Catty pumpkin

After a very very full working week, we finally found the time to express our creativity and decorate the house for Halloween. It happened that we found a very nice pumpkin the other day at the grocery store, and we bought it with the idea to carve it the same evening. It didn't happen, we were so tired, and we also had an indecision about what to design on the pumpkin this year. The next day Ely grabbed some of her "Living" Magazines and started to look through in search of an idea that would have been different from the same jack-o-lantern spooky face that every year we end to carve into the pumpkin...and she proposed to carve the pumpkin like a haunted little house with windows and doors, and maybe some paper flying bats and witches attached on it. Even that evening we went to sleep without any carved pumpkins and any taken decisions for its design.

Finally today I remembered to have stored in the garage a box full of Halloween decorations and also a full kit with carving blades and patterns for halloween pumpkin design that a friend of mine sent me from the USA some years ago. Among the different patterns, we found a very nice not-so-spooky catty face and we suddenly decided how we wanted to carve the pumpkin this year. (Rufy is ruling this house and our minds, I think!)

Anyway, after a couple of full hours of work, this is what it came out...I love our Halloween pumpkin this year!!!!

How did you design your pumpkin this year?

Happy Halloween everybody!

Lisbon :: Day 4

Today we have decided to rent a car and drive outside Lisbon to go visiting Sintra and the coast, especially Cabo da Roca, the most western point of the continental Europe. How exciting! We can't wait to start driving around and see the portuguese countryside...

To drive out of the city is very easy, also thanks to our satellite navigation system. Sintra is only a 30 min. drive and as soon as we exit the highway, we start going up the hills passing by little built-up areas of delightful little houses that seem to have been taken inspiration from fairy tales. We also have the same impression of Sintra. The historical city centre has narrow steep alleys around the Royal Palace (it was the summer palace of the Portuguese Royalty). From the distance also the rest of the town is charming.

At the top of the hill, over Sintra, there is the Moorish Castle, that dominates all the area and from which it's possible to have a fantastic view of the country and the Ocean.

Not too fat from this castle, there is another palace, Palacio de Pena, another Royal summer retreat with a huge park and a bizarre architecture. We loved visiting this place.

We are quite in a hurry to visit Palacio de Pena, because we want to arrive at Cabo da Roca before the sunset. The place is another 30 min. drive from Sintra and the road to the Ocean passes through little villages of white houses. The first thing you see upon arrival at Cabo da Roca is the lighthouse. Then, walking closer, it's stunning to look down the cliffs and see this amazing landscape. We stayed in silence, hearing only the sound of the wind and of the waves against the rocks. In front of us the Atlantic Ocean and a sunset that takes our breath away. Ely can't just stop taking pictures, and I can't blame her. It's beautiful!!!

We wait until the sun is down to go back to the car, because it's cold now. On the way back to Lisbon, we decide to stopover in Cascais, a nice marine town on the coast. We are looking for a place where to eat something warm, but we are so tired that we decide to go back to our hotel in Lisbon and get ready for the trip back home tomorrow.

Goodbye Portugal! Goodbye Lisbon!

Lisbon :: Day 3

Today we have decided to dedicate half day for visiting Belem, a suburb of Lisboa famous for hosting the symbol of the city: the Tower of Belem.

To arrive in Belem we had to take a train from the Cais do Sodré station. Unfortunately we didn't know that not all the trains on that line stop in Belem. So we had some difficulties to get off at the right station...but in the end, we made it!

Once in Belem, the walk along the river Tejo, that here flows together in the Atlantic Ocean, took us at the first big attraction of this area: the monument at the discoverers. In fact Portugal is a land of famous discoverers, such as Vasco da Gama and Magellano. The monument in white stone is like a ship ready to sail.

By walking distance, finally, the magnificent Tower of Belem, in all its beauty. Even this monument remembers the form of a ship and it has been built at the very last point in which the river meets the Ocean. It's all well decorated and inside it's possible to visit all the different floors. It's relaxing to sit down in one of the stone lookout towers and watch the horizon, with the warm rays of sunshine on the face.

After this, we decided to visit the Monastero dos Jerònimos, with the beautiful church and cloister.

Belem is also famous for the Pasteis, the most typical sweet in Lisbon. We couldn't resist to taste an authentic Pasteis in this beautiful pastry store. Once entered, the place seems little with no places where to sit, but if you go further inside, the shop has huge rooms where to sit down and eat sweets. Usually the Pasteis are served hot, with cinnamon powder and confectioner's sugar. We also took a couple of coffees with milk. In this pastry store we had the best pasteis ever, even though they are pretty heavy and rich.

In the evening we went back to the Alfama, where Ely wanted to look for a shop that sells only tins of fish (such as tuna, sardine, mackerel) in old fashioned style.

After a fast visit at the Cathedral of Sè, we went to visit Campo Pequeno, the structure that hosts the local bullfight (corrida). Fortunately in Portugal the intent of this game isn't to kill the bull (forbidden by Law), but only placate and capture him. Under the main building, recently it has been built a new small shopping mall with an interesting food court, where we drunk a very good lemonade.

And, at the end of the day, we found this in a shopping mall: Dolce Vita everywhere!!!! :))

Lisbon :: Day 2

Our second day in Lisbon started with a very nice buffet breakfast at our hotel and we could eat some very tasty typical sweets (pasteis de nata) and enjoy a warm cup of tea/coffee.

Then we made our way to the super modern area of Parque das Naçoes (Nation's park), built along the river Tejo for the Expò 1998. It's a beautiful area, with very modern building. Arriving at the station of Oriente - designed by the spanish architect Calatrava - is like being in a modern cathedral of steel and glass. Outside the station started our walk through nice parks and then along the river Tejo overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. In this part of the city there is one of the most incredible aquarium of all Europe: "Ocenario de Lisboa".

The weather today is even hotter than yesterday and the sky is deep blue. Fantastic!

In the afternoon, after a little stop at the Vasco da Gama shopping mall, we returned in the city centre and, with a typical yellow tram, we went up to the Alfama hill, reaching the entrance of the Castle of Sao Jorge. It's difficult to say what I liked the most these first 2 days, but for sure the castle of Lisbon is one of my favourites. The Alfama is a neighborhood very old, built under the castle. We could experience a fantastic sunset from the height of the fortified walls.

And what a better end of the day than a nice typical portuguese dinner in a little Alfama square, near the castle of Lisbon? The food was simple, tasty and cheap. The place was very romantic and full of that atmosphere that pools all the old parts of Lisbon. In one word: perfect!

Lisbon :: Day 1

We departed from Milan with no problems and (finally) a light lugguage. The weather in northern Italy started to be cold and we thought that it might have been pretty cool even in Lisbon at this time of the year. Instead, with our greatest surprise and happiness, when we disembarked the flight, we had a warm feeling on our skin...

The weather here in Lisbon is fantastic! It's like living a second summer this year. What a blessing! Temperatures are around 28°-30°C (82°-86°F) during the day, a bit lower in the morning and in the night.

As soon as we arrived at our hotel, we changed our clothes, putting on something light and fresh...and then, out to explore! Our hotel is in the Baixa, between the hills of Alfama (the old town) and Barrio Alto. We are a few steps from all the main attractions and going around is so easy. For the first day, we decided to go to the famous monument of "Cristo Rei", that overlooks the city from the height of a hill, right in front of the river Tejo. To arrive there from the city centre, it's necessary to take a ferry (Transtejo) that crosses the river from Cais do Sodré to Cacihas.

A bus took us to the huge monument of Cristo Rei, which is amazing and the views of the bridge, the river and the city are terrific!

[Isn't it like San Francisco's Golden Gate?!?]

After that we returned back to the city centre and walked from the pier to the Barrio Alto. There we had a walk around the streets, visited some typical little shops that sell goods out of time (it's seems like - in some parts - Lisbon has stopped in the 60s!). The atmosphere that the city creates is charming though: it's so bohemienne and romantic, with steep narrow streets going up and down the hills, with old houses decorated with colorful tiles (azulejos) and painted with light bright colors. We love it.

We had a fantastic view of the other side of the old town from the Elevador de Santa Justa at the sunset.

At the end we were very tired after a whole day of walking around and fortunately here in Lisbon they know how to treat their guests and calm they down...so I felt tranquil enough to go back to the hotel and relax on the terrace. ;)