Blogs from Alentejo, Portugal, Europe - page 5

Monday 21st February 2010 Back on the road, this time north east to Evora. A superb drive across country through cork oak groves, vineyards and orange orchards. Tuesday 22nd February 2010 Walk into Evora where we discover a film crew making a commercial for a supermarket. The boys are fascinated by the use of a story board to script the shoot. Walk around the old town of Evora visiting the Cathedral’s chapel of bones and the famous Roman Temple of Diana. Lunch in the main square followed by a visit to the archaeological museum and the office of the local wine producers where a tasting inevitably ensues. ... read more

Thursday 7.1.2010 Day 84 Evora We went to Evora a world heritage site it has lots of roman things like the Diana temple and the aqueducts for carrying water. We went to the Capela dos Ossos or chapel of the bones it is made up of hundreds of bones and has a great sign on the top of is saying we who are here are waiting for you to join us. We saw peacocks in the park. We then went to the Prehistoric Megaliths and stone circles which were close by they had a lot more stones then some of the circles that I had seen but where not arranges as well I looks as if a lot have fallen done and have been re put up facing the wrong way and some times in the ... read more

Hi there, How are you all enjoying the summer (or the winter for you guys the other side of the hemisphere)? Soon I will be back at work so I decided to update my blog before being immersed in my job tasks. What have I been up to the last 2 months? Well, I was in Portugal in July where I could enjoy the Atlantic coast of Alentejo, the region above the touristiest region of Portugal, the Algarve. The coast of Alentejo is lovely: there is no mass foreign tourism, and even for the Portuguese, the adherence is mild (except in August: where thousands of young people come to the Sudoest Pop Festival!). This is no surprise because the Alentejo region itself has low density qua inhabitants, so no highways give direct access to the coast. ... read more

Our adventures began early on our way into Portugal on June 4th. We were up early, and had a nice long, brisk walk to the bus station. Our plan was to leave Seville by a direct bus, which would cross the border at Badajoz, then continue on to Évora, our first destination in Portugal. But surprise, this wasn't to be as simple as it sounded! Apparently, there was no longer a direct bus, and we would have to take one from Seville to Badajoz, which wasn't leaving for a couple hours. This bus wound its way through the countryside for a few hours, then stopped so that half the passengers (including us) could change to another bus which then took us on to the border town. Eventually we arrived, and discovered that the next connection on ... read more

One hundred-twenty kilometres north of Sagres, after a long strip of amiable small towns and charming beaches, Porto Covo stands out for its cool streets with tidily displayed houses, all of which neatly painted white and blue. Only a short trip from Lisbon, this is a place for weekenders, for newly-married couples. Where middle-class Portuguese families take their children. We are half way through the Portuguese winter. The sun shines bright up in the clear, blue sky, however there is a subtle cool breeze, enough for the men to show off their best sweaters; ladies, their designer's wool coats. Even furcoats can be seen. Shiny shoes strolling around. Coffee being appreciated at fancy tea shops. Amongst all that, a semi-tramp is comfortable wearing his tee-shirt, shorts and trekking boots. He carries his lunch and a book ... read more