On The Tourist Trail In Lisbon 13 - 14 October 2013

      The next 3 days were to prove exhausting but worthwhile as we became professional tourists visiting all the key features of Lisbon and Sintra armed with maps, guide books and camera. Our first visit was a bit of an accident but very worthwhile and strongly recommended. It was to view all the famous old carriages in the Carriage Museum at the Palace Riding School. The building was fantastic and the carriages large, ornate and glamourous. Who says that bling has just been invented?

The Palace Riding School And Carriages

Ginny Wants One Of These As Kisti Two's Figurehead!

Carriages In The Old Riding School

      We then viewed the Maritime Museum set in a lovely old building at the end of the Monastry of Hieronymites. The Portuguese were the first great navigators of the world and if they had managed to keep the countries of all their discoveries, they would be a very rich nation.  Guy has always admired the early navigators of Portugal for the fantastic achievements of discovery they made, especially Vasco Da Gama under the leadership of Henry The Navigator. They were great navigators but not good administrators or fighters. The Maritime Museum is excellent and makes our Falmouth Maritime Museum that we visited earlier look like a small annexe! 

Guy Admiring Statue Of Vasco Da Gama
Complete With Seagull On Hat

Hieronymites Monastry Entrance

Henry The Navigator

Map Of Portuguese Discoveries

The Royal Barge. QE2 Was The Last To Use It

Maritime Museum Entrance

     After a quick Ronnies Burger, it was time to explore the magnificent Hieronymites Monastry built from the rewards of the navigators discoveries. A stunning building with a very peaceful priory for meditation. We also found time to visit the Monument To Discoveries and the Bethlehem Tower, both large landmarks as you come up the river to Lisbon. This first day of tourism was exhausting but fascinating. It was early to bed that night with very weary feet.

Maritime Museum & Hieronymites Monastry

Hironymites Monastry In Belem Area

Monument To The Discoveries With Lisbon's April 25 Bridge

Monastry Interior

Vasco Da Gama Tomb In The Monastry

Monastry Cloisters

Monastry Dinning Hall

Cloisters Walkway

The Bethlehem Tower

     Day 2 of tourism and it was to prove another interesting day. Our aim was to spend a day discovering old Lisbon visiting Alfama, Medieval Lisbon, the Baixa and its squares. The first was the Praca do Comercio with the equestrian statue of Jose 1 and the Triumphal Arch all at the original site of the Royal Palace before the fateful earthquake of 1755 which did much tremendous damage to the city. We walked through the straight lined streets of Baixa (designed by a military engineer of course) to the Praca Dom Pedro IV, the heart of present day Lisbon.

Ginny At The Praca do Comercio

Guy At The Praca do Rossio.
They Love The Wavy Floors

     The next was a hard climb up zig zagging streets to the Castelo de Sao George. This castle is of Arab origin and sits on top of the highest hill providing outstanding views. It was attacked by a French noble who became King Afonso Henriques in 1147 with the help of a powerful army of British Crusaders and Franks to help snatch it from the Moorish troops. The battle lasted 17 weeks but was instrumental in pushing the Arabs out of Europe. It is a must visit if in Lisbon

Monument To King Afonso Henriques

Ginny Inside The Castle St George

The Ramparts Of Castle St George

The View Of Lisbon From Castle St George

    Next was a walk down through the narrow winding streets of Alfama (a contrast to Baixa's reconstruction) to Lisbon's Cathedral. Another stunning building dating back to 1195. They have been digging up the cloisters and found Roman and Arab settlements hidden under the central courtyard garden. This visit was to conclude our second day in Lisbon, so with weary feet again, we caught the train back to Cascais to recover on Kisti Two.

Archeological Priory Dig

The Cathedral Interior From Above

Cathedral Interior From Ground Level

Pavoa Da Varzim To Cascais (Lisbon)

    

      Kisti Two departed Povoa Da Varzim on 9 October 2013 and once again it was to be the metal genoa (engine) due to a lack of wind. Once again she was to prove to be a magnet for dolphins and we were swarmed three times by schools of these delightful creatures who as always put on an excellent show for us.

Various Pictures Of Dolphins Off Kisti Two's Bow

      It was a long 94 nm motorsail in calm seas and we reached Figueira Da Foz (Fig Foz) at sunset. The Maritime Police and Marina Staff had all left for the night, so we found our own spot on the pontoons and were soon asleep as we had already planned to depart early next morning to push on towards Lisbon.

Approaching Fig Foz

Navigation Lights On For Early Departure

Ginny On Dolphin Watch

    We passed Nazare, the location of the worlds highest recorded wave due to an excedingly deep marine trench over 1000m deep that comes right up to the beach. Thankfully it was calm with a small swell. We headed on south to try out an anchorage at the cove of Sao Martinho Do Porto, the 'Lulworth Cove' of Portugal. In fact this whole coastline was to remind us of the 'Jurassic Coast Of Dorset' and we were able to put names to all the formations which resembled of our favourite English coastline. We crept slowly into the bay with a rising tide to cross the shallow bar. We searched around for an anchorage spot but due to spring tides and the danger of swell, there was nowhere deep enough so we crept out again to head on south to Peniche

'Worbarrow Bay' Off Portugal!

Entry To' Lulworth Cove', Sao Martinho Do Porto

The Town Of Sao Martinho. No Swell!

Guy Pleased to Cross The Sao Martinho Do Porto Bar

   Kisti Two approached Cabo Carvoeiro which reminded us of Portland with its steep solid rock formations and lighthouse and rounded the headland into the harbour of Peniche. This headland, like Portland had once been an island with a large fortress but was now joined to the mainland. We joined to surfers on an international surf competition in the cafes along the main street and visited the fortress museum. 

Cabo Carvoeiro, Portuguese 'Portland Bill'

Fortifications Of Peniche

    We left Peniche early on 12 October and enjoyed an excellent sail to Lisbon where we decided to stop at Cascais which is at the mouth of the River Tagus. We were visited by more dolphins and passed round Cabo Raso, the most western point of Europe. Our most western position was 38.49'.28' N and 009.31'.42' W. We refuelled with 163ltrs of diesel and the tied up in the Marina overlooked by the old Citadel, now a hotel and some lovely villas. 

Cascais Waterfront And Beach

British Pubs In Cascais Main Square

Guy Admiring The Wavy Crazy Paving

Porto - 8 October 2013

     We decided to visit Porto on 8th October by Metro from Povoa Da Varzim. We were soon in the centre of Porto and the train trip gave us a glimpse of the Portuguese countryside. We were to encounter some lovely old buildings, namely the Municipal Hall, the Railway Station with its lovely painted tiles depicting battles, travel and life in the countryside and then the Cathedral at the top of the city built on an old moorish castle. 

Porto Municipal Building

Part Of The Porto Railway Station Murial

Fortress Porto Cathedral

Porto Cathedral

     We wandered down to the riverside where we enjoyed a good beer and lunch looking over the river to the Port Caves that have made Porto so famous. All the big names in British Port history could be seen on the far bank. The British have certainly had a big influence in Porto and old photos of Brits appeared everywhere.

The Port Caves Of Porto On The South Bank

Sandeman Port Caves And Headquarters

The Bridge Of Dom Luis 1st With The
Serra Do Pilar Monastry In The Background

   We caught a tram after lunch to go and view the river entrance where we caught a fleet of yachts having a race at the mouth of the River Douro. It is described as being dangerous but they certainly appeared to be having much fun despite the strong tide and swell.

Ginny In The Tram

Yachts Racing At The Entrance To The River Duoro

    We walked across the bridge to the south side to visit the Port Caves and Museum of Sandeman Port in the Villa Nova Da Gaia area. This was to prove a wonderful and interesting experience, plus the tasting was an added bonus. We purchased two bottles of Port on exit. This visit is strongly recommended.

The North Bank Where We Had Enjoyed Lunch

The Bridge You Can Cross On Foot
At The Top Or Bottom Level

Sandeman Port Barrels

Guy Enjoying The Tasting Session

The Famous Sandeman Port Logo.

    A rest was required after the tasting session, so we had a quick meal outside Sandemans before walking back over the bridge on the higher level as the sun disappeared over the horizon. Shattered but happy, we caught the metro back to Povoa Da Varzim to make ready to head south again.

Old Port Barges With The Cathedral In The Background

Douro RiverAnd Porto At Sunset

Night Life Starts In Porto