A Jeanne in the Kitchen

After taking in the spectacular sights of the Algarve region and getting familiar with the area, it was once again time to find a place for dinner. The Portuguese, like the Spanish, like to eat late (I do too actually). So it was already dark, and around 8:00 PM. This is a normal dinner time all over Portugal.

We found this lovely family owned and operated restaurant called Festa da Praia. It has been going strong since 1990.

We almost ate outside, but it was a little too chilly to be really comfortable, so we opted to dine inside instead. I am so glad we did too, for a number of reasons.

After we ordered and before our food came, of course I wondered around and took a few pictures. Like so many restaurants, they had a display of their fresh catches of the day. They offered seabass, salmon, tuna, barnacles (a Portuguese favorite) and clams.

Then our food came. Again, we ordered a delicious Portuguese white wine and some garlic bread to start us off.

Larry ordered a curried seafood pasta as his main dish. It was loaded with shrimp, mussels and clams.

I ordered a Portuguese traditional classic, the bacalhau, or salt cod casserole.

Everything was delicious. We would have been very happy if our perfect day and dinner ended here. But …. it got even better, if you can imagine that! The owner, Paola, came out and was talking to the guests, and she made her way over to our table too. We hit it off immediately, and have so much in common. She sent us some port to enjoy before giving us on a little tour of her restaurant and the kitchen.

To me, Paola’s kitchen was small, but she insisted it was actually a large kitchen. Regardless of the size though, everything that comes from that kitchen is delicious and made with the number one ingredient, LOVE. Everyone was very friendly and a lot of fun too.

Paola also hosts weekly arts and crafts classes, and was proudly showing off some of her other creative skills. We would be best friends if I lived there, that’s for sure. We talked like we had known each other all our lives.

Thank you Paola and staff for sharing your lovely hospitality and “home” with us. You and Festa da Praia are true gems. We thoroughly enjoyed our short visit with you. We hope to see you again one day.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

OK. My short intermission is over, and I am resuming my Portugal report. This time, we are in the Algarve region, or the southernmost region, famed for its stunning, sun-drenched Mediterranean climate, dramatic limestone cliffs, and golden beaches. Popular spots include Lagos for nightlife and beaches, Albufeira for resorts, and Tavira for a quieter, traditional feel.

We got up early to catch our train from Lisboa to the Algarve. It was about a 3 hour train ride. We ended up at the airport where we had to catch a cab to go to the car rental place, then off to our hotel and beyond.

Our little green car we named o sapo, or the frog, or Freddie, took us all over the Algarve region. Freddie was a loyal companion and hopped all over the place with us.

I fell in love with the Algarve region of Portugal. It was breathtaking. We stayed in Albuefeira. This was the only time we had a car while in Portugal. We covered as much of the region as we could in the time we were there. Once again, we saw and did so much, but it was a lot more relaxed than our time in Lisboa.

We had a nice apartment/hotel we called home while we in the Algarve. It had a little kitchenette, two bathrooms, a nice deck and our room was upstairs. This is the hotel lobby.

And our little apartment.

Our deck and view. We ate our breakfast out on the deck every morning while there.

As soon as we checked in and got settled, we were off again. We asked the reception desk where to go. Since it was a Sunday, many things were closed, but we still had a great time. As recommended, we headed to the coast. But first, we needed to find a place to eat.

Along our drive, we found a little pizza place, Tenis Pizzas, and ordered a pizza to take with us. We ordered a new kind of pizza for us, but traditional to Southern Portugal. We ordered a shrimp and fish pizza. We love shrimp, we love fish and we love pizza. It was a win/win.

They made it right in front of me, so I know everything was fresh. The fish was freshly caught as well.

The pizza was different and delicious.

And we had lunch with a view.

We even had an unexpected guest come join us.

After finishing our lunch, we started our coastal explorations. This tiled mural represents the history and changing times of the Algarve area.

We were enjoying the gorgeous scenery, stopping wherever we felt like stopping, but we were also familiarizing ourselves with the area so we would know where to go for our next day’s adventures.

No need for words. The pictures speak for themselves. A pictures is worth 1000 words.

As we were strolling along the boardwalk, there was a gentleman playing guitar beautifully. It doesn’t get much better than that – beautiful guitar with the rugged coastline as a backdrop.

They were also filming a sports clothing commercial right here too. Of course the models they were using were Portuguese gods. I loved that view too. 🙂

These little, tiny irises were everywhere. They were fully in bloom, but were only a few inches tall, and the flowers themselves were very small. I love them. this little gem has found a nice home underneath the bottom of the fence.

These beautiful yellow flowering trees were everywhere and were on full display in the Algarve.

Larry wanted to head back to our hotel before it was dark, since he didn’t know the area yet. These are the sights we saw on the way back.

We always knew where our hotel was by the street art. We were after the big watches and right by the two dancing worms.

And so ends our first day in the breathtakingly beautiful Algarve region.

If you like these photos, I have a lot more in store for you. Sit back, relax and and enjoy the ride. Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. ‘Til next time.

I am taking a little intermission from my Portugal adventures and giving you a simple dessert instead. I made this and took to Mike and Lauren’s shortly after we returned home.

When I was doing my shopping, I stumbled upon something new and intriguing.; chocolate hummus. I love hummus, and we eat quite a bit of hummus, but I had never heard of chocolate hummus before. I had to give it a try, and I am very glad I did. It’s very smooth and creamy and very good.

Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Dessert Hummus is a gluten-free, Non-GMO Project verified blend of steamed chickpeas, organic cane sugar, water, sunflower oil, cocoa powder (processed with alkali), vanilla extract, sea salt, and sesame tahini. It uses nisin as a natural preservative, providing a smooth texture for dipping fruits or crackers. I used it as a spread for crepes and then made a fruit plate with mixed berries and banana chips that we could “stuff” our crepes with.

The crepes were easy to make and it made for a light dessert, that was something fun and and different.

Sweet Crepes

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup water

2 TBSP sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 TBSP sweet liqueur or rum

butter to cook each crepe

Mix everything together well, the cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cooking.

Get a small skillet very hot, spray with cooking spray and add a little bit of butter (do this for each crepe and cook one at a time). Add about 1/4-1/3 cup of batter to the skillet and immediately swirl around so it covers the whole pan. Cook for about 1-2 minutes, then carefully flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the batter. The crepes can be cooked ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for a few days if sealed in an airtight container.

This is a light and simple, easy-peasy dessert that travels well.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest and make the most out of every minute. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

Things we saw on the way down, back into the town of Sintra, after our mountainous trek. We saw more beautiful tiles everywhere we went. So many different kinds of tiles too. I love them. I never tire of seeing them.

We found out this used to be a jail. Now it is a Boy Scout house.

These are private homes. WOW!!!!!

Once we made it back down the mountain, and into civilization again, we had worked up quite an appetite. So we found a little place to eat called Tasca saloia in Sintra. We took the last available seat outside, where we could take in the sites as we ate and relaxed.

We ordered more traditional Portuguese foods, but I can’t remember all the names of them. They were very good, that much I do know. 🙂

We ordered some more grilled sausages, that were grilled right at our table. I am assuming he is pouring alcohol over the sausage to get them to flame up.

It was so good. We ate it all. 🙂 There were two types of sausage on this platter, blood sausage and traditional chorizo.

Of course we had more olives and bread. The olives also had some fava beans mixed in this time. I could easily live on olives and bread, and wine too. 🙂

After relaxing a bit, and refueling, we strolled around Sintra a bit more before catching our train back to Lisboa. We went into the gardens to see and smell the flowers. I had to take pictures of the irises. Irises were my mother’s favorite flower, so whenever I see them, I think of my mom.

There was even a koi pond.

Once we made it back to our hotel, we were exhausted. It had been a very long, very full day, with lots of walking and hiking. We literally walked 14 miles this day. We were tracking our steps and our miles on our phones. We hit the bed as soon as we got in. We knew we had another early day again the next day, as we had to catch the train to head down south to the Algarve region. I will give you an intermission on our Portuguese adventures here, since the next session is in the Algarve region, the southern portion of Portugal, which is totally different than Lisboa.

We’ve been home less than two weeks, but we hit the ground running as soon as we got back. And believe it or not, I have been cooking a bit since we’ve been home too. I know, right?! Me cooking. Imagine that. 🙂 I will never run out of things to share. I have so many good things that are always going on. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest (we always do). It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

Part of the Sintra and Pena Palace experience is to visit the palace grounds as well. So we started our trek away from the palace and through the woods. It was very mythical indeed. The grounds were green and lush and full of mystery.

We followed the path to the mystical lakes that King Ferdinand created for his children to play in. This is quite a playground that will definitely allow your imagination to run wild with whatever fantasies you can dream up.

From here, things got VERY tricky. We followed the travel tips stating you should walk down the mountain from the Palace, and to walk through the woods. Well …… we did, and it was NOT what we expected. We got lost through the woods, following the little creek, then we got stuck within in the walls surrounding the creek, with no other way out than to follow the creek, which gave us quite an adventure; an adventure we weren’t entirely prepared for. But we made it through unscathed. Once again after about an hour of walking through the woods, and what seemed like unchartered territory, we found our way back to civilization.

We found another palace, but didn’t enter the grounds. We had other places to go. Besides, they looked like they were setting up for a wedding or some formal ceremony.

We were headed towards Quinta da Regaleira and the Initiation Well. Quinta da Regaleira, celebrates Portugal’s unique historical connection to the mysterious Knights Templar. Quinta da Regaleira is a postcard-perfect mix of Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance architecture. But it’s what lies beneath the palace’s gardens that truly sets the estate’s design apart. A pair of wells, called Initiation Wells, spiral down deep within the earth, like inverted towers. The wells were never used to collect water. Instead, in fact, it was never built to serve as a water resource at all. It was actually built for secret ceremonial purposes, as a part of a mysterious initiation ritual within the Knights of Templar tradition. It has a spiral staircase of 27m to the bottom.

The Knights Templar, a Catholic military order with roots dating to early 12th Century CE. While the group is believed to have disbanded 700 years ago, certain groups, like Freemasons, revived the medieval group’s rituals and traditions centuries later. It is believed that Templar initiations at Quinta da Regaleira began with candidates entering one of Initiation Wells blindfolded. Holding a sword close to their heart, they would descend nine flights of stairs – a number that represents the nine founders of the Templar order. Once reaching the bottom of the well, the candidates would walk into a dark labyrinth where they would symbolically and literally find their way up towards the light. If they were able to make back through the well tower and into the sunlight, initiates would walk across stones in water to reach the chapel, where they would then be welcomed into the brotherhood.

Before reaching the Initiation Well, we strolled through the grounds of Quinta da Regaleira, which were breathtaking and gorgeous in their own right. The entrance was once home to the Royal stables.

Beautiful gardens and flowers decorated the grounds.

Many other structures, of many kinds, were scattered throughout the property as well, all enhancing the magical, mythical, Medieval vibes and characteristics of the grounds.

A view of the Moorish Castle. This was the closest we got to this castle. We had done enough hiking and climbing for one day. Plus we still had a lot of walking and climbing on this part of our adventure as well. 🙂

Quinta da Regaleira was inhabited by wealthy Patrons, Nobles and Elites, each with their own palatial homes and grounds. Some we could go into, some are still privately owned, and were closed to the public.

And again, there were many chapels all around, most of which were privately owned by the wealthy Patrons.

This is a good stopping point for now. Now, we were headed into the actual town or city of Sintra, where we stopped for something to eat, and of course, more explorations.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride and make the journey count. ‘Til next time.

It was another early morning train ride, this time our destination was Sintra. Our first stop was a trip to the romantic, mystical, magical Pena Palace. It was even more magical and mystical because of the deep fog layer that covered the mountain when we first arrived. Pena Palace or Palacio da Pena is a vibrant, hilltop Romanticist palace featuring diverse architectural styles and panoramic views. The train only took us so far. After getting off the train we hired a cab to take us up as far as he could. Then …. we had to hike up the mountain for about 1/4 mile, straight up, to get to the actual castle. It was well worth it, even if it was yet another tough climb. Portugal has many, many STEEP, STEEP hills all over. If you really want to see and explore Portugal, there is no getting around these steep hills.

Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage site near Lisbon, is a breathtaking hilltop town renowned for its 19th-century Romanticist palaces, misty pine-covered forests, and dramatic, colorful, and eclectic architecture. Major attractions include the iconic Pena Palace, the mystical Quinta da Regaleira, and the medieval Moorish Castle, making it a premier, magical day trip from Lisbon.

Pena Palace is the legacy of the artist king, King Ferdinand II.

The Palace of Pena is the result of two distinct periods, reflected in its complex and seemingly fantastical architecture. To the 16th-century monastery, the consort king Ferdinand II added, in the mid-19th century, an entirely new palace. Even today, the palace’s silhouette clearly reveals these two construction phases, harmoniously combined by 19th-century Romanticism. The two wings served different purposes, although some domestic functions — such as bedrooms, studies and dining rooms — recur in both. However, while private apartments predominate in the former monastery, or Old Palace, state rooms are found only in the New Palace. This architectural duality allows visitors to explore two distinct visitor circuits.

But the construction of Pena Palace actually started much, much earlier. The original construction began in the 12th century, following reports of apparitions of Our Lady, a chapel was erected on this site, and was a religious site for many centuries. King Ferdinand II purchased the castle in 1838, and expanded the castle, mixing and matching architecural styles. This sixteenth century monastery held an enormous degree of fascination for the king stemming both from his Germanic education and the romantic imaginary prevailing at the time that attracted him to the hills and the aesthetic value of the ruins. The original project was simply to restore the building as the summer residence for the royal family but his enthusiasm led him to opt for the construction of a palace and extending the pre-existing construction under the supervision of Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege, a mineralogist and mine engineer who was then residing in Portugal. The building is circled by other architectural structures that appeal to the medieval imaginary, such as the parapet paths, the lookout towers, an access tunnel and even its own drawbridge. The palace incorporates architectural references displaying Manueline and Moorish influences that together produce a surprising scenario recollecting “a thousand and one nights.” The Palace of Pena thus emerged from the combination of the former Hieronymite monastery with a sophisticated 19th-century building, reflecting a taste for Romantic revivalism.

We got there early, which was a good thing. That gave us plenty of time to hike up the mountain, catch our breath, relieve ourselves and explore the grounds a bit before our scheduled tour time. In time, the fog cleared too.

Our time had come to see the inside of the Palace. Once again, we were in awe. It did not disappoint. We started off in the huge kitchen. Again, I would love a BIG kitchen like this. I would have plenty of room for everything I need. 🙂

The Royal China and it’s dragon design.

This room is known as the Hunter’s Room.

King Ferdinand’s private chambers.

The Royal Chapel

We left the Palace and started our trek through the gardens and beyond. Those are going to be in a separate post though, since I have many more pictures and stories to tell about that; too much to add on here, and definitely more than enough to warrant it’s own posting. 🙂

Haver a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride, even the challenging parts. They make it all worthwhile in the end. ‘Til next time.

This was a VERY full and busy day. We stopped for a late lunch, in between activities, at a little place called Tapas & Friends for some Portuguese styled tapas. The food was delicious, and it was a fun little place in the heart of Baixa.

I relaxed a little with a tasty, traditional sangria.

One of the dishes we ordered was some grilled sausage, and this is how the grilled it; on a little open fire portable grill. We noticed this at other places we stopped too.

We also ordered the cod cakes, that we ended up eating quite a few times on our trip, and one of our favorites patatas bravas. Patatas bravas are Spanish, but Spain and Portugal share many things, along with their long borders. The whole Eastern part of Portugal is bordered by Spain, from the north all the way down to the south.

This was just enough to re-energize us for the rest of our day’s activities. It also felt very good to sit down and relax a bit too.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

In between our Fado experiences, we also explored more of Lisboa and Alfama. We took full advantage of our Lisbon Cards and used them as much as we could, all over Lisboa.

One stop that is definitely worth it is “The Story of Lisbon” Museum. They did a great job explaining Lisbon’s and Portugal’s history. It takes you through Portugal’s age of discovery, through the earthquake and into the present. It is an interactive presentation, with audio devices that explain everything to you depending on your location in the museum.

The Age of Discovery

This is the tower you saw earlier. Pieces of Portugal – Part 3 – Belem and Beyond

Political Disodence

Church and State

The great earthquake and fires of 1755.

Everyone was affected, from the Nobles to the poor, and everyone pulled together to help each other.

They even had a simulator that made it seem like you were actually experiencing an earthquake. The earthquake was about a 9 on the Richter scale. I grew up in California, and have experienced many earthquakes. A 9 on the Richter scale is HUGE! The worst earthquakes I’ve experience have been 7’s, and those are plenty bad.

We took a lunch break and a much needed time to sit down and rest a bit before meeting up with our tour guide Tiago, for a tour of the Alfama region of Lisboa.

Alfama is the oldest, most traditional district of Lisboa, and Europe as a whole. Alfama’s story begins with Roman foundations. They established a settlement near hot springs. Visigoths followed, leaving their mark. These early inhabitants shaped the landscape. It dates back to the 8th Century, when Portugal was under Moorish rule. The name “Alfama” is derived from the Arabic word “al-hamma,” meaning “the baths.” Alfama has been a melting pot of cultures, influenced by Romans, Moors, and Christians throughout its history. Narrow alleys and steep staircases reflect Moorish design. Many houses still retain ancient features. The district housed a diverse population. Merchants, fishermen, and artisans lived here. After the Christian Reconquista, Alfama was a vital area. It lay outside the main city walls. The district became home to fishermen and laborers. It developed a distinct community identity. The castle of São Jorge stood guard above and offered protection to the area. Life here was vibrant and authentic. This medieval spirit still lingers today.

We even had our first taste of their local drink Ginjinha, or Ginja. Ginjinha is a sweet licqueuer made from sour cherries. It is all over the Southern regions of Portugal and Lisboa. The local ladies made some and had it available for us to taste. It is often served in little chocolate cups, like how we tried it. It’s VERY good, but a little bit goes a long way. It’s very potent, so it will really hit you if you drink too much. 🙂

And we had to stop and test some more pasteis de natas too. We were sampling our way through Portugal. We never met a pastel de nata we didn’t like. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not about the destination, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

After leaving Castelo Sao Jorge, we headed back into Lisboa. We explored a couple of interesting museums. One was the Museum of Fado. Fado is a way of life to the Portuguese.

Fado is a soulful, melancholy Portuguese music genre originating in 1800s Lisbon, characterized by deep emotional expression (saudade), themes of love, loss, and fate, and accompaniment by classical and Portuguese guitars. Recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, it is performed by soloists (fadistas) in intimate venues, with iconic singers including Amália Rodrigues and modern artists like Mariza. The songs are deeply dramatic, focusing on nostalgia, longing, and the struggles of life. It thrives in small, intimate “Fado houses” (fado houses), often in old neighborhoods like Alfama, Lisbon. Fado isn’t always sad—it’s honest.

This wall represents all the famous Fado singers and performers, or Fadistas.

Portuguese guitars. No, they are NOT mandolins.

A very famous picture of the Fado life in the museum.

This is a portrait of one of the famous Fadistas. You had to look at it from a distance to get the full picture.

Amália Rodrigues is one of the most famous Fadistas in Portugal. This is a tribute to her in Alfama, the home of Fado.

We also enjoyed a Fado show that night too. We tried to go to another one, but it just didn’t happen. It was beautiful. All the Fadistas were fantastic.

We got to enjoy a glass of port with the show too, which was also very good. She had a beautiful voice.

He had a deep, rich baritone voice.

If you have never been to a Fado show, I highly recommend it. In Spain, Flamenco is the music of the people. In Argentina, it is the Tango. In Portugal, it is Fado.

This day included a lot more too, but I will get back to that later. It was indeed a very full day. I can only do so much in one day. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

We had another very busy jam-packed day, this time starting at Castelo Sao Jorge, or St. George’s Castle. This small fortress was built by the Visigoths during the fifth century. It was enlarged by the Moors in the ninth century and modified during the reign of Alfonso I of Portugal (1109 – 1185). In later years, it was transformed into a Royal Palace. Finally, it was completely restored in 1938. The Castle reached its maximum splendor during the thirteenth century and lasted until the sixteenth century when it was occupied by both the Kings of Portugal and the Bishop.

The view of the city from the castle.

We toured around through the castle grounds and were serenated by beautiful peacocks the whole time.

I’ve seen many peacocks, but I’ve never seen white ones before. We saw so many peacocks. Of course they were posing for us so we just had to take a lot of pictures of them.

He was on proud peacock display here. He’s so gorgeous, but he knows it too. 🙂

This one reminded us of our our puma (Otis) and our panther (Nicodemus).

We went inside this cathedral that was adjacent to the castelo. It was being restored at the time, but it is still very impressive. Castles and cathedrals seem to be located next to each other quite often. The church and state were basically one.

This was our first adventure for the day. We had a lot more coming, but we had to go back to the main part of the city first. So I will leave it here for now. Sit back and relax, there is oh so much more to come. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. ‘Til next time.