Saturday 3rd May - The Navigators

A quite day … let’s slow down a little

Visit the Port – AV presentation on Portugal.

Calamity, nation building, prosperity, calamity, nation building, prosperity, calamity ….. the cycle of nations? – true for Portugal? – crusades, formation of the state, the fruits of the navigators, the Lisbon earthquake, reconstruction, thriving on a rebuilt city, the acceptance of an authoritarian and conservative regime, sink into world isolation, overthrow the regime, build a true democracy, join the EU …. What next … Cycle seems true for Portugal - true for others?

Rise to the top of the navigator’s monument - look down upon the 16th Century map of the known world crafted in mosaics into the forecourt below - ponder on the exploits of the Portuguese navigators – look out over the harbour - what were they thinking when they left for uncharted waters – excitement?

Coffee not great but Portuguese custard tarts more than compensate – many more miles on the bike now a necessity.

A circuit of the city on the “Grayline” – home for the compulsory siesta – dinner tonight at a special restaurant.

Bernie wanders the old city

Portugal … nothing like I imagined – no longer backward – not Spain’s little brother – great infrastructure – lessons for Australia – reaping the benefits of 18th century reconstruction - beware Australian complacency Michael!

Friday 2nd May

Conceived in Stuttgart, engineered in Hamburg, built on the Rhine – could there be a finer pedigree – reduced to roaming the avenues of Lisbon touting for work – I wasn’t meant for this - Oh! The indignity of it all!

No rush – no frenetic pushing and shoving – only traces of crowd surges at peak hour through the magnificent metro - helpful Portuguese ever ready to aid the tourists puzzling over metro maps – need to change from metro to suburban train lines? – puzzle a while – call the shop assistant – takes our hand - points across the street – mimes the shape of the rail station and we are on our way to Sintra

Partake of coffee and custard tarts –

Join a former Portuguese national rally champion and more lately a stand-up comic in his crowded bus for an entertaining journey to the mountain top – marvel as he displays the full extent of both his comic and driving skills - join the passenger list in the chorus of applause atop the hill.

Admire the 16th Century monastery complex that later became the palace of the Portuguese royalty – Prue would love the gardens – Gaudi must have come here – small palace literally perched on a rock on the top of a mountain overlooking Lisbon - fantastic architecture – displays the Moorish/Christian architectural unison.

Home for a siesta

Thursday 1st May - Lisbon

A pleasant small hotel overlooking a small square with traditional Portuguese buildings - A walk through the town on footways paved with small, irregular shaped local stone blocks, Argentinean steak done Portuguese style –local red wine - the reason that you travel!

Back on the excellent motorways towards Lisbon - Perhaps Chaos you really have deserted me.

Sparse broad acre country with Patterson’s curse, broom and other wild plants, superb roadside stops – BP Australia you need to see how to treat a traveller – more sparse broad acre country, the occasional flock of sheep represent some of the first livestock we have seen as we traverse the coastal and southern regions of Spain and Portugal.

The gate to Lisbon – a pretty suspension bridge – past the massive statue of Christ – through the tunnel along wide road – negotiate the traffic at the monument – turn left and enter the hotel parking sanctuary. Chaos you have truly deserted me!

An Ok hotel – May day – no one at work – we watch the March that takes an eternity to get started – too many organisers and not enough workers for an efficient operation – does that say something about management and unions? the girls intrigued by the traditional dress of the locals as they parade along the Avenue past modern business mini -edifices

The Portuguese not known for their food – how will tonight go? – a walk along foot paths paved with the same irregular yet flat stones – the streets are quieter than Spain – much less dynamic – feel very safe – the teller machines are mostly out of money – restaurants are fairly sparse – an Italian restaurant with one table left – magnificent bruschetta and pasta – nice wine – not sure about Portuguese food but you eat well – a long walk home through beautifully lit streets.

Ah Lisbon … you may not be exciting but you are very modern and comfortable!