Pousada Palacio de Estoi

We flew from Lisbon to Faro and took a taxi to Estoi to stay at this refurbished villa built in the 1800s in the style of Versailles. The rooms were added to the original building, so they were totally modern, but the original building retains the flavor of another age. There was very little in Estoi so we took the opportunity to explore nearby Roman ruins, walk, swim in the pool and read.

Castelo de S. Jorge

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35MaagUOFDU and listen to Pedro Godinho play his classical guitar in the Castle that overlooks the city of Lisbon. The only other sound we heard in the castle that day was birdsong, as the castle had very few people in it. It was quite magical and Michael counts it as one of his favorite moments of the trip. This is the view from one of the castle towers. You can see the sea in the distance.

The tiles in this square are meant to simulate the movement of the waves in the sea. (Lisbon is a city that overlooks the sea.) This picture was taken our first day as we rode a tour bus on the Belem Line in order to get oriented to the city (while recuperating from a sleepless night on the plane). The weather was mild, the skies sunny, and the buildings painted in lovely pastel blues, purples, light coral colors and various shades of yellow. Buildings were a blend of old and new.

More tiles

In 1755, Lisbon suffered an earthquake that virtually destroyed the city. So when the streets were reconstructed, they were embellished with black and white stone, symbolizing the city in mourning. There are various motifs that can be seen throughout the city. This pattern decorates the walkway that surrounds the King Eduardo Park.

We just got back from a week in Portugal. We spent 2 days in Lisbon, 2 days in Estoi (at the Pousada Palacio de Estoi, a Versailles like estate which has become a hotel) and the remainder of our time in Faro, on the coast. The weather was in the 70s, the food was delicious, and people friendly. Obrigada, Portugal for a wonderful holiday. I will try and post more in the next week or so.