Spain Road Trip - Portugal Part 1

Day 44 10/05

Happy Birthday Dad & Lauren! We sadly left Cangas. It was such a shame we couldn’t stay longer, but we had pre-booked accommodation in our next city Porto, in Portugal! We went through Vigo trying to find Media Markt! We were trying to find it in order to buy a headset to call Nat’s Dad on skype for his birthday. It wasn’t to be, Cam got caught in the city and eventually made our way back out of the crazy streets! We headed along the coast and crossed the border in to Portugal.

We changed time zone, so gained an hour. The countryside was quite different and the roads weren’t as good as Spain. We arrived to our hotel in Porto. A pretty dodgy hotel, but the old guy on reception was really helpful. Free wifi in the restaurant area downstairs! Ironically, there was a computer store right next door to our hotel, and we made it just before closing time. Cam lashed out and bought a 6.50 euro headset! We called Nat’s Dad, but didn’t realise the time difference was much later! It was after midnight! Sorry Dad! Had a good chat to him for his birthday and headed out to dinner. Went to a local restaurant and struggled with the language barrier! Food wasn’t that great, but they really put on a buffet, serving the meat platter with rice, chips & salad! (not forgetting the fried banana with it?) Went to bed soon after.

Day 45 11/05

Happy Mother’s Day Mum’s! Nat called her Mum and had a really good chat with her. Only the second call since we’ve been away. It’s been so hard to call from Spain. Unfortunately Cam’s Mum wasn’t home which was a real shame. We spent the day looking around Porto. A really cool place. Quite a hilly city but! We walked around the city enjoying the sites. Headed over the big bridge, designed by Mr Eiffel who did the Eiffel tower, its a massive bridge over the river, quite high up. We then had lunch and headed to Port tasting! Sandeman was founded by a Scotsman in 1790! Really nice guy led us on a tour, we were the only ones on the tour! The port was really nice and of course we bought ourselves a bottle! We went to a local bar up the road and had another glass of local port.

Walked back over the bridge and went to the most amazing church, ‘GOLDEN CHURCH’. It was absolutely beautiful inside. The outside is quite ugly, but inside all the panelling and the frescos are covered in gold. There was no photos allowed, which was great. It was so serene and peaceful in the church with some lovely music playing. From here we went to the bar strip along the river and enjoyed a beer.

On the steep walk back to our hotel we found this awesome pizzeria. It was full of locals! The pizza was beautiful. Such a cheap dinner yet so delicious! What a score! The walk was quite tough, but we made it back to our hotel and crawled in to bed!

Day 46 12/05

We left Porto at a good time and arrived early afternoon in Figuera da Foz. Along the way our GPs software had decided that gravel roads to non-existent roads. This was a good road apparently? After several kilometres negating the gravel roads to other non-existent road we were back on route. An hour later we were at the coast! Checked in with a very friendly English couple who are running the hostel, (The Paintshop Hostel). This is probably one of the best hostels we have ever stayed in.

After checking in and getting the orientation around this great hostel, of into town. We went to the info centre, got a map and checked out the town. Had a good lunch, ordered a burger, which turned out to be a burger patty, lettuce tomato and cheese, without the bun! A good laugh, but it was very tasty. We sat in the park for a good hour or so to soak up some rays. Nat read her book and Cam had a snooze. We headed to the local hypermarket and stocked up. This photo is a random fountain in the park that you can run through. There is touch-sensitive pads that turn the fountain on and off. Kept us and the local kids amused for hours!

The hostel was quiet and had a big fridge, so we bought enough food for the next couple of days. We caught up on our emails. Cam cooked up a nice stir fry. Nat was off to bed, allowing the boys have a beer. We then got on the beer with Jacques, hostel manager. 2:30 off to bed! Now that's what I call getting friendly!

Day 47 13/05

Day in Figueara de Foz. This beach is the widest in Europe at over 100 metres wide at the widest point. Lovely clean sand and so much room to stretch out.

We went to the market just before midday and picked up some fresh seafood. A tip you need to get to them markets early or there is nothing there!

We headed down to the surfing beach and Cam had a surfing lesson! Nat was official photographer. When we headed to the beach, it was really overcast and was threatening rain. After about 15 mins it had all blown over and the sun came out. Not prepared for the sun, Nat got really sunburned on her legs. Cam had a good go at surfing, not bad for his first time! The instructor was very helpful and funny. Stretches and warming up and stuff I am sure helped. Before leaving we couldn't resist taking some piccies of how it is meant to be done. I love this picture!

We stopped off at LIDL for a few more supplies for dinner. Cam cooked up Squid on the BBQ, served with grilled zucchini. Tasty! He then got drinking with the hostel owners and cooked the main dish, a lovely fish spaghetti. So good! By the time we ate though, it was about 11.30! Off to bed after several more drinks.

Day 48 14/05

We got up and after breakfast, we reluctantly leave this hostel. It really felt like home for us. Jacque and Kate are so friendly and welcoming, it was such a pleasure to stay with them. The hostel is so well kitted out, it has a massive open kitchen with everything you need, a BBQ outside, a bar out the back, a pool table and loads of DVDs to watch. We were able to feel relaxed and cook when we wanted. It was a really great couple of days. Such a shame we couldn’t stay longer. Thanks guys!

The weather was quite lousy and rained as we were leaving. The drive to Sintra took much longer than expected, mostly due to the bad weather and the dodgy GPS. We checked in to our hostel (4-Squared Hostel), if you would call it that! Its only got 4 rooms that are above the cafe/restaurant. The room is pretty basic, with not even a hook on the wall! From one of the best hostels in Figuera to this really dodgy hostel in Sintra!

We walked to the village, but not long after we got caught in the pouring rain, very wet, we went to a local wine bar and enjoyed some wonderful local wine and cheese! The local guy in the bar was really cool too and we had a good chat with him. We looked at the menu in a few of the restaurants and the prices were really expensive. Being broke backpackers, we decided it was out of our league and settled for Pizza Hut on MasterCard!! The locals in pizza hut were really nice and the pizza wasn’t too bad either! We ate back in our room before going to sleep.

Day 49 15/05

We woke after a really bad sleep, the bed was awful, it was so thin, it felt like sleeping on slats all night! We were up early, about 7am, to spend our day looking around Lisbon. We got the train about 8.30, a real shock! Unfortunately the weather gods were not with us and it was raining on and off all day.

We checked out the big square, 'Plaza do Comercio'. It had dozens of 'Smart Cars' painted in various colours and styles. Check out the photo! Cam was offered hash and pot from various dodgy looking fellas! A bit cheeky that we were right next to the parliament building too!

We then walked through the ‘Arco da Victoria’ the long way to ‘Se Cathedral’. A beautiful cathedral which has cloisters out the back, in the middle of the cloisters Archaeologists had identified Roman Ruins from First Century BC. A walk around the area allows you a view from many different angles! We then walked up the hill to Castelo De Sao Jorge. Its Lisbon's iconic castle which dates back to the 6th century!

We were lucky to walk around and check out the spectacular views of the city. But unfortunately once we were on top and walking around the walls, the rain really set in. It poured and poured! We had lunch in a local restaurant, a really nice seafood soup and vegetable soup, we shared both and Nat had squid and Cam had a local chicken stew.

We took the bus to Belem, which is the home of an amazing monastery, not to mention the most famous custard tarts from Pasteis de Belem. We headed there first, it was packed with people buying ‘Pasteis de Belem’, we bought two each, and they were absolutely delicious! We went back for another two each! They were soooooooo good!! We then walked to the Monastery. ‘Mosteiro dos Jeronimos’ took over 40 years to complete! It is truly spectacular. We spent quite some time marvelling at its beauty inside.

Still walking in the rain, we headed over to the sailors monument for a couple of photos and back through the gardens which had a spectacular fountain. We then took the world famous trams back into the city and stumbled around town looking for the famous beer district! We didn’t find it, but picked up a couple of souvenirs and then we were on the train home to Sintra.

Cam checked out the pub downstairs underneath the hostel and posted the Morocco blog part two.

Day 50 16/05

Up early to see the ‘Palacio Nacional da Pena’ in Sintra. Amazing place! When we arrived, the park hadn’t opened as yet. So unusual for us! We were on the first train up to the palace. Walked around the outside first, which was our mistake, because when we went to go look inside, we got caught in with loads of arrogant American tour groups.

Anyway, the Palace has so many different architectural styles and many different shapes, it’s a pretty stunning place. We walked down through the gardens, taking a few photos.

Back on the road, next stop Evora, inland. We stopped off at these very old arranged rocks like Stonehenge, ‘Cromeleque dos Almendres’. They are on a rural property which is privately owned. Its a beautiful drive on a dirt track, surrounded by fields of wildflowers and stunning trees. It was very peaceful. So Cam had to break out in a 'Tip toe through the tulips"

From here we drove into town, getting quite lost trying to find the chapel of bones! On the way through the old town we saw the Templo Roman, which was once a Roman Temple, but only has the columns still standing. It was quite interesting! Cam struggled his way through the old town, through some ridiculously narrow cobble stoned roads. We got a map from a hotel and found some tourists with a guidebook who pointed us in the right direction to the chapel!

Little did we know, we were only a couple of minutes walk from it! The chapel is on the side of church San Francisco, we were looked for the signs for ‘Capela dos Ossos’, the chapel of bones.

Its a small chapel made from bones from the local people. They dug up their cemetery and used the bones to decorate the interior of the chapel. Very freaky! Inscripted in the marble above the entrance door is ‘we want your bones blah blah". You can get more information here WIKIPEDIA. We had a quick beer and icecream and then a hoon drive down to the Algarve. It really is a pretty town and wished we had longer to appreciate the place, but the next coast was calling us!

It was a lovely drive through winding smooth roads in rolling hills. This little Golf doing us proud! We made it in good time, some interesting and quite varied scenery. We picked up supplies at the supermarket, then checked in to our apartment in the Algarve. A bit average but plenty of room with 2 double beds and a pool! Off to bed.

Portugal week 1 finito! You may of noticed that we have put some more links in here for you to check out the places we went and the correct history and stuff.

The next bit is our time in the Algarve, southern Portugal.

Enjoy!

Cam & Nat