I WISH YOU AN ENJOYABLE WEEKEND... (slideshow)

Two weeks ago, on the way back from the north of Portugal, I stopped at a small town, Amarante, crossed by a river that  in winter often overflows, the water rising to high levels.

Every first weekend of June, Amarante holds a festival in honour of its patron saint, a protector of marriages. According to the tradition, touching the Saint figurine that we see inside the monastery is thought to bring imminent marriage. I have serious doubts about it...

The festival is characterized by a pageantry that I didn't attend, an open air market that I enjoyed strolling through it and a fertility tradition: unmarried people exchange some rather intriguingly shaped cakes as a token of their affections!!! 

The streets were taken by characters that are not of this world. Gargantuan giants of myth and fears walked the streets of the town along with big headed ones, believed to  keep the bad spirits away, while groups of drum players challenged  each other to play louder, longer and faster.

The market was colourful, with many stalls selling a wide variety of products. The main textile factories are located in the region, a fact that explains why fabrics and clothing were much cheaper than in Lisbon. I bought nothing but a small cage for a cricket. Crickets are good memories of my childhood and I missed their chirping on hot summer nights...

I couldn't yet find crickets on sale in Lisbon but someone has already promised to get one for me. In the meantime the cage is waiting for its little resident.

I really enjoyed this travel in time to other eras and places that sometimes was interrupted by the ringing of a mobile phone,  reminding me that I was in the XXI century...

WISHES WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE BELLE ÉPOQUE

Photo taken at an exhibition held in Lisbon

Last week, I travelled to the northern area of Portugal, more precisely Vidago, a spa town that's well known among Portuguese people and foreign visitors who travel to the region in search of relaxing vacations immersed in a natural environment.   
Vidago is also known for the therapeutic effects of its mineral waters, the golf course and the magnificent Palace that was originally built as a summer retreat for the last Portuguese king but days before it was scheduled to be inaugurated, a coup d'état forced the king into exile. The regally appointed building became a hotel instead and so, a hundred years later, following a restoration program, the hotel reopened on October 6, 2010, its centenary.
As I hadn't been there for ages, I really enjoyed the long weekend,  not only because of playing golf but also the opportunity of wandering the sprawling parkland that surrounds the hotel. I imagined the old days when long skirts swished along the ground and guests arrived at the impressive entrance by horse-drawn carriages. How different from nowadays! 

One of the characteristics of the golf course that I found interesting and different from the other courses was the existence of great contrasts that shared the special respect for the natural surroundings, with paths and pink granite retaining walls here and there.
Trees were well preserved and the panoramic views from the elevated tees often distracted me.

After playing and for the pleasure of my friends and I, outside the Clubhouse there were several stalls exhibiting local products, such as liquors, honey, jams, wine, puff pastry, and typical bread filled with pork sausage. All of us returned back home with our luggage heavier than we had it at the departure from Lisbon.
Before the dinner party, some of us drove up to the nearby spa resort Pedras Salgadas (Salty Stones), also famous for its thermal waters and beautiful cabins that were built to fit the gaps between the trees. They have a minimal effect on the local nature, so that whoever  stays in them can really experience the park. 

It would have been great to spend longer at that resort but we had to hurry back to the hotel and get ready for the dinner party. On the following day, we returned back to Lisbon with a stop at Amarante, a city that was holding its festival. I'll post about it, next week.

In the meantime, enjoy the slide-show (with background music) and...

~~ Have a great weekend ~~

THIS IS MY WAY TO WISH YOU A WONDERFUL WEEKEND...

Poison d'Amour sounds like a name of a perfume or perhaps a lipstick. Nooo, it's none of these. Simply the name of a newly-opened tea-room in Lisbon, where I had tea a few days ago.

Mouth-watering pastries were displayed by the entrance and there was an elegant classic-modern décor that invited to sit and enjoy them with a cup of tea. 

Even more inviting was the lovely backyard overlooking Lisbon University's Botanical Garden. It was a bit cold and windy, the reason why I had my tea indoors. However, on some hot day in summer, I want to go there again and enjoy colourful macarrons and a refreshing drink, in the open air.

~~ Have a wonderful weekend ~~