Back from Portugal

nico · 08-14-2006

Hi everybody,
I just got back from Portugal where I spent my 15 (holi)days and I like to share some impressions.
First of all it's a wonderful country and it worth even a longer visit. I visited Lisbon, which I consider one of the most beatiful european city, and then moved south to Alentejo (Evora, Monsaraz, Mertola are really stunning place) and Algarve. Well, I must admit I didn't really love the part of the Algarve that goes from Tavira to Albufeira, there are too much buildings on the coast and it's too crowded, But, leaving Albufeira we went - still in Algarve - to Segres where things are different, there are less buildings and less people and more beatiful beaches. Then we drove back to Lisbon along the atlantic coast where we found other nice places and beaches.

I enjoyed not only the places but the food indeed, very tasty fish (and good meat in the central Alentejo), gorgeus sweet cakes and good coffee too. I had a very pleasant journey.

But what I like most in Portugal is people. Portugueses are simply wonderful, warm, friendly and discrete. I hope Portuguese RFF members will read this few lines because I'd like to express them our (mine and my travel mates) thankfulness and admiration for the portuguese people.

On the photo side, I just shot less than 6 b/w rolls (I tried to be the most selective as possible) and about 25 digishots (with my girlfiend's camera - hope to be allowed to post even those!

) that I'll start to post by the end of the week.

It has been the first time that I had no zoom lens with Me. I left my little nikon f55 home and brought only the Bessa R with the nok 50, and I had a lot fun! I never thought it could be such a funny experience shooting (from portraits to panoramas) without a zoom for a whole holiday travel.

One last thought: I saw only one Rf user, in Sintra, she was a pretty girl ... obvious!

Bye.
Nico

Nachkebia · 08-14-2006

Great! waiting for pictures!

ZeMane · 08-14-2006

Hi Nico!

Seems you've enjoyed your holidays in Portugal. That's good, since I'm quite in the same opinion than you: it's a wonderful country. I moved to Lisbon for a year some time ago (now back again in Madrid) and had the chance to discover almost all the country (which I visit often).
Just to mention that the route you followed has been a good option -apart from the mass-tourism area in eastern Algarve-, including the Sagres area where I spent my summer holidays past year.
Next time give also a try to the Northern areas; people, food and views are so stunning as in the south.
Keep waiting for your pictures!!

ClaremontPhoto · 08-15-2006

Agree completely.

I live not far from Evora and love the countryside (similar to Tuscany I think) and the traditional city centre narrow streets and white buildings.

Yes, Algarve is generally awful, but Sagres and nearby Cabo Sao Vincente are wonderful.

Please put your photos up somewhere on the net Nico.

nico · 08-15-2006

Hi,
Jon you're right the Alentejo is quite similar to southern tuscany's region called "Maremma" both for the countryside and for the tiny villages with surroundings and narrow streets. Jon, you choose a nice place place to live in!
I enjoyed so much that, as ZeMane suggests, I'll surely get back to visit the northern regions (Minho and Tras os Montes).
I'll post my b/w photos in the gallery (hope to have them deveolped within next saturday) and I hope to find a place on the net to post my girlfriend's colour digi shots.
Bye.
Nico

Nando · 08-15-2006

I am glad that you enjoyed Portugal. I live and work in Canada but I go back to Portugal as much as I can. Usually every summer.

If you ever go back, I suggest you visit my city of Coimbra. Coimbra is a very historically significant city and it was the capital before Lisbon. When the country was initially being formed, Coimbra divided the Christian north and the Muslim south. Many aspects of Portuguese culture is rooted in Coimbra and having the oldest and most prestigious university in the country (founded in 1290) its a centre of intellectual thought and artistic expression that had a profound influence on every aspect of Portuguese life throughout the long history of the country. The university, especially the library, is spectacular as is the view from a ledge up on the main building. Se Velha, a cathedral built in after 1139 was initially the site of a mosque that that was founded around 780 and probably destroyed by the invading Christians. You can still find arabic-style writing on some of the stones if you search hard enough. My favourite building is Santa Cruz. Whenever I'm in that part of town, I stop there for a break. The cloister serves as a nice and quiet escape in the hot afternoon sun and from the busy streets outside. The tombs of the first two Portuguese kings are there. And the beloved St. Anthony of Padua served/studied there and it is where he found inspiration for his mission. I can go on and on about this town since I know it like the back of my hand but to keep it short, the best thing about Coimbra is that it has the rich culture and historical atmosphere of Lisbon but its small enough to explore almost entirely on foot. During the summer there is something going on almost every night that can be attended by the public for free - a fado concert, dancing, classical music concert, etc. It has a very good night-life and its one of the safest cities in the country. Immediately to the south near the town of Condeixa lie the largest and perhaps best preserved Roman ruins in the country - the ancient Roman city of Conimbriga. Us people from Coimbra still call ourselves Conimbricenses after this Roman city. Immediately to the north near Luso (where Luso spring water comes from) lies the most enchanting forest of Bucaco with its fairy-tale palace turned hotel. Wellington led the British and Portuguese forces to victory against Napoleon there.

The central and northern regions of the country is overlooked by most tourists but offer some of the most breath-taking scenery in the country as well as outstanding architecture.

The food is to die for. There is no way that the food can be replicated here in Canada. Whenever I go back, I eat as much chamfana as I can in the Mortagua region (20 minutes north of Coimbra). Basically lamb or kid meat drowned in red wine cooked in a wood-burning oven and it has to be cooked in special black pottery only available in the central region. The potatoes there are also so tasty that they don't need any spices or sauces - they are best plane. And there is no bitterness in the onions! I love food from the Albufeira region that you were in but unfortunately I have recently become allergic to shellfish, which is a regular part of the cuisine down there. I still can enjoy plenty of grilled sardines though.

Tuscany type of landscape can be found in various parts of the country and sometimes it hits you by surprise. I have an uncle that lives in Salva Terra de Magos, which is close to Lisbon in the Ribatejo region. Its flat and the soil is very sandy. Although the produce that is grown on his farm is the best I've ever seen, I find it a miracle that anything can grow in such sandy soil. Anyway, I took a wrong turn and ended up going east to a town called Coruche. All of a sudden, the country scenery along the way started to look very close to Tuscany. I say that one would find Tuscany-like landscapes more to the north of Lisbon - perhaps in rural areas around Leiria. Leiria, itself is very beautiful with a castle perched high on a steep hill in its centre. Where I'm from, its probably greener and more hilly than Tuscany but I find it actually more beautiful.

I hoped that you took some nice photographs. I'm glad that you enjoyed it and I hope that you have a chance to go back and see the rest of the country some day. I'm glad that you enjoyed the food. Portuguese cuisine is hard to come by in North America unless you live in a big city.

ClaremontPhoto · 08-15-2006

Mmmm. Yes, I know that road from Salvaterra to Coruche too and enjoy the drive and the landscapes.

Bryce · 08-15-2006

Don't know if I speak for the group, but I dont care how the image was made... I just wanna see it! Please, just post the goods!

nico · 08-16-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryce

Don't know if I speak for the group, but I dont care how the image was made... I just wanna see it! Please, just post the goods!

I hope friday I'll have my rolls back, I'd like to post the photos in the same order I shot them.
Bye
Nico

rover · 08-16-2006

Nico, go ahead and post some of the digi shots here, in the gallery, or maybe in a thread like this one. Yes, we do want to keep the gallery mostly to RF photos, but if you mix in a couple digi shots that is fine too.

That said, I spent an afternoon with a guy who lived in Portugal for a few years. He is a wealthy physician who owns a horse farm there. Well, he said the same things about the country. I will enjoy seeing your photos.

nico · 08-16-2006

Nando, I'll surely get back to Portugal for the third time, your post is really "inviting". Portugal is a really nice country and people are the best I've ever met, so kind and friendly.
Rover I didn't think to post some digi shotsin this thread, I'll post some later after reducing the size (sorry, I'm still dial up).
Bye
Nico

Nando · 08-16-2006

Nico,

I've been to Tuscany twice myself since I had an ex-girlfriend that had relatives in Florence. My last visit was about 10 years ago. My heart is in Coimbra so to me, there is no place like home but I can say that the people I've met in Tuscany are equally charming and inviting. The landscape is spectacular and I hope to go back to Italy some day.

If you're interested, there are many photos Coimbra and its surrounding region posted by travelers on TrekEarth.com. Perhaps not quite to the standards at RFF but they give you an excellent idea of how the region is like. Here's the link:
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Eur...North/Coimbra/

nico · 08-16-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nando

Nico,

I've been to Tuscany twice myself since I had an ex-girlfriend that had relatives in Florence. My last visit was about 10 years ago. My heart is in Coimbra so to me, there is no place like home but I can say that the people I've met in Tuscany are equally charming and inviting. The landscape is spectacular and I hope to go back to Italy some day.

If you're interested, there are many photos Coimbra and its surrounding region posted by travelers on TrekEarth.com. Perhaps not quite to the standards at RFF but they give you an excellent idea of how the region is like. Here's the link:
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Eur...North/Coimbra/

Thanks for the tips!
10 years ago is quite a long time, so you have to come back in tuscany

and take some photos!!
I've been in your beatiful Coimbra in the summer of 1996 (while you were in italy maybe!!) I still remember the University and the library. I got a photo, somewhere in my old house, of me in the Law Faculty...that time I went from Lisbon to Oporto. I'll come to Portugal again, surely.
Bye.
Nico

jan normandale · 08-16-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nando

Nico,

I've been to Tuscany twice myself since I had an ex-girlfriend that had relatives in Florence. My last visit was about 10 years ago. My heart is in Coimbra so to me, there is no place like home but I can say that the people I've met in Tuscany are equally charming and inviting. The landscape is spectacular and I hope to go back to Italy some day.

If you're interested, there are many photos Coimbra and its surrounding region posted by travelers on TrekEarth.com. Perhaps not quite to the standards at RFF but they give you an excellent idea of how the region is like. Here's the link:
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Eur...North/Coimbra/

totally OT (while waiting for Nico's photo - upload) I was in "the Soo" about 2 weeks ago. Didn't know there was an RFF member there. Now I do Nando, I'll upload some shots of your town

Nico... we're waiting!

Nuno · 08-16-2006

Hi Nico!
Great to read your post, I'm blushing here...

Although I'm from Lisbon, my family also comes from the Coimbra region (Gois and Arganil) so I totally agree with Nando's post (our ambassador in Canada...)
I'll be checking your gallery for the promissed photos.

Cheers

Nuno Santos

nico · 08-16-2006

Mmmhh,
too much suspance for such poor results!
Here some digi shots in Lisbon and Monsaraz,
In the next post I'll attach Cabo S. Vicente (the fog raised from the ocean in less than FIVE minutes and before was f/22@125

), Odeiceixe and a beach in tha Algarve (near Olhao).

nico · 08-16-2006

Here other three shots:
a windmill in Odeiceixe, Fog on Cabo S. Vicente and a beach in the Algarve.
Bye
Nico

nico · 08-16-2006

Sorry,
I have problems uploading the last one.

Bye
nico

nico · 08-17-2006

I've been finally able to post other 2 shots: a beach in the algarve and a portrait of Gaia.
bye.
nico

Nando · 08-17-2006

Great photos Nico.

Hi Jan. I hope that you liked the Soo. Its nice but not as nice as Coimbra.

I'm looking forward to seeing those photos too.

nico · 08-17-2006

Thanks Nando,
I enjoy you you like them. Tomorrow I'll have back (I hope!) the b/w rolls!
Bye
Nico

jan normandale · 08-17-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nando

Great photos Nico.

Hi Jan. I hope that you liked the Soo. Its nice but not as nice as Coimbra.

I'm looking forward to seeing those photos too.

Here's a couple of land marks you should recognize and they aren't the casino!

Nando · 08-18-2006

Ha... I just had pizza at Mrs B's three days ago after picking up some Reala at Camera Craft close by. A few months ago that building was repainted red. It used to be this baby-blue colour, which I thought looked nicer. Muio's hasn't changed in the last 30 years except that the waitresses stopped wearing their chocolate-brown uniforms.

leica M2 fan · 08-18-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by jan normandale

totally OT (while waiting for Nico's photo - upload) I was in "the Soo" about 2 weeks ago. Didn't know there was an RFF member there. Now I do Nando, I'll upload some shots of your town

Nico... we're waiting!

Have been to Portugal and just loved it. Would dearly like to go back. Please enlighten me, what is the " soo "? TIA.

Nando · 08-18-2006

The Soo has nothing to do with Portugal. The Soo is short for Sault Sainte Marie, where I currently live. Some people pronounce the word Sault as in summer-sault, which is incorrect. The proper pronunciation is Soo - the French way of saying it. It's a border town between the the US and Canada and it lies on St. Mary's River that joins Lake Huron and Lake Superior. Despite the French name, the city is mostly populated by descendants of immigrants from Italy, Finland, Croatia, Ukraine, and Portugal. Its big hockey town - lots of stars played here. Phil and Tony Esposito, Bill Cook, Wayne Gretzky, Ron Francis, Paul Coffey, Joe Thorton,...