Last one

Who would have thought it - last post before I come home- with a broken arm!  Fell in street and dislicated left shoulder and broke the humerus so early departure vie London and Singapore.  Shame as I was playing ripper golf ( or is that a bit like the enormous trout that got away?)

Lisbon is a wonderful city
- so full of history and styles.  Streets are cobbled (drat that) with intricate black and white patterns.  The templar flag of black and white is the city's flag hence the colours of the mosaic.

1755 was a major turning point when an earthquake destroyed much of the city- the rebuild was in the neoclassical style on a grid pattern. The old Jewish quarter survived and also the stunning cathedral which had been built to commerate the driving out of the Moors. The crusaders travelling to the Holy land helped the king to expel them so they are revered here.
Even more revered and comemorated are the Portugese seaman and navigators particularly Vasco de Gama, who travelled and discovered the world- China, India, Brazil etc. The 16th century was the gokden age for Portugal. V de G's tomb is decorated with fresh flowers!

High on the hill above the city is a king's palace in ruins but with superb views.  Down on the water is the Tower of Belem  - a fortress, prison and impressive gateway to the city.

Also visited the spectacular church and convent dating to the 16th century.  All these dates rattled off by Sophia, our guide,  who made it seem like events happened yesterday.

We finishwd the day with special pastries  and returned to the hotel to dress for dinner.  Taking a taxi down town to the market place we walked along the cobbled street to a crossing where I caught my toe and down I went landing on my shoulder and face.  It could have been worse - hip? So much pain that I was taken to the hospital.

Hospital fantastic but as  surgery is needed I've opted to come home (no easy process even with travel insurance - a little hysteria goes a long way -stoic politeness is less effective) and with luck will be on the plane this afternoon.

This has been a fantastic experience, a trip of a lifetime and I am sad to leave, especially the great people on the tour, who have been amazing.  Dear Julie and Belinda have been wonderful dressing and showering me, and I am so glad to have Vicky, Les, Barb and Tim and all the Coota crew supporting me.  Terry the tour director is a champion.
So see you all soon - put Portugal on your bucket list.

Love to all-Lesley.

Pestana Palace - page on it's own!

I'm going to let the photos do most of the work!  This hotel is special.  Built by the Marquis de Valle Flor in the late 19th century, in the french romantic Rococco style as his palace in Lisboa (his other home was in Paris), the hotel has lush tropical gardens, a scenic lake and an oriental pavillion. Frescoed ceilings, marbles, majestic mirrors, beautiful paintings and antiques and a truly beautiful chapel make up the main building, the Marquises personal rooms.  Soft greens, blues, offset with white and glorious stained glass and intricate painted , etched glass set off this beautiful Palace. We were all very impressed.

Incidental observations

Julie was taken with the gypsies  - we passed two families travelling on the road, horse drawn drays loaded with all their belongings, spare horses tied on behind, hedged in by cars and traffic.  No longer hugh travellers across Europe as in past times, many gypsies have permanent homes but still spend some time on the road.  They camp on vacant land, sometimes moving within a small area, sometimes staying so their children may attend school.  They breed and sell their horses - and tradionally pilfer when they can - we were warned about leaving unattended items in our golf carts on one course.

Portugese people have proved friendlier, willing to talk about their culture, and have much better English then Spanish locals.  English is taught in schools, and television here is in English with Portugese subtitles so English is heard constantly.  Many people speak with American nuances. Unlike the Spanish they enjoy engaging in conversation.

Here and there abandoned farm houses, camouflaged in groves of trees and rocky outcrops, are slowly returning to nature.
A shepherd with staff in hand trails behind his flock of sheep and goats.  Back home land like this may be seen as only fit to run goats!
Yesterday we drove through a small village - cobbled street, white houses around a square, coffee shop.  Houses were decorated with ceramic tiles, coloured doors, windows surrounded by blue stripes of paint which apparently deter flies who like the white but not blue.  Older people sit outside chatting and viewing the passing scene.  Little has changed here and for some people lifestyle remains as it has always been.

Back on the bus travelling to Lisbon the countryside is changing- scrubby, rolling hills are giving way to undulating farmland, marginally better land, still dry and sparse but supporting livestock.
Trees here do not grow to great heights - lack of water and poor soil. Despite the lack of rain and grass, the general impression is of colour - muted greens and brown dotted with vibrant green - reminiscent of parts of Aus at times.  We pass a plantation of eucalypts - tall but spindly.
Some of the irrigation systems here look as though they date to Roman times - long rocky canals,  up off the ground, large shallow,  concrete tanks and sometimes modern osillating irrigation frames spraying vast areas.   Closer to Lisbon groves of olives , citrus and grapes and light industrial complexes. Nearly to our next hotel.

Monte Rei

For me this has been the ultimate golfing experince - a superb and very challenging course set in the wild, Portugese landscape of rolling, scrub covered hills highlighted with creative, deep and guarding bunkers, streams and lakes. The men hit an additional 1200 metres further then the women. 

Greeted by charming young men, our clubs were swiftly transferred to our carts and we were led down to the practice fairway.  When our teetime came we were asked to follow a cart up to the tee where we were informed of the local rules before commencing our round. I played with Barb, Geoff and Andy our local organiser.

What a lovely course to play!  Frequently the tees were elevated and the fairways stretched into the distance guarded by bunkers and water with plenty of run to get you into trouble.

I was thrilled to have a par 3, par 4, and a par 5 for 54 points today.  Felt I played well and thoroughly enjoyed the round.
On completion we left our clubs to be cleaned and loaded onto the bus before adjourning for an elegant, silver service lunch served by smiling staff on the terrace overlooking the lush gardens and the course. A fantastic experience.

Check out the club house, members lounge and surrounds.  A round here costs 195€ if you can get on! Monte Rei has only been open since 2007 but is well establushed and rated No 1 in Portugal.

Formosa Natural Parque

Today we relaxed and went on a trip to the lagoons of Formosa National Park - a series of sand and mud islands across the sand dunes from the Atlantic ocean.
We embarked in tradional Portugese fishing boats gaily painted in blue, red and yellow and with Alissa our marine biologist guide explaining the ecological importance of the area, we headed down the main channel to view oyster farms.
These are farmed very differently here - in wire sacks tethered to floating bottles.  Because of the high oxygen levels in the water, continually refreshed by the incoming tides, these oysters mature in 12 months - half the time other pysters may take.
Van Gogh, a Portugese water dog joined us and kept us amused. Traditionally  
these dogs swim from boat to boat with messages for the fishermen.
Many of these boats were destroyed after the European Union took place as the fishing industry was not entitled to meet quotas so fisherman were paid to do this.
The islands have dwellings owned by yhe fishermen and new building is not permitted so they are sought after.
Following the boat trip we adjourned to the beach for a lunch of oysters, pippies, clams, sardines and sea bass cooked to perfection on a bar-b-que washed down with jugs of Sangria and finished with Portugese tarts.
A lovely relaxing day out followed by a swim and spa at the Monte Quinta suites, our home for 4 nights.

Vale de Lobe

I had 59 points!  Yahoo!  This was a beautiful, very scenic course surrounded by handsome houses with the fairways separated by graceful umbrella pines.  Several holes ran down to the blue Atlantic ocean where sun bathers sprawled on golden sand under stripey umbrellas. Quite a hilly course but super green and lovely greens and fairways. Weather warm with gentle occasional breezes. One house so close to 16th fairway I 'm sure they'd have balls in their pool!
It was a real pleasure but that perspective probably coloured by my score. Putting and pitching had the golf gods on my shoulder!

Seville - the "real" Spain

Seville! My idea of Spain.  Green, expansive parks, wide boulevards, elegant, balconied, decorative facades in soft shades of amber, blues, and lemon amongst the brick and ubiquitous white. Horse and carriages trotting through parks, around sweeping round-bouts filled with smiling tourists, old ladies selling sprigs of rosemary, stalls bright with fans, umbrellas, belts,bags and tiny flamenco costumes. The Plaza de Espana - what a stunning building - even the balastrades surrounding the lake are mosaics. People rowing ancient skiffs, horses, everyone enjoying the warm sunshine.

We ate lunch in the cool, marbled La Prada restaraunt before leaving for Portugal.

Along the way we watched the dynamic change of countryside.  Mountains gave way to undulating hills covered in low scrub, few trees and rocky soil.  Everywhere - so dry, yet supporting vast groves of olive trees and then citrus.  Passed a farm breeding black bulls for the bull fight - bare ,rocky paddocks filled wuth bulls and  complete with a miniture bullring to test the courage and train the bulls before the big day.

Entering Portugal the landscape changed again - rocks,rocks, and more rocks.  Fences; terraces in fields and buildings made from rocks.  Dwellings here much poorer and poverty very evident.  Yet close to the golf estates incredible wealth and luxury- hugh estates with green and lush gardens, swimming pools (no pool fence code here) and terraces.

Tourism is Portugal's saviour - entering the European Union did provide benefits but also destroyed much of the agriculture and fishing industries through quotas.  Education and health care is free but 60% of uni graduates have no jobs and youth unemployment is 36%!  Food for thought!

Our hotel is the best yet - our 2 bedroom suite has 3 bathrooms - pools and terraces, a gym and spacious green surrounds. Golf course a 5 iron away! Still makes you think as you enjoy the elegance of our very swish hotel and lifestyle in these resorts that Australia is still the lucky country!

How the other half lives!

Following golf we drove to the Port to take a sailing boat along the Marbella coast.  Designer shops, smart cars including BMW, Mercedes, and even a handsome grey Ferrari (ferraris should be red) lined the street filled with "beautiful" people seeing and being seen.  Cafes were full and early diners sipped tall drinks.  BUT the boats! Wow! Every size from ocean going yatchts to cabin cruisers.! Security people every where and many boats in full party mode.

The sail along the coast, sipping champagne was another world.  This is resort heaven if this is your scene.  Even saw a film being shot in the port - no one we recognised - place to find James Bond though.

Our hotel looked huge from the water and as we sailed back to port we saw dolphins skipping through the water beside our boat.  A magic end to a super day!

Finca Cortesin

Today we played at the very beautiful Finca Cortesin golf course in Marbella. Most challenging so far - 100 bunkers but I only got in 2! Fairways were long and sloping and a numer of tees required you to hit over scrubbery.  The service was wonderful - fresh fruit and water delivered half way round and our preordered lunch ready when we finished.

Surrounding countryside is bare and mountainous contrasting with the lush fairways. Lost 2 balls in scrub but enjoyed the challenge.

Check out the driving range! Club house very luxurious as seems to be the norm.  Clubs here have nomination fees of 100,000€ and more with yearly fees starting at 10,000€.  Golf membership is for people with deep pockets.

Golf Aloha

Today we played at the very beautiful but challenging Aloha Golf Club in Marbella.  Marbella is a popular destination for British and Europeans who flock here for the great beaches and favourable climate.  Consequently it's full of up-market hotels and resorts, condos and other accomodations and caters to tourists and a fairly afffluent local population.

Aloha Golf Club has fine dining as well as casual and cafe dining on terraces overlooking immaculate fairways lined with olive trees, hibiscus, oleanders, morning glory and weeping rosemary.  Fairways are wide, often with substantial runs down slopes, tiered greens and bunkers although not as many as El Pratt. Fountains, waterfalls, ponds, lakes and a stream add to the challenge. The course is surrounded by hills and dominated by a rocky mountain looming over several holes.

Crows were not a problem! However - Gillian, playing in my group did lose a brand new ball (guess what colour) - To a DOG!  A labrador pup was sitting waiting as we approached a green.  She waited until Gillian chipped on and calmly picked up the ball.  No amount of coaxing would induce her to "drop" it and she finally tired of us and took off. We could see the ball on the terrace of the nearest house! No penalty!

Our shotgun start was a real charge fired into the sky before exploding high above the first hole with a bang heard and seen from each tee.

Everyone agreed the course was impressive and we left feeling pleased with a great day.