Portugal and Morocco 2007

Photos of Belem, district of Lisbon

2007-12-04T21:24:00.001+01:00

The statue in memory of the discoverers

The tower of Belem

The monastery in Belem, see also the panorama below:

(Click for a large image)

The inner courtyard of the monastery

The tomb of Vasco da Gamma / The main church

The crucified Jesus in the church

Sintra - part 2

2007-12-04T21:11:00.001+01:00

around the palace there is a beautiful park to discover / a Walt Disney scene? :)

The national palace / a memoriam to Hans Christian Andersen

The picturesque palace / the old castle walls

a devilish detail / just another palace in Sintra (there are plenty!)

Mitja & Kristina

Getting lost and feeding swans in the palace park

Sintra, a day in a fairy tale

2007-12-04T20:59:00.000+01:00

a crossroad noting the many sights of Sintra / a fountain

lost in the woods / or maybe not, looks we're on the right track

The surrounding of the castle ruins of Sintra / admiring huge trees

The fairy-tale palace of Sintra

In the back you see the castle wall / detail

part of the fairy tale castle / the national palace with its distinct chimneys

Panorama of Lisbon

2007-11-30T14:25:00.000+01:00

Just recently put together ... click to enlarge and view it in full size and splendor.

Photos of Lisbon part 2

2007-10-10T21:14:00.000+02:00

A canon :) and a poem written in the wood, both on the Castelo

Mitja on the steep stairs / more trams

sign of the pantheon / scenic view

the streets of Lisbon

the se' (cathedral) / Conserveira de Lisboa - want some canned fish?

a loong tram road / Kristina & Mitja on the Miradouro (viewpoint) de Senhora do Monte

The chapel on the miradouro

Coming up: photos of Sintra and Belem!

Photos of Lisbon part 1

2007-10-10T20:49:00.000+02:00

Views / The inner garden of the Lisbon castle

Panoramic view / one of the many trams

portuguese details

The 2 of us on the castle's hill / The castle

Inner courtyard / a very steep walk :)

Swans

Eduard VII parc / panoramic view

the pantheon near the thieves' market

Ay Portugal porque te quiero tanto :)

2007-10-03T22:18:00.000+02:00

ESTUDIANTINA PORTUGUESA

listen to the song here

Somos cantores de la tierra lusitana
Traemos canciones de los aires y del mar
Vamos llenando los balcones ventanas
De melodías del antiguo Portugal

Oporto riega en vino rojo sus laderas
De flores rojas va cubierto el litoral
Verde es el campo, verde son sus dos riberas
Los dos colores de la enseña nacional

Chorus

Por qué tu tierra toda es un encanto?
Por qué? Por qué se maravilla quién te ve?
Ay Portugal Por qué te quiero tanto?
Por qué? Por qué te envidian todos, ay, por qué?

Será que tus mujeres son hermosas
Será srá que el vino alegra el corazón
Será que huelen bien tus lindas rosas
Será será que estás bañada por el sol

Música

Oporto riega en vino rojo sus laderas
De flores rojas va cubierto el litoral
Verde es el campo, verde son sus dos riberas
Los dos colores de la enseña nacional

Chorus

Photos of Guimaraes

2007-10-03T22:02:00.001+02:00

The castel of Guimaraes / Azulejos decoration on a local church

The coffee break is a very important part of our daily routine :)

The inner courtyard of the Duke the Braganca palace / the old church inside the palace

The church of S. Miguel where the son of the first king of Portugal was said to be baptised / Mitja in the castel's courtyard

The portuguese flag on top of the castle / Guimaraes

The view from the castle's "roof" / The tiny door leading to the roof

An old portuguese woman / The duke's palace

Back home

2007-10-03T21:50:00.001+02:00

I know we still owe you a report of our journey back home and I apologize I am late, but we needed a few days to recover :)

The last time we wrote, we were in Sintra. Next day we had a few hours left to explore Lisbon and we headed to the district of Belem (photos coming up). We visited a few sights in Belem, like the famous Tower of Belem and the church / monastery. All entrances were - oddly - free, so we saved quite some money and still visited all the major sights.

In the afternoon we took the airport bus and since we were the only 2 passengers on board it was like hiring a bus-taxi, all for ourselves :) Our flight was in the evening, we managed to buy a few bottles of wine port and ginja liquer before departure.

We arrived to Milan at about midnight, since our flight was running late and decided to oversleep on the airport and take the morning train to Gorizia from the train station. Well, our shuttle was due at about 3.20 am, so we didn't get much sleep. After the 50 minutes or so ride to the train station, we spent the next hour figuring out how to buy our train tickets from the damn machine.

Good thing we had no delays afterward, since the italian railway workers were on strike, but we had no problems with our train connections.

It was somehow weird and good coming home. Mom was waiting for us at the train station, and it was a bit of a touchy event. I do think a tear or two were also produced, but I'm not gonna say whose :)

Anyway, our backpacks are washed and ready for the next adventure :)

Only 2 days left

2007-09-26T11:35:00.000+02:00

We have been in Lisbon the past few days and today we're visiting Sintra. We are flying back tomorrow evening, but due to bad train connections we won't be home before Friday afternoon.

The journey is coming to the end and all along it was an amazing experience. It is going to be somehow strange going back to work on Monday.

It is quite difficult finding a decent (and budget) internet connection in Lisbon so we might not post at all until we arrive home.

See you on Friday!

p.s.: we have about 1700 photos and 2,5 hours of film so far :)

Porto

2007-09-22T12:27:00.000+02:00

A typical meal called Francesinha / The south side of the river Douro is called Morocco by locals

The Ribeira in Porto / Boats that used to carry port wine

Mitja on the Dom Luis I bridge / One of the remaining trams

Igreja (church) de São Francisco / Interesting architecture at the riverside

More architecture / Dom Luis I bridge

Old buildings / São Bento train station

Interesting azulejos / Entrance to the church

Catacombs inside the church / Session room beside the church

Our clothes are being washed at this moment :)

Coimbra

2007-09-21T14:14:00.000+02:00

Yesterday and the day before we were visiting Coimbra, a city full of students with one of the oldest Universities, founded in 1290. The students follow a special dress code, they wear black suits, white shirts, black ties and long capes (unfortunately we can only transfer pictures from Kristina's camera and she didn't photograph them). One of the highlights of Coimbra for us was listening to fado while drinking Port wine in an atmospheric 14th century church that has been transformed into a candlelit cocktail lounge.

Narrow escalating streets / The Sé Velha cloister

Botanical Garden / Parque de Santa Cruz

Streets again / Fountain

Manga park and its curious fountain with tons of pigeons / Detail of a shop

Our Portugal so far

2007-09-17T16:25:00.000+02:00

Since we have free internet access now in Óbidos, I'll take the chance and write some words about our trip around Portugal so far.

When leaving Lagos, we took a train to Evora. We had to change twice, with a 2 hour stop in Beja, but unfortunately, there was no place available to store our heavy backpacks, so we just hung around the station, drinking coffee and playing cards.

Arriving in Evora, we feared about getting an accomodation, since budget options are scarce. Eventually we did find a pensao (Pensao O Giraldo, recommended by Lonely Planet that says a double costs 40,00 €... we had to pay 50,00 € for a room with a funny bathroom... well we did notice Lonely Planet was incorrect or outdated on many subjects) and settled for one night. Personally I didn't enjoy Évora that much, it reminded me too much of Gorizia.

We were planning to take a bike trip to see the Almendres Cromlech megalithic complex, but it was Sunday and almost everything, bike rentals included was closed. So we decided to stay only 1 night in the expensive town and just continue with our trip. Originally we were planning Sintra as our next stop, but then we decided for Óbidos (and including Sintra as a day trip from our Lisbon stay).

So we sat on the train again (ticket Évora - Óbidos through Lisbon with a Euro <26 discount costs as little as 13,00 €). We had a 2 hour stop in Lisbon, so we headed out of the train station (and this time, there were lockers available) and stopped at the Jardim Zoologico (the Zoo) for a quick look and a bite.

Then we sat on the train again and drove to the village of Óbidos... and that was quite an experience. We arrived at the train station at dusk, the station laid abbandoned in the middle of farmland, with fog coming up from the nearby streams. No soul around, no village, just the ruins of a castle on top of a hill. I began to worry we would ever find an accomodation, and most of all... where the hell were we. Mitja persuaded me to climb on top of the hill (with a backpack on my back and a day pack in front of me) to the castle ruins. Only when we walked through the castle we noticed the village and - yes - civilization!

Getting a room was not too difficult then. Actually, we took the first one we visited, and even bargained it down from 45,00 € to 35,00 € per night.

Today we have been exploring Óbidos and we are staying one more night. Tomorrow we might take a biking ride through the countryside or maybe a trip to Peniche, if the weather stays nice.

After that we travel on to Coimbra.

Photos of Óbidos

2007-09-17T16:17:00.001+02:00

The castelo of Óbidos / The dead man is a warning for other people

The village of Óbidos / A 3 km long 16-century aqueduct

One of the many churches in Óbidos / Narrow lanes in the charming village

The views of the village / The 13-century castel - a night in the castel's pousada (guesthouse) costs some 220,00 €.

Nice streets don't seem to end

Kristina at the entrance to our pousada, where a nice room costs 35€ per night

Photos of Evora

2007-09-17T16:09:00.000+02:00

Early hour on the train Lagos - Evora / The landscape is filled with cork oak trees

Praça do Giraldo in Evora / The church on the square

Templo Romano (Temple of Diana) / The sé (cathedral)

Steep stairs leading on the roof / View on the inner garden of the cloister

Capela dos Ossos with bones of 5000 people / The famous portugese azulejos

Houses built under Roman aqueduct / Strange bathroom in our room

Photos of Cabo de São Vicente

2007-09-17T16:05:00.000+02:00

Going to São Vicente / Mitja at the end of the world

The most south-west point of Europe.

Closer view of the lighthouse / Seagull posing

Photos of Lagos

2007-09-17T15:50:00.000+02:00

The clifs in Lagos / Spectacular beaches

The clifs are unstable / Portugese train timetables

Lagos fishermen marine / A small lighthouse

Some more spectacular scenery

The streets in Lagos / The marine

A statue dedicated to Henry the Navigator / There are many palms in Lagos

Small fort / Kristina on the beach

Bye bye Lagos

Leaving Lagos

2007-09-15T07:23:00.000+02:00

It's 6.30 am and we are on the train station in Lagos, waiting for our train to Evora. Lagos is absolutely amazing, the landscape is breathtaking. We visited some spectacular beaches and the Cabo de Sao Vicente (most southwest point of Europe), where you really feel like being at the end of the world.

Photos of Fes

2007-09-13T21:40:00.000+02:00

Smelly tanneries / Crowd on the streets

Sign at the Fes train station / Pottery

Nejjarine Museum of Wood arts and crafts / Fountain detail

One of the many donkeys in Fes / Carpenter workshop, still using the old process

Arrived to Portugal

2007-09-13T21:26:00.000+02:00

We traveled for almost a whole day straight. We slept last night in the ferry terminal in Algeciras with our arms around the backpacks. In the morning we took the bus to Seville and another one to Lagos, our destination for two days. Here we found a nice private room for 30€ per night. Lagos seems like a very lively, medieval sea town. Tomorrow we are off to explore some of the most spectacular beaches in Portugal, the rest of the town and maybe the end of the world as the Cabo de San Vicente is called. Our health problems are over so we can roam around in full strength.

Our first photos

2007-09-11T20:46:00.000+02:00

1. EasyJet flight from Madrid to Marrakech / 2. Inner courtyard of Riad Omar in Marrakech where we slept 2 nights

3. Inner courtyard of the Musee de Marrakech / 4. Two old men sitting on the street

5. Moroccan carpets / 6. Goods in a local shop in the Souks

7. Need spices? / 8. Food stall at Jemma el Fna

9. Having dinner on Jemma el Fna / 10. Couscous with lamb, tajine with chicken

11. Ait Benhaddou where many movies were filmed / 12. The ceilings inside Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate were too low for Mitja

13. View from the Kasbah / 14. Taourirt Kasbah

15. Mitja as a Berber / 16. A true Berber from the Sahara desert

17. The Tinfou Dunes outside Zagora / 18. Kristina ready for the desert

19. Our ride to the desert

Back from the desert

2007-09-08T22:51:00.000+02:00

We have just arrived back from a two day trip to the desert. It was a long journey but well worth it. First we drove about 10h with a minibus (stops, lunch and some sightseeing included). In Zagora we got on the camels and rode for about 1.5h to our Berber tent amongst the sand dunes. We buried ourselves in the hot sand, starred upon thousand and thousands of stars (also a few shooting stars and the Milky way), listened to Berber singing, danced on the sand dunes, ate delicious tajine and slept in the tent. During the day we had 41.5 degrees but during the night it got so cold that we had to use blankets. An unforgettable experience on my (Mitjas) 25th birthday.

We changed the hotels and got a really cheap room for 6 euro per person. Its not as nice as the one before but it will do since we are very tired. Tomorrow we are heading up north towards Fes, where we will stay a couple of days.

PS: Hopefully we will soon be able to supply you with some of the many spectacular pictures.

Greetings from Marrakech

2007-09-06T21:03:00.000+02:00

Hello everybody!

Yes, we have made it to Marrakech. The weather is truly fine, its sunny hot and the air in Jemma el Fna is filled with spices. We have spent the day exploring the city, got lost in the souks and visited a few museums. we are staying in a fabolous riad for 15 euro per night and tomorrow we are leaving for the desert in Zagora so dont expect any news the next two days. We cant supply you with any photo material because we cant transfer it to computer (we made about 150 pictures and 30 minutes of movie already).

We appologise for the spelling, keyboards here are totaly different than ours.

Mitja & Kristina live from Marrakech :)

Photo of the day: Finished with packing

2007-09-03T20:47:00.000+02:00

Like the title says, I finished with packing. Here is how it looks like:

The itinerary

2007-09-02T21:53:00.000+02:00

Below you can see our itinerary for the whole trip. It's just a rough guide, really, since we might change it along the way.

Tue, 04.09. - Gorizia to Milan.
Wed, 05.09. - Milan - Madrid - Marrakech.
Thu, 06.09. - Marrakech.
Fri, 07.09. - trip to the desert.
Sat, 08.09. - return from the desert to Marrakech.
Sun, 09.09. - Marrakech, going to Essaouira.
Mon, 10.09. - Essaouira, going to Fes.
Tue, 11.09. - Fes.
Wed, 12.09. - Fes. Night travel to Tangier.
Thu, 13.09. - Travelling to Portugal (Tangier - Algeciras - Seville - Lagos).
Fri, 14.09. - Lagos
Sat, 15.09. - Estremoz, travel to Evora
Sun, 16.09. - Evora, travel to Lisbon
Mon, 17.09. - Day trip to Sintra, visit Cabo da Roca
Tue, 18.09. - Visit Cascais, Mafra, travel to Obidos or Peniche
Wed, 19.09. - Relaxing, sightseeing, maybe Peniche
Thu, 20.09. - Visit Alcobaca/Batalha/Fatima, travel to Coimbra
Fri, 21.09. - Coimbra
Sat, 22.09. - Travel to Porto
Sun, 23.09. - Trip to Douro valley
Mon, 24.09. - Visit Braga or Guimaraes
Tue, 25.09. - Porto, travel to Lisbon
Wed, 26.09. - Lisbon
Thu, 27.09. - Lisbon, evening flight to Milan
Fri, 28.09. - Milan - Gorizia

Still tomorrow, and we're on the road!

Weather icons

2007-09-02T13:34:00.000+02:00

Today we have added a new section in the right menu: now you can see what is the weather currently like in Marrakech (Morocco) and Lisbon (Portugal). Clicking on each icon will lead you to a detailed weather forecast on Wunderground.com.

Now you'll be able to know whether we are wearing sun glasses or umbrellas ;)

Photo of the day: Lisbon

2007-08-30T08:30:00.000+02:00

Portugal and Morocco 2007

Photos of Belem, district of Lisbon

Sintra - part 2

Sintra, a day in a fairy tale

Panorama of Lisbon

Photos of Lisbon part 2

Photos of Lisbon part 1

Ay Portugal porque te quiero tanto :)

Photos of Guimaraes

Back home

Only 2 days left

Porto

Coimbra

Our Portugal so far

Photos of Óbidos

Photos of Evora

Photos of Cabo de São Vicente

Photos of Lagos

Leaving Lagos

Photos of Fes

Arrived to Portugal

Our first photos

Back from the desert

Greetings from Marrakech

Photo of the day: Finished with packing

The itinerary

Weather icons

Photo of the day: Lisbon

The desert

Photo of the day: Lisbon

Photo of the day: Port wine in Porto

Photo of the day: Guimaraes

Photo of the day: Douro valley

Photo of the day: Porto

Photo of the day: Coimbra

Photo of the day: Fatima

Photo of the day: Obidos

Morocco itinerary

Photo of the day: Cascais

Getting around in Portugal

Photo of the day: Sintra

Photo of the day: Evora

Photo of the day: Estremoz

Photo of the day: Lagos

Photo of the day: Seville

Photo of the day: spices

Photo of the day: Fes

Photo of the day: Essaouira

Photo of the day: Marrakech

Photo of the day: desert trip #2

Travelling pharmacy or what to take with

Photo of the day: desert trip

Photo of the day: Marrakech

Photo of the day: Madrid

Photo of the day: Milan Malpensa airport

Blog updates

Map of the trip

Portugal itinerary

Morocco very rough itinerary

Problems with labels?

Getting in the mood for travelling

Useful Portugal links

Useful Morocco links

Planning Morocco, first try

Insurance Matters!

Our flights are booked!

Planning