Category: Portugal

Portugal 2007 (Oct): Terena

Tuesday, 9 October 2007

Another travel day as we go from Coalhos to Terena along our customary secondary roads.

Lunch: After packing up at Quinta de Coalhos this morning, we headed to Constância for lunch at Remédia d’Alma where we first ate in April. The owner, Carlos, is a very nice man who has great taste in music and runs a very nice restaurant. The “befores” are very tasty here. We particularly enjoy an Azorean hot sauce with queijo fresco and a kind of paté called pé de terresmo.

Since yesterday was Thanksgiving back home, we had arroz de pato which was as close to turkey as we could get. Our wine was Quinta do Carmo 2001 which was very, very good.

After lunch it was on to Terena.

Dinner: It was a beautiful evening, so we ate in the street (Rua Direita), just outside the door to Casa de Terena, where we are staying. A little pão, queijo e vinho, which is all we needed after lunch today!

Weather: Another gorgeous day; 3.0 again.

Rain lily, on the grounds of Quinta de Coalhos, near Abrantes. We stayed here overnight. — Rain lily, on the grounds of **Quinta de Coalhos**, near Abrantes. We stayed here overnight.

Wednesday, 10 October 2007

Quarta-feira (Wednesday) is market day in Vila Viçosa, so we headed there to get some essentials. It’s only about 20 minutes from Terena (north on N255) . After lunch in Alandroal, we drove and hiked to one of the many antas in the area. It was a great experience, partly because of the very helpful goatherds and their beautiful goats that we met both going to and returning from the anta.

Lunch: We re-visited a favourite restaurant in this area: Arco Íris in Alandroal. Steve had língua estufada and Susan, lombinhos grelhados – both were very good.

Dinner: Another picnic supper at Casa de Terena with some local cheese, meat, vegetables and wine … delicious!

Weather: What glorious weather; a perfect 3.0 again.

Ruins at Ciladas, about half-way between Vila Viçosa and Elvas. — Ruins at Ciladas, about half-way between **Vila Viçosa** and **Elvas**.

It is either the Pão Mole anta or the Galvões anta. — It is either the **Pão Mole** anta or the **Galvões** anta.

These are beautiful goats (about 200 of them!) - the goatherd told us that they were the serpentina breed. Near Mina do Bogalho. — These are beautiful goats (about 200 of them!) – the goatherd told us that they were the *serpentina* breed. Near **Mina do Bogalho**.

Thursday, 11 October 2007

Lunch: We had a nice light lunch at A Moira, just outside of Reguengos (north) on N255. We each had an omeleta de camaroes, accompanied by a salada mista.

Dinner: Tonight’s dinner was special … family style at Casa de Terena. We started with a yummy spinach and lentil soup, garnished with presunto. The main dish was an absolutely delicious Mozambican chicken and rice dish with olives. There was also some zucchini with walnuts and a tasty salad. Great meal!

Weather: 3.0 – just lovely.

Looking south from our balcony on Rua Direita. — Looking south from our balcony on **Rua Direita**.

Friday, 12 October 2007

There is a small (very small!) market in Vila Viçosa on Friday, which we attended for some vegetables. Unfortunately, the queijo stands were absent. However, there is a very good pastelaria there (Casa Azul) where we stopped for our late morning café e bolo – the local queijada was delicious.

Lunch: We explored Borba on either side of the noon hour and ended up for almoço at A Talha a restaurant recommended to us by Jeremy when we were here in April. We didn’t make it then, but are very glad that we did this time. Steve had cuchaço de porco preto no forno com esparregado. Susan had bochechas de porco preto com pimentos. Both meals were very good.

Dinner: This is our last night at Casa de Terena (this visit) and we had dinner ‘in’. Nice pão, queijo, azeitanos e vinho (plus tomato and cucumber), all from this region (Alentejano).

Weather: Another beautiful day – another 3.0.

Across from Casa de Terena. Concept by Susan · photograph by Steve.

Portugal 2007 (Oct): Coimbra

Friday, 5 October 2007

We spent a great deal of time just wandering around Coimbra today, both the Old City (upper) and elsewhere. As is often the case in Portugal, there are a lot of hills involved!

Lunch: We ate ‘out’ on one of the many benches in the well-kept median of the Avenida Sá da Bandeira.

Dinner: We wanted to return to the place we dined last night but it was closed for today’s holiday, Implantação da República. We found a place not too far from our hotel called Restaurante Giro which provided us with a good dinner: carapau for Steve and an amazing açorda de camarões for Susan.

Weather: The weather was a lovely 2.5+ today, with only some occasional clouds.

On the streets of Coimbra, just off Rua do Brasil. — On the streets of Coimbra, just off **Rua do Brasil**.

Elevador e funicular. Saves a lot of climbing! — Elevador e funicular. Saves a **lot** of climbing!

Exploring limits on the steps of the Igreja de São Tiago. — Exploring limits on the steps of the **Igreja de São Tiago**.

Waiting for the o Basó ias. — Waiting for the **o Basó ias**.

The "o Basó ias" [un]loading. — The “o Basó ias” [un]loading.

Saturday, 6 October 2007

Lunch: We travelled across the Rio Mondego (south side) for a picnic on the grounds of Quinta das Lágrimas. Lovely place, very peaceful.

Dinner: Back to O Cantinho dos Reis for a dinner of cherne grelhado which was very tasty. It was served with boiled potatoes and a salad and of course we had some vinho tinto de casa. Dessert was the usual port and chocolate back at our hotel.

Weather: Beautiful day – a perfect 3.0 on the Knowmark Weather Scale.

Our pastelaria of choice in Coimbra. Great pasteis de nata here (on Avenida Sá da Bandeira). The people aren't waiting to get in - it's a bus stop. — Our pastelaria of choice in Coimbra. Great *pasteis de nata* here (on **Avenida Sá da Bandeira**). The people aren’t waiting to get in – it’s a bus stop.

Fun with shadows. On Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes. — Fun with shadows. On **Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes**.

On the grounds of Quinta das Lágrimas. Our view at lunch. — On the grounds of **Quinta das Lágrimas**. Our view at lunch.

On the grounds of Quinta das Lágrimas. Unusual submerged pots with lily pads planted in them. — On the grounds of **Quinta das Lágrimas**. Unusual submerged pots with lily pads planted in them.

Our home in Coimbra. This is shot from our balcony. The staff here are very nice. — Our home in Coimbra. This is shot from our balcony. The staff here are **very** nice.

Sunday, 7 October 2007

Lunch: We climbed (with the car) high into the Serra de Buçaco, specifically in the Buçaco National Forest for lunch (the usual picnic) today. It is a beautiful area.

Dinner: Dinner this evening was in a mall (yes you heard right!) attached to the Estadio Cidade Coimbra where we were attending the football match later. The restaurant was called Siga de Vaca and we had a very good meal of lombo de frango grelhado which came with nicely grilled bacon and espinafras.

Weather: Another lovely day, marred only by a few clouds. So, 2.5+.

Lunch companion. In the Buçaco National Wood. — Lunch companion. In the **Buçaco National Wood**.

FC Porto at Buçaco. We went to visit the magnificent grounds around the Palace Hotel do Buçaco, and found this bus! Apparently, the team stays here when they play Académica (9:15pm kick-off tonight). — FC Porto at Buçaco. We went to visit the magnificent grounds around the **Palace Hotel do Buçaco**, and found this bus! Apparently, the team stays here when they play **Académica** (9:15pm kick-off tonight).

Everyone wanted to be photographed next to the bus.

On our way into the stadium for the match, we spotted the FC Porto bus again, so we had to take another photograph to go with the ones from earlier in the day. — On our way into the stadium for the match, we spotted the **FC Porto** bus again, so we had to take another photograph to go with the ones from earlier in the day.

Discussing the penalty. The penalty resulted in the only goal of the match: 0-1 Académica-Porto.

Monday, 8 October 2007

Today was a travel day, as we left Coimbra after our first visit there. We enjoyed the city and surrounding area quite a lot. The initial part of our drive was very scenic, from Coimbra to Panela on N110-3 and N110.

Lunch: We picnic’d at a lovely spot on N237, just west of Aldeia de Ana de Avis.

Dinner: We have eaten at O Cabaço during our two previous visits to Portugal and never been disappointed. Nor were we this time: Steve had arroz de polvo and Susan had porco alentejano. We didn’t recognize the wine we ordered (that’s why we ordered it) but the owner Senhor Luiz not only remembered us, but remembered that it was the same wine we ordered last time we were there in April!

Weather: Another perfect 3.0.

Steve at the centro geodésico de Portugal.

Portugal 2007 (Oct): Nazaré

Monday, 1 October 2007

We arrived at Quinta das Rosas late in the afternoon – much later than planned. Unfortunately, our flight from Toronto to Lisboa was delayed by nearly six hours. Nonetheless, had a good flight with a nice crew. In April, our last place was here at Quinta das Rosas, and we liked it so much we decided to start this visit here.

Dinner: Re-visited Sete Saias in Nazaré where we started with some cold boiled shrimp (so fresh they tasted sweet!) followed by arroz de marisco accompanied by a bottle of vinho verde de casa.

Weather: An unexpectedly nice 2.5 on the Knowmark Weather Scale (it was supposed to be rather unpleasant today).

Tuesday, 2 October 2007

Lunch: We lunched at A Casa in Alcobaça, which is also a garrafeira (which we had visited in April). After a couple of salgados we shared a portion of polvo à galega and a portion of polvo à lagareiro. This was accompanied by most of a bottle of vinho verde and then a couple of excellent cafés to finish.

Dinner: At home, watching Sporting dispatch Dynamo Kyiv while listening to Arsenal ease by Steaua Bucureşti in the Champions League.

Weather: Very mixed. A lovely 2.5 until late in the day, when a large storm blew through. But, by 7pm we were getting a lovely sunset.

Wednesday, 3 October 2007

After the market and our morning café e pastel, we went a few kilometres south to São Martinho where there is a Percurso Pedestre (walking track). We eventually hiked part of the trail around Serra dos Mangues. The day was quite hazy at that time, so most of the photographs we took were of rather low quality.

Lunch: We returned to a spot we ate at in April – Casa Pires “A Sardinha” – for the house specialty: sardinhas grelhadas. They are freshly grilled on charcoal just around the corner from the main door and they are amazing. We think they might have been better this time than last, but that might just be our imaginations as Anna told us this morning that in April, they would have been frozen and this time they would be fresh. They are served with a simple salad, potatoes and really great bread. We of course accompanied it with a bottle of vinho verde.

Weather: A very passable 2.0. Not much sunshine (foggy in the morning), but no rain.