Federsee Museum – Upper Swabia Driving home from Lake Constance (Bodensee), we made a detour to check out a prehistoric site, touted to be from the stone and bronze age. It was well worth the detour. At the Federsee Museum, at Unteruhldigen, we were met by a fascinating scene. A village built on stilts; each […]
It was a lovely day in the neighbourhood when I arrived at Lier station. Although I lived many years in Belgium, I had never really taken the time to visit this medieval city in the province of Antwerp. The occasion was the first birthday of my great grandson and I was quite excited to finally […]
Strasbourg, France – Population ca. 276,000 In antiquity, Strasbourg was a Celtic village. Over time, a Roman garrison settled in the area and Strasbourg was then known as Argentoratum. When the Franks captured the city in the 5th Century, they named it Strateburgum, whence the present-day Strasbourg. Today Strasbourg it the official seat of the […]
We left Lisbon brimming with cultural and culinary impressions and headed for the last stretch in our journey, Albufeira in the Algarve province. Its original Arabic name was Al-buhera (the Sea Castle). Whether due to a misunderstanding or to a possible lack of knowledge of the area, our travel agent in Germany had planned our […]
Elevador de Santa Justa – Santa Justa Elevator We set out bright and early to explore more of Lisbon’s historical sites and monuments. Going to and from the tower and upper Santa Justa and Baixa streets, has long posed a challenge for pedestrians due to the steep and steady incline. As we walked to the […]
While settling into our hotel room, we soon realised that this wouldn’t be a peaceful stay. We opened the window and were assaulted by the intrusive sound of the trains crossing the River Tejo (Tagus River) into the city. The Vila Galé Opera, while offering all comforts of a 4-star hotel, was our worst accommodation. […]
Day 5 Ourém, District of Santarém – Central Portugal On our way to Lisbon, we stopped at the pilgrim sanctuary of Fatima. Our hotel was 11 kilometres from Fatima in the medieval village of Ourém. Built within the castle walls, driving to our hotel was a hair-raising experience. Once we reached the uphill and winding […]
We spent two days at Porto, immersed in its turbulent history and rich cultural heritage. There’s more to Porto than its various delectable Port wines! Chronicles relate a Roman presence in the 4th. Century. Like other Portuguese cities mentioned in previous posts, discoveries unearthed the existence of Celts prior to the Romans. During the Roman reign, […]
Day 3. Smoke filled the air as we motored on to Coimbra. The closer we came to the city, the more ominous the smoke became. On the way we could see how fire had ravaged parts of the forest. We knew about the forest fires prior to our departure. The worst seemed to have passed. […]
Day 2. The Old Town of Évora is a captivating UNESCO World Heritage Site that will delight any architecture and history buff. I am only highlighting a few of the sites; there is so much more to see and explore, which our limited time didn’t allow. Roman Temple The Roman Temple of Diana is the […]
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