We flew Emirates for the first time, because they had the just one stop to Lisbon route. On the first leg from Auckland to Dubai, a 17 hour flight, Bill saw there was a deal going so we went Business Class. I have never flown Business Class before. I am not sure I could go back to Premium Economy! In Business Class Emirates have a small lounge. The toilets are at the far end of the lounge. At the time I went, there was a queue. The guy behind me gave me the best pick up line ever - "And where in the world are you heading to to change the world?" I loved that line. I went back to Bill and said if anything ever happened to him I would take a long flight Business Class with a lounge and I'd be fine!
Our second leg was from Dubai to Lisbon and 6hrs. We arrived in Lisbon about midday. We are staying in Alfama, the oldest part of the city.
The first thing I noticed in Lisbon was the cobbled paths and streets. Everything is cobbled. This is partly for the drainage and secondly because it is tradition. It is labour intensive and I thought unbelievable this tradition has lasted. People must trip a lot. I will have to be careful I think.
That's not my leg!
Here is a little bit of the history of Alfama: "Alfama is the oldest neighborhood of Lisbon, spreading on the slope between the São Jorge Castle and the Tagus river. It contains many important historical attractions, as well as an abundance of Fado bars and restaurants
During the times of Moorish rule, Alfama constituted the whole of the city, which later spread to the West (Baixa neighbourhood). Alfama became inhabited by the fishermen and the poor, and its condition as the neighbourhood of the poor continues to this day.
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake did not destroy Alfama, which has remained a labyrinth of narrow streets and small squares. Lately the neighbourhood has been restored with the renovation of old houses and new restaurants where Fado is sometimes played."
This is the street we are staying in. Handy to everything , Santa Maria Maior. Our group of apartments are this side of those chairs. We had a view of an inner courtyard, not of the street.
It was fun to walk around Alfama.
Decorations were going up for Festas de Santo António. This festival is dedicated to Saint Anthony, a popular saint in Portugal, and is celebrated in June, particularly on the 12th and 13th.
"The decorations, including colourful streamers, paper lanterns, and garlands, transform the streets, especially in the Alfama district, (where we are staying) into a vibrant and festive environment. The street parties called "arraiais," are where people enjoy live music, traditional food (like grilled sardines), and a lively atmosphere.
The Festas de Santo António are a deeply rooted cultural tradition in Lisbon, marking a time of community celebration and joy."
One person we talked with says these days bring the country together. Everybody parties no matter what your status. I loved that.
This is where we will go to a Fado dinner in a few night's time it turns out.
On the first morning we did our usual and went for a city bike tour. We walked to the bike shop 300m uphill. Lisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal, located on seven hills near the Tagus River.
This is a map of the areas we biked through - Sao Bento, Estrela, Belem, Bai xa y Chiado, Bairro Alto and Alfama.
We were on e-bikes.
We had tour leader Bruno all to ourselves. He can have up to 15 people so we thought we lucked in. He had been taking the tour for 12 years. He was passionate and knew his stuff. We had to look out for people in all directions. His sign language was exceptional.
This is the steepest funicular in Lisbon, the Elevador da Bica, which runs through Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo and ascends to the Bairro Alto neighborhood.
Bruno showed us the architecture and hills of Lisbon.
The most beautiful bookshop in Lisbon. We know we will be coming back to that.
"The Largo do Carmo (Carmo Square) is a site of significant historical importance, particularly in relation to the Carnation Revolution of 1974. It was here that the Armed Forces, who had led the revolution, and thousands of citizens gathered on April 25, 1974, to witness the capture of the headquarters of the Republican National Guard, where the Prime Minister, Marcello Caetano, had sought refuge in one of the buildings around the square. Then he surrendered.
The successful capture of the headquarters, along with other successful operations across Portugal, resulted in the collapse of the dictatorial regime and the establishment of a democratic government, marking a significant step towards freedom and democracy in Portugal."
Quite a bit of rubbish in places 🥲.
This is a mythical figure that personifies the Cape of Good Hope. It symbolizes the dangers of the sea and challenges of nature 1418-1620.
The bridge was modelled on the Golden Gate in San Francisco.
And the sculpture Rio de Janeiro.
And the arch the Arc de Triomphe.
I love this artist: Artur Bordalo, also known as Bordalo II. He's renowned for creating stunning animal sculptures from street garbage, using his art to raise awareness about pollution and endangered species.
"Bordalo II's work is a prominent feature of Lisbon's street art scene, with his sculptures displayed throughout the city. He has been creating these pieces since 2012, transforming over 60 tons of recycled materials into two hundred animal sculptures. His art is a powerful commentary on environmental issues and consumption, highlighting the beauty and potential of materials often discarded."
Bruno took us to a place called Time Out. It is a market and food hall. So popular that it has now been done in other countries. We walked there a few days later and had lunch.
After the bike ride we went to Aljube Museum. Everything is explained in Portuguese and English. It is a former prison. It was originally an ecclesiastical prison, later converted into an Archbishop's palace in the 1500's. It survived the 1755 earthquake, and was once again turned into a prison, this time for women. Then starting in 1928, it was where political prisoners were interrogated and tortured by the political police, lasting until 1965.
On one walk we caught a fado. "Fado, meaning "fate" in Portuguese, is a traditional Portuguese musical genre that emerged in the working-class neighborhoods of Lisbon in the early 19th century. It evolved from spontaneous singing about daily life, often performed in taverns, brothels, and other informal settings. Initially, it was a voice for the marginalized, expressing the sorrows, joys, and struggles of sailors, traders, and other working-class individuals. Over time, fado gained broader popularity and evolved, eventually becoming a recognized national and international cultural treasure."
The oldest working tram is Tram 28, which operates through historic districts like Alfama, Baixa, and Chiado, and is a very touristic ride. So we went on that for an hour, early in the morning to avoid the queues for it. And saw pretty much what we saw on our bike ride, but more quickly.
That night we went for dinner at a restaurant that showed on its website they had an early fado. We are early nighters these days. And it was just a 3 minute walk from where we were staying.
Fado singing is accompanied by a Portugese guitar or guitars. "The Portuguese guitar is a plucked string instrument with twelve steel strings, strung in six courses of two strings. It is one of the few musical instruments that still uses watch-key or Preston tuners. It is iconically associated with the musical genre known as fado." (I put all this detail about guitars in as Daniel and Lachie as guitarists might be interested.
Then the singer comes out.
"The song is a recognised symbol of Portugal. In its essence, it sings the feeling, the heartbreak, the longing for someone who left, the daily life and the conquests. After all, the matches and mismatches of life are an infinite theme for inspiration. Then another singer comes out."
Another singer performs, then they do together. I am not sure whether Bill is pretending to enjoy because he can’t tell me to put my video down, or whether he is actually enjoying it.
Then a man from the public asks to join in with a song that obviously means a lot to him. I wished I had videoed more. He was really getting into it, and the best to watch of all of them.
The meal was average I thought. We went traditional - sardines and octopus and rice. Bill liked it more than me. I left a lot behind. The waiter asked if we wanted a doggy bag. I didn't say it, and thought you can give it to any dog!
No doggy bag on leaving (Ed).
Sometimes on these travels we have a work day. Today was it. Since I have been diagnosed as having ADHD I have been collaging a bit. I use Canva. Each collage takes at most 5 minutes. Today I collage my walking. We have been walking a lot and I have developed a right leg not working as well as the other one. A bit of a foot slap. Also I have a sniffle and a cough. I collage the worst it is and then the miracle that it is when I am healed . Here is what I spent some of the morning doing while Bill worked .
For me the collages get me out of my head. I can now do what I have to do rather than let the thoughts swell. After working and collaging we go for brunch.
At this lunch Bill says in 8 hours "New Zealand will be waking up and I have some news to share". He shares he has been awarded an MNZM, a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. He explains what it is and how these things work.
He says he didn't want to tell me earlier as it puts me in an awkward position of knowing but not being able to tell. That was a good idea I thought. I was more interested in Bill's response about getting this award. He was very humble and wondered if he should accept the award because he is just doing his job. He also said it depends on who puts you up and who is on the judging panel and what they give priority too, so just a judgement by those people based on what they get submitted to them.
But he thought that his Mum would be proud so that was a good reason to say yes. I loved that. I am proud too. Bill works hard and he has 4 times my focus on even very mundane things. I think it is well deserved. I did notice he was moved when he told me. I loved that too. I had that mean that other people recognize NEXT and CSP in the world and he is very passionate about these two areas. He forgets he was a big player in those two fields and he is modest and hardworking and he always will be. That is what I love about him ❤️
Celebration brunch!
We had a celebration dinner too. The New Zealand Order of Merit sits within the New Zealand Royal Honours system. "Recipients are recognized for their achievements or service to the community, often at a regional or national level. The MNZM is one of several levels within the New Zealand Order of Merit, with higher levels including Officer of the Order (ONZM) and Companion of the Order (CNZM)."
Bill hasn't got it yet and this is what he will recieve. He will now have a Plowman Medal and an MNZM Medal.
We were the only ones in the restaurant as we had gone out for dinner early. We told the waitress we were celebrating and she said she wanted a photo with the Sir Bill. Sir Bill did not mind being in the middle of two gorgeous girls.
The next day we took an early train to Sintra, a 40min train ride away.
"Sintra's history is rich and multifaceted, transitioning from prehistoric settlements to a favored retreat for Portuguese royalty and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its historical significance is marked by various architectural styles, reflecting different periods of occupation and cultural influence, including Moorish, Gothic, Manueline, and Romantic. From the 12th century onward, Sintra became a favorite summer escape for Portuguese royalty, leading to the construction of iconic palaces and gardens. The 19th century saw a surge in Romantic architecture and landscaping, with the construction of Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira."
Sintra is a magnet for the famous and celebrated. Madonna has a house in Sintra. Ayrton Senna did. Prince Charles and Princess Diana visited here in 1987 for a ceremony at the National Palace.
We went first to the 10th century Moorish Castle, though did not get to the top. If you're interested, fast forward this video to see the castle.
We only did half of it because Bill had booked us a tour at the next castle which we had to get to. It was a nice walk up though. Here are some photos I took, including some bench photos inspired by Paererewā: The 1,000 Year Bench Project, which we are involved with in New Zealand. The project is to create 1,000 public benches designed to last for 1,000 years, and about "encouraging reflection and connection to the environment. The benches, or Pae, are not just functional seating but also serve as markers of important places and stories, intended to be appreciated by future generations." https://paererewa.org.nz/
Quinta da Regaleira is a grand castle and house and gardens. The land has had many owners over the years. It initially belonged to the Viscountess of Regaleira, a family of wealthy merchants from Porto, then was sold in 1892 to Carvalho Monteiro, a wealthy businessman.
Monteiro was eager to build a place where he could collect symbols that reflected his interests and ideologies. With the assistance of the Italian architect Luigi Manini, he recreated the 4-hectare estate.
His wealth came from importing coffee and diamonds from Brazil (then a Portugese colony). Though trained as a lawyer, Monteiro focused more on managing his businesses and expanding his collection of art and natural specimens. He had a deep passion for natural history, especially entomology (the study of insects). His private collection of butterflies and beetles was one of the largest in Portugal at the time. He also philanthropically supported cultural and scientific institutions but was also known for being a bit reclusive and eccentric.
In addition to other new features, he added enigmatic buildings that allegedly held symbols related to alchemy, Masonry, the Knights Templar, and the Rosicrucians. The construction of the current estate commenced in 1904 and much of it was completed by 1910.
The estate was later sold in 1942 to Waldemar d'Orey, who used it as private residence for his extensive family. He ordered repairs and restoration work for the property. In 1987, it was sold, once again, to the Japanese Aoki Corporation and ceased to serve as a residence. The corporation kept the estate closed to the public for ten years, until it was acquired by the Sintra Town Council in 1997.
It is apparently the most visited place in Portugal . We can verify that. The queues outside the entrance and queueing for the Initiation Well were very long.
Our tour took us around the densely treed park and its sculptures and other features, and we then went inside the residence.
The Initiation Wells (also called inverted towers) are two wells on the property that better resemble underground towers lined with stairs. These wells never served as water sources. Instead, they were supposedly used for ceremonial purposes. The tunnels connect these wells to one another, in addition to various caves and other monuments located around the park.
At the bottom.
Then some caves and out the other side.
Back in Lisbon, we got ourselves organised for the next day's move, south to the Algarve.