Tag Archives: Portugal

Everyday Fearless

Posted on October 10, 2019 by Mairead

(The Book!) I did it! I finished writing my book about our journey earlier this year to Portugal and I’m really excited. (I’m sick with anxiety too but as that feels very like excitement I’m grand.) Do you remember I … Continue reading →

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She Rises

Posted on June 1, 2019 by Mairead

(That’s a stork up there) Yesterday morning we left Portugal. As I write we are in a town in Spain called Palencia. Leaving was a strange experience. First, the road was narrow and it twisted this way and that as … Continue reading →

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Another Day in Bragança!

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Mairead

(From the walls of the castle in the old town) Yesterday was hot in Bragança but as it’s Portugal (thank you, Portugal!) there are numerous picnic tables placed near the camping car parking. As they are all placed strategically under … Continue reading →

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The Old Town of Bragança

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Mairead

(The castle inside the walls of the old town) We have arrived at the town of Bragança. We are tired. We have been pushing on to make time for later. We loved this town last year and we promised ourselves … Continue reading →

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Optimistic Outlook

Posted on May 29, 2019 by Mairead

(Bad…? Not too bad…?) The following morning we left early but not before Denis spilled his coffee. Every morning Denis makes a travel mug of coffee and sips it throughout the day. (Sunset in Torre de Moncorvo from our parking … Continue reading →

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Olive Oil and Wine Tasting

Posted on May 28, 2019 by Mairead

(The road north) We have travelled a long way since Castro Marim and the Algarve and we’ve seen huge changes in the countryside. This eastern area of Portugal is not as well know as the west or the south but … Continue reading →

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Bird Song and Frog Croaks

Posted on May 27, 2019 by Mairead

(Park here… this one’s in Spanish but the picture is always the same) Sunday is the day we travel the longest so from Évora we travelled three hours to a camper van parking spot called Penamacor in Benquerença which is … Continue reading →

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Weird chapel in Évora

Posted on May 26, 2019 by Mairead

(The Chapel of Bones) Next morning we drove up the road to Évora. It was a hot dry Sunday and we were on a mission. Two missions really. Denis had heard about the Chapel of Bones and wanted to see … Continue reading →

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Balancing in Beja

Posted on May 25, 2019 by Mairead

(From inside Ruby inside the garage) We got to the garage in Beja and Denis talked to the very nice man on the desk. Big and all as the garage was they couldn’t fit us in (maybe to their diary) … Continue reading →

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Leaving Paradise…

Posted on May 24, 2019 by Mairead

(The fort from the castle walls at Castro Marim) And then we had to leave… leave the beach, the 6am walks, the sea glass, the heat – no we didn’t have to leave the heat, it is hot everywhere at … Continue reading →

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Looking for the Sea Glass

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Mairead

(Early morning pilgrim on Praia da Falésia) When I wasn’t watching the waves down at the beach I was watching where I walked for interesting treasure. The sea provides plenty of gifts if you keep your eyes open for them. … Continue reading →

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Praia da Falésia

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Mairead

(The sandy path to the beach…) I thought when we were in that sea view spot at the Municipal campsite of Setúbal that there was only one paradise in Portugal. We found another one. In the Algarve and it’s called … Continue reading →

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The Ceramists of Silves

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Mairead

(The studio) As I was walking up to the castle in Silves I passed a door with a sign saying… Cerimeca. Ceramics! Of course I had to go in. (Aren’t they gorgeous?) Inside the dark interior there was a lady … Continue reading →

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Silves’ elusive things

Posted on May 20, 2019 by Mairead

(A glimpse of the wall) There are two things you see a lot of in Silves – the old moorish walls and the storks. Funny enough both are hard to photograph as you walk around. The storks are always too … Continue reading →

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Silves and Mercy

Posted on May 17, 2019 by Mairead

(Old door on the church needs very big key) Silves is a lovely town with plenty of cafes and restaurants and two motorhome parks, €6 per night if you spend more than one night here. You might remember we were … Continue reading →

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Heading for the Hills

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Mairead

(The blackened trees surrounding Alferce) While at the beach Denis read about a village that had a swimming pool, showers and toilets just north of the Algarve. And it was all for free. So next morning we travelled past amazing … Continue reading →

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Off to the Beach

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Mairead

(Nice flowers in the dunes) One of the great things about Portugal is that no matter how hot it gets there’s always (almost always) a breeze near the coast. So when it got really hot by the river we moved … Continue reading →

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Son of Alcacér do Sal

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Mairead

(Statue of Pedro Nunes in Alcacér do Sal) After Setúbal we moved to the town of Alcacér do Sal. We were here last year. You might remember it was the place I built up the courage to ask someone to … Continue reading →

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How to sit in nature…

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Mairead

(I loved this place) After Lisbon we went to Setúbal, the place the train would have brought us to if we’d stayed on board. We arrived on a decent sized road and as often happens our sat-nav system decided we … Continue reading →

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Lisbon… Part 4

Posted on May 2, 2019 by Mairead

(Waiting for the bus) We were pretty much finished in Lisbon after our scooter trip but before we left we had a Nata in Belém. No, not at the place with the queue. Then we waited for the bus. (25th … Continue reading →

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Lisbon by Train, Boat, Tram and Scooter – Part 2

Posted on April 30, 2019 by Mairead

(Long queues to get on Ascenoir da Glória) You might be already aware of a transport theme on our tour and as soon as we had descended the Ascenoir da Gloria we went in search of our next vehicle. I … Continue reading →

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Lisbon by Train, Boat, Tram and Scooter – Part 1

Posted on April 29, 2019 by Mairead

(Love the colours. Cafe near the train station at Cais Sodré) We went to Lisbon on Saturday. If you remember I was to be the tour guide and Denis the tourist. We set off at 8.30am to get the metro … Continue reading →

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Tour Guide for Hire

Posted on April 27, 2019 by Mairead

(Marigolds from Sintra) We’re going into Lisbon tomorrow and I’ve a great tour organized for Denis. Isabel can’t make it so I’ll be the guide but he doesn’t know that yet. (I used to be a guide on the Rock … Continue reading →

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What’s an inverter?

Posted on April 26, 2019 by Mairead

(All the buildings in Sintra were ornate) Our inverter broke last Thursday. It’s the thing that converts the solar energy into electricity to charge the computers. Usually it has a low pitch hum and drones on in the corner doing … Continue reading →

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The heat is on…

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Mairead

(Nice spot to wait for the laundry to dry on Sunday) That title is supposed to say the heating’s on… we’re dipping below two digits on the thermometer again and as I’m not talking about the rain I can’t tell … Continue reading →

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How to say Green Tea in Portuguese

Posted on April 24, 2019 by Mairead

(Look at the book paper butterflies!) We’re sitting in a cafe in the afternoon both in our phones. This is so romantic… well maybe it is. Isn’t romance when the other person turns up with just what you wanted? Or … Continue reading →

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What to do if there’s a petrol shortage…

Posted on April 23, 2019 by Mairead

(The front of Alcobaça monastery) We hadn’t heard of the town of Alcobaça (pronounced Alco-Baza, I think) and I don’t know why. It’s very impressive. To begin with there’s s huge cathedral and monastery in the middle of a very … Continue reading →

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What were you thinking?

Posted on April 20, 2019 by Mairead

(Nighttime in the sand dunes of Figueroa da Foz) Next morning we headed for Figueira da Foz. This town was recommended by a Portuguese Camino walker friend who was here. It is lovely, thank you! (An adorable statue gifted to … Continue reading →

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What to do in Furadouro

Posted on April 19, 2019 by Mairead

(Look at those great clouds) I’ve finally finished telling you about Porto. That was last Saturday and today is Wednesday and we have some catching up to do. First of all the fuel tanker drivers went back to work. That … Continue reading →

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A Day in Porto – Part 4

Posted on April 18, 2019 by Mairead

(Tiles at the second Porto train station) Still talking about Porto although we have moved further south. I am writing in a cafe, the rain is falling outside and there’s a television playing constant breaking news. Although I don’t speak … Continue reading →

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