MADEIRA, PORTUGAL: Islands in the Sun, Guest post by Steve Scheaffer and Karen Neely

Promenade frente mar, Funchal, Madeira

My brother Steve and his wife Karen recently returned from a relaxing vacation in Madeira. I have never been there and I had to look it up on a map! It is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal, an archipelago situated in the Atlantic Ocean, just under 400 kilometers (250 miles) to the north of the Canary Islands and 520 kilometers (320 miles) west of Morocco. 

City of Funchal Azulejo (blue and white tiles typical of Portugal)

The capital of Madeira is Funchal, located on the main island's south coast. The region is noted for its famous namesake wine, delicious food, historical and cultural sites, flora and fauna, dramatic landscapes including the laurel forests that are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its embroidery artisans.  

TWA Hotel at JFK

Steve and Karen did a package trip to Madeira, flying from Seattle to JFK in New York, staying overnight at the TWA Hotel, then flying the next day via Azores Air to Madeira. 

Balcony of Savoy Palace in Funchal, looking eastward.

They stayed for two weeks at the Savoy Palace in Funchal, Madeira, doing day trips in the city and the surrounding countryside.

Monte Palace Garden, part of an imposing estate constructed for an 18th-century consul and now home to over 750,000 square feet of botanical gardens filled with native and imported plants.

Shortly after arriving, they sent this email: So far this is a fun place to visit. Lots of tourism and weather that's better than Winter. So far the food is really good and different. We took the gondola up to Monte today to see the garden up there. It's 550 meters high and the clouds lowered as well as the temp so we rode the lift back down. 

Wicker basket sleds--quickest way to the bottom of the hill.

On Sunday we might go back up so we can ride down in a wicker sled. Lots of folks from the EU here.

Ribeira da Janela–Northside

Steve and Karen have graciously offered to share a few of their many excellent photos of Madeira. In some ways the landscape reminds me of Hawaii (all the volcanic rock and steep cliffs) but it seems even greener. And the architecture makes me think of Portugal. I think you will enjoy the pictures as much as I have. Madeira is now on my bucket list for future travel!

Ponta do Sol, west island.

Market stall with red peppers.

Igreja da Nossa Senhora, Monte

Madeira Island Laurel Forest “Laurissilva”, UNESCO site.

 

The Laurel forest up in the middle of the island.

Typical route to interior of the island.

Cabo Girao. View straight down from glass bottomed walkway 580 meters above sea level.

One of two rivers in downtown Funchal.

Jardin Botanico, Funchal.

Karen and Steve

PORTUGAL: From Lisbon to Porto, Guest Post by Steve Scheaffer and Karen Neely, Part 2

Azulejos tiles on the side of building in Porto, Portugal

My brother Steve and his wife Karen recently spent eighteen days in Portugal and have graciously agreed to share a few of their wonderful photos of the trip. Here are their photos and a few notes from their itinerary. Part 1 posted last week. This is Part 2.

Typical Portuguese pottery

Batalha and Fatima

Monastery of Santa Maria, Batalha. Manueline and Gothic style.

Monastery of Santa Maria, Batalha

Pilgrimage site of Fatima

Classic Coimbra, a journey back to Portugal's Roman past.

2nd Century Roman ruins, Coimbra

Douro Wine Country, a drive through Portugal's most famous wine-making region, the Douro Valley.

Terraced vineyards in the Douro Valley

Vineyard Views and the bustling port city of Porto

Porto

This picture is not sideways--the statues are walking perpendicular to the wall.

Taylor's is one of the largest wine producers in Portugal

Terraced vineyards

At the bottling factory

Future wine!

I thank Steve and Karen for their vicarious trip to Portugal!

PORTUGAL: From Lisbon to Porto, Guest Post by Stephen Scheaffer and Karen Neely, Part 1

Pena Palace, Sintra, Portugal

My brother Steve and his wife Karen recently spent eighteen days in Portugal and have graciously agreed to share a few of their wonderful photos of the trip. Here are their pictures and a few notes from their itinerary.

Casa Miradouro, Sintra

We leave on September 1 and fly through Frankfurt then on to Lisbon. We stay the first two nights in Sintra. This is where the Royals escaped to get out of town. You may have seen some pictures of the castles there. We then go to Lisbon to join our tour. [Rick Steves, Heart of Portugal in 12 Days.] We end the tour in Porto on September 15 and then are staying in Porto for four nights before returning home.
Sintra:

Moorish Castle, Sintra

Neighborhoods in Lisbon, a walking tour of Lisbon’s colorful downtown neighborhoods.

Lisbon looking westward

Typical street scene, Lisbon

Fado art, Lisbon

Belem district of Lisbon, home to many of the city’s most historic buildings.

Monument to the Discoveries

Monastery of Jeronimos.

Historic Evora–history rich university town of Evora.

Corinthian columned Roman Temple, Evora.

Church of St. Francis, Chapel of Bones, Evora.

Olives, Oaks, and Obidos, a visit to a working farm and estate.
We are now in Obidos where it is much cooler. The last five days in and around Lisbon have been hot! Yesterday we went to a cork farm east of Lisbon in the dry southern region of Portugal. It was a fascinating visit and I thought of you doing a book about cork. This farm is known for being sustainable with their processes. They also grow wine grapes and olives. They served us a fabulous lunch with the family sitting with us talking about their history and their products.

Cork tree

Obidos Castle

Obidos

Accordion player

Alcobaca and Nazare

Monastery of Santa Maria, Alcobaca

Sito neighborhood of Nazare, Our Lady of Nazare

Panorama of the fishing village of Nazare

Sitio neighborhood of Nazare with its sweeping cliff-top views

Part 2 will post next week.

SPAIN: Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Part 1, Guest Post by Gretchen Woelfle

Signpost to Santiago de Campostela, Spain

My friend and fellow children's book writer, Gretchen Woelfle, is an avid and accomplished cyclist. Here is her report of her recent bicycle trip in Spain following the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. The second half of her report will post next week. 

Back around 840 CE, a bishop reported that a pile of bones had washed up in a stone boat on the northeast coast of Spain. He claimed they belonged to St. James the apostle.  How James, beheaded in Jerusalem, got to Spain is unclear. Some say transported by angels. In any case, by the 11^th century, the bones and their many attributed miracles brought a stream of pilgrims from all over Europe to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. This stream shows no sign of drying up.

A welcome coffee break along the way

Today tens of thousands of people make their way to Santiago from France, Portugal, and northern Spain. In the past, most walked while the rich rode on horseback or in carriages. Today most still walk and some ride bicycles. I was one of the cyclists this past September. 

The scallop shell is the Camino's logo and can be seen everywhere along the route

Our group began in Leon, 340km (211 miles) from Santiago and cycled for six days. All day long we passed backpacking pilgrims and exchanged greetings: “¡Buen Camino!” Many hikers stay in spartan hostel or monastery dormitories.  We stayed in hotels with hot showers. We met two older couples who walked all day, but hired a taxi to take their backpacks from inn to inn.

A bicyclist's view of Galicia

The Camino grew steeper and more scenic as we entered Galicia with wooded mountains, streams, rivers, and ancient villages – and its own language. Restaurants offered reasonably-priced “pilgrim’s dinners” which included good local wines. We saw the Camino logo, a scallop shell, everywhere – on doors, gates, and signposts, in gift shops, and tied to walkers’ backpacks.

Gaudi palace in Astorga

In Astorga we had a view from our balcony of the Bishop’s Palace, designed by Gaudi. In Molinoseca, a small village, we cooled off in the Meruelo River.

O Cebreiro bagpipe band

A stroke of serendipity found us in the hilltop village of O Cebreiro on the feast day of the Virgin Mary. Dozens of vendors selling cakes, honey, cheese, garlic, and other regional specialties joined thousands of people who had come to celebrate. The small church, lit by hundreds of votive candles, echoed with medieval organ music. Outside, a bagpipe ensemble harkened back to Galicia’s Celtic roots.

Tympanum of San Xoan, Portomarin

The Romanesque church in Portomarin drew me to its unadorned elegance. In the 1960s, it and the entire town were relocated stone by stone from a nearby valley when a huge hydroelectric dam was built. Rambling through the cobblestone streets, I couldn’t imagine the effort that went into such a project.

Look for Part 2 and the completion of Gretchen's bicycle pilgrimage next week, November 21, 2016

For more information on the history and geography of the Camino de Santiago, see http://santiago-compostela.net

I booked my cycling trip with Exodus Travel: https://www.exodustravels.com/usa