Seeing & Doing: Iberia Snapshots, 3 Parts Start Here

Part 1.

Photographs by Judy and Les Conklin

In this part, we travel in Portugal. In Part 2 and Part 3, we travel in Spain and show selected photographs taken in Merida, Carmona, Seville, Ronda, Ubeda, Toleda, Madrid, and Segovia.

It’s a small world.

“Les, I could swear that at 3:40 this afternoon (Monday, May 2nd) I walked right past you on Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon. Is that possible? I called out “Les!” but you didn’t answer. Our group was out for a walk, and I couldn’t stop. We got to Lisbon yesterday after spending four delightful days on the island of Madeira. I remember that you and Judy planned to be in Portugal about now. Jim”

The above email was from Jim Schuttenberg a friend and resident of north Scottsdale. He and his wife, Lynne, have consistently supported Friends of the Scenic Drive since the 1990s by participating in roadside cleanups and supporting fund-raising events. And yes, Jim had seen me on Avenida da Liberdade. I had heard someone shout “Les!” I had looked around, saw many people,  but no person that I recognized, and kept walking.

When I read Jim’s email to Judy, she  said that she had also heard the shout that afternoon, looked around, didn’t recognize anybody, and kept walking. Turns out, we were walking in the opposite direction from Jim and could not stop either. Avenida da Liberdade is a busy, modern street, filled with tourists and residents, that leads to the parks on the Tagus River. What are the odds of accidently meeting a neighbor? In this case, they were better than expected.

Jim and Lynne were on a cruise that visited Lisbon before heading north to France and England.  Judy and I were just beginning a land tour of southern Portugal and Spain.

In this article, which will be published in several installments, Judy and I will share a few photographs from our trip. I hope Jim and Lynn will also share images of their trip with readers of The Peak. In Lisbon, we missed an opportunity to share some friendly moments. Now that we are home, we can share photographs of things seen and done in another  beautiful part of the world.

 Part 1. Portugal

In this part, we present photographs that were taken in Portugal. Future installments will feature Spain, presenting photographs of Merida, Carmona, Seville, Ronda, Cordoba, Ubeda, Madrid, and memorable points in between.

Monument celebrating Portugese explorations

Lisbon, Portugal. On the Tagus River, Lisbon has lured traders and settlers for more than 20 centuries. In the late 15th century , the port of Lisbon was the staging point of Portuguese explorations that would result in the Great Age of Discovery, and make Lisbon the richest European capital until the 19th century. Monument to the Discoveries, pictured here, is located on the shore of Tagus River, facing the river. It immortalises Portugal’s great explorers, many of whom began their explorations here. Not far from Lisbon, the Tagus empties into the Atlantic Ocean. It is Iberia’s longest river.

 

Monument celebrating Portugese explorations

Lisbon, Portugal. The left-most figure, looking  westward is Henry the Navigator. In his time, he was considered a madman for espousing the theory that eastern destinations could be reached by sailing west. Other figures represented in the monument include Ferdinand Magellan (the first expedition to circumnavigate the world), Vasco de Gama (led the expedition that discovered the route to India via the Cape of Good Hope), and Pedro Cabral, the discoverer of Brazil.

 

Red tile roof tops in Lisbon

Lisbon, Portugal. It gets hot in the summer and white is a popular color when it comes to painting houses and red tiles are commonly used for roofing. Older houses have thick walls and small windows to reduce the impact of summer heat.

 

Narrow streets in older part of Lisbon

Lisbon, Portugal. The older parts of Lisbon were built centuries before the automobile and wide roads arrived.

 

Tomb of Vasco de Gama

Lisbon, Portugal. The resting place of Vasco DeGama is located in the church of Jeroimos Monastery. The monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

Sign near restrooms

Lisbon, Portugal. Now here’s a helpful tourism idea. These colorful illustrations were painted on a wall near public restrooms. The illustrations identify major events in Lisbon’s history. While we waited for members of our group to use the facilities, we were able to get a quick, simplified history lesson.

 

Two homes with tile fronts

Lisbon, Portugal. The use of decorative tiles was brought to Iberia by the Moors and tiles remain popular. They are expensive and these buildings were probably constructed by wealthy people.

 

Pena Palace in Sintra

Sintra, Portugal. Sintra is a picturesque town not far from Lisbon. A popular tourist attraction is Pena Palace, a lavish 19th century hilltop castle built on the ruins of an ancient monastery.

 

Pena Palace gardem forest

Sintra, Portugal. Pena Palace and its gardens, pictured here, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The garden features a collection of trees from around the world.

 

Donkey

Lisbon, Portugal, country-side. Not far from Lisbon, we visited a farm where the family has been making cheese from sheep’s milk for generations. Their farm is now a museum and our group, with the help of a family member, made cheese from scratch. Fortunately, the milk was provided in large containers; we did not have to milk the sheep.

 

Vines with winery in background

Portugal. Travelling east from Lisbon towards Evora, we visited this beautiful, family owned vineyard and winery.

 

Portugal. Vineyard and winery buildings were painted using traditional colors.

Portugal. Vineyard and winery buildings were painted using traditional colors.

 

Pousada in Evora

Evora, Portugal. While in Evora, we stayed in Pousada Dos Loios a converted convent, located in the historic district.

 

Judy stands next to short door

Evora, Portugal. At this pousada our room was a converted nun’s cell, small but upgraded with up-to-date bathroom fixtures, Internet support, etc. Pousadas, former castles, convents, forts, town halls, etc., were originally created and operated by the Portuguese government to promote tourism. Today, they are owned by a private operator. Similar lodgings are called “paradors” in Spain.

 

People looking a standing boulders

Evora, Portugal. These boulders are part of a massive Neolithic complex that was used for social and ritualistic purposes and date to 5,000 BC. This site, one of several, is located on the outskirts of Evora.

 

Roman temple columns

Evora, Portugal. Roman Temple. Evora, an ancient hilltop town with Roman and Moorish roots is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The influence of Rome is visible at the Temple of Diana, whose 14 Corinthian columns date back to the second and third century.

 

Two students in black gowns talk to visitors

Evora, Portugal. We learned about the life of these two college students during a visit to Evora University. These students, who volunteered for duty meeting with visitors, were majoring in tourism and computer sciences.

 

Tiles we created

Evora, Portugal. The craft of tile-making was brought to Portugal and Spain by the Moors. After watching and receiving instruction, the members of our group made tiles. This picture shows the result of our work before it was sent to the furnace for firing.

 

room with walls covered with bones

Evora, Portugal. Near Evora’s main square is the Church of St. Francis, home to a bone chapel (Capela dos Ossos) which welcomes visitors with the message” “We bones in here wait for yours to join us.” Early in the 16th century, three Franciscan monks, who wanted wealthy residents to reflect on the temporary nature of material things and the inevitability of death, carefully arranged thousands of skeletons, skulls, and bones along the chapel walls, ceilings, and columns. A our chapel visitor quickly gets the point.

In Part 2 and Part 3, we travel in Spain and show selected photographs taken in Merida, Carmona, Seville, Ronda, Ubeda, Toleda, Madrid, and Segovia.

Related Articles & Websites

Seeing & Doing: Iberia Snapshots,  Part 2

Seeing & Doing: Iberia Snapshots, Part 3 of 3

 

The Peak invites you to share your thoughts about this article by using the “Submit a Comment” box at the bottom of this page. Your email address will not be published. All comments are reviewed based on The Peak’s Comment Policy prior to publishing.

 

Author: Les Conklin

Les Conklin is a resident of north Scottsdale He founded Friends of the Scenic Drive, the Monte de Paz HOA and is the president of the Greater Pinnacle Peak Association. He was named to Scottsdale's History Maker Hall of Fame in 2014. Les is a past editor of A Peek at the Peak and the author of Images of America: Pinnacle Peak. He served on the Scottsdale's Pride Commission, McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission, the boards of several local nonprofits and was a founding organizer of the city's Adopt-A-Road Program.. Les is a volunteer guide at the Musical Instrument Museum.

Share This Post On
468 ad

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.