065 Portugal: Lisbon area

Portugal: Lisbon area
Figueira de Foz, Fatima, Nazare, Caldas das Rainha
Carcavelos, sintra, Cabo da Roca, Estoril, Monserrate & Lisbon

We don't like to drive for more than three hours in any day so on our way to Lisbon we had a stopover at Caldas das Rainha. We stop at a couple of locations on the way for coffee, lunch etc. The road is empty. There had been a two car accident (how?) which impacted one lane and there was a 5 car tailback!!!

We stop, by chance, in a place called Fatima and are really glad we did. This is a new church, and it is lovely to see it being plain and simple. Supposedly three children saw visions of Mary. What surprised us was that all this was supposed to have happened in 1917.
There is a huge open space (similar to but bigger than the Vatican) as each year on October 13th hundreds of thousands of  pilgrims visit on the anniversary of the Virgins supposed apparition.

Nazare beach. We saw a postcard of a massive wave. Seems this area is famous for the massive waves and just this year a woman died while trying to surf one.

Every now and then we stay in an apartment so that we have access to a washing machine. As we didn't really like Porto and we had been told Lisbon was similar, we stayed outside in a place called Carcavelos. A really lovely apartment and our host, Antonio, is fantastic. We can walk to the beach and to the station

The beach

Handing out the washing! We are on the first floor and the washing line is outside the kitchen window. Took me ages to find it and it was only because the lady across the road hung hers out that I looked.

We had a great day trip to Sintra. The place is packed. Possibly the best place in Portugal (in our  opinion). While very tailored to the tourist it was well done. This is inside the palace. We have been very impressed with the blue tile paintings.

View from the Moor fort. We thought about walking up but decided to take the bus and boy was that a great decision.

This was formerly a private home in Monserrate, donated to the public. We've seen a trend that shows even if you are rich you are not immune from changes in politics or religion. Plenty of places are 'donated' back to the government of the time.

We take the train to Lisbon. Many areas are run down. Some areas of the city are lovely, especially along the river. This is the Jeronimo Monestery, where we saw a wonderful wedding.

The Discoveries monument

The Tower of Belem.
Frank climbed the tower.
I waited at the bottom where a young man tried to convert me to Christianity, speaking firstly in Portuguese, then English, then German and finally French. I just smiled saying nothing and then finally said shush until he went away (which took ages)

Just a sculpture that made me  smile.

We will return to Lisbon to fly out to Turkey on the 2nd October.