Look East

It's been a busy day and it's not over yet.  We toured around the city of Lisbon, Lisboa to the locals. It is a green, clean city, with lots of color along the Tagus River. Some of that color comes from the blooming jacaranda trees this time of year. However it is the more permanent color that catches the eye. The buildings are painted pastel shades, pinks and yellows but some darker shades as well. Some facades are even tiled. This is very different from the white towns and cities in many places in Spain.

                                                      Blooming Jacaranda

                                              Tiled exterior of home in Lisboa

Later we went along the coast towards the Atlantic Ocean to Estoril, a beautiful city with lovely beaches and quaint little stores. We had a lovely lunch overlooking a beach where some sun bathers were topless. It was interesting to watch people walk along and stop to gaze or take pictures overlooking the beach. For dessert we tried the gelato at a nearby famous little store.The fruity flavors were yummy.

                                                        Delicious gelato

The next discovery was the most westerly point in mainland Europe, Cabo Da Roca. It took me back to the many times we visited Cape Spear, Newfoundland, the most easterly point in North America. I always drove there with my mother any time I visited St. John's. We liked to sit and watch the waves crashing along the rugged coast. It is a similarly rough coastline here, but there are short succulent plants holding on for dear life here. You won't find those in Newfoundland. It's one of the places that moss, lichen, and crowberries thrive.

                                                          Cabo Da Roca

The wind and rugged coastline make these two areas somehow similar. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the closest place to home from mainland Europe.