Caught the train to Sintra, a small city outside of Lisbon. Here went to visit the Castle of the Moors. This castle was built in about 800 AD and then added to in about 1100.
It sits on top of the hill overlooking the city. You can also look up to the Pena Castle. The Moorish Castle was great! Interesting that many of the castles are similar. Towers with look outs, and many port holes facing the various directions. Would have been tough to attach this castle as the ground is steep and very rocky. Yet again, many steps, up and down, and along the various walls. There is currently an archeological dig going on in the Church cemetery and a couple of other places in and around the Castle. Interesting that it was much cooler, yet only about 500 meters above sea level.
Pena Castle was used during the mid 1800s by the royalty of the Portugal. All the rooms had a lot of furniture of the time! Many rooms with separate rooms for the King and the Queen. The ballroom/dining room was actually fairly small with ceiling that may have been 9 feet! Certainly not like the Palace in Madrid.
Wanted to go to the National Palace, but closed on Wednesday. Others on the bus found out the same thing on arrival.Went for a wander around another part of the city today when I returned. This is a very hilly city with many of them very steep. I walked up one street, but on the return trip down a different street, found a tram that is designed to go up and down the steep parts. Apparently there are 3 or 4 in the city.
For dinner went back to the same restaurant I went to last night! Last night, steak, fresh raw carrots, fries, soup (large) and a beer for 8 euros! What a deal. Tonight. Different steak. Thought that I ordered the special of the "cafe" but turns out it is 'cafe" or coffee! Had coffee beans in the sauce. But also came with jumbo shrimp, with mushrooms and roasted garlic! Interesting combination, but was very tasty even if the cut of beef was not that great!
Tonight, 10 euros, including the beer of course! Hey it is usually cheaper than Coke!
Started to upload new pictures to Picasa, but the internet shut down on me. Not sure what happened. Guess it will have to wait until I get back to the Madrid train station.
June 22 Lisbon, Portugal
Arrived! And actually slept most of the time. Funny as woke up when the train stopped!
Found the Bed and Breakfast quite easily! And I think I am in luxury! Mecado Bed and Breakfast. Huge room, although the bathroom is down the hall, but I have patio doors onto a big deck! So nice! And cheaper than Madrid! And turns out I am probably the only guest! Lucky as found last night on the FREE internet at the train station - that is a first! At least the free part!Had some coffee, a shower and headed out!
Caught an old famous tram, #28, and head back towards the city. The streets are so narrow in places there is only a couple of inches on either side of the tram mirrors the streets are so narrow. Arrived at the water front and wandered around in the shopping area for a bit and then headed off to the Castle of Sao Jorge. This is a climb and a half! But interesting! Some of the faces of the houses are completely tiled.
Built in 1100 by the Muslims and added on over the years! Great views of city. Was a guitar player there selling CDs, so bought one. Sounded very good.Then off to the Se Cathedral. Very nice inside. Walked back to the city, and headed out to the 1998 World Expo site. Wanted to take the cable car ride! Short, but still was a great view of the river and the Expo site. On way back on Metro, guy took my map and showed me another church that I had to see, Not much outside he said, but a surprise inside. Built about 200 years ago, but then about 60 years ago he said there was a fire!
Domingos. Well he was right! Could still smell the fire! The stone had been cleaned but you could still see the black. The roof had been repainted. Some of the columns had huge chips out of them. It was very impressive!
Then went to a concert! A Portuguese traditional music "thing". A guitar, mandolin and 2 singers. The guitar and mandolin were great and the singers were good but preferred just the instrumentals.
June 21 Madrid, Spain
Went out to train station to buy ticket for Lisbon, only to find out that it is a slow over night train. Leaves Madrid at about 10.30 and arrives in Lisbon at 7.30 (hour time difference). Left suitcase in lock up and headed back to city. Decided to hit the 2 museums that I missed yesterday! And there were free on Sunday! But only to find out that they are closed on Mondays! Oh well. Wandered around some more, just putting in time! It did go by fairly fast! There are so many people to watch! More pedlars but also some that are statutes of various people/things, and also perform small acts! Very interesting to watch. Walked towards the park and saw the 'famous' wall that is completely covered in vines and flowers! Very nice. And the Arches of Independence. Then headed to park. Some amazing trimmed trees. Interesting that in Madrid many of the street signs are of tiles. All street signs, if there is one, are on the sides of the buildings on the street corners.Went out to train station and ended up watching Spain in the World Cup. That explains why all the Spanish flags were flying all afternoon.
June 20 Madrid, Spain
Just more wandering! But stopped for coffee and a guy stopped to talk to me to practice his English. It was a bit rough to start but he improved as we talked. He then decided that I had to meet his English speaking friend, and his English teacher. First stop, bar! The Spanish way, have a beer or 2 on Sunday afternoon with some tapas with friends! That was good, but turned into more than a couple! Then off to meet the English teacher, for the same thing! A lot of beer on a Sunday afternoon! But was good! Then we went out for dinner. Fish, tuna steak and some smaller fish that had a light batter and deep fried! With the heads! Was good, but just ate the sides of the fish, not the heads!
June 19 Madrid, Spain
Slow start to the day! Walked through plaza Mayor again, and then off to the Royal Palace. Not lived in anymore, but is used for official ceremonies and dinners! Very impressive, with all the marble on the floors, around the doors and on the pillars. Mosaics on floors were beautiful!
Red is a very over used color, right down to the velvet on the walls! Still great to visit. Also went into the Royal Pharmacy, about 4 rooms of jars of herbs, floor to ceiling. Also the Royal Armory, which showed several years of armour. Some of the full suits were for some very short men!
Just spent the rest of the day wandering through the small side streets and around in circles on the round abouts! There are so many! Each with character of their own, and about a million streets heading out of them!
I guess I will never figure out the traffic! Now I have been in a round about, with traffic heading in both directions, and stop lights!
June 18 Santander to Madrid, Spain
Not much done today. Have a mid afternoon train to Madrid, about 2 1/2 hours. And the weather is looking great, no rain!
Arrived in Madrid, actually found hotel, no problems. Actually a Hostal, in between a hotel and hostel. Room about 6 feet wide and 10 feet long, and then a small bathroom! At least there is not part cut out of door to make room for toilet, but close! But is it in between the 2 main plazas, Del Sol and Mayor. Took a stroll around the area in evening. Lots of people out and about! Interesting as police everywhere, and so are all the hookers! But the police only seem to harass the hackers of sunglasses, hats, horns and flags! Watched them chase one around with their scooters! He got away! He ducked down the stairs into the Metro station!
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