Moustache - HIDING A STIFF UPPER LIP FOR OVER 37 YEARS.

July 4, 2022. Granada to Barcelona Spain.

Granada’s airport was very efficient, as was the disembarkation from our Vueling flight in Barcelona. 

It was done five rows at a time, which stopped the mad panic that you usually get. 

Why don’t more airlines adopt this approach?

 

July 5, 2022. Barcelona Spain.

We were staying in Rambla del Raval, at the Abba Rambla Hotel, where we have stayed before.

It’s a great area just off the Rambla, the iconic walking street in Barcelona.

Thea’s health wasn’t improving, so we decided to get a doctor to assess her.

The hotel was fantastic and had an English speaking doctor come to visit us in just under two hours.

The doctor suggested that Thea go straight to the hospital for tests.

She was admitted into the Hospital HM Nou Delfos and after an initial consultation, told she would be there for a few days while more tests were carried out.

This particular hospital had an English speaking ward, with both doctors and nurses being able to communicate with Thea.

This was certainly a help.

The hospital was in Gràcia and about 25 minutes by taxi from our hotel in Rambla del Raval.

This was a real change in our plans and meant that, unfortunately, we would no longer be going to Rome for the wedding.

July 6, 2022. Barcelona Spain.

As we had the Abba Rambla Hotel booked and paid for two nights, we decided that I would stay there and get a taxi to be with Thea during the day.

Then I would find a hotel that was close to the hospital and move there.

So it was another day in the hospital again, while we tried to rearrange our plans.

In the evening, after returning to my hotel from the hospital, I had a guilty pint at OLDGOD. This is  a craft beer bar, just near the Rambla del Raval and has 20 beers on tap.

I had a Freddy Fox West Coast IPA, it was excellent and brewed, right there, in Barcelona. 

What a strange name for a Spanish beer.

At €7 (A$11.50) for 500ml it wasn’t cheap but then good craft beer never is. 

While having dinner, which was in Parc Infantil, the square in front of the restaurant, I was warned by a local not to leave my bag on the ground, as it might get stolen. 

Luckily we have learned to strap them to the chair, and the table, so it was pretty safe.

We think we have a diverse culture in Australia. However looking around at the faces in Raval, we have nothing like that at home. 

Obviously there are Europeans, from all countries, but also African, Asians, Indians, Pakistanis, Central Asians, North and South Americans, and of course the odd Australian. 

July 7, 2022. Barcelona Spain.

Thea was still in the Hospital HM Nou Delfos and undergoing numerous tests.

I moved to a new hotel, Catalonia Park Güell, near the Gràcia area, that was walking distance from the hospital.

It was a very quiet area with not a lot of eating options.

That night I finished up dining at Lascaleta, a restaurant that was just over the road from the hospital. 

I got a feeling that they might get to know me there. 

 

July 8, 2022. Barcelona Spain.

Thea was still in the Hospital HM Nou Delfos and waiting to get the full analysis of all the tests she had undergone.

These should come though on Saturday. 

As expected I returned to Lascaleta, the restaurant over the road, for breakfast. The service was excruciatingly slow and I missed seeing Thea’s doctor. 

Today is Brianna’s third birthday and it’s such a shame that we can’t celebrate the event with the rest of the family in Italy. 

Now was the time we were meant to be in Lake Bracciano, north of Rome, for Cam and Fran’s wedding. 

An event that we started to plan for in 2019. 

Then due to COVID it was cancelled in 2020 and here we are, missing it again. 

July 9, 2022. Barcelona Spain.

Thea was discharged from hospital, now it’s a matter of what we do next and how do we recover the expenses. 

This hasn’t been a cheap experience and we have had to move money around in order to pay the hospital bills. 

This was made more difficult by the 8 hour time difference between Barcelona and Melbourne.

And, to make it all the more complicated, Thea was discharged on a weekend, so everything was shut, both in Spain and Australia. 

My afternoon task was to find a pharmacy that was open and get Thea’s medication. 

Apart from the anxiety and worry of Thea’s hospitalisation, significant world events happened over the time of her stay. 

In Britain, Boris Johnston resigned as Prime Minister and in Japan, former Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe was assassinated. 

What an eventful time this is.

 

July 10, 2022. Barcelona Spain.

We are in the Catalonia Park Güell Hotel now and, fortunately, back together again. 

Thea is still taking it slow and will be for some time.

I think the rest of our trip will be done as ‘Slow Travel’ which is the way I like it anyway. 

But not under these circumstances. 

We did a bit of a casual meander around the Gràcia area and enjoyed some of the local architecture.

Especially the Art deco buildings.

Afterwards we had an ‘accidental lunch’ at Askadinya a Mediterranean, Palestinian, fusion restaurant in Gràcia.

These accidental meals pop up from time to time and are mainly due to circumstances changing.

This one, like so many we have had, turn out to be a pleasant surprise.

 

July 11, 2022. Barcelona Spain.

After breakfast, again at Lascaleta, we crossed the road to the hospital and settled the bill. 

Hopefully this is the last time we have to go there. 

This has been a very expensive exercise and now we have to go through the laborious task of claiming it all on the travel insurance. 

This won’t be easy, as most insurance companies are very reluctant to honour their commitments. 

We then caught the underground to Badalona, one of our favourite spots from the time we lived there in 2012.

Lunch was on the waterfront, next to the train line.

We then walked up and down Carrer de La Mar, the main shopping strip in Badalona and eventually caught the overground back to our hotel.

That night we discovered the fresh fruit platter at the hotel, was a great dish to end the day, especially after a long Spanish lunch.

Interestingly the medication Thea was on meant that she had developed a voracious appetite.

There was no way I could keep up with her.

July 12, 2022. Barcelona Spain.

It was a slow and quiet day in the city, then another long Spanish lunch.

Unfortunately there was no siesta to follow. 

After a drink and nibbles back at the hotel, we returned to our room to pack. 

Tomorrow was going to be an early start and a long day.

We had talked my mate Denis into letting us stay at his place in Arnex-Sur-Orb in Switzerland.

After everything we had been through, a few restful days in the Swiss countryside would do us all good.

Denis was due to be in Rome for the wedding as well but unfortunately he also had to miss out, as he can no longer tolerate the heat.

June 13, 2022. Berlin, Germany to Porto, Portugal. 

Today we are off to Porto in Portugal. Getting to the airport in Berlin was easy, as we again used our €9 monthly ticket. 

However once we got there things started to go downhill. 

We had to check in via a machine, as Ryanair wanted €50 each to have their staff do it. 

It was going to be late by the time we arrived in Porto, so we felt we needed to get something substantial to eat.

There were plenty of places advertised in the airport but nothing was open. 

So it was a salami baguette for dinner. 

Then finding out what lounge the aircraft was leaving from took a long time. When we finally got there, there were nowhere near enough seats for a plane load. 

Half the passengers ended up standing, or sprawled on the floor. 

Then the flight was 20 minutes late. 

I have never had much time for Ryanair and this just confirmed my dislike of this airline.

They are not only a low cost airline they are ‘cheap’ as well.

It was an evening flight to Porto, so on arrival we went straight to an airport hotel, The Park Hotel Porto Aeroporto.

June 14, 2022. Porto, Portugal. 

Today was rather an inactive one, as we were just getting settled into Portugal and our first big adventure. We were also waiting for the arrival of Ev, Steph and their young daughter Aida, who were going to be travelling with us.

Late in the morning we moved from the airport hotel to our Airbnb in Porto.

Later that afternoon E, S and A arrived and then we all settled into our accommodation.

We were going to spend just over two weeks exploring this beautiful country. 

It would mainly be by car, travelling from Porto in the north, to Lisbon, the capital, in the south.

 

June 15, 2022. Porto, Portugal. 

It was 1974 when we were last in Portugal – this time was very different.

Back then, we were a young couple, living in Manchester, England and had brought our VW Kombi Van across the channel to tour Portugal and then travel down to Morocco.

Forty eight years later we were with our son, his wife and their young daughter, travelling together and staying in Airbnbs, not living out of our van and cooking for ourselves.

Fortunately we had a Metro station close by, so it was easy to get into Porto city centre to rediscover city. 

Tiles were the architectural feature I had forgotten about and now they struck me the most.

Igreja de Santo Ildefonso, an 18th Century church, was our first tile encounter.

This was followed by many more examples of architectural tiling. This ornamental art form is highly decorative and a symbol of Portugal to the world.

Tiling was first developed in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, almost 3,000 years BC, but it was the the Muslims that introduced the art form to Europe in the 7th Century.

In the Iberian Peninsula, it was the Moors who introduced tiling to Portugal and Spain.

The colours of blue and white seem to dominate Portuguese tiles and that, according to history, comes from the influence of Chinese porcelain.

Porto is regarded as the tile capital of Portugal. However they can be found all over the country, from small villages to major cities.

We wandered the streets and everywhere we went we encounter Portuguese Tarts, either being sold or consumed.

Needless to say we had to try them.

The Dom Louis 1 Bridge and the Douro River dominates the city, as do the steep, narrow streets.

On our walk we came across the monument to Prince (The Navigator) Henry of Portugal (1394–1460).

The Prince was a central figure in the maritime discoveries of the Portuguese Empire in the 15th Century.

We finally got to the river late in the day but rain and lack of time stopped us from crossing it.

This would have to wait for another day.

 

June 16, 2022. Porto, Portugal. 

Today was spent doing what we didn’t finish yesterday, mainly crossing the Douro River on the Dom Louis 1 Bridge. 

On the other side of the river we found a park for Aida to play in – they seem to be in short supply.

Then it was down to the river to have lunch, followed by a port – naturally.

We were in the Port Wine District, on the Douro River, and there was a huge sign, atop a building, for Sandeman, a very popular Portuguese port. 

Sandeman was established in 1790 and is world famous, especially the logo. This features a man known as the ‘The Don’ who is wearing a Portuguese student cape and broad brimmed Iberian hat.

It was still overcast and rain threatened.

After lunch we took a trip on the Funicular Teleféyico de Gaia. This gave us a great view of the river and the city.

Then, after a bit more city walking, we headed back over the river and visited the São Bento Railway Station, which is a UNESCO listed site in the Old City Centre. 

Built in 1905 the station is regarded as one of the jewels in the crown of Portage tiling.

It certainly is impressive and had to be seen.

It was then back on to the underground for a return trip to our Airbnb for dinner.

 

June 17, 2022. Porto, Portugal. 

We stayed close to our accommodation in the morning, as we had to return to the airport to pick up a rental car in the afternoon. 

We felt that the best way to travel to Lisbon from Porto was to get a rental, that way we were in control.

Firstly it was a coffee at Ponto 2, which was right next to our Metro station.

It became our go-to in Porto, as it was a short walk from our accommodation and had a large indoor and outdoor space and the coffee wasn’t that bad. Aida loved the Portuguese style croissants there.

Then Monumento aos Heróis da Guerra Peninsular, for a photo opportunity before continuing on to the Opera House (Casa da Musica).

This is the home of the National Orchestra of Porto and an amazing piece of architecture.

Completed in 2005 and designed by Rem Koolhaas, it was the result of an international architectural tender that was motivated by Porto becoming the European Capital of Culture in 2001.

The interior is just as impressive as the outside and it even boasts it’s own original typeface for the signage.

It was built on the site of an old tram terminus.

It was then off to the Mercado Bom Sucesso for lunch with lots of aggressive and hungry pigeons.

Back to the house and then the Metro to the airport with Evan, and Aida, just to make sure we got the child seat that had been pre ordered. We felt we might need some living proof that we really did need the seat.

The seat wasn’t an issue but we were faced with a very aggressive sales woman who made sure that I took every ‘On Sell’ on offer.

I took what I needed as I did have my own insurance and felt that would cover all contingencies.

We did get a rather nice Renault 6 speed, manual Kadjar Diesel, Black Edition.

As I was going to be the designated driver, my task then was to get my brain around driving on the right, with a left hand drive vehicle again.

Once we got back from picking up the car, it was off to the local supermarket to get food for the next few days. 

We had real fun driving out from the supermarket site, as it didn’t seem to have a clear exit plan.

 

June 18, 2022. Porto, Portugal. 

Fortunately our accommodation had good parking underneath, so we could do day trips and always be able to return to a free spot.

After finally getting one of the SatNavs to work properly, we drove to Amarante. The Renault had one, I had one and of course we all had phones but we did have trouble getting the one in the car to work properly.

Our first photo opportunity was the Church and Monastery of St. Gonçalo. Built in the Italian Renaissance style, both were established in 1543, by João II and completed in 1620. 

We then wandered around Amarante for a while before driving east to Pinahão.

This charming little town, is in the heart of the Port Wine country and sits on the banks of the Douro River.

We had lunch overlooking the river and then walked from there to the Pinahão Railway Station.

This is on the main train line from Porto and attracts many tourists. Again the blue tile work at the station was stunning.

It was then off to the House of Sandeman, at Quinta do Seixo, for a Port Wine experience.

As I was the ‘designated driver’ it was only a sip for me, however we did buy a bottle for Ron – ‘Later on’. 

This is the main outlet of the famous Sandeman brand and sits in the heart of the Douro Region overlooking the Douro River valley and river.

Out the front, with the best views, is the iconic Sandeman Don, complete with his Portuguese student cape and Jerez sombrero.

We had seen him atop a building in Porto and now here he was again.

Sandeman Wine was founded in 1790 by Scotsman David Sandeman. It wasn’t until 1928 that the iconic logo came into existence. It was designed, also by a Scot, George Massiot Brown.

The company was sold to Seagram in 1979 and is currently owned by the Portuguese company Sogrape. However a descendant, George Thomas David Sandeman, is a member of the board of Sogrape Vinhos.

 

June 19, 2022. Porto, Portugal. 

A delicious morning coffee in Porto, then off for another day of touring.

This time we headed north, for about an hour, to the historically significant city of Braga.

It hosts Portugal’s oldest Catholic archdiocese, the Archdiocese of Braga.

We were in the midst of Catholic celebrations, as the Festival of John the Baptist was in full swing when we arrived.

The actual festival wasn’t for a few days yet, on June 23, but there was still a lot of celebration and preparation happening when we arrived.

We enjoyed the atmosphere in the town centre then went for a wander around.

Portugal is famous for its sardines and they were certainly being celebrated in one particular shop.

The walls were lined with hundreds of cans of the salty treat.

We visited the Gardens of Santa Barbara, the Archbishops Palace (16th, 17th and 18th Centuries), the Town Hall (1754-1865), the Arch of the New Gate (1770) and Braga Cathedral (1089).

All the time the sky’s were darkening – rain was certainly on the way again.

We drove to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, which is high on a hill overlooking Braga.

And by the time we got there the rain had found us.

This sanctuary, was first developed in 1373, however the present structure was started in 1722.

The Baroque church, at the top of the stairway, was built around 1725 by architect Manuel Pinto Vilalobost.

After dodging the storm and trying to stay dry, Ev, Steph and Aida took the funicular back down. Thea and I then drove down to meet them and headed back to Porto.

 

June 20, 2022. Porto to Nazaré, Portugal. 

Today we left Porto and drove to south to Nazaré. It was a relatively easy 2 hour drive, mainly on the freeways. 

Even though our Renault Kadjar seemed spacious, it did take a bit of an effort to get everything in for the move to Nazaré.

But then we were travelling with a small child and this therefore included extras like a cot and portable pusher.

Nazaré is a very popular seaside resort on the Costa de Prata, or Silver Coast. This is understandable, given the size and length of the sandy beach.

This  beach area is known as Praia, which is one of three neighbourhoods that go to make up the town.

The other two are Sitio and Pedermeira, which are elevated.

The earliest settlements were in these two towns, as they were high up and a refuge from the invading Vikings.

The Nazaré Funicular, from Praia, is an easy way to get to Sitio, which sits on a clifftop overlooking the beach.

Once we got settled into our apartment we went for a stroll around town. We were staying very close to the beach and an easy walking distance into the main town centre.

We also had good on-site parking again, so we didn’t need to worry about the car.

Now the weather was more pleasant with blue sky and moderate temperatures. However nothing like the heat wave that other parts of Europe were experiencing.

It wasn’t the ‘Tourist Season’ yet in Nazaré and the streets and beach were rather quiet.

Our accommodation was very spacious, with a large kitchen area as well as an equally large dining and living space.

That night’s dinner was a home cooked affair.

 

June 21, 2022. Nazaré, Portugal. 

It was a late start to the morning, then off for another great Portuguese coffee. 

We found the coffees in Portugal to be very much to our liking. They are full of flavour, strong and never too large and drowned in water.

Fortunately the ‘Americano’ style hasn’t reached here yet.

We then explored the Nazaré Municipal Market, which wasn’t exactly buzzing. 

In the afternoon we took the Nazaré Funicular or Elevador da Nazaré to Sitio, which sits on the cliff overlooking the main beach.

From the top of the funicular it was a good walk to Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo but unfortunately it started to rain so out came the coats and umbrellas.

Before reaching the fort we stopped to look at Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré.

This is an ancient and imposing Marian shrine, that was founded in the 14th Century and is in memory of a miracle that occurred under the intercession of the Virgin Mary. 

Praia do Norte is the beach below the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo and home to some of the world’s largest waves.

Within the fort there is a tourist centre and memorial to these huge swells with many photos and stories of the feats that have occurred here.

Currently the record for the biggest wave surfed at Praia do Norte is held by the Brazilian, Rodrigo Kota, and stands at 24.4 metres or 80 feet high from trough to crest.

Also near the entrance to the fort stands the Escultura Veado Surfista. This is a 6.30 metre, steel and marble sculpture of a surfer with a deers head and antlers.

Created by the Portuguese sculptor Adália Alberto and installed in 2016, it honours the legend of Nazaré.

‘When in Rome’ or in this case ‘When in Portugal’ do as the locals do. So tonight we had sardines for dinner at Taberna d’ Adélia.

 

June 22, 2022. Nazaré, Portugal. 

The weather was still unusually cool for Summer. In fact it had been warmer in Berlin and that was so much further north. 

After our day in town yesterday we were off to explore some of the surrounding areas today. 

At the price of a rental you can’t leave the car in the garage for too long. 

We headed for Ōbidos, a UNESCO City of Literature. 

This was about an hours drive south of Nazaré, on the more scenic route, as we didn’t need to take the toll roads.

Just before we reached Ōbidos we discovered a Roman Aqueduct just outside of the town. Apparently there are about three kilometres of aqueduct, which connects to a further three kilometres of tunnels, which all begin at a natural spring near Usseira.

One of the city gates in Ōbidos was decorated with Azulejo. This is a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted tin-glazed ceramic tile work.

Yet again more beautiful Portuguese tiles.

St. Mary’s Square was a big tourist draw and surrounded by many cafes and restaurants.

Naturally this became our spot for lunch.

On our walk and just on the edge of the main township is the Castle of Ōbidos. This is a well preserved Medieval building.

It was a relaxing day of touring and that night we ate at home again while preparing to move again tomorrow.

 

June 23, 2022. Nazaré to Sintra,Portugal. 

Again we were heading south, this time to Sintra.

It was a easy two hour drive to Sintra but once we got there it was hell finding a parking spot. 

We did get a spot, that was about 100 metres from our room. However it was on a corner and possibly not legal. 

I’ll wait and see if I get caught. 

Our accommodation was yet another Airbnb and on the top floor of the apartment block. To get to the top, with all our gear, they were steep steps to climb.

This was a sign of things to come.

The village was set in the mountains outside of Lisbon and had some of the windiest streets I have ever driven around. 

It was a labyrinth of hairpin bends, some required a three point turn to negotiate. Plus there were a multitude of one way streets and very steep hills. 

There was very little available, or easily accessible parking anywhere in the city and not just near or room. 

We walked into the town centre and had some lunch. I wasn’t about to give up our precious parking spot, legal or not.

This was mostly down hill and it was only on the return journey that we realised just how steep the streets were. 

I’m glad we are only here for two nights.

Lunch was at Cafe da Vila and at €65 for all of us not to bad. They were really pushing their lower prices, which was evident by the €8 MENU signs all over the cafe walls.

We needed to get food for breakfast and provisions for Aida, so our next task was to search for a supermarket. We found a small one, near the centre of town, so had to lug around our purchases for the rest of the day.

We continued our walk around the town, fortunately most sights weren’t too far apart.

Near the centre was the National Palace of Sintra. Unfortunately it was getting late in the day and there was no time to explore the whole site, so we just settled on visiting the garden.

This is said to be the oldest palace in Portugal, with a royal structure on this site for as long as Portugal has been existence.

The palace is dominated by two, giant conical chimneys, hovering over the palace kitchen.

For dinner we found a craft brewery, Villa Craft Beer and Bread. It was not in the main tourist area so not crowded. 

The food was good and the local craft beer was excellent.

Then it was a very steep walk back to our accommodation.

Thea was starting to suffer from the climbing and we became a little suspicious about her health.

 

June 24, 2022. Sintra, Portugal. 

Raining again – where has summer gone. 

Today was one of visiting palaces – the first was the Palace of Pena.

It was a nightmare getting their by bus, as we didn’t want to drive and then try and find parking spots.

In Sintra you are more a mountain goat than a tourist – everywhere is a climb. 

I have never been in a tourist attraction that was so crowded. It was one continuous line right through the Palace interior. 

The Pena Palace was a former monastery that has suffered over the centuries.

It’s history started in the Middle Ages, when it was a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pena.

A small monastery, that only housed 18 monks was built on the site in the 15th Century. Then in the 18th Century it was severely damaged by lightning. However it was the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 that left it in ruins.

In 1838 King Ferdinand II transformed the remains and turned it into his summer palace.

The current structure was built in the Romantic style and constructed between 1842 and 1854. Over time the dominant colours of red and yellow faded and it was only in the 20th Century that the colour was restored. 

In 1995 the palace and the Cultural Landscape of Sintra became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Over one of the entrances to the Palace was a relief of Triton. Was it male or female, animal, vegetable, fish or even human?

The creature is perched on a giant shell that’s surrounded by many nautical symbols. It is holding a tree trunk that is combined with vines and other flora and fauna.

In the afternoon we trekked over the valley to the 12th Century Moorish Castle. 

Again this was an exercise in mountaineering. 

The Castle of the Moors, as it is sometimes called, was built in the 8th and 9th Centuries and is included in Sintra’s UNESCO World Heritage listing.

Only the walls, some parts of the entrance gate and one tower remain of the castle. The rest was also destroyed in the Great Earthquake of 1755.

The return bus ride was even a bigger stuff up than the one going out. 

Sintra is a huge tourist destination but it’s transport system fails at every level. 

 

June 25, 2022. Sintra to Lisbon, Portugal. 

We moved from Sintra to Lisbon, with a good break in Cabo da Roca. This is the most western point of Continental Europe. 

Once we arrived in Lisbon, the main task was to drop the car off at the airport. 

However our climbing wasn’t over yet. The apartment in Lisbon was on the second floor, the third for us, and there wasn’t a lift.

However the view of parts of Lisbon from the top floor was spectacular.

This was another Airbnb and like so many of them these days the owners or managers never check to see if everything is operational.

The electricity supply had serious issues and the power points seemed to go out when we put the oven on.

 

June 26, 2022. Lisbon, Portugal. 

Today was our day to explore Lisbon but before that we discovered Depozito. This was a very eclectic store that had many old posters, collectibles and packaging.

We had a shortish walk to the tram and then a ride into the centre. Lisbon, like Melbourne, is a city of trams and also like Melbourne they proudly show off their antique ones.

Travelling with Ev, Steph and Aida is very different to the way we normally do things. For one, they insist on having lunch.

Now it’s not that I deny Thea lunch when we travel alone, it’s just not that important and I usually only have a coffee and that’s it.

Lunch today was in Rua Augusta, a beautiful walking street in the heart of Lisbon, which ends at the stunning Rua Augusta Arch.

The arch and accompanying buildings were built between 1755 and 1873 to commemorate the devastating earthquake of 1755.

There was a lot of construction happening around the arch and I had my time cut out trying to crop out the cranes that were constantly in my shot.

Not far from the arch was Commerce Square and within the square was the Dom José I Statue. Then, just a little further on, was the Tagus River river front with great views of the April 25 Bridge.

Walking on even further, we then came across the Rossio Train Station. This beautiful station overlooks Rossio Square and was completed in 1890.

A feature is the two intertwined horseshoe portals at the entrance this is done in the Neo-Manueline style. This was first used during the 16th Century in Portugal.

To save our legs and to get on the right path for home we took a funicular. The ride lasted less than five minutes and cost €15.20 for the four of us. Not great value, but it did save us having to climb yet another hill.

Before reaching our apartment we came across a weird park, with all sorts of birds, including roosters and hens. 

Just near the ‘Bird Park’ was a monument to Dr. Sousa Martins.

Because of his work with the poor in Lisbon, he was certainly well liked. Testament to that was the number of notes, memorials and flowers around his statue.

That night we ate in again and battled with the electricity.

 

June 27, 2022. Lisbon, Portugal. 

View points was the the theme of today’s tour around Lisbon .

This was partly driven by our desire to see more of the city sights from high up. The view from our apartment was rather good and we felt it could only get better.

We bought a day ticket on the public transport system. This gave us 24 hours travel on the trams, trains, buses and funiculars

The view of Lisbon from Miradouro da Senhora Monte was voted the best after we visited Miradouro da Graça and Miradouro de Santa Luzia.

However we did see some more beautiful Portuguese tile work at Miradouro de Santa Luzia.

We went up to the Castle of St. Jorge but the queue was too long and the guide books suggested that it wasn’t worth the effort to go inside.

Then we tried, for a second time, to get the Santa Justa Lift, but again the line was long and we were running out of time.

That night Ev and Steph were going out for a delayed wedding anniversary dinner and we were on baby sitting duty.

Then the power went out again just as we were preparing dinner

This AirBnB has serious problems.

 

June 28, 2022. Lisbon, Portugal. 

We caught the train to Belēm, which sits on the Tagus River.

The main reason was to visit the Jerónimos Monastery, however we did stop by the river for a bit of a stroll before putting our tourist hats on.

It was here that we got another view of the April 25 Bridge, this time from the west.

Surrounding the Monastery were lots of green space and parks. In one of them was a very imposing monument to Afonso de Albuquerque (1453-1515).

Alfonso served as the Portuguese viceroy to India from 1509 to 1515. He became known as a strong military leader who helped Portugal to expand its territory across the Indian Ocean.

I wonder how long it will be before the anti colonial movement will push to have his name wiped from the history books and the statue pulled down?

The Jerónimos Monastery was erected in the 1500s, near the departure point of Vasco da Gama’s first journey. It was built in the Portuguese Gothic Manueline style and funded by a tax on the profits taken from the Portuguese India Armadas.

In 1880 Vasco da Gama’s remains were moved there and in 1983 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

There was a very long line waiting to enter and we took it in turns to hold our position in the queue.

It has been very well maintained and restored and we did take some time to wander around its vast interior, visiting the Refectory and the Church.

It did take 100 years to build and with the funding coming from the Portuguese Empire no money was spared.

After the Monastery, we returned back to the river and visited the Padrão dos Descobrimentos Monument.

This Monument to the Discoveries was opened in 1940 and designed by Portuguese architect José Ângelo Cottinelli Telmo, and sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida.

It was only meant to be a temporary beacon during the Portuguese World Exhibition of 1940 and was demolished in 1943. However there was so much resistance to the loss that this new and permanent monument was erected in 1960.

A constant sight, over the Tagus River, is aircraft coming in from the south west to land at Lisbon Airport. They were arriving at a rate of about one every two minutes. 

I guess they are all full of tourists. 

Over the course of the last few weeks I have been playing the ‘Kelpie’ and spending a fair bit of my time rounding up Aida.  

It’s been a lot of fun.

Tonight we gave up on battling with the apartment’s electrical issues and went out for dinner at Ortónimo, a restaurant that was just down the street.

This was our last night in Portugal, it was off to Spain tomorrow.

November 22, 2021. Melbourne to Warrnambool. 

Yet again we were heading to Adelaide in an attempt to redeem our paid for accommodation there. 

This was the third time, so hopefully the old adage: ‘Third time lucky’ would be right. 

In Warrnambool we had dinner at the Whalers Hotel, which was the only meal we had out, on our last trip, before lockdown forced us to eat in the room.

That trip we wanted to go to the Warrnambool Hotel, but we missed out as it was full. This night we missed out again, as it was a Monday and they weren’t open.

Would we ever get there? 

 

November 23, 2021. Warrnambool. 

South Australia was opening up after months of closed borders. However there was a plethora of online paperwork and then a COVID test to gain entry.

In the morning we went to get our required Covid tests. The public testing station was at capacity for the day and we were directed to go around the corner to a private laboratory. This was only testing for asymptomatic people or those wanting to travel interstate.

There was little wait time and we were in and out in about 20 minutes and, like the public one, it was free.

This trip we weren’t limited to a 5 kilometre travel zone, so decided to visit Tower Hill, which is 15 kilometres out of Warrnambool.

Tower Hill is an inactive volcano with a 3 kilometre wide and 80 metre deep crater. The last eruption was believed to have been about 35,000 years ago. Aboriginal artefacts have been excavated from the volcanic ash, indicating that the area was settled by indigenous people at the time.

There are some interesting walks around the area but the signage is very poor. We did parts of the ‘Last Volcano Walk’ and the ‘Lava Tongue Boardwalk’ and then drove to the caldera viewing point.

This scene was made famous in 1855 by Eugene von Guerard, one of the foremost landscape artists of the Colonial era.

That evening rain came pelting down, just as we were about to head out to dinner. Would we ever get to the Hotel Warrnambool?

Finally we did make it and remained relatively dry.

 

November 24, 2021. Warrnambool.

Continuing our plan to travel further than 5 kilometres from our motel, we made a side trip to Port Fairy, which is about 30 kilometres away.

Port Fairy sits at the entrance of the The Moyne River and is a town of historical significance. It was originally established as a whaling station in 1835 by John Griffiths and in 1843 it was developed as a town by James Atkinson. Atkinson drained the swamps, subdivided and leased the land and built the harbour.

There are many significant historic buildings in Port Fairy. Attached to each one is a blue plaque with their original names, uses and date of build.

I spent most of our time in the town photographing these wonderful of examples of colonial architecture.

We then had a walk around the Moyne River entrance and Battery Hill.

On the way back to Warrnambool we stopped at Hopkins Falls. At 90 metres wide and 11 meters high, this one of the widest waterfalls in Australia.

Thea got her COVID ‘all clear’ Text at 11:30am, however I had heard nothing by 4pm, so we returned to the testing station in Warrnambool to try and find out why.

They suggested that I phone their notification centre and after 57 minutes on hold I finally got through.

Fortunately I was also negative.

That night we went to the Whalers Hotel again for a drink, then had dinner at Images, a restaurant where we got takeaway from on our last trip. The takeaway had been excellent, so we decided to try the sit down menu – it was also very good.

 

November 25, 2021. Warrnambool to Robe SA. 

After three nights in Warrnambool we were heading to South Australia, which wasn’t an easy place to get into.

Apart from all the apps and online paperwork, there was a border check at Nelson, just outside Mount Gambia. Things went relatively smoothly there, even though one of the App passwords still had not been texted to us.

The chap at the border check wasn’t surprised – I don’t think they have that part of the process working yet. 

As I said to many people on our return to Melbourne: It was easier getting into East Berlin in 1972 than it was getting into South Australia in 2021.

South Australia has a maximum speed limit of 110 kph. on most country roads. It works where the roads can sustain that speed but it’s a bit hairy when they can’t.

We stopped at Mount Gambia for lunch and then visited the Blue Lake, which isn’t far from the city.

The Blue Lake is a large monomictic crater lake located in a dormant volcano. There are conflicting dates to when the volcano last erupted, from 4,300 to 28,000 years ago.

If the most recent date is to be believed, this would make it the most recent volcanic eruption on the Australian mainland.

The lake gets its name from the fact that it turns a vibrant cobalt blue during the summer months.

The Blue Lake supplies Mount Gambia with drinking water and there is a very attractive pumping station on the rim that was built in 1900.

After the Blue Lake we travelled a short distance to see the Valley Lake, another crater lake similar to the Blue Lake and one of the lakes that is part of the Mount Gambia maar.

We arrived at Robe in the late afternoon. 

It was very quiet, compared to Warrnambool. 

 

November 26, 2021. Robe SA. 

In the morning the temperature had dropped, the sky was grey and there was a gale blowing, which apparently isn’t uncommon for Robe.

Breakfast was at the Robe Store, which is in the Robe Industrial Estate. We went there as they featured Mahalia Coffee, which is locally roasted. 

It was a very funky store with an eclectic range of gifts and a strange, old fashioned, style of interior decor.

Robe has two very contrasting districts.

There’s the main town area, with its colonial building and traditional shops, pubs, and restaurants. Then on the outskirts of the town is the industrial estate, with the Robe Craft Brewery, Robe Store and Transmutation.

Transmutation is a plastic recycling workshop and retail outlet, with a deep concern for the environment.

It fits in perfectly to the industrial estate’s alternative approach.

Robe was named after the fourth Governor of South Australia, Major Fredrick Robe, who chose the site as a port in 1845.

Around 1857 over 16,000 Chinese immigrates landed in Robe. They were heading overland to the Victorian goldfields, as the Victorian Government had introduces a £10 landing tax to discourage Chinese migrants.

This tax was more than they had paid for their voyage to Australia.

We did the historic walk around Robe to the Obelisk, covering such sites at the Pai Fang Welcoming Gate, the Chinese Memorial and another to Captain Mathew Flinders and Sub Lieutenant Nicolas Baudin and the Robe Customs House, that operated between 1863 and 1888. 

The Obelisk is the symbol of Robe.

It can be seen from many parts of the area surrounding the town and its image adorns all sorts of businesses and tourist attractions.

The Robe Obelisk was built in 1855 and was used as a landmark to guide ships entering Guichen Bay. It was also used to store rocket fired lifesaving equipment for stricken ships. 

It is 12 metres tall and can be seen for 20 kilometres out at sea.

Near the obelisk are the ruins to the old Robe Gaol. There isn’t much to see as everything is in ruins.

Late in the afternoon we visited the Robe Town Brewery for a taste of craft beer. 

Like all good brew pubs it was in a warehouse, so dogs were allowed and being a Friday night, there was live music and lots of families.

Dinner that night was at the Caledonian Inn, which we were told, was the best of the local pubs.

It was ok.

 

November 27, 2021. Robe to Wellington SA. 

In the morning the sun was out but the wind still strong, so we decided to revisit a couple of the places we had seen the day before, hoping that the light was better for our snaps.

On the way to Wellington we made a side trip to Kingston SE.

This was where we spent a few days after the engine of our VW Campervan blew up on November 2nd, 1976. 

So it was with a little trepidation that I agreed to make the return trip to Kingston SE.

When our VW blew up on the Coorong, a stretch of windblown coast that starts at the mouth of the Murray and finishes at Kingston SE, we had to be towed into Kingston SE. There we waited to find out that the engine was unrepairable and would need to be replaced.

While we waited for the bad news we stayed at the local caravan park and slept in the engineless van.

This was both strange and uncomfortable.

The engine of the VW was in the back and without it the van stuck up into the air, causing us to slide out of bed during the night on a number of occasions.

The new engine had to come from Adelaide and wouldn’t be available for at least a week.

Due to work commitments we returned to Melbourne by public transport, then came back to Kingston SE a week later to retrieve the van.

As the engine was new and needed running in, it was rather a slow drive back to Melbourne.

All in all it wasn’t an enjoyable time in Kingston SE.

It was a longish drive to Wellington, through the Coorong and I was rather glad when we had left the area without any further drama.

As we were too early to check into our hotel in Wellington we stopped at Wellington East and visited the Pangarinda Botanical Gardens.

These gardens are designed to preserve and propagate Australia’s threatened flora, especially from dryer regions.

It was a sunny afternoon and the gardens were a blaze of colour.

We had to get a punt across the Murray River to our hotel, the Wellington, which is right on the river bank.

The Wellington Punt was established in 1839 and was the first and most important Murray River crossing at the time. It was a vital link between South Australia and Victoria and ultimately the Victorian gold fields.

These days the ferry is free and runs 24/7, so throughout the night it was making the 12 minute crossing.

Dinner was at ‘The Welly’ as there was nowhere else to go, unless we wanted to get the punt back over the river.

 

November 28, 2021. Wellington to Victor Harbor SA. 

As the Welly didn’t serve breakfast we were on the punt and back over the river, to Wellington East, for breakfast at ‘The Hall’. 

This seemed to be the trendy place to go for the locals and tourists.

The building was originally a church, built by a local indigenous man, who was prohibited from attending the ‘White’ congregation.

Not very Christian of them.

After breakfast, which was fantastic, it was a bit of a drive and then another punt, this one at Talem Bend, to get us on the road to Victor Harbor.

Then a drive through the Langhorne Creek wine region to Milang.

There we took The Milang Flyer, for the shortest rail trip ever – 300 metres and that was there and back. The train driver was young and very enthusiastic and we got all the info about the train line and the engine.

There is a museum associated with the train and everything is run by volunteers and it’s free.

Afternoon coffee was at the mouth of the Murray at the Coorong Cafe. It was a takeaway van but they did accept our KeepCups and the coffee wasn’t that bad.

The Murray’s mouth is constantly being dredged, as there is a massive build up of silt. This is funded jointly by the South Australian, New South Wales and Victorian Governments.

Once we reached Victor Harbor we had quick walk around town, as it isn’t very big. However one of the most impressive businesses appeared to be the Tattoo Parlour.

And it’s not surprising, considering the number of locals with ‘ink’. 

Our accommodation was at the Hotel Victor, where our Covid screening was the most intense we have encountered so far. 

As an aside, the spelling of Victor Harbor, with the lack of a ‘u’ is not an American influence but a return to archaic English.

 

November 29, 2021. Victor Harbor SA. 

Breakfast was a short walk down the beach to Qahwa, a cafe in a pavilion, between the tennis and beach volleyball courts. 

There was no one playing either sport but the young kids were enjoying the sand on the volleyball side.

Granite Island is one of the main attractions of Victor Harbor, as well as the horse drawn tram that ferries people to it.

However the tram wasn’t running, as there is a new pier under construction and there was the associated kaleidoscope of ‘high-vis’ working on the job.

We did an anti clockwise walk around Granite Island with amazing rock formations and wildflowers along the route.

After circumnavigating the island we retuned to walk back over the bridge, there I found a mobile phone just sitting on a rock and looking very lonely.

I took it to the Causeway Cafe, that’s at the start of the bridge, and left it with the the staff there.

The teamwork involved in getting it back to its owner, who was a student, was amazing.

When I found the phone I mentioned to one of the ‘hi-vis’ there that I had it and would take it to the cafe. A teacher came looking for it, spoke to the worker and then phoned the lost phone’s number. A cafe staff member answered the phone and told the teacher that It was there.

Both the student of the lost phone and their parents would have been very relieved that night – that’s if the student ever fessed up to loosing it.

In the afternoon we drove to The Bluff, Fleurieu Peninsula and then back to Victor Harbor. It was a relaxing drive with iconic Australian rural views along the route.

That night we dined in at the Hotel Victor.

It had been a long day and we didn’t feel like venturing too far from our room.

 

November 30, 2021. Victor Harbor to Adelaide SA. 

Breakfast was back at Qahwa, as the temperature started to rise.

It seems to be a popular spot, with many of the same people having breakfast as were there the previous morning.

It was a relatively short drive to Adelaide, however we did make a diversion to Hahndorf. 

This iconic town, with its strong German influence, was setting up for Christmas and the evidence of the European celebrations could be seen everywhere.

We checked into the Frome Street Apartments in the middle of the afternoon.

Using the credit from an earlier trip, that was abandoned due to a lockdown, was the reason for coming to South Australia in the first place.

It was great to be able to finally get a return for the money spent.

It was very hot in Adelaide when we arrived, with the temperature up around 39°C. 

We had a brief walk along Rundle Mall before buying some provisions for breakfast. 

We figured that the money we saved on getting our own breakfasts for the next three mornings, might go towards paying for the parking, which was in a multi-story carpark just down the road.

After trying to get into a number of restaurants that were booked out (well it was a Tuesday and most places were closed) we settled on ‘The Original Coopers Ale house’. This was situated in  The Earl Aberdeen Hotel. 

Originally built in 1879, it was a part of a network of Adelaide’s corner pubs. An addition was made in 1924 and in 1987 it was refurbished and officially opened by Dame Edna Everage, AKA Barry Humphries, as the ‘Coopers Alehouse’ the home to South Australia’s last remaining major brewery.

 

December 1, 2021. Adelaide SA. 

It wasn’t a good start to the day when we discovered that the hot tap in the shower was caput. 

After a few phone calls a plumber turned up and changed a washer. 

So it was a late morning shower and a late start to the day. 

As we self catered for breakfast we weren’t forced to go onto the streets ‘unwashed’

The temperatures were high again as we went for coffee at Roxie’s Garden Cafe. It was a pleasant environment but the coffee was very disappointing, even after we gave specific instructions on how we wanted it. 

We caught the Tram to Glenelg, which is on the beach and if you have a Seniors Card, it’s a free ride.

Another benefit of getting old. 

At the beach it was much cooler and we enjoyed a walk around the area and also along the pier.

The vast majority of people in the water and on the sand were school leavers and university students – all on holiday now. 

On the pier there were lots of these young people, both boys and girls. These I divided into ‘jumpers’ and ‘non-jumpers’, as there was a group who just jumped off the pier and another lot that talked about it but never committed.

It was a coffee for me and lunch for Thea in Moseley Square at Cibo Espresso. 

The coffee this time was excellent. 

Then it was another free tram ride back into Adelaide.

There were parts of the track running in a fenced off area, here the tram went flat out. 

It was the Glenelg ‘Bullet Train’

When you are on foot, waiting for traffic lights in Adelaide takes up half your journey.

This is a city for drivers, not pedestrians and the traffic light cycle takes forever as cars from all directions get right of way ahead of the poor old peds.

We walked, all be it slowly, to Soi 38 for Dinner.

This was a Thai restaurant with great food but there was a winging old fart at the table next to us who complained about everything. 

He left well before us, greatly improving the atmosphere and the night’s experience.

 

December 2, 2021. Adelaide SA. 

It was a better start to the day, with everything working. 

The temperature was still warm but not as hot as the previous two days. 

Morning coffee was at Cibo Espresso on Pirie Street. This was one in a group of cafes that we found at the beach in Glenelg. 

Again the coffee was great. 

We walked to the Himeji Japanese-style gardens, built to celebrate the Sister City relationship of Adelaide with the Japanese city of Himeji. 

We then continued our tour through a number of Adelaide’s beautiful parks back into the city.

In King Rodney Park / Ityamai-Itpina we met a chap practicing Frisbee or Disc Golf. This, as the name suggests, uses frisbees, not golf clubs and ball to play a round.

The interesting thing was that he was practicing with a range of different frisbees. As he explained you choose the frisbee that best suits the ‘shot’ you want to make.

Much like choosing the right golf club I guess.

In walking through the parks we discovered that each one has an anglicised name as well as an indigenous one. This is a great way to recognise the original inhabitants of the area.

Lunch and coffee at The Rose East End. Then it was a short walk up the bottom end of Rundle Street. Here we discovered all the interesting places to eat in the old market area close to our apartment – pity we hadn’t known about this earlier.

We then walked down to and around the main train station and back to our apartment.

Late in the afternoon we did return to the old market area and had a quick drink before dinner. 

At least we can now say, we didn’t miss it. 

Dinner was at Nazz, a Persian restaurant we discovered on our first night, while walking to the pub. 

The food was good and much more ‘fancy’ than we had experienced in Iran. Plus there was alcohol, which we never got on that trip.

 

December 3, 2021. Adelaide SA to Horsham Vic. 

After breakfast in the room we went and picked up the car from the car park. 

The cost was about equivalent to staying another night. We are certainly glad that we decided to save some money and self cater our breakfasts.

The joys of staying in the city. 

The Frome Street Apartments were in a great location and walking distance from most of the attractions in Adelaide, apart from Glenelg Beach.

We had coffee on the road in Murray Bridge and then it was back on the road to Horsham, with a sightseeing stop to see the Coonalpyn Silos. These were built in 1965 and painted by Guido in 2017.

Then it was lunch and a coffee in the Morning Loaf Bakery in Bordertown. 

It was a barn if a place where the staff were more interested in chatting among themselves, rather than serving their customers. 

We then visited the Kaniva Silos for another photo opportunity. These were painted by David Lee Pereira in 2020 and pay tribute to the nearby Little Desert and its diverse flora and fauna.

We were staying at the Horsham Country City Motor Inn and had dinner at the nearby Exchange Hotel.

December 4, 2021. Horsham Vic. to Sorrento. 

Breakfast was again in the room, as we wanted to give ourselves enough time to catch an early afternoon ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento. 

Our coffee stop was in Ararat. 

The drive from Horsham to Queenscliff was a pleasant cross country event as the Subaru’s GPS, ‘Sue’ we call her, decided that this rather round-about route was the way to go. 

We managed to arrive in time to get the 2pm boat, which was perfect, giving us enough time to shop in Sorrento for our weekend stay. 

The trip was complete and it had been a case of ‘Third time lucky’