Into Portugal

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We drove 3 hours or so into Portugal and made day trips from our b&b: To roman ruins, to the beach and to the forested grounds of a former monastery.

The b&b was run by a dutch ex patriate family. There was a great pool, friendly guests, a giant chess set, and kayaks to take out. We also learned that a cot is something else to the Dutch. I picture a fold-out bed for hardy souls, like soldiers or, in this case, Zerian. They think of fold out cribs for babies. Needless to say, Zerian couldn't fit, so the host was gracious enough to let us squeeze in an extra twin bed. Very cozy. Also, interestingly it is near the home town of the last Portugese strong man, who ran Portugal for most of the Cold War.

The roman ruins are the biggest in Portugal and are sort of like a miniature Pompei without the volcano. Instead it has layers of history. Original Roman settlement, an urban redesign by later romans and post-roman visgothic. They did an excellent job excavated two forumns, which were bascially stacked on top of each other. The recreated a roman fountain, which would have been in the central courtyard of an artisan complex. It was also interesting to see where the aquaduct came into the town and entered the fresh water system. In places, with careful excavation you could see the fresh pipes running above the sewer pipes. It is amzing to think that people would slowly forget about a whole city, leave it, and let it be covered and eventually turned into farmland. It was only discovered in this century, and two thirds still lies buried.

The natrual park was also cool. Since it used to be a monastery they have a hike up to the top of a steep hill with the stations of the cross along the way. Near the top, the stations turn into hermitages for the monks, which are tucked into and made of the exposed stone outcroppings. Everywhere there were springs which generations of monks turned into natural looking fountains and small grottos. Trails crisscrossed the whole place with very few signs, so it was pleasant to wander, get lost and never be more than a mile from the car.

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Photos

Recreated Roman Fountain
See the wall in the background? A century or two after the fall of the empire the residents ripped down the part of the city where we are in order to add some girth to the wall. It didn't help.

A cascading fountain
All powered by spring water coming from a small grotto

In the shade
Check out the tile floor between and behind these two jokers.

Former monastery
Rebuilt into a royal palace, now a 5 star hotel. It sits in the center of the park. We are looking down at it from one of the stations of the cross that wound their way to the top of the ridge.