Spain and Portugal 2023

 Another hot day but we decide to brave another day in Lisbon. A more leisurely start on the 9.35 bus than train and metro for a walking tour of the castle area and the Alfami district. There are some steep climbs but we keep to the shade on the cobbled streets and it is most picturesque with several “miradouro” viewpoints over the city below. We view mainly from the exterior to avoid queues and cost and that feels fine. We have had quite a sensory overload over the last few weeks! Beautiful old houses with tiles and balconies line the streets. It is still humming but mainly with taxis and tuc-tucs. It seems no one else is willing to walk! We see several Churches, the castle and Lisbon Cathedral. We share a delicious Grouper fish for a late lunch with a glass of Vinho Verde before wandering back to the station. Back at Cascais we see the wave formation tiles in the road before the bus back for a quiet evening. 

 Up in the dark so we can get the 8:35 bus to Cascais and then the train to Belem, where we queue for the best part of an hour in the sun to get into the monastery. Well worth it ( see photos). Then a walk to the 16 Century Belem tower.  We visit the market near Cais de Sodra, which is a huge, hot indoor market with nowhere to sit and eat. Eventually we find a small fish restaurant and perch on a hot corner. We have octopus salad, clams, fish of the day and vinho verde. All delicious.  We walk to the commercial square, see one of the old fashioned trams and jump on it, not knowing where it’s going. It goes up and down steep hills and around sharp bends. We eventually get a seat.  After a slightly heat frazzling day (34C) we get back via train and bus for a cooling swim in the pool and picnic supper outside. 

 Another sunny day. An easy departure and only about a 30 minute drive to Obidos. Plenty of parking although it’s still pretty busy. A truly beautiful mediaeval walled town with a crenelated wall that you can walk round and a labyrinth of cobblestoned streets and flower bedecked whitewashed houses within. We spend a pleasant hour or so wandering and taking numerous photos trying to avoid the increasing number of tourist groups. We but a Pastel de Bacchalau for lunch later: a small soft pasty filled with salt cod and cheese. Another 90 minutes and a few toll roads later we have skirted Lisbon and arrive at our campsite just west of Cascais. I’ve been worried it will be very crowded so we’re pleased to arrive early and secure a good spot beneath the trees. After setting up and lunch we cycle to the beach. About 10 minutes. Downhill! The return will not be so pleasant! It’s pretty windy but we find a spot that’s a bit sheltered and while away some time reading. It’s too rough to swim ...

 Another lovely sunny start to the morning as we breakfast outside under the pine trees. We are soon peddling off to Stintio with its stunning views of Nazaré and the beach. There are ladies dressed in traditional Portuguese costumes selling trinkets in the square. The local church contains a statue of Mary apparently made by Joseph himself in Nazareth (hence the name of the main town).  We visit the lighthouse which is above the spot where 30m waves can occur and which are surfed in the winter by big wave riders. There is an exhibition of surf boards with photographs of the surfers. The Nazaré canyon is responsible for these giant waves.  We cycle down and into the main town and book a place for lunch in the backstreets. It turns out to be a great choice. A big queue forms which we can circumvent. Authentic Portuguese fish restaurant. I have prawns, calamari and sausage on a dangling skewer whilst C  has shellfish risotto though it’s more like a stew. Both delicious...