be 600 years old



Grant & the Atlantic Ocean - he is actually watching the fishermen who
are fishing from the cliff tops



The fortress walls & the cliff spreading out behind, a headland that must have
been easy to defend from sea attacks



The drive included some nice old villages with traditional farmhouses & horse drawn vehicles as well as multi-billion dollar resorts full of British tourists & with amazing marinas full of yachts & launches & more British tourists!

 

The GPS wasn't quite sure where we were when we went out on that breakwall



Just one of the marinas full of very expensive yachts & launches,
 oh to be so rich!



A few days later, after some time spent in southern Spain tourist spots, we ventured westward again, this time for an overnight stay in Lisbon. It was a very long drive so we got up really early & were out of the house by 5.30 am for our trip along the E2 (Spain) which then changed to the A2 (Portugal) but a very straight-forward journey which included tolls of almost 20 Euro, expensive but worth every cent. The only problem we encountered was a couple of horrendous rain storms, it is a long time since we have seen rain like this, a real gully raker. The speed limit is 120 kph but we thought 60 was a more appropriate speed in that level of visibility. It never ceases to amaze the number of people who don't drive to the conditions as was proved by the two serious accidents we passed on the trip. The bad weather only lasted 10 or 15 minutes spread over the three & a half hour journey so not a problem really although it did rain lightly for most of the trip.



Just one example of the beautiful buildings in Lisbon, this is the bull ring



Anyway we got to Lisbon safely, checked into our hotel, parked our car, freshened up in our room & dumped all the bits & pieces we didn't need for the day & headed out. I can see how travellers fall in love with this city, it is really nice, big wide avenues ending in huge roundabouts encircling massive monuments or fountains. We did a bus tour to get our bearings & to see the bulk of the main sights. It was a miserable sort of day so a bus trip worked well.



Through the enormous archway & then up the pedestrian mall, leads from
the harbourside right into the city centre



Next morning though, in the glorious sunshine, we were ready to actually visit some of these magical sights. First stop was the Belem district to go to the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Geronimo's Monestry). This is an absolutely massive structure with a huge & I mean huge, cathedral & attached buildings. The tomb of Vasgo de Garma is housed here although the area didn't appear to be open to the public. We have never seen a more magnificent structure, the stone work is so ornate, amazingly beautiful & intricately carved.



The magnificent Geronimos, it needs two photos to fit it all in




All that amazing carved stonework,
 such an enormous space too inside the Cathedral



The carved stonework inside the monestery
was breathtakingly beautiful, photos just
don't do it justice

 

Then it was time for lunch (Spanish omelette & salad) followed by a bit of souvenier shopping, this didn't prove to be too difficult there were literally dozens of shops full of interesting bits & pieces. Next stop, after a very strenuous hike uphill to the top, was the breathtaking views from the Castelo de San Jorje (Castle of Saint George).



Lisbon from the Palace



Some of the original walls of the Castle of St George

 
We were getting pretty tired by this stage, we had literally walked miles along the harbour & then up that huge hill (why didn't I know about the tram until I was walking down) to the castle. Back to our hotel to pick up our car which they had been kind enough to let us leave in the parking area all day & to head off on the long drive back to Spain. We were both pleasantly surprised at the ease of traffic flow within the city, they have underpass/tunnels for the through traffic & before you know it you are on the 25 April Bridge (fancy that, a bridge named after ANZAC Day all the way over here....haha). This looks just like the Golden Gate Bridge in the US & it has two levels with the train running underneath the roadway. That was a really good idea!


25th April Bridge heading south from Lisbon, not sure if you can make out
the railway running below the road?



We pulled up at a 'Services' that is a fuel station & restaurant & sometimes a hotel on the side of the motorway, very handy, slide in with the off-ramp & then slide back on again 500 metres up the road. Fill up with food, fill up with fuel & home by midnight. Great trip!