Three days in the heart of Portugal

Three days in the heart of Portugal 28-30 October

Fling a shawl around your shoulders and you can face the world! At our exhilarating fado evening , the two women singers used their shawls to dramatic effect- such bravado and confidence. we took the plaintive melodies with us as we drove north, via the wild and windy Atlantic coast, to inland Tomar.

This is the home of the Knights Templar, that short lived but very efficient army of soldiers who fought in the crusades, then became Portugal's first bankers. Their years of success lasted about 3 centuries then in about 1570 the last of the leaders of the Knights templar was burnt at the stake. Their memorial is the 'new'design of the Christian cross, with curvy ends, and a plethora of magnificent buildings. we visited the UNESCO World heritage Site of the Convento de Cristo, rich with ornamentation and evidence of the lavish lifestyle.

Very close by is the town of Fatima, place of a visitation by the virgin Mary to three young children in 1917 Whether or not the story is externally verifiable, the town is a thriving centre of devotion. Millions come each year, especially on 13 of June and October, and there are hundreds of hotels and cafes, streets of shops selling statues, rosaries, vestments and items of devotion. I was very impressd with the atmosphere of silence and respect. even though it is not my style of religion at all. A vast white square bigger thaan St Peters Rome, stands in front of a basilica. We arrived as mass was being said in German at a modern outdoor chapel. It was great to be able to join in the ancient ritual, knowing the liturgy even it is in a foreign language.

Another religious experience was in the tiny town of Batalha (battle) which is clustered around the most beautiful example of perpendicular Gothic I have seen ( and I have now seen nearly enough to last the rest of my life) A simple, unadroened creamy interior, with narrow windows decorated with fruits and leaves, not the gaudy relgious scenes usually found. In a side chape were the stone statues of King Jao and Queen Phillipa (who had come to Portugal from England), lying side by side, hands joined together. a simple story of love across eight centuries.

Underground we toured the largest caving system in Portugal, brilliantly lit like an early technicolour movie, all dripping water, lurid pools and the threat of large white spiders. Our guide consoled uss with the local honey liquor at the end!.

Today we began the dy at our now favourite cafe in Tomar, cafe Paraiso (Paradise) and ended t inanother paradise. We discovered the flooded valley of the Zazere, deep coves of blue water, tiny white and schist villages clutching vertical hillsides, and holiday beaches now deserted for the winter. Our guide book advised a restaurant in Fernandes so we wound down the hill, squeezing past lines of cottages and rumbling down the cobblestones. The restaurant was so close to the precipice I had to get out, and later needed to guide the car back up the hill.

We looked out over the water, sampling three different kinds of local fish, grilled with herbs , and served with the local green bok choy- like vegetable, tossed in olive oil, all washed down with a little too much delicious white sangria. The restaurant was also called Cafe Paraiso (Paradise) and it felt like that too.

the view was pretty clost to paradise too.

This area is full of tiny villages, enchanting cafes, old historic town centres, castles on hill tops, rivers, vast mountain scenery, but also schools, children, people going about their lives. very real, very fascinating. Three days has not been enough.