Portuguese Holiday Pics
In January 2001 I attended a meeting in Lisbon with homologues (yes, that is a real word) from the Governments of Portugal, Ireland and Denmark. I took some time off work before and after, and made a holiday of it. I spent a week in the Algarve in memory of Victor Meldrew, and then a week in Lisbon and its environs. The weather wasn't brilliant, but it was a lot better than Winter in Sheffield, and I had a good time. Lots of wine and seafood.
Here are some photographs.
LISBON
An elevador, currently leading nowhere but to a tourist rip-off cafe. Go there for the view, but buy nothing! Especially not 'fresh' orange juice.
And here's that view over Lisbon.
Rossio, site of the Inquisition and the occasional Auto da Fe. Allegedly.
A church, or a convent, or something like that on the Bairo Alto.
The Praca do Commercio. The Place of Trade. Wonder why it's called that?
Perhaps the Marquis do Pombal knows?
Surely not???
LAGOS, where I stayed on the Algarve
The oldest known slave market in Europe. Seems to be a wet Sunday. Not much trade here.
An empty Algarve beach. Only in January.
A Lagos church....ceiling,
Lagos church: open for business.
SILVES
Another church, different place (Silves)
Moorish fortifications at Silves, and friends.
Those Moorish fortifications again. Silves was the Moorish capital of the Algarve. Besieged by the King of Portugal with the help of Crusading chums from Northern Europe. He promised the Moors safety and their possessions if they surrendered. They believed him. The Crusaders had different ideas..
More fortifications.
You get the picture.
SINTRA
Royal Palace, Sintra.
View from the Royal Palace steps.
Moorish fortifications, Sintra. Some poor bloke has been murdered in those woods that very morning.
A kitsch 19th century royal palace, Sintra. Just as the royal family left it when Porugal became a republic. Hurrah!
This material is copyrighted by Andrew Milton but may be reproduced without formal permission or charge for personal or in-house use only. (c) Copyright 2001