Portugal - Ericeira

Ericeira is a small seaside village facing the Atlantic, 50 km from Lisbon. The weather was kind, in fact Southern Portugal now badly needs some rain. The hotel - Hotel Vila Galé - stands on a headland in front of the village.

On some days the sea became a surfers paradise with the heavier swells coming in from the Atlantic.

The village, with many old houses, overlooks the little fishing harbour.

The covered market is open every day, selling meat, fish, vegetables and flowers.

But if this is not enough there is a nearby market at Malveira, which sells almost anything .... all sorts of clothing to light fittings, quail to peacocks, bedding plants to vines and citrus trees, power tools and agricultural implements, cheese, wine, pastries, bread, fish etc., etc., as well as normal market goodies of watches, radios, CDs and players and more.

A visit was made to the enormous Monastery and Palace at Mafra ( only one half of the symetrical front elevation is shown below ). It covers some 50,000 square metres and took 50,000 men and 1,000 oxen some thirteen years to complete... there are some 4,500 doors and windows. It contains much royal, church and monastic furniture and paintings. The huge old library, in the form of a cross, contains some 30,000 leather bound books and many bats ... these eat insects which might be harmful to the collection. The contained church is also immense. No internal photography was allowed.

A stop was made at the model village and pottery on the way back to Ericeira.

A half day in Lisbon gave an opportunity to see some of the sights, and to taste the custard tarts of Belém. To see Lisbon would need at least two or three full days. Much was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, but some older buildings reveal a little of earlier Lisbon. There are also two magnificent bridges, one spans the river and also carries a train line below the roadway level. The other, much longer, crosses the estuary.

Fountains in Rossio Square ( North side ) and the double cloisters in Jeronimos Monastery

Oranges grow freely ............................. the mounted Band exercising in the local park.

The Belém tower ......................... and the Monument to the Discoveries

One of several Marinas on the Tagus river frontage