Blogs from Portugal, Europe - page 156

Europe » Portugal » Madeira » Funchal February 20th 2011

Een week geleden wilden we we weer eens echte toeristen zijn en hebben we ons aangemeld voor een vaartochtje met de catamaran Seaborn II. Op zoek naar Flipper. Uit de haven wegvarend om half elf, legde een van de bemanningsleden de werking van het zwemvest uit. Daarna vertelde hij dat achter hem de bar was, die iedereen natuurlijk al gezien had met de duidelijke bierpomp, en de flessen poncha en madeira. In de haven was het nog rustig vaarwater, maar eenmaal buitengaats werd de deining steeds forser. Paul loopt nogal snel groen aan op zee, maar op een catamaran heeft hij veel minder problemen. Wel is het belangrijk dat hij een goeie zitplaats kiest, liefst in het midden van de boot waar de schommeling het minst is, en de blik op een vast punt richten wil ... read more

Portugal is full of surprises

Europe » Portugal February 20th 2011

Dan's first dinner

We are the Foreigners

Warning: This is our most ridiculously long entry ever. We arrived in Faro after dark but when we found a map Dan navigated us to our hostel with ease even though Ashley looked at the map and could only see a jumble of windey crazy streets. Our first experience talking with a local was delightful. The receptionist at the hostel was one of the friendliest, most helpful people we've encountered (family members not included) so far; it was hard to get out of the conversation so that we could get settled. Once we were settled in our room she directed us to a lovely family run restaurant not far from the hostel. Dinner was amazing. We had appetizers, 2 main dishes, a ‘jug’ (not a pitcher or a bottle) of wine, 2 espressos and dessert for ... read more

Madeira, mountains, sunshine and mud in the streets

Europe » Portugal » Madeira » Funchal January 31st 2011

dredging

mollandaise

We've been to Madeira four times now and we still love it. This time we're here for three months. Long enough to feel a bit what it's like really living here. Half of that period has passed, and we're already sure we're going to have a hard time leaving in the end. Like we did last year. Though at that time we were very lucky leaving at the time we did. Just three days before the big cloudburst hit Madeira. When all the canals overflowed and the entire downtown of Funchal was flooded with water and mud and rocks. Ribeira Brava, a small seaside town to the West of Funchal, was hit the worst. There a rocky gorge brings the water from the mountains in the middle of the island to the sea. This worked just ... read more

A nice smoker

Europe » Portugal » Lisbon & Tagus Valley » Lisbon January 31st 2011

SantaJusta Elevator

Wkndtraveler

On our last night in Portugal we ventured out to a different part of town. Tonight we went to one of what was considered the best Italian restaurants in Lisboa. It was very tasty! Our waiter even mentioned that the prime minister even dines there. When we closed the restaurant we started talking to one of our waiters about travel and America. Our waiter, Jorge got very interested in hearing about America as that is his dream to go to one day and back-pack across the states. Then he got in trouble for "staying" at our table so long. So we felt so bad, we offered to go out for a drink afterwards. Jorge had learned English by working on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean and ready books, it was very good. We trekked across ... read more

Albufeira

Europe » Portugal » Algarve » Albufeira January 31st 2011

shollsontour

Bus into Albuferia nice walk around, good to see all the cobblestones finished. Lunch on the waterfront - a great seafood planadora (?), crab, prawns, fish, scollopes, clams, mussels all in a piquant tomato sauce - delicious. Loads of it and relatively inexpensive. More walking to help the lunch down. They were setting up a huge stage in the square by the waterside for a big party tonight. They were expecting 20,000 people for it! Pantechnicans and cables everywhere! Run back on the bus and a quiet afternoon/evening. Off to Portamao tomorrow. A happy and prosperous New Year to all our readers. ... read more

Meer Madeira

Europe » Portugal » Madeira » Funchal January 29th 2011

curral

mollandaise

Zodra je hier een stukje gaat rijden, kom je op steile hellingen en bochtige wegen terecht. Dat is deels wat het eiland interessant maakt, al heeft het daardoor natuurlijk ook wel zijn beperkingen. Een van de instructeurs in Holmes Place, het sportcentrum waar we regelmatig fitnessen, vindt het jammer dat je altijd maar steil op en neer gaat met de fiets, zelden een lekker stukje vals plat. Hij gaat daarom nog wel eens naar het vaste land om te wielrennen, al fietst hij toch vrijwel ieder weekend met zijn vrienden richting de hoogste pieken hier (1800 m). Toen hij hoorde dat wij in Frankrijk wonen vlak bij de Mont Ventoux, begonnen zijn ogen te glimmen. Al leek de Mont Ventoux hem een te grote uitdaging en zou hij liever eerst de Alpe d'Huez “doen”. De buschauffeurs ... read more

Week 15: Lisboa, Portugal

Europe » Portugal » Lisboa January 23rd 2011

LISBOA!

Jayleen

Sorry this is going to be a long one…internet did not want to corporate at all this last week so this is week 15. Week 16 will be up shortly after. So this week started off good, hit a rough patch and then turned out to be incredible. The week started off with me heading to work bright and early Monday morning. I had a really good relaxing weekend and I was more than ready to start up again. I spent the first two hours of class with the 2nd graders, as usual. They were all so excited to be back at school and kept telling me all about the gifts the Three Kings brought them. After 2nd grade I headed to 5th grade where I “got” to do secretarial work for the teacher. Finally about ... read more

O Jantar de Natal 2010 : "Oporto Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club"

Europe » Portugal » Northern » Porto January 19th 2011

Dezembro (8)

Porto Bristol Associacao

"Associação Porto Bristol" - O Jantar de Natal 2010 : "Oporto Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club" A acta da assembleia-geral que decorreu no passado dia 10 de Dezembro, com uma excelente participação dos sócios da nossa Associação. O Jantar de Natal da nossa Associação foi de novo o evento do ano com o maior número de participações. Quarenta e cinco sócios e um convidado conviveram num ambiente de amizade e boa disposição terminando assim o ano com nota alta. Os “Douro Singers” animaram o serão com cânticos ingleses de Natal, enquanto a projecção de fotos, obtidas ao longo do ano pelos nossos talentosos “in house” fotógrafos, relembraram-nos momentos bem passados em agradável companhia. Findo o jantar o nosso Presidente homenageou os sócios, Eckard Kramer e Waldemar Valente de Sá, que e... read more

Funchal, January 13

Europe » Portugal » Madeira » Funchal January 19th 2011

lizbird44

January 13, 3011 Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal Funchal= FUN! Today was a great day! Funchal is beautiful, not a big city like yesterday, just lots and lots of houses. This island is much more inhabited than Tenerife. We got on the big bus again and began our drive. Today we had a guide who spoke in both English and German. I don’t remember her first name, but her last name was Jesus, kind of hard to forget! So of course everyone’s walking around saying things like “schuuba dubben”, “unt houseen houssen”, and “un poopin scooping dooben doopen.” Hahaha! Yes, we are the silly Americans walking around saying made up words. The roads were similar to Tenerife in that there are many points that they are one way. Also, they park on the streets, which makes ... read more

Portugal

Europe » Portugal January 13th 2011

pic 1

John Lennon

Our port in Portugal was entitled Funchal, a small island just off the coast. This island and the island of Tenerife were similar; both towns were built on a volcanic mountain. However, while Tenerife’s roads were hell for me, due to them being so crooked, this islands roads were almost all straight, which meant I would not be getting sick again. Our day started off the same as the previous one, waking up at 7:45 we proceed to breakfast and then departed on our bus. Our bus ride up the mountain to our first stop of the day, which would turn out to be a church, would be extremely picturesque. The island was beautiful all around us was the most beautiful fauna and flora, it felt as if you were in a rain forest or ... read more

Brief history of Portugal

Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil a...more history

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