Our Mural Effort

The marina is busy with visitors and locals coming to the bars and restaurants which overlook the harbour. The first evening we ate in one of the restaurants overlooking the boats. Nick, Ana and their adorable 14 month old daughter Sienna joined us for drinks, then kindly paid for our cocktails before moving on. They can come again........John had a large plate of sardines, minus the potatoes which the waiter forgot.

The next day a tour was arranged to visit the gunpowder factory, poets park and the Palace of the Marques de Pombal. To round off the evening, we had a lovely dinner on Chanto which Jo cooked.

One of the bars on the marina front is owned by the same person who owns a famous bar on Horta in the Azores. The bar in the Azores has a tradition that transiting yachts paint a mural on the harbour wall. Rally Portugal boats also get to have a go in Oerias

The Marina hosted a welcome dinner at Petes bar the next evening with a prize giving for the fastest boats etc as usual we didnt get a sniff of a prize for racing!! However we won a prize for guessing the distance that Joel travelled in his car!

The next day was a free day so we decided to go into Lisbon while John arranged a trip into Sintra. The train station was a 10 minute walk away and a return ticket to Lisbon cost 4.80 euro.

The historic capital since 1147 wben the Crusades reconquered it from the Moors. Throughout the middle ages it was one of Europes busiest ports and it later owed its wealth to the slave trade. Much of the city was rebuilt after the serious earthquake and fire in 1755 which killed more than 40,000 people. There is alot to see in Lisbon but we chose to take it easy and walk around the squares, have lunch, then sit on the steps by the water front. Then mosey down the main street which reminded us of covent garden with its street performers and 'live statues'as well as shops and restaurants.