Finally! I found USB connectivity in Portugal!

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Picture "catch-up" in Coimbra

Sorry for the terrible picture quality!
All through my trip, I looked in vain for an Internet cafe that had USB upload capability (to grab pictures from my camera), on which the whole travel blog idea hinged (for me at least--naturally, I could have just entered unadorned text). I pretty much stopped taking any pictures at all. This accounts for the very fragmentary coverage of my trip so far, I've left out tons! Now that I've managed to upload some, I'm even including some pretty awful ones. Next up, I'll attempt to interlace some commentary.

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Photos

View of the 25 April bridge from Lisbon castle
It's a sister bridge to the Golden Gate, built by the same folks, but about 30 years later.

Lisbon castle: ramparts
You've got to be careful in Portugal, they don't believe in guard rails...at all. Good thing the weather has been dry!

Quinta da Regaleira: manor from the gardens
The Quinta da Regaleira is a vast 19th C. architectural folly built by a man who made his vast fortune in Brazil.

Quinta da Regaleira: top of the "initiates' well"
It's decorated with various occult symbols and comes with a revolving stone door among other contrivances.

Quinta da Regaleira: bottom of the well
I was warned it was going to be dark so I brought a spelunker-style headlight...a bit of overkill as it turned out.

Quinta da Regaleira: view of Royal Palace from the gardens
The downside of it being so verdant was not being able to get a clear shot.

Quinta da Regaleira: outbuildings
Nothing fancy here, I just liked the frame.

Sintra: view of Palacio de Pena from the Quinta da Regaleira
This palace is a wildly kitch monstrosity in vivid pastel colors...perhaps best viewed from a distance...but I may inflict it on you later.

Flowers in the Quinta da Regaleira garden
Not sure about the species here, as is often the case.

Quinta da Regaleira: fountain
A great many of the contructions are monogrammed with Sr. Monteiro's insignia.

Quinta da Regaleira: two portraits
Sr. Monteiro is on the wall, perhaps that's a relation of his in the Venetian glass fresco on the floor?

Comments

[Hieronymus]

21st century travel!
Well done! I'm glad you were able to smuggle out a few bytes of data without interrupting your ability to soak up the culture and the seafood. I probably still have my photos (chemo-optic process) from my 1985 trip there -- we can review them and you can tell me what's changed since then when you get back.

[Matthew Litwin]

Good Eye
Hey Karl, very nice pictures - you have a good eye. I also appreciate the commentary - nice tinge of deadpan humor!