Portugal – Page 2

Coimbra: The University and more piggy fun at António dos Leitoes Porta Larga

February 15, 2014 mmm-yoso Coimbra, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Sandwiches, Travel

At the end of my last post, I mentioned dreading the loooong steep walk up the hill to the University of Coimbra. There is a "elevador" that you can catch up and down the hill, but it was closed for repairs at the time if our visit. Sigh. Anyway, even though we'd already had a quick look at the University the previous day, I figured that if we were to see one site in Coimbra, it had to be the University and some if its most famous structures.

On our visit the previous day, we came up the opposite way, directly to the "Pátio das Escolas", the main courtyard. This time we entered via the "Porta Ferrea", the Iron Gate afterr buying tickets to the various sites in the bookstore.

There are limits on visitors so, you need to get tickets and times set-up. The University was founded in 1290, so of course many traditions have been established like Queima das Fitas – The Burning of the Ribbons and Festa das Latas (The Tin Can Parade). Entering through the Gate you'll come to the bright and impressive Courtyard. This actually used to be the courtyard of the Coimbra Royal Palace which was turned over to the University by King John (João III) in 1537. The reflection of the sun on white can almost blind you at times. And that is a statue of John III, back to the Mondego River standing isolated in the middle of the courtyard.

In 2013, the University became listed on UNESCOs World Heritage List. Click on the photo below to enlarge.

There were a couple of buildings we wanted to check out. Unfortunately, no photography is allowed, so I'll try to do links to other sites so you can get an idea of how the place looks. For me, the one building I just had to see was the Biblioteca Joanina, built by King John V (João V), also know as "John the Magnanimous". One look in this beautiful library and you'll know why he had that nickname.

A walk through the ornate rooms illustrates what a great power Portugal once was. What I found really interesting was the prison under the library. The University had its own police and courts, so naturally it had its own prison for students and faculty…….

Next door behind the facade (you actually enter to the right of the doorway) is Capela de Sao Miguel – St Michael's Chapel. There's a beautiful and ornate pipe organ in the chapel.

Up the stairs of the building that faces John III and down the hallways called the "via Latina" you'll find Sala dos Capelos – The Grand Hall. You'll look down upon what used to be the palace throne room and became an examination room. You can get some great views looking out the windows of the catwalk above the room.

We enjoyed our time visiting the university, but man, I was getting hungry……

So we wound our way back down to our hotel and along one of the many alleyways, on Rua das Padeiras we saw this little shop.

It's pretty easy to see how it caught my eye, right?

Plus, in spite of my lack of linguistic ability…..the big joke is that I can't say much except thank you and hello….but boy can I name the various food items. Leitao was one of those words within my grasp……it basically means suckling pig, and this was Porkugal, I mean Portugal.

It seemed like a nice place to take a break. I ordered a Leitao Sandes – basically a suckling pig sandwich. The Missus decided on some soup, which She really enjoyed….porky goodness one and all.

Soon enough my sandwich arrived…..it was a pretty hefty one at that! The most interesting thing was the glass of, well, something that accompanied my sandwich. A quick taste, I'm glad I didn't chug the thing, and it was quickly identified as pork drippings/sauce/juice/mother's milk, whatever you want to call it. It was on the salty side, though when drizzled on the pork it became "elixir of the gods…or swine". The bread was pretty good, the pork a bit dry and bland without the "juice", the skin on the hard side.

I was still in that pork and beer for breakfast mode since Lisbon, so it only seemed natural that I order a Sagres as well. While this was nowhere as good as my Bifana and beer from Beira Gare it did fine by me.

Boy does this country love its pork…….and I was taking good advantage of it!

António dos Leitoes Porta Larga
Rue das Padeiras 35
Coimbra, Portugal

After lunch it was time to head back to our room for a pork induced nap…..

Coimbra: Breakfast at Pastelaria Palmeira and Mercado Municipal Dom Pedro V

February 7, 2014 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Coimbra, Desserts, Markets & Grocers, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

After a fairly restless night of Ossos induced sleep, we woke early, veyr typical for us when on vacation. As with Lisbon, we notcied that folks wake a bit later in Coimbra. The Missus was just raring to go, so we headed off…..

We took a short stop on Praca de Maio taking time to admire the Church of Santa Cruz,which looked so peaceful and regal in the morning. As we approached we could hear a buzzing noise in the silence of the morning. Apparently, the building has electrified wires running around it to keep birds away.

A few blocks away, on Rua de Sofia, we found a little bakery that was doing a brisk business with locals.

The name of the place is Pastelaria Palmeira, so of course I had one…..

I had really gotten used to having that cup of espresso and a pastry for breakfast, that it just the right thing to do.

We enjoyed this place and actually returned the next morning before heading out of Coimbra.

Pastelaria Palmeira
Rua da Sofia 13
Coimbra, Portugal

Right up the street on Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes is the local Mercado – Mercado Municipal Dom Pedro V.

Much like the markets in Lisbon and Evora, business seemed slow. It seems that places like this are starting to fade away with younger folks shopping at chain supermarkets.

The place is a multi-level affair, full of little kiosks, the seafood area separated from the other stands.

As you can see, nary a customer in sight. I'm wondering if it was just a timing thing?

I'm hoping it is, since it would be very sad to see a way of life change…….

Mercado Municipal Dom Pedro V
Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes3000-303
Coimbra, Portugal

I did take my sweet old time here because I knew there was a steep hill in my future…..

Coimbra: The Old Cathedral (Sé Velha), a quick look at the University, the Church of Santa Cruz (Igreja de Santa Cruz), and dinner at Ze Manel dos Ossos

January 18, 2014 mmm-yoso Coimbra, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

*** This is a long one. I wouldn't mind at all if you just skipped to the food at the end of this post!

I was huffing and puffing up to "Old Town" like a wheezy old train when the Missus finally signaled a stop at this somewhat imposing Romanesque style building that looked like it a church….which, well, since it is Coimbra was one. This is the Cathedral of Coimbra, Sé Velha. The Cathedral is significant since it is the only Cathedral of the Romaneque style to have remained relatively unchanged from "Reconquista" times; the recapture of territory from the Muslims.

The structure is truly imposing, from the fortress like appearance to the battlement like notches on the roof. I'm guessing the folks around here still didn't feel completely safe from the Moors even after they had been chased out of the city.

The Main Chapel, dating from the late 15th century in the Gothic style is austere, but still quite grand in it's own way. Probably due to scale.

I actually found the side chapels to be more interesting. This one is the "Chapel of the Holy Sacrament" and was made by João de Ruão (Jean of Rouen) in 1566. It features statues of Jesus and his Apostles on the top ring and the Madonna on the bottom. I found it quite stunning and just loved the detail.

There are quite a few Tombs in the chapel as well. This one is of Jorge de Almeida who was Bishop of Coimbra in the 16th Century. Like I've said, here in the states, we talk generations and decades….in Europe it's about centuries….. And this one is from 480 years ago……

Queen Isabel (Elizabeth of Aragon) is beloved among the Portuguese.

This weathered painting alludes to one of the miracles that led to her canonization as Saint Elizabeth. According to the story; Elizabeth was devoted to the poor and sick, often feeding and helping providing for them. One day, the Queen returned home, and found to her surprise the King had also come home. The King did not approve of her actions with the poor. Depending on the version, Elizabeth was either holding bread or coins in her skirt. When the King asked what she was hiding; the Queen, who much like another character from later in American history, could not tell a lie, lower her skirt, and miraculously, whatever it was she was holding, be it bread or coins, turned into roses!

We soon headed back up the hill and eventually passed through this gate…..

And ended up in a courtyard where the extreme whites almost blinded us!

This is the grand courtyard of Coimbra University. All the most well known and important locales within the University ring this courtyard.

The lonely looking statue of King John III stands in the courtyard.

The reflection of the clear blue sky made everything seem so much brighter up here. We'd return the next day and I'll do a more detailed post later on.

Naturally, the views on such a bright, clear clear day were stunning.

We made our way across the campus to the area right above the Mercado (another future post), which you can see in the bottom of this photo.

There's an "elevador" down to Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes where the mercado is located. Unfortunately, it was closed for repairs…sigh….

This meant a fairly interesting steep walk downhill for me. Actually, walking down seemed harder on my legs than the walk up. Go figure….

Remember the young Chinese girl who looked at me puffing up the hill with amusement? Well, we ran into her as we descended. Naturally, curiosity got the better of all parties and we stopped to talk, well not me really, since they chatted in Mandarin. She was from Macao studying Portuguese in Coimbra for a year. Though missing her family, she was enjoying her time in Coimbra.

Eventually we made our way down to street level and back around to busy Praca 8 de Maio and probably the most well known church in Coimbra, the Church of Santa Cruz (Igreja de Santa Cruz). The facade is quite impressive and there's a very popular cafe attached to the church. It also helps that this is probably the busiest part of the pedestrian only shopping area in Coimbra……without a doubt the best place for people watching. You got everything from the women with over-sized designer sunglasses, to the guy with the accordion, to the young man giving his beloved mutt a drink at the fountain in the plaza that fronted of the church.

We spent some time in the church, but by now all I wanted was a short break and a shower…..

We found our way back via the alley-like side streets and freshened up. Soon enough, it was dinner time and there was one place I had in mind.

Located close to the Mondrego River and the Hotel Astoria……

Down a nondescript alleyway, you'll probably find a bunch of people lined up. For what you may ask? Well, it's for a restaurant that's so popular, even the young lady from Macao knew of it called Ze Manel dos Ossos. Don't be surprised if you see laundry hanging a couple of floors above where you're standing…..

If you're confused already, have a look at the menu that's hanging outside the place.

Ready to order yet? Yet never fear…….dos Ossos is here!

Luckily, I had found the place pretty easy….there was an 50 pound hardwood charcoal bag with trash for pick-up on the street and I thought the place had to be close by. We were second in line. The guy in back of us said that he drives to Porto form Lisbon every month and always stops here. He then uttered the two words were heard several more times during our meals here, "very tipico".

The restaurant itself is very small, you'll be sitting elbow to elbow. The walls are amazing with notes written in every language taped to them….this would be, without a doubt, a post-it wonderland.

It's all guys working here……like they decided one day, "hey, let's make a restaurant". Mario is the frontman, he speaks English, and in the wonderfully refreshing way, will tell you when you've ordered enough, as in "it is enough for you, no need to have more!"

When we had planned our trip to Portugal, we had thought of the food being hearty, rustic, and comforting, and places like Ze Manel and Quarta-Feira surely answered the call.

I mean, just look at the bread…..

So……as you can deduce by my post on Capela dos Ossos….Ossos means "bones". The name of the place is Ze Manel dos Ossos and all the locals are getting Ossos, well except for the German couple who insisted on "beefsteak". So of course we got Ossos.

A huge plate of simmered pork bones, simply seasoned, edging on salty, perfect with the house wine. This had us picking through every nook and cranny of the porky, slightly sticky (from the connective tissue), and wonderful pork bones. This was really good.

I ordered the Chanfana, a roasted/stewed goat dish that is from this region.

My response to the first bite was, "whoa", this was nicely gamey, it really tasted deliciously of the pasture with touches of garlic and onions. The meat was pretty tender. The sides were simple, I loved the simple potatoes with olive oil and hated the beans which were cooked to death, which the Missus loved!

It was interesting, most of the customers were Portuguese. The table next to us pointed to out food and said that often heard phrase here, "very tipico".

Ze Manel dos Ossos
Beco do Forno 12
Coimbra, Portugal

As I looked up at University of Coimbra from our hotel room, I found myself very happy that we chose Portugal as our destination for our vacation.

I know this post was very long, thanks for reading!

Coimbra: Pastel de Santa Clara at Pastelaria Briosa and visits to a couple of churches

November 22, 2013 mmm-yoso Coimbra, Desserts, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

You could say Coimbra is just a college town I guess. Well, a town with a history that goes back to the Fifth century and where the "college", well more properly the University, is over 700 years old, built on the hill that overlooks the city, and whose main square is surrounded by buildings that were once the Royal Palace….oh yes, Coimbra was also the capital of the County of Portugal from the mid-twelfth century, until the mid-thirteenth century.

The University of Coimbra, up steep University Hill proudly overlooks the "Baixa" (Low Town) and Modego River.

You can't miss it. Getting here was kind of interesting, not hard, but interesting. We caught the train from Evora to Lisbon, changing trains at Oriente Station. We got off at "Station B" which is somewhere north of the city. You then transfer to another train which takes you on the short trip to "Station A" which is right on the waterfront. Our hotel was basically right across the street, the Hotel Oslo, which was kind of old, with small rooms, but, in spite of the beds as hard as a marble slab, was good enough for a night or two. Plus, I could open the window and see University Hill above. There was street noise and all that, but this was about as centrally located as you'd get.

Crossing the street, a single lane in both directions, a maze of alleyways and narrow streets winds inward, away from the Mondego River. Here lies Praça do Comércio.

A nice bright open area with cafes and shops. Because of the shape of the square, people claim that this once a Roman Chariot Racetrack. I also read that in the Middle Ages, bullfights were held in this wide open area.

At one end of the square is the Church of São Tiago a small but important church. The architecture is in the Romanesque style. The arches of the side doors are decorated with a scallop shell motif, a homage to the patron of this church Saint James (Tiago is James in Portuguese) whose emblem was the scallop shell.

The church was ordained in 1206. Though it is believed to have been the site of a temple from the 10th century. the interior of the church itself is fairly tiny, much of it paneled in wood.

Up the stairs to the side and you end up in the heart of Coimbra's shopping street the busy and bustling streets of Rua Ferreira Borges and Rua Visconde da Luz.

Many of the buildings date back to the 1900's and are in the Art Nouveau style; curved lines and the forms and ornamentation in tune with "nature". The area is very lively.

Along the way we saw another church down the stairs near the other end of Praça do Comércio. This was the Church of St. Bartholomew. The rather simple looking Baroque style church housed a bright white interior with an altarpiece gilded in gold and marble.

We walked back up, then further down Rua Ferreira Borges toward the Santa Clara Bridge. The Missus had read about Pastelaria Briosa online.

We needed a break and it seemed like a great time to us the "Lisbon Rule" - when you need a break, get a coffee and a pastry. In Coimbra, the pastry of choice is the Pastel de Santa Maria.

So I had a seat and the Missus walked up to the counter to order for us.

And while I really didn't care much for this sweet, almond and marmalade pastry, I also didn't care for the dough….it was nice to have seat and a nice cup of espresso.

The espresso must have done wonders, since I agreed with the Missus, and decided to forgo lunch. We'd

instead aim for another Portugal (we were already calling it Pork-u-gal) porkfest.

So, with some reluctance, I pulled myself up to my feet and we headed up the winding and sometimes rather steep alleyways up to the "Old Town". I was just amazed at the fact folks walked up and down these steep hills, sometimes several times a day. We passed a young Chinese girl walking down the hill. I could see the rather amused look on her face as I huffed and puffed past her.

Would I make it without having a coronary? Well stay tuned!

Evora: Praça do Giraldo, Cafe Arcada and dinner at Taberna Tipica Quarta-Feira

October 11, 2013 mmm-yoso Memorable Meals, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

We'd gotten into the habit of taking a break and having a snack and some espresso when we were feeling a bit confused or tired. We ended up calling this the "Lisbon Rule" and it was time for that rule to come into play. So we headed down the hill from the Roman Temple, thru Rua de Vasco da Gama…..

We stopped to admire #15 Rua de Vasco da Gama……why? Well, according to what we read, Vasco da Gama lived here after returning from his first voyage to India. So…..Vasco da Gama really "slept here"…

A short while later, we were on Praça do Giraldo, for all intents and purposes, Evora's main square. This is where you'll find the older men chatting, talking politics, young people hanging out, drinking coffee, tourists mingling among them.

The square is named after Giraldo (Gerald) the Fearless, who drove the Moors out of Evora in 1165. It is a nice open area with the Church of Santo Antao and a rather quaint fountain from the 16th century. All this sunny brightness belies the supposed 22,000 condemnations that occurred here during the Inquisition or that John II sanctioned, then watched his cousin Fernando II's decapitation here in 1483. No, nowadays it's a whole lotta sunshine…and snacks….

At Cafe Arcada……

This huge, cavernous shop had got some prime real estate. You walk on up to the counter; place your order, then find a place to sit.

We decided on sitting at one of the outside tables to people watch….

Cafe Arcada
Praca do Giraldo 10
Evora, Portugal

It was easy picking out the locals from the tourists, from the students…..probably just as easy to picking us out….

We noticed an interesting "gap" of sorts….there were many young people in their late teens and early twenties and an equal amount of folks older than 50. We figured that the university brought the young people here, but most all leave after their education, as does most of the young people.

Feeling refreshed, we headed west and outside the walls of the town for the first time…well not including the taxi from the train station.

We headed West and found a nice walking path around the perimeter of the walls of the town. Outside the walls, Evora seemed a different town…more modern, more traffic. Really, what should we have expected?

It was a bright sunny afternoon and we were enjoying ourselves.

As we turned the around the Southwest corner, we noticed a playground for children and also that the area on the inside of the city walls seemed to be level with the top of the structure.

Working our way back through into the town vis Rua da Republica we found ourselves in the Jardim Publico……the Public Garden. It was a nice place for a break, plus there was free WiFi in the gardens.

I noticed this bust of Flobela Espanca, poet, feminist, and all around tragic figure. I'm not sure why it's here.

After a nice rest we headed back to our little sanctuary called the Albergaria do Calvario. Did you notice that we didn't have lunch? Well there was a reason for that. After a short rest, we headed back out. In just our two evenings here, we noticed something interesting about life within the town walls. Most businesses closed at 7pm. At 730, the restaurants started opening. The rather busy streets are sedate and quiet at 715….

Perhaps it was too late for the older locals, all of the day-trippers are gone, and too early for the students, which were probably fortifying themselves with the Portuguese equivalent of instant ramen for a late night of partying….which probably didn't happen within the city walls anyway.

Praça do Giraldo at this time of day was literally a ghost town….

We walked on over to the old Moorish Quarter where Botequim da Mouraria is located. I had been looking forward to eating here from the time we finalized plans for our trip. The folks at Albergaria do Calvario were nice enough to get us reservations here.

No, this isn't some Michelin wannabe, though it only had ten or so tables.

There isn't a menu per se….you trust Zé Dias. This is just Evora's version of Omakase….. There's basically one sitting per evening. The meal is 25 Euros per person. You will have reservations. You eat what they serve you. You are not vegetarian. You love pork and rustic, local food. If you can answer "yes" to all of the above, you'll enjoy yourself.

Quarta-Feira serves a fixed menu, whatever they deem to be in the mood for on that day. It's a family run operation. The front man has his caricature on the bottle of wine they serve, Zé Dias. He was quick to gesture to us……not much english spoken here, by patting his belly that this is/was perhaps a flattering profile of the man.

You be the judge. The wine itself was not bad…it lent itself to the food we were served. It is also included in the meal and when Zé Dias noticed we had finished our bottle…the Missus really enjoyed this bottle, he brought us another, all included in the price.

It's imperative that you have reservations here. Four groups of folks came in during our meal, all were turned away because the one sitting they had was booked. Second big thing I noticed, it's probably a good idea to get there early. Some items are prepped ahead and you won't get the full enjoyment of the dish if you get there later. Look, there are those of us who believe that the customer (usually "I") is the "center of the universe", but sorry Charlie, this is a small operation……this is nothing like the "typical Roman service" of "you are blessed to eat here" that we encountered in Rome. By the way, those are quotes from a resident of Rome.

Things started out with bread….of course. And some Porco Preto. I've mentioned the Black Iberican Pig
before. So it's an obvious starting point for a meal in the Alentejo.

And some nice oven baked cheese……

This was where coming a bit early was to our benefit as this dish didn't look quite as good, gooey, and hot as later patrons arrived.

Along with this, we got some very tasty mushrooms with chives and olive oil. I'm thinking there was some garlic as well as these were packed with flavor.

At about this time a group of three gentlemen sat down on a table next to us. Two of them were locals with a visiting professor from the University. We'd find that a seal of approval during our trip would be the phrase "very typico, very typico" to indicate local cuisine and specialties from the residents. This was where they took folks to sample local cuisine….like I'd take folks to Ono Hawaiian Foods……

We were brought two small dishes. The fried item was intestine….which was totally delici-yoso. It was so amazingly savory, yet very clean in flavor. The roasted peppers were fine, but I was infatuated with the guts… I would have been happy with a plate of that.

The main course was roasted Black Pork.

Also at this time Zé Dias noticed that we had finished our bottle of wine, so he brought us another?

Anyway, this was local stewed pork shoulder. Having had so many doses of the "other white meat" this was amazing. I just loved the fact that pork in Portugal tasted….well….like pork! This was simply stewed, the flavor of swine coming through……pigs fed on acorns and pasture raised, this is the standard here. You don't need to mess around with it.

The pork was moist, tender, full of flavor, and not very oily.

Along with the potatoes, we were served two other dishes.

What was really funny is that we don't recall the flavor of one…which is to the right, and still think of the other, a version of esparregado, a spinach dip of sorts, as memorable, full of herbaceous flavor.

Dessert was served…….

Which the Missus really enjoyed.

And a bottle of Vinho Licoroso was placed on our table. A Digestif called Vinho Licoroso. we were specifically told, in one of the few English phrases of the night "no Porto….no Porto". But this really tasted like a nice port.

This was a nice way to end our time in Evora….in fact, the Missus was kind of angry that I didn't schedule more time for us here….but how was I to know?

I'm thinking we'll be back…..

Taberna Tipica Quarrta-Feira
Rua do Inverno 18
Evora, Portugal

Here's a panoramic photo of Evora from Largo da Porta de Mouro.

Evora: Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of the Bones), The Public Market, and the University of Evora

October 4, 2013 mmm-yoso Desserts, Markets & Grocers, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

Breakfast at Albergaria do Calvario is no joke.

It is locally sourced, organic, and most of all, well prepared. There's a nice variety of items available; they cram a lot into a tiny space.

You can also have eggs done any way you wish and even bacon if you desire. The Missus had Hers poached. We decided on getting a good sized breakfast since we had reservations for dinner that I was certain (it was) was going to be huge amount of food.

This was to be the day we'd just explore the walled city, stretch our legs, but do things at a relaxed pace. We always identify the one or two things we want to see and leave the rest to fate; it's not important to see everything, rather, we like to take in the atmosphere, people watch, and see how folks live. That's why we just can't do tours, get on the bus, get off the bus, take a bunch of photos just to prove you were there, get back on the bus, rinse…repeat….

There was one place I wanted to visit in Evora…..

Near the Southwest corner of the walled city lies the Igreja de São Francisco, the Church of St Francis.

Now the church is quite grand and beautiful…..

But what really drew me here is in a Chapel outside and to the right of the Church entrance and is probably one of the popular sights in Evora; though there was no one there when I visited. It's called Capela dos Ossos, the "Chapel of the Bones". Ok, I'll admit, inside of me is a adolescent just waiting to burst out and see stuff like this…..

The Missus had no interest in checking this out, so she went on Her way to explore a bit and I walked down the rather peaceful and sedate entrance into the Chapel of the Bones……

Paying and admission and walking under the inscription that reads "We bones that are here, we are waiting for your's", you walk into the rather dark…there are three small windows that let light in on the left side of the structure, kind of eerie, but not particularly spooky "chapel". From what I've read, the chapel was built, with over 5,000 skeleton's by monks who were worried about the deteriorating values of wealthy Evora in the 17th century. They wanted to make people meditate on how fleeting life was and contemplate ones mortality. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the monks who built this aren't included in the collection……

On one of the pillars hangs a poem by Father António da Ascenção:

"Where are you going in such a hurry traveler?
Stop … do not proceed;
You have no greater concern,
Than this one: that on which you focus your sight.

Recall how many have passed from this world,
Reflect on your similar end,
There is good reason to reflect
If only all did the same.

Ponder, you so influenced by fate,
Among the many concerns of the world,
So little do you reflect on death;

If by chance you glance at this place,
Stop … for the sake of your journey,
The more you pause, the further on your journey you will be."

I found this to be sobering and yet beautiful at the same time……

The Missus met me right down the stairs from the church. She had been exploring and told me we should take a walk through the Public Market…which She said was small and empty, yet charming in it's own way. The building that houses the market looks very modern.

It probably wasn't the best time of the day for the market, which was empty except for a few customers…..

After visiting the public markets in Lisbon, Coimbra, Porto (which seemed the busiest), we could only wonder…..had the busy supermarkets (which we also checked out) made these a thing of the past?

We hope not……..

Even after just a day, it's hard to get lost in Evora. We headed Northeast and easily found the University of Evora. So, what's up with visiting a University? Well, this one has a long history. It was a Jesuit university established by Don Henrique in 1559. It was one of the crown jewels of Evora's time as the city of artists and intellectuals. When the city lost favor and the Jesuits expelled in 1759, the University was closed. In 1973 it became a state run University again.

Still, it's a University, right? Well, you have to realize that both the Missus' parents taught in Universities….which I've covered in posts before. I think there's a part of the Missus who feels an affinity for College life…..it is part of who She is and what She is. So why not visit an historic campus founded in the 16th century.

What I remember the most about our visit here…..the place is just welcoming and wide open to visitors, are my first really up close encounter with Azulejos, the traditional Portuguese tilework.

Each scene told a story…….

Many of which I interpreted to be of Portugal's travels to Asia……

We peeked into a classroom and were delighted to find that the tilework in the roon reflected what was being taught.

It was well worth the visit.

We left and wandered around a bit….and guess what? Just as on previous walks we ended up at Templo Romano, the Roman Temple. We really got to see how it looked different during every part of the day.

I'm thinking that this is as good a place to stop for now as any.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Evora: The Agua de Prata Aqueduct, Snacks at Pastelaria Conventual, and dinner at Adega do Alentejano.

September 27, 2013 mmm-yoso Desserts, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

The town of Evora is quite charming, within the preserved city walls are cobblestone lanes, charming streets, the place just oozes character. After a wonderful meal at Botequim da Mouraria, followed by a nap, we were ready to do a bit more exploring. I really wanted to see the Agua de Prata Aqueduct, the "Aqueduct of Silver Water", which stretches into Evora from the Northwest. It was literally a block from our hotel. You turned the corner and the aqueduct was in sight.

Construction on the aqueduct began in 1531 and was completed sometime in 1537 and brought water to Evora from Ribeira do Divor about 5 miles away.

What made this interesting to me was that I had read that there were houses and other structures actually using the pillars of the aqueduct as frames. Pretty amazing, no space wasted.

Of course the aqueduct works on gravity, so as the structure goes lower, so do the buildings…..

Which eventually turns to garages and sheds as it heads earthward…..

While walking along the aqueduct we heard an "hello, hello…..how are you? Would you like to have your picture taken?" We turned and saw a woman huffing and puffing, up the street….her name was Toni, from Australia, who had decided to move to Evora! Needless to say, we had a wonderful chat. I have to say, Toni is quite an interesting personality, her husband had passed away, and somehow, in her 60's she had decided to move here. Of course we had many questions; like "how's your Portuguese?" Her answer; "well, I'm starting lessons next week." Man, talk about living an adventure…..

We headed off to our next destination….it was time for some coffee and a snack or two. We passed quite a few sights on the way, some of which I'll cover in a future post. Here's a photo of Igreja da Graça, the Church of Grace. I found the figures on the facade kind of scary and the church just looked spooky to me.

We finally reached our destination, up one of the side streets; the Pastelaria Conventual, which specialized in "Conventual cakes", basically sweets that originated in the areas convents. I had a seat outside, while the Missus went to town.

We were told that the item Pastelaria Conventual is known for is the pão de rala, a "thin cake", made of eggs (quite a bit) and flavored with almond, with a touch of orange. It was a bit too "eggy" and sweet for me…..pretty heavy stuff too.

As was this…..

What was really funny was watching the Missus biting into this and freaking out…..

It was an empada de galinha, basically a miniature chicken pie, with a heavy chicken flavor.

It was nice to just sit down; have a cup of Cafe Americano and let time pass. It's something we here in the States aren't real good at……just sitting and watching the street scene; your own personal relaxation "aquarium".

Pastelaria Conventual
Rua do Cicioso No.47
Evora, Portugal

After our snack we wandered around for a bit, then headed back to the Albergaria do Calvario, checked email, freshened up and headed back out.

The heavily touristed Dos Mercadores was now quiet. The day trippers were gone, the young folk had headed to other places to enjoy the evening, and the shops had closed.

The heart of Evora, the Praca do Giraldo, the main square was now quiet and sedate, totally different from the bustling version we had seen earlier in the day.

Somehow, we ended up at the Templo Romano, the Roman Temple once again…..we quickly noticed how different it looked at this time of the day.

We walked across the street to the Largo da Porta de Mouro where the Missus snapped this beautiful shot of the sun setting over Evora……

How wonderful…..

Ok, enough of that….time for dinner. The Missus wanted something hearty, which the region, the Alentejo was known for. We decided to walk on down the now quiet side streets of Evora….

To Adega do Alentejano…….

The restaurant is actually quite large, but we were the only customers. The red checkered tablecloths gave it a homey feel and the gentleman serving us seemed a bit aloof at first, but ended up being quite a nice guy.

Things started out in the typical manner, appetizers brought to our table…if you eat, you pay. We also got some of the ohuse wine which actually comes from the barrels you see in the back of the dining area.

We looked over the items written on the chalkboard to determine what to get while we had our first earthenware pitcher of wine.

The Missus had been curoius about the Sopa de Tomate, tomato soup, wince She first read about it. The deal was sealed when She was told to not "order anything else…it is not a bowl of soup, but a meal!" They weren't kidding.

There's a lot this heart soup has got going for it; slices of bread soaked with a broth that just feels like a warm comforting embrace. There is of course the Missus' favorite, two eggs poached in said broth.

And like the info-mercial goes, "but wait, there's more…." a bowl of charcuterie accompanies the soup; fried pork belly, linguiça, and yes, farinheira, the "flour sausage" the Missus hated, which tasted just lovely deep fried.

Can you say comfort food????

If you think about it; this part of the Alentejo is almost like the great plains in a way, it is one of the hottest regions in Europe. Instinctively you'd immediately balk when offered a dish that includes clams, right? Well perhaps I had my doubts, but one of the classic dishes of the region is Carne de Porco à Alentejana, a dish that includes the wonderful local pork as well as clams. I just needed to try this.

The clams were surprisingly fresh, tender, and tasty, with a nice briney goodness. The pork, which seemed to be shoulder was on the chewy side, but the flavor of pork here is wonderful, it reminds me of what pork tasted like when I was a kid, even better. The fried potatoes went well with all the rich gravy/broth.

This was also fairly inexpensive as well. The Missus had asked for something hearty and She got that at Adega do Alentejano.

Adega do Alentejano
Rua Gabriel Victor do Monte Pereira 21 A
Evora, Portugal

Thanks for reading!

Evora: We arrive, Boutequim de Mouaria, and Albergaria do Calvario

August 25, 2013 mmm-yoso Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

Sorry for taking so long on our travel posts. They take a bit more time and effort….I want get things right.

Anyway, it was a bright Monday when we left Lisbon for Evora, the largest city in the region of Alentejo, which stretches from East of the Tagus river to the Spanish border. It is a vast stretch of land, taking up one-third of Portugal's land area, but is also the least populated region of Portugal as well. Evora is about an hour and a half to two hours from Lisbon via bus, or like we did, by train. The rail line from Lisbon to Evora had just reopened as of 2012, so we decided to try it out.

We left from the amazingly designed Orient Station, which is one of the major hubs in Lisbon, linking both commuter and international trains, the metro, and many major buses.

The station was designed to coincide with the 1998 World's Fair. The station supposedly services 75 million passengers a year. It really didn't seem too busy, but that could be because of how laid-back Portugal is.

There are about a dozen shops and a shopping mall across the street which you can get to via underground passage.

The train ride seemed a lot quicker than an hour and a half and we arrived in Evora and got into cab in no time at all. We were staying at the Albergaria do Calvario. This boutique hotel gets tons on rave reviews on travel sites and there's a reason why. It's probably one of our favorite places we've ever stayed at…which says a lot. The service was exceptional, not too cloying, but just perfect for us. We arrived before our room was ready, which we were prepared for. What really surprised us was the fantastic one on one service when we arrived.

One of the staff brought us refreshment and sat down with to discuss what activities we desired, handing us a booklet with all the information. Everything from tours of the local wineries to private visits to the megaliths or nearby villages. It became obvious that the folks running the Albergaria do Calvario really want you to enjoy and appreciate the area.

I soon mentioned food and the young lady brightened up. Alentejo is renown for Black Iberian Pig, known as Alentejano. Megaliths and all that is great, but I'm here for the black pig, which I learned is raised on acorns which is what they claims gives the pig all of it's wonderful marbling. The young lady turned the book over to a listing of restaurants. Which actually matched my list! She was totally honest in her assessments and helped us make our decisions. Eventually, the front desk even made reservations for what might be our favorite dinner of the trip. More on that later.

The city of Evora boasts a population of about 60,000. Ask folks from outside the Alentejo about Evora and after the swooning mention of black pork, they'll use the phrase "medieval city". The center of Evora is surrounded by walls built in the 14th century, but has a history going back 2,000 years. During the 16th century, the city was declared an archbishropic and had it's own Archbishop and much prestige until the decline of the Avis line, the banishment of the Jesuits in the 18th century closed the famous university, sending Evora into decline. The city inside the walls is beautifully preserved and it's easy to see all the sites in a couple of hours, making Evora a favorite of day tours.

We had a place in mind for lunch….the only place on the list that took no reservations, with good reason as you'll soon see. Off the tourist path, the back streets of Evora are winding and charming. It's hard to get lost here; the middle of the city is set upon a hill and somehow you'll always end up there, staring at the Roman Temple.

Which is quite a surprise to see! It was built either in the first or second century by the Romans who conquered the city in 57 B.C. and rules it until the city was taken by the Moors in 715. In the 14th century, the temple was covered up and was used as the foundation of a butcher shop, which probably helped to preserve it. We found the temple as fascinating landmark. We passed it so many times, that we noticed how it seemed so different during various times of the day.

Across the way from the temple is a small, but quaint park, Largo da Porta de Mouro.

Which is also a nice place for the view……

By now, our lunch destination was set to be open in a few minutes. We headed down the winding streets and waited by the entrance to Boutequim de Mouaria.

The owner saw us through the window, opened the door, and welcomed us in. It's a husband and wife team manning what looks basically a 10-12 seat bar.

It's small plates here. No wonder they don't take reservations! The menu is small, but tight and full of local specialties.

So……I'm sure you've heard of Jamón ibérico, right? The treasured cured ham from Spain. Well, I mentioned the Black iberian Pigs from Alentejo, right? Meet some absolutely fantastic presunto pata negra, carved from a leg mounted on the back counter of the bar.

Man……smooth and rich, with a flavor so savory it edged on sweet. Now this was good eating!

I saw something in the menu called "Cabeza de Xara". Now, I really didn't know what it was going to be, but had an idea. Plus, if it was head of anything, it was bound to be good. This was a wonderful head cheese.

Nice and swiney, with a hint of preserved sourness. This was major delicious.

The Missus saw Quail Eggs with Linguisa on the menu and we had to order it.

So simply cooked, with a presentation that has stayed with us. The quail eggs had much more flavor than what we get at the market here. The sausage was very nice and crisp, mild smokiness, wonderful seasoning. The sausage had been cooked to render some of the fat to help get the eggs started.

The owner came over and served us this dish appropriately.

Next up were some local mushrooms with olive oil.

The mushroom are very meaty and earthy. This is another dish that I've learned to make….it seems simple, but there's an important way of making it. We had a better version the next evening.

Well, by this time I had to give in and get a Sagres. At which time the owner brought me some house made "chips"….because….well, I had to have that with my beer.

Next up was the eggs with local baby asparagus.

The Missus, who loves eggs just went ga-ga over this. Something so simple, yet so tasty. The asparagus was so tender and sweet, that I had a hard time believing it was actually asparagus. Until I had some verification later in the day. So simple………man, this was good.

It was one of those meals…….we didn't want it to end. So we decided to get one more thing…what they call "flour sausage".

Also known as Farinheira, this is a sausage made with mostly wheat and pork fat. It had a really strong paprika flavor and a mushiness that was kind of weird to us. You could also taste the flour, which made me think of bad gravy for some reason. Loved the tomatoes drenched in olive oil and garlic….would eat that all day, but these sausages were tough…..the Missus ate part of one piece and made me finish the rest. We didn't want to insult the owner who was so very nice to us.

This was, by far, the best meal we'd had so far in Portugal…..I'd come back here to eat n a second. The owner has a neat ritual. He takes photos of every customer who visits and puts it in a slideshow on the small television. He also has a little bowl with flags from the countries of the folks who have visited. Really neat….nice folks, great food, nice vibe……great meal.

Botequim da Mouraria
Rua da Mouraria 16A
Evora, Portugal

We "rolled back" to the Albergaria do Calvario in dire need of a nap.

Of course our room was ready by now. It was large and comfortable. If you're going to stay here, getting a "premium room" is worth the few dollars/Euros more. I just wish that we had some reason to spend more time on the deck.

Albergaria do Calvario
Travessa Dos Lagares 3
Evora, Portugal

I know this was a long one. Thanks for reading!

Lisbon Day 3: Dinner at Santo Antonio de Alfama

August 2, 2013 mmm-yoso Lisbon, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

It seemed that I had planned well. This was our third evening in Lisbon and we had pretty much seen and done all we wanted to do. We were itching to move on. We loved Lisbon's vibe, relaxed, yet a large city. we adored the history, the colors, the great mass transit system, but it was definitely time.

Our last evening was a Sunday and from what I had read, it can be rather slim pickins' on Sunday in the very Catholic city. So I had planned ahead. Hearing good things about a restaurant located in the tangled maze of streets that is historic Alfama, I made reservation for dinner at Santo Antonio de Alfama.

We'd already wandered through the winding, tangled streets of Alfama the day before, so we decided to leave early, just in case we unable to find our restaurant. Amazingly, I followed the graffiti and we found the place….waaaay too early. So we circled back and took the opportunity to visit the Sé, or Cathedral of Lisbon, which is a rather imposing structure originally built in 1150 on the site of a former Mosque. We arrived to late to visit the Gothic Cloister which lead to current excavations of Roman ruins. So we just walked around the large interior. I was really taken by the rose window on the west side of the cathedral.

After a short visit we decided to walk on back to the restaurant and just wait. The streets can indeed be confusing. The restaurant we had reservations at, Santo Antonio de Alfama is located at number 7 Beco de Sao Miguel. It's easy enough to confuse that with Restaurant San Miguel d'Alfama, which is also located at number 7 Rua de Sao Miguel. Yikes!

The restaurant is located right across from São Miguel Church, which was under going some construction at the time of our visit. We sat on the stairs leading down to the church and watched kids playing soccer in the streets. It was a nice relaxing moment in time.

The restaurant itself features a small and charming courtyard, though it was still a bit too cold to be eating outside.

At just before the opening time of 730pm….yes, this is Portugal, dinner starts at 730 or 8, we walked over and took a look at the menu and started to make a gameplan.

When the doors opened we entered. The interior is dark and warm, with pictures of actors, actresses, and other celebrities lining the walls. We were given an excellent table….well, for us it was perfect as it faced the window of the courtyard.

We were glad to have made reservations. Every table in view was reserved. We'd watch as folks walked up to the menu in the courtyard, then enter and try to get a table and were turned away. Even though the place was still half empty when we left, we found this typical of Portugal and even Rome. Folks are never rushed. Dinner is something to be enjoyed and savored.

As mentioned before, there's the selection of "appetizers" delivered. If you eat, you pay….and this being our last evening in Lisbon, we ate.

I'm not sure if you've noticed in my cooking posts, but the Missus minimizes gluten intake….I think it actually makes Her even more sensitive to it when She does have it, but whatever. On this evening She did enjoy the bread. Personally, I loved the fried potato skins. I'm not sure what they use as fertilizer for their spuds, and maybe I don't want to know, but these were really delicious…..yes, basically fried thick potato peels. A crunch on the exterior, meeting a moist potato interior, with just the right amount of salt. Sadly, this was second best item of the entire evening.

The best were the wimple roasted Padron Peppers.

Sweet, thin skinned, tender to the point of nearly melting in your mouth, with just the right amount of salt, this was very nice.

The Fried Runner Beans on the other hand were not so well prepared.

Greasy with mushy batter ruined the dish for us. This also lacked a proper amount of seasoning for our tastes.

The Missus did enjoy the Red and Yellow Pepper Soup with Prawn.

Which She said was lovely. The flavor of the yellow pepper puree and the red pepper puree were completely different, thus really keeper Her interest in the dish.

What didn't keep Her interest was the Pork Black Sausage with Sauteed Turnip Tops and Potatoes.

To me, the blood sausage was on the mushy side and veyr mild in terms of seasoning. It was also quite large, making for monotonous eating after a few bites. The turnip tops were ok, but really tasted like something I'd make at home. The potatoes were deep fried before being added to the greens and were delish.

I went with the Roasted Salt Cod with Roasted Potatoes and Sauteed Turnip Tops.

So, if you're keeping score, it's been four bacalhau dishes in three days, pretty good I think. The bacalhau was a bit too salty for me, the garlic almost burnt and bitter. The potatoes were good, though it could have done with a bit more olive oil and salt. The turnip tops were the same as the Missus.

The service was good, hitting a nice balance of being there at our table and leaving us alone to have a nice dinner. Figuring that dinner, with wine was over 70 Euros, I'm not sure this was really worth it. Still, it was Lisbon on a Sunday night.

Santo Antonio de Alfama
Beco de Sao Miguel 7
Lisbon, Portugal

Funny, as we walked back….yes, now tram for us, we walked to and from Alfama. The Missus and I talked about how much we really enjoyed Lisbon the city, but maybe not the food. By far, my favorite two meals was a simple Bifana and a beer for breakfast and roasted suckling pig and a beer, also for breakfast. All our other meals were decent to good, but nothing really great. Our eating fortunes would soon change as we were headed to Evora in the morning!

Thanks for reading!

Lisbon Day 3: Belem – Monument to the Discoveries(Padrão dos Descobrimentos) and lunch at Restaurante Rosa dos Mares

July 20, 2013 mmm-yoso Lisbon, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Seafood, Travel

Right across the street from the Monastery de Jeronimos is Praca do Imperio, a large well manicured public square that features a beautiful fountain and a nice view of the monastery.

Heading toward the water and crossing under Avenida de Brasilia, you get to the waterfront. You really can't miss Padrão dos Descobrimentos, the Monument to the Discoveries, which celebrates Portugal's glory during the Age of Discovery. This was where all those great sailing ships left from.

Originally, a temporary structure was built on this spot for the 1940 World's Fair. That structure was demolished in 1943. In 1958, a permanent structure was planned and in 1960, marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator, the structure was completed.

By the way, that's Henry the Navigator leading the way at the point of the structure.

There are 33 figures total on the structure's West and East sides, which include Vasco da Gama, Alfonso the V, and Ferdinand Magellan. Sad, but true story of a recent conversation with a rather young, but highly educated young man. Chatting about our vacation, I mentioned the Age of Discovery; total blank look. I finally said, "you know Magellan, right?" "Of course, he's the person who invented the GPS, right?" Sigh…….

Anyway, Henry the Navigator is holding a sailing ship in his hands…….

It costs a couple of Euros to catch the elevator almost all the way to the top. You walk a couple of flights from there. It's a tight squeeze, but the view is wonderful. The photo of Jerónimos Monastery in my previous post was taken from there.

Here's another panoramic shot of Lisbon and the "25th of April" Bridge in the background (click to enlarge).

We had planned on taking the short ferry ride across the river to Porto Brandao, but having just missed the boat, we decided to just catch the trolley back to Central Lisbon to get something to eat. While walking to the trolley stop we noticed a promising looking restaurant called Restaurante Rosa dos Mares.

The server was very friendly and nice and there was a mix of tourists and locals in the shop. It was interesting, the locals ate in the back of the place while the tourists ate in the front.

The prices really weren't bad and of course the Missus wanted more sardines.

The Missus started with, duh, Caldo Verde (E 1.25), which She enjoyed….though I don't think She's ever met a bowl of Caldo Verde She didn't like!

For some reason, She really took to this simple potato thickened soup with greens.

Of course no real meal is complete without some Vinho Verde, right?

She also got here Sardinas Assadas, grilled sardines (E 6).

These were nicely done, better than what we had at Super Mario's. Moist, nice oil, rich, but not too fishy, good grilled flavor. There's something about the potatoes in Portugal…..it seemed like they had a more intense flavor. Maybe it was just being on vacation.

I got something called Bacalhao Rosa dos Mares (E 12).

Like they say, there's a recipe for Bacalhau for every meal of every day of the week. This was another one for the books. Basically nicely fried bacalhau topped withonions and peppers caramelized in vinegar. A tad too sweet for me, but the texture of the fish was nice and it wasn't too salty. The service was friendly, the Server helpful, and the food not bad.

Restaurante Rosa dos Mares
Rua de Belem 2-4
Lisbon, Portugal

After lunch we headed back to central Lisbon, getting off at Praca do Comerico and taking a walk back to our room/apartment.

As with all trips to large cities, Lisbon had seemed so large upon our arrival, but was shrinking as every day passed. Still, we weren't too sure we'd be able to to find the restaurant where we'd be having dinner, which was located in the tiny, winding, streets of Alfama. One last meal in Lisbon before heading on to our next stop.