A Week in Lisbon (continued)

We spent day 4 in Lisbon in Belem...a community just 5 miles west.  It is the birthplace of the wonderful custard tart (we gave up on our vow to eat less).  That morning, the tarts were exemplary...even better than the eclairs that we also ate with morning coffee.  Next we explored the Monastery of Jeronimos, a giant white limestone gothic church and monastery that stretches along the waterfront.  King Manuel erected it as a “thank you” for the discoveries made by early Portuguese explorers—discoveries that greatly enhanced the coffers of the Portuguese monarchy.  The Monastery houses an Egyptian-Greek-Roman exhibit with actual mummies and limestone carvings as well as a maritime museum displaying replicas of the ships that sailed around the world and actual royal barges.  In Belem we also climbed the Belem tower which was the last evidence of civilization seen as sailors went to sea and the first thing they saw upon their return.  While in Belem, we had a wonderful lunch off the tourist track at the Imperial Cafe.  The Portuguese people are incredibly friendly and warm.  Everywhere we go, we are impressed with their politeness and kindness.  I tried to learn Portuguese prior to our arrival...but when I use my new language skills on the locals, they almost always pop into English and forgive my poor pronunciation.  After walking miles and standing on our feet all day, we returned to our apartment totally exhausted.

The next day, we boarded a train to Sinatra, a little village 15 miles northwest of Lisbon.  It was a summer get-away of the kings and nobility.  We visited the Pena Palace, a brightly colored fairy castle surrounded by beautiful natural gardens, and the ruins of a 1000-year-old Moorish castle.  The ruins were especially fun—reminiscent of a child’s image of what a stone castle should look like.  The walls (largely reconstructed) connected forts at the top of 2 hills.  You could walk completely around the walls to see the enemy coming.  Another fun, full day.