Il 22 aprile
Cascais, Portugal
The boat arrived back in Porto on Friday afternoon so there was plenty of time to explore the city once again...with the group as part of a tour and then, leaving the bus, I set off on my own. I need to “feel” a city by myself; to walk the streets and go into the shops, to talk to the people who live there in whatever language works best...sometimes verbal and sometimes with hand gestures. I didn't have a map with me, but I knew that I needed to head down to the water, cross the bridge, and then stroll on over to the boat. I found myself in neighborhoods that the “tourist” would probably not see and went into a local market looking for chocolate made in Portugal. The young woman who owned the shop spoke only Portuguese, but after some original communication between the two of us, I succeeded in buying a bar of “local” dark baking chocolate which will be used to make brownies when I get home.
We left the boat yesterday morning after a truly wonderful week. The crew was superb and, when talking with Bastos (my favorite waiter), he shared that everyone working on board is Portuguese and comes from the Douro River Valley or nearby so it is like being with family; this was felt by all of us.
On the way south, we stopped at Coimbra, a charming university town, in spite of the rain, and then Fatima, the famous pilgrimage site where in 1917 three young girls are said to have see a vision of the Virgin Mary. Millions visit the site every year to pray and light candles.
Arriving in Cascais in early evening, we checked into the Villa Italia Hotel and Spa; words cannot describe the elegance and beauty of this spot and the fabulous suite I was given for two nights! The Estoril Coast is known as the Portuguese Riviera and from 1939 until the 1950's, when over 20,000 foreigners entered Portugal because of its neutrality during the Second World War, many exiled monarchs, diplomats, artists, and intellectuals called Cascais and Estoril as their home.
Among those who came to this charming city by the sea was Umberto II of Italy, exiled in June of 1946 after reigning for only one month, after Italians voted to restore their Republic. The Villa D'Este, the residence of the Pino Basto family, well-known in Portugal, was given to the King to call his home, which he did for eleven years. The development of a plot of land next door to the Villa D'Este was financed by a group of monarchists who wanted the exiled King to have a permanent home; the King named his new residence the “Villa Italia.” King Umberto II was a popular and very visible foreign resident; his presence is felt in this lovely city and this morning I walked on the Avenida Rei Umberto De Italia, a stretch running along the beach. I suppose that I've been especially fascinated by this place because I saw the King's grandson, “il principe” at an olive mill in Foligno, Italy in 2010. I was told that he had played a part in getting permission for the exiled “royal family” to return to Italy so now, for me, the picture of this piece of Italian history, is more complete.
I opted out of the city tour this morning so I could have a leisurely breakfast and then take a “power walk” and some “alone time.” The museums are all open on Sunday and are free to the public so I took advantage of this and visited a couple of former noble homes and the lighthouse. A wonderful time was had and I returned to the hotel in time for spa treatments. The elegance of the spa and the care shown to its guests are incomparable and my massage and facial were the perfect way to end my stay in Portugal. As for this 5 star Hotel...it is on my list for a return visit for longer than two nights.www.hoteisreal.com
Tonight is our “farewell dinner”; some of us will be going to Barcelona tomorrow while the rest of the group heads back to the USA. I leave Portugal with wonderful memories and appreciation for the physical beauty of this country, but even more for the warmth of its people.
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