Portuguese Stud Horse Farm

Horse Stud Farm, Portugual

As a part of the tour we stopped for lunch and a "horsey" demonstration at a Stud Horse farm in Portugal, owned and operated by "Maria".

Maria and her family had suffered when Portugal, following the end of its dictatorship in the 1970s, voted in a communist party.  During this difficult time her family farm and all its assets were ceased by the government, communist party.   The Portuguese people got rid of the communists but it still took a few years for Maria to get back all her property.

She's doing just fine now - she has a cork farm, horse farm, raises pork as well as hosting these tourist lunch stops.  Not too shabby at all.  (Glad this tour company supports local family businesses and gives us a taste of some of the rural areas.)

Maria is in the red cape and the traditional Portuguese hat, at least I think it is a traditional Portuguese hat.

LOTS of storks in this area of the country.  In some places you saw many, many nests - Antonio called them "stork condominiums".

Images of Cascais

Cascais, Portugal

Following are a number of pictures of Cascais, Portugal.  We did not visit any attraction in this place, but oh how, oh how, oh how attractive this Portuguese town is.  It was absolutely beautiful.  So lucky, I think, that we were travelling in December, very much a low tourist season because it is so lovely that I suspect it is packed out in other months.

Antonio said the Ferris Wheel was only up because it was the Christmas season.

We could have lunch there BUT "I'm not in Portugal often" (as I am wont to say) so decided to forgo lunch and simply wander through the town.  LOVED IT. 

Driving to it we passed some of the unprotected shores of the Atlantic but Cascais is in a harbour.

I  would love to return. 

It is good to dream.

ABSOLUTELY you much click on these pictures. 

Images of Lisbon

Lisbon, Portugal

Below are some random photos of Lisbon, including some wonderful Christmas decorations.

It also includes a few pictures from another one of our "Cultural Discoveries" - once again edible.

Pastéis de Belém

As part of a walking tour we visited an old patisserie in Lisbon which holds on to a secret recipe of Portugal’s finest pastry for over 100 years. 

 

Only a handful of people have ever known how to bake a real “pastel de Belém”, despite the countless imitations found everywhere under the name “pastel de nata”. 

 

This patisserie, the “Antiga Confeitaria de Belém” sells 50,000 pastries every Sunday. 

The original recipe for the “Pastéis de Belém” is comes from the nearby Jerónimos Monastery.

We got to sample the real thing!

Of this treat?  YUM!