27 Tuesday Mar 2018
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Óbidos is one of the few remaining examples of Moorish occupation, where an actual functioning town lies within the wall of the 12th century castle. Óbidos is a day trip from Lisbon, with time leftover to explore a bit of the surrounding area. Continue reading
22 Thursday Mar 2018
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The Palácio de Mafra (Palace of Mafra) is just plain amazing. It consists of the palace, as well as the Convento de Mafra (Mafra Convent), the Basílica de Nossa Senhora e de São António and a magnificent library. This incredible building, a monument to baroque architecture, is one of the largest buildings constructed in the early 18th century, and is a candidate for classification as a UNESCO sight. Continue reading
15 Thursday Mar 2018
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Today we’re going to explore more of Lisboa or Lisbon. We’re off to the Museu National de Arte Antiga and the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, with a bite to eat at the Pastelaria Belém for pastéis de nata. It’s a full day (pun intended!). Continue reading
06 Tuesday Mar 2018
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Tavira was the eastern-most town that we visited. Churches abound in Portugal, but this town may have the most—you’ll find over thirty-six churches, several monasteries and the ruins of yet another Moorish castle! Lots and lots to enjoy. Continue reading
03 Saturday Mar 2018
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Today we visit Loulé and Almancil, which is really part of Loulé. A suburb, if you will. And as in most towns, villages or cities, it has a castle, a couple actually. Or at least the remnants of a castle. And, of course both places have churches galore. What a surprise! Continue reading
01 Thursday Mar 2018
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When the Moors ruled the Algarve for almost 500 years, Silves was the capital of the Algarve. Silves is in the northern part of the Algarve. It is inland, so no beaches here! The 1755 earthquake destroyed most of the buildings, and supposedly only 20 houses were left standing. But, no matter, the vistas from the Castle, are stunning. Continue reading
24 Saturday Feb 2018
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Faro is the capital of the Algarve. It’s the largest city in the area and it has several points of interest…of course, it has a castle! Or at least the remnants of a castle. And storks! There were several stork nests. They are wonderful birds and the Portuguese sort of revere them, or at the very least don’t remove them from their roofs. Storks also mate for life. Hey, we were celebrating our anniversary, so this is pertinent. Continue reading
21 Wednesday Feb 2018
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The Algarve, runs along the bottom of Portugal, east to west. It is the Riviera of Portugal, though this is the Atlantic Ocean, not the Mediterranean. The Algarve has a complete range of beaches, from lovely, wide sandy beaches, to waves that are rough enough to be a surfer’s paradise, and everything in between. But, it has so much more…. Continue reading
20 Tuesday Feb 2018
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Lisbon is a wonderful city, built on seven hills. It’s jam-packed with history, has a wonderful juxtaposition of antiquity and modernity. It has warm people, wonderful museums and some absolutely fantastic food and wine. You must go. Continue reading
19 Monday Feb 2018
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We just spent two glorious weeks in Portugal, a country with a rich and colorful history, dating back to about 200BCE. For a relatively small country (about the size of the state of Maine) Portugal is jam-packed with all sorts of wonderful surprises. And the Portuguese people are just delightful; they are warm, friendly and helpful. At the very first chance, you must go. Continue reading
Goddess Cooks 