Houston, January 2009
Admittedly, this newsletter is a little late -- by about 3 years. It has been a disgracefully long time since we offered a newsletter to friends, not since the letter of 2005 announcing our plans to retire. Here is a partial but illustrated accounting.
[April 12, Salema]
[April 13, Sagres]
Cape Sagres, as this aerial photo shows, juts into the Atlantic Ocean, forms the most extreme southwest point of Europe. Even in pre-Roman times it was known as "the end of the world". Here in the 15th century Henry the Navigator established a school/ think-tank/ research institute for navigation. Though he died (1460) before Portuguese sailors made their greatest discoveries, his farsighted efforts ensured that it was the West that discovered the East, rather than the other way around.
Ginjinha is a spirit unique to Portugal, a sort of fruit brandy made from the sour-cherry-like ginja berry. It is readily available in Lisbon, but for some reason Obidos enthusiastically features it. We were advised to seek it at
Obidos is a postcard-ready medieval (14th c.) castle town near Nazare. Our guidebook characterizes it as "ideal for photographers who want to make Portugal look prettier than it is". It has changed hands several times, including Celts, Romans, Visigoths, Moors, Portuguese, and recently, tourists. 
Portugal is the land of seafood, and sometimes surprisingly so. We were advised that the local dish of percebes (boiled barnacles) was a must-eat delicacy. The barnacles are harvested (we were told) at personal peril from wave-swept rocks, by fishermen secured by life lines to prevent certain death.[April 10, Nazare]
[April 7, Porto]
The name of the fortified wine port comes from Porto. The process of making port was discovered somewhat accidentally, by the need to add brandy in order to stabilize wine for shipping long distance. The British found that the necessity was in fact a virtue and have loved port ever since. British names (Taylor, Croft, etc) still dominate the industry.
[April 6, Porto]
The most scenic part of Porto is the river "Ribeiera" district. It is the old working waterfront where from the 14th century flat-bottomed river boats brought wine and other goods were brought down the Douro to ship away. Once bustling, gritty, and commercial, it is now bustling, touristy, and commercial. And delightfully picturesque.
But today we tried something worth repeating: Caldo Verde. a green soup of kale and potato puree. Fairly good in a soul-food sort of way. We also tried the local Coimbra pastry "pastel de Tentugal"; it made us long for Belem and pastel de nata.
the old cathedral, built while the Moors were still making nuisances of themselves in the neighborhood, looks (and is) a fortress.
