Picto Diary - 27, 28, 29, 30 November 2018 - Portugal (2) Sintra, Cascais, Madeira

Above: Pena Palace. Sintra, Portugal. 27 November 2018.

TIMDT, at right, observes uphill as Portuguese work horse descends the cobbled path. We were proud that we walked up the four hundred vertical feet from the parking area to the palace. Most tourists took the shuttle busses.

Pina Palace was built in the 19th century by German Born Prince Ferdinand, a contemporary of Bavaria's "Mad King" Ludwig. Ferdinand was also a cousin of England's Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband). Flamboyant Ferdinand hired a German architect to build this fantasy castle. The castle is surrounded by an elaborate garden area through which walking paths serpentine in multiple directions. "Don't go far on the garden pathways," said Miguel, the driver we hired for the day. "You will get lost."

Above: Dining Room. Pena Palace. Sintra, Portugal. 27 November 2018.

Crazy neo-fortified casserole of Gothic towers, Renaissance domes, Moorish minarets, Manueline carvings, Disneyland playfulness, tile (as on the walls of the dining room in image).

Above: Sintra, Portugal. TIMDT. 27 November 2018.

Reminds of St. Paul de Vence, France, a similar mountain retreat near the sea, which we saw in June of this year. Kind of the "same old same old"... tourist-ee... we didn't spend much time here. Pena Palace was the attraction... and very much worth seeing... one of a kind, as palaces go. World Heritage site...yada.

Above: Atlantic beach. Cascais, Portugal. 27 November 2018.

TIMDT, remembering the gastronomic triumph in Spain in September, wanted sea food. So, Miguel reserved a place in beach town, Cascais.

Image view is through the glass from our table for lunch at Restaurante "O Faroleiro," Cascais, Portugal.

Took the waiter's recommendation: Red Snapper. Portuguese style. Whole fish, shown to us before preparation, baked in olive oil, tomatoes, fingerling potatoes and onion.

Corn bread (!) with cheese

Olives.

Image: From table. Restaurant had 180 degrees of floor to ceiling glass to facilitate the spectacular ocean view.

TIMDT goes along with waiter recommendation, despite being hesitant. on Red Snapper. Red Snapper, she said, had often been too chewy when she had eaten it in the past. This fish though, fresh over night, melts in mouth. TIMDT raves (whew)! — eating lunch at Restaurante "O Faroleiro".

This was a good stop. Any place where TIMDT raves about the food is a good stop!

Above: Bishop at Cabo da Roca. Cascais, Portugal. 27 November 2018.

Cabo da Roca marks the spot of the point in continental Europe furthest west. Bishop loves these geographical markers. Several times this summer he visited the monument marking the southwest corner of the state of Wyoming. In January he visited (not for the first time) the marker in Key West, Florida, indicating the spot the first south in the continental United States.

Above: Alfama section of Lisbon through starbord dining room window of cruise ship Regent Explorer. — at Lisbon Cruise Port. 28 November 2018.

Old Moorish section of town and area we visited by Tuk Tuk with Paola yesterday.

Above: Graphic showing decline of Portuguese (green) and Spanish (orange) empires. 29 November 2018.

On board lecture. Andy Jampoler.

Explorer (apt name for ship in these historic waters) midway between Lisbon and Funchal, Madeira. east Atlantic Ocean. — at Regent Seven Seas Explorer.

We follow the route taken in the early 16th century by the Portuguese explorers, best known of whom is Vasco Da Gama, in their pursuit to open sea routes from Europe to the spices of India and the silks of China.

Jampoler's lectures on "at sea" days are pretty good. He has a website. You don't have to take notes.

Following a storm, the sea is a little bouncy... not the worst we've seen... as last year, near Panama, when we were dodging hurricanes.

Above: Bishop observes Africa Tulip Tree. Old Town. Funchal, Madeira. 30 November 2018.

Madeira is a way point on the sail down the coast of West Africa to the cape. To our east is Spanish Sahara and the Sahara Desert. We'll stop at other waypoints before reaching the African coast.... the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Islands.

Madeira is best known for its sweet desert wines. Thomas Jefferson was a Madeira drinker... in quantity. The Founding Fathers toasted the signing of the Declaration of Independence with Madeira wine.

Above: Funchal (Madeira) Fish Market. Funchal, Madeira. 30 November 2018.

TIMDT. Throughout the late summer TIMDT has reveled dining on fresh fish in Spain and Portugal.

Above: Bridge, Bond, and TIMDT at quay side with Regent Seven Seas Explorer Cruise liner.

Background. Funchal, Madeira.

The Explorer is only a year old. The term "five star" doesn't do it justice. Bond intends to book a permanent stay on the ship for the shower alone.