San Isidro

Today was San Isidro day in Madrid. San Isidro is Madrid's patron saint. Ben didn't have to work and I was able to move some classes around so I could get off early. When I got home Ben and I headed to Parque San Isidro. If you're from the Spokane area, imagine this: all the people, participants and spectators, from Hoopfest and Bloomsday attending Pig Out in the park. That is what the park looked like. The main roads surrounding the park were blocked off to cars and lined with food vendors. The grassy areas were covered with people enjoying a day in the park. We tried "rosquilla", the typical sweet for this holiday and walked around enjoying the weather like everyone else.

Long weekend in Lisbon: May 1-5

 Ben and I were really looking forward to heading back to Lisbon. It is definitely in our top 5 favorite cities we have visited. The day we got in was Labor day so not much was open. We took the day to get reacquainted with city and walk around and enjoy the beautiful sunny weather. For dinner, we headed off to find that yummy restaurant that we ate at the last time we were there. We didn't know the name but Ben was pretty sure he could find it. And he did! His sense of direction, and memory, amazes me! This time we got the name: Principe do Calhariz. It was just as good the second time around.

Our second day, we headed off to Évora. Évora used to be the capital of Portugal. I was most excited to see the Capela dos ossos, chapel of bones. During the city's hey day a few monks were worried about the people's focus on wealth so they raided some graves and created a chapel for meditation so that people would remember when they die they wouldn't be taking their riches with them. Over the entrance to the chapel is this phrase: Nos ossos que aqui estamos pelos vossos esperamos (We bones that are here are waiting for yours) Makes you think twice! After the chapel we visited a church next door and then walked around for a bit. We went to see the Roman Temple of Diana and then headed to a market to get stuff for a picnic lunch. While in the park where we had lunch a life long dream of mine came true; to see a peacock with its feathers spread. I have stalked the peacocks in Parque Retiro in Madrid waiting for one of them to spread their feathers and they never do. Finally though, I turned a corner and there was the proud peacock, feathers spread and squawking up a storm. It was so cool! Next we headed to the cathedral in Évora. We got to walk along the roof which had great views of the city. The cathedral also houses a statue of Mary pregnant. The priests wanted to make Christianity more appealing to pagans, who worshiped gods of fertility. After the cathedral we got some ice cream and headed back to catch the bus. When we got back into Lisbon we went back to Igreja Sao Roque which has the most costly chapel in Europe. It was constructed in Rome and shipped to Lisbon. It was built with gold, silver and bronze from the New World and has a spectacular mosaic on the floor. For dinner we found a hole in the place wall and enjoyed some yummy seafood. 

Our last full day in Lisbon we relaxed for a bit in the morning and then headed out to Museu do Azulejo, a tile museum. It was really impressive! The building used to be a convent so there was a little church inside too. For the afternoon, we stopped in at another market and loaded up on fruits and veggies and headed to Caxias for some beach time. I made myself get in the water and swim around a bit since I didn't know when I would be near the Atlantic Ocean again.




We stayed in the same hotel as last time, Pensao Praca da Figueira and got to enjoy the same beautiful view from our room. 

In 1755 there was a huge earthquake in Lisbon that resulted in a tsunami and fires throughout the city. Quite a bit was destroyed and places like this church have yet to be repaired.

Our first morning there we woke up, looked out the window and saw this truck. The back is full of left overs from what I assume would be a butcher's shop. 

Évora

Capela dos ossos: It has about 5,000 skulls and who knows how many arms, legs etc. 

The sarcophagus holds the bones of the three monks that founded the chapel. 

Igreja Sao Francisco, next door to the bones chapel. 

The main square. 

Roman Temple of Diana

I desperately had to use the bathroom and while looking for a public bathroom we stumbled upon this old library. 

The park where we had lunch. 

On the roof of the cathedral. 

To get to the level between the ground floor and the roof you had to climb up this very narrow, steep, dark staircase. 

Igreja Sao Roque

The most costly chapel. 

The mosaic on the floor of the chapel. 

Museu do Azulejo

The little church inside the museum. 

Caxias