Zápisky z cest po Portugalsku. Lisabon -> Podél oceánu na sever -> Porto -> Zpátky do Lisabonu -> Podél oceánu na jih  -> Sintra a Lisabon.

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This is a personal travel diary written in a lame english so our english speaking friends could read it also. If you don’t like it don’t read it. With love V.  🙂

 

 

 

Part I. Lisboa

 

The base camp for our journey

 

Finally the country where food is taken seriously. We’re in heaven…

We have found the weirdest tile in Portugal.

 

 

 Part II On the way to the Porto

 

Convento dos Capuchos and taking lesson from the true minimalists of 16th century.

 

Cabo da Roca. The westernmost part of continental Europe and hidden beaches around.

 

Óbidos. Medieval villages lost their magic when filled with a tourists and souvenir shops. But we can alway get lost on the side streets and admire flowers. (Ok I can. He’s just bored waiting for the ocean again.)

 

Nazaré. M. can stay like this for hours. It was the time before we know that freak waves exist.

 

Burned forests on the way north. Eucalyptus is innocent. But industry is not.

 

Coimbra. Hogwarts are real and students really do wear cloaks.  Fairies from Pan’s Labyrinth movie are also real. (I even saw one alive in Sintra later on). Unicorns are real. They just doesn’t look like horses but sheep. And also vegan burrito is real. And they do have one more place in Porto with a same waitress. Strange right? Maybe it is just some magic again (Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince … :).

 

 

Part III. Porto

 

We are not such a urban people as we used to be. Nowdays we prefer nature when we travel. But sometimes it is nice to stay few days in a city and explore some new cafe places. So we stayed in Porto and even prolonged our stay here.

 

First time I actually started to like seagulls less. It is not so cool having them in a city. Such a noisy bird.

 

Even we are in Porto we are still drinking beer.

 

Tiles everywhere.

 

Visiting our well known vegan mexican restaurant O Burrito and having again the best vegan nachos. We definitely have to learn how to cook this, because there is nothing like this in our country.

 

Even the weirdest places have a decent cafe.

 

The famous bookshop was probably very stunning but too crowded to actually see it.

 

Exhibition of Frida Kahlo in photos in a former prison. Amazing experience.

Isn’t it strange that on a picture from railway station with a blue tiles, cow and countrywoman every person wears blue? …

Sunset concert over the river and lovely old couple in a cool outfit.

 

 

Part IV.  On the way south

 

Slow travel with a wonder van.

 

Always passionate collector.

 

Sleeping by the ocean.

 

Storks flying over the ocean and living on the cliffs. Even more magnificent than seagulls.

 

Visiting local cafe around Adraga beach and making new friends. As if we were visiting this place for ages and not just for two days.

 

Basically just enjoying the freedom while traveling with a van and staying close to the ocean.

 

 

 

Part V. Sintra and Lisboa

 

I really love those deep forests in Sintra.

And forests in general.

 

Nemophilist (n.) = a haunter of woods, one who loves the forest for it’s beauty and solitude.

 

Shinrin – Yoku (n.) = a visit to the forest for a relaxation. Literally = forest bathing.

 

Waldeinsamkeit (n.) = forest solitude, the feeling of being alone in the woods.

 

Dendrophile (n.) = someone who loves trees, forest

 

Komorebi (n.) = sunlight filtering through trees.

 

 

 

 

Some other songs from cafes collected on the road.