Whenever those days of saudade hit, I often remember the flavors of Portugal. Like most people who enjoy food, memories & meals go hand in hand. Tastes are a vivid part of the travel experience & adopting a new diet is one of the best ways to experience a country. The variety of Portuguese gastronomy would provide enough material for an entire blog, so just consider this post a taste of what Portugal has to offer…
Read More »portugal: hungry?
Some places defy description. Historical summaries & cultural briefs tell the facts but fail to convey how a place feels… sometimes that’s more important. The city of Évora has long been one of my favorite spots in Portugal, but it is also one of the most difficult for me to describe.
Read More Ȏvora: defying description
Europe’s third oldest university has old traditions to match. If you’re lucky enough to be in Coimbra at the end of the academic year (usually the last week of May), there’s a big party that’s not to be missed.
Read More »portugal: queima das fitas
Even though I saw this temporary exhibit at the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga when it opened in June, I returned today for a second look… mainly because these Flemish tapestries deal with two cities I’m taking groups to this year.
Read More »lisboa: tapeçarias de pastrana[Some material for this post originally published as “keeping it reel 1” on 10 Oct 2007. Older photos from the Lisbon City Archive.]
Since movies with sound grew in popularity during the 1930s & 1940s, it was only appropriate that cinema architecture became a spectacle in itself. Grand productions were meant to be seen in grand theaters. Some of the most stunning Art Deco & Rationalist/Modernist buildings I’ve seen around the world are remnants of that era, but unfortunately they are disappearing at an alarming rate.
Read More »lisboa: cinema europa
In case you were taking a break from the World Cup yesterday & listening to one of these radio stations, you might have heard me. Sim, eu. Recorded in January 2010 during the big week of reunions/meetings, Rick taped about 60 minutes worth of interview time with me & Cristina Duarte about the pleasures of Portugal. There were even call-in questions from listeners! Very different from the 2005 radio interview I did with Rick about Argentina (which BTW is pretty dated now).
Read More »rick steves radio interview: portugal