Dia 4: Historic Évora
Adeus LisboaThis morning after breakfast, we meet our group in the lobby with our luggage and say adeus to Lisbon. We have had a wonderful time in the city but are looking forward to seeing the countryside. We roll our bags out onto the sidewalk, hand them over to Carlos our driver, who loads them onto the bus. This is when packing light becomes valuable. The less luggage we have, the less to transport. It makes for a more efficient transfer. We settle into our seats for the 1.5 hour ride to Évora (EH-voh-rah).
During our journey, Cristina stands at the front of the bus with microphone in hand as she provides colorful commentary about Portugal - the culture, politics, economy, food, history, language and geography. Évora, called the city of grains, is deep in the countryside in the Alentejo region. Alentejo means "the land beyond the Tejo River (the Tegus River)". There are two bridges to cross the river:
Walking TourWhen we arrive in Évora, we are given an introduction - room assignments, a bit about the hotel, plan for the afternoon. We only have time to drop our bags before we meet Maria, our guide for the walking tour. She is a delight and perhaps our favorite local guide in Portugal. She has a sarcastic wit and punches her narration with humor.
Did you know ... Iron work is traditional in Évora. The windows and doors have decorative iron elements in front of them. Roman TempleAs we stroll with Maria under aqueduct archways and through labyrinthine cobbled streets flanked with whitewashed buildings, we learn about the Roman and Moorish history of this city. Because of the 1535 Inquisition, those who were not Catholic had to flee so there is no sign of old synagogues or mosques. There are 35k people living in this walled city, 8,000 of whom are students.
Roman BathsWe reach the Town Hall building where Ginkgo trees stand sentinel in front of it. In 1987, there were archaeological excavations in the oldest part of the Évora Town Hall building, unveiling 1st century baths. The Town Hall is interesting in that it has been updated four times: 1st century when the baths were built, the 15th century when the main building was constructed, the 19th century when they added a second floor and stairs, and finally the 21st century, when they connected to the internet.
View from Main Park and Lover's SculptureCapela dos OssosWe end our walking tour with a visit to the macabre Chapel of Bones in the Church of St. Francis. Built in the first half of the 17th century, we learn it contains the skulls and bones of 5,000 monks. The sign above the chapel entrance warns, "We bones that here are, for yours await”. Inside is a an eerie yet entrancing sight: walls and columns constructed with human remains, so tightly packed they appear cemented.
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Tour GuidanceCristina provided a reading library on the bus. Included was the book "Portugal Table", which contained traditional Portuguese recipes. We are able to take pictures of the pages that interest us to try when we return home.
Back Door DiscoveriesWe met our guide Maria, who gave us an insider's tour of Évora. She is a lovely woman with a warm smile. She will remain one of our favorite guides on this tour.
What doesn't kill you fattens you up
Cristina is full of surprises! She showed up after our walking tour with a bakery box. Inside were queijadas (pronounced kay-JAH-da) - small cheese cakes that are a specialty of Évora. They are spectacular and just what we craved after touring.
Fale em portugues, por favorToday's word is adeus = good-bye. It is pronounced "ah-DAY-oosh".
Lessons LearnedBring extra adapters! We accidentally left ours in our hotel room in Lisbon. Thankfully, Sharon on our tour had extras so she loaned one out to us. We will be sure to pack several next time: they are light, small and inexpensive. No excuse not to have a few on hand. M'AR De AR Aqueduto (meaning Sea of Air) is a respite after the city. We are told the name is a play on words, that there is no sea nearby but the sky is vast and the air is fresh and clean. Formerly, it was a noble palace. We only have one night here but will enjoy it immensely. We have been assigned a suite. (Accommodations rotate each stop so everyone will experience a nicer room at least once). Our room includes separate sitting area with television that opens to a bedroom with luxurious bathroom. The bed and linens are very comfortable, and the amenities are a delight. The aqueduct runs along the property so the view is stunning.
Surprise! Queijadas!At the end of our walking tour, we turn a corner and see Cristina in her bright green dress and her big joker smile. She has a trick up her sleeve. We are learning that her tricks always mean treats. And so it seems true again. This time she is delighting us with a goodie from this region. Inside a baker box are rows of fluffy golden cheese cakes. They are not dense like the American version. These are light and not too sweet. It's just what we need as our time with Maria draws to an end.
Queijadas - Cheese Tarts Recipe (from Portugal Table) For the filling:
For the dough:
LunchWe learn that pork is a typical food in this region, specifically what is called porco preto: black Iberian pork. These pigs devour acorns from cork trees. This diet makes the meat more fatty and it melts when it cooks, adding incredible flavor to the food. "Secretos" - or pork cheeks - are common in the cuisine here and are made into a stew or sausages.
For lunch, we stop at the recommended Café Alentejo, a taberna or tavern from the 16th century, and sit beneath vaulted ceilings with white arches and burgundy walls. We ask our server to help us to select regional specialties. We start with local white wine and blood sausages on sauteed apple slices with caramel sauce. This was a delicious opener. We also have Padrón peppers but agree they were better in Lisbon. For our entrees we share migas, a bread dish made with garlic, pork fat, tomatoes, asparagus and roasted pork meat, and another dish that is pork cheeks stewed with roasted potatoes. We enjoy a side dish of mushrooms with garlic, EVOO and cilantro. The meal is very flavorful, the pork in both dishes fall-apart tender. The migas is nothing like its Mexican cousin but more similar to polenta. We decide this is Portuguese comfort food.
Oh, the Places You'll GoWe borrowed an idea from our dear friends back home. We take selfies anytime we go somewhere different. It's our way of capturing memories of the places we've traveled. Because we take them with our iPhone, they are always there, a ready reminder to cheer us up on a bleak winter day or when the stresses of work bog us down.
Modern BathsThere is a courtyard at our hotel with a pool and lounge chairs. We are provided with plush towels, robes and slippers. It seems a shame not to take advantage of the luxury, so we slip out to enjoy some down-time. The water is very cool. Some of us are braver than others and venture a swim.
Did you know ... Portuguese tapas are called entrada, meaning entrance to the meal. |
Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You
Cristina has arranged a small reception for us in a private room at the hotel. There are fresh plump figs, bright juicy cherries, cured meats, assorted cheeses, a variety of breads. We have our choice of red or white wine. Some of us have dressed up for the occasion. We mingle, socialize, take pictures with the gorgeous ancient aqueduct as a backdrop. Cristina tells us we are going to share buddy stories - so we pair off and learn more about our buddies, if we haven't already. One-by-one, we volunteer to stand and tell the group tidbits about who we are partnered with. It's a great time! Some in our group are fantastic storytellers and they weave humor into their narratives. We all walk away knowing more about our travel companions - each interesting, compassionate, bright and curious. We decide there really is something special about the type of person that chooses to take a Rick Steves' tour.