Now we have left Portugal I’m doing my usual thing of little observation that I have noted. Of the 3 countries we have visited (ignoring Gibralter) I have liked this the least. That does not mean I do not like it. It has some nice places, some nice country side and certainly some nice towns. In fact Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto are some of the nicest cities we have been to. But on the whole it’s scruffy, graffiti-ridden, lots of high-rise run-down flats; lots of derelict, often burnt-out buildings but it does still have a certain charm to it. It doesn’t have the stunning mountains and views we saw a lot in Spain, more gentle rolling hills, but of course we may simply not have seen those areas as we have had to speed up in order to make the ferry home. Our other time constraint has been picking up and dropping the boys at airports. It has been absolutely fantastic sharing some of this trip with them. So here are the silly observations in no particular order

Altars have stepped trim around them. Look at the photo on this blog

Tiles- Portugal is famous for it’s tiles, buildings are covered in them, all different patterns and different colours, buildings can look stunning

The old Arabic influence is still obvious in many place names

Scruffy, I have already mentioned this. One of the main tourist roads in Porto for instance has burnt out buildings just left rotting and empty.

Lots of graffiti – actually this got less as we moved north. Most of it words in multi-colours.

Loo – like Greece loo roll has to go in the bin not down the loo

Tolls everywhere – moving became very expensive. Some are electronic tolls, as you enter the country we were fed off as a foreign vehicle to buy a 30 day pass. When I asked how we extended the answer was to go back there in 30 days time. We think (waiting for fines) that we purchased an extension on the website. But the whole system seems very confusing.

Short slip roads on motorways, very short and often mixed with a road going off at the same time so lots of traffic crossing at speed

Dreadful internet – you get 4G, or so it tells you – in lots of places but it is so slow and often stops. I had to move once as I couldn’t do video calls. Even in Lisbon and other big cities the connection grinds to a halt.

Cobbled streets in the centre of all towns, another thing Portugal is famous for, and the roads and pavements often are patterned.

Very ornate buildings fronts on loads of building, lots of status, balconies, curves and lintel trims

Stopping for zebras – never has a driver not stopped

Green – lots of grass around which is watered overnight. Not something I expected,it makes Portugal look green.

Densely populated, when you are on a hilltop looking town it is one small village after another.

Custard tarts with filo pastry – well you simply have to eat one daily

Really cheap port that I enjoy drinking (and really expensive, that I have not tried)

Lot colder than Spain due I assume to the Atlantic ocean

Waves make this side more fun to play in.

Waiters say excuse my as they approach your table.