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August |
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expected Portuguese wines to be good - and very cheap - but the local cheeses were an unexpected delight. They certainly come second to France within our exploration of Europe and often combine milk from cow, ewe and/or goat. We suspect we need to make the most of the gastronomic variety here before we get to the Caribbean. |
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The highlight of our visit to Cascais has undoubtedly been the trip by bus to Sintra. This is an old town in the hills behind the coastline. There are two royal palaces to visit and a Moorish Fort. In addition the old town itself is on a steep wooded hillside filled with all sorts and styles of old and expensive architecture. The palace within the town is much older and goes back to the 14th century. The two chimneys which cover the entire kitchens dominate the building and it remains filled with original furniture and artifacts. |
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The new palace is a 19th century folly in gothic style and was incredibly captivating. The best thing is to leave you with as many pictures of this as can be squeezed on the page. No photos were allowed inside either palace but the eclectic gothic interior of this one should not be missed! Go early to avoid the worst of the queues. Very sensible of the Portuguese to preserve them inside - incredible decor and possessions. Only the sun was missing... |
