Lover of Wine – Travel along on our adventures – DAVID & JANEEN

September 17, 2017April 11, 2019

9-17-17 University of Coimbra and arrival to Porto

Sunday we packed everything up and loaded on the bus to head to Porto to board the boat for the river portion of the UniWorld adventure. However, after stopping for lunch we went to visit the Library at the University of Coimbra. This is one of the oldest universities in Europe having started in the 1290 in Lisbon and moved a coupe of times until it reached a final location in Coimbra 1537.

Our guide explaining what the University Student wears and the history of all its parts. These robes were the model for the Harry Potter books.

The front steps of the old King’s Palace now used for classrooms and offices.

Our main stop was the old library. This was built between 1717 and 1728; it is one of the exponents of the Baroque Portuguese and one of the richest European libraries. It consists of three floors: it was completed in 1728 began receiving the first books after 1750, and currently its collection comprises some 40,000 volumes. Richly decorated in the Baroque style it was an interesting site.

Shot looking through the library to the end. Basically three different rooms with two levels of books in each.

The ladder in place on the second level.

The end of the library with a painting of the founding King.

Main alter of the Capela de Saint Miguel

After the Library we paid a short visit to the to the Capela de Saint Miguel. The original chapel most likely dates from the 16^th Century and the decorations clearly show that influence.

The organist has to crawl into the organ from underneath from the back side to be able to play the thing.

The organ, mounted between two windows, is really way oversized for the space. The chapel is still used for worship and other ceremonies’

Capela de Saint Miguel Virgin Saint statue

After the visit to the University we completed our drive to Porto and boarded the Queen Isabella.

The City of Porto taken from our patio on the boat. This is looking up the river.

September 17, 2017April 11, 2019

9-16-17 Palaces of Portugal

Saturday was an excursion to two different places – the Palace of Queluz and the Palace of Sintar. First stop was the Palace of Queluz.

This was one of the last great Rococo buildings to be designed in Europe, the palace was conceived as a summer retreat for Dom Pedro of Bragaza, later to become husband and then king consort to his own niece, Queen Maria I.

Work on the palace began in 1747 and was used for a number of years but after 1826 it slowly fell from favor. In 1908 it became property of the state. Over the years it has had fires, earthquake damage and lack of maintenance. Recently there has been a series of restorations undertaken to return it to its original condition.

This was the public entrance side of the Palace of Queluz.

We entered from the “public” side of the building, the not so formal face that is presented to the City and toured a number of different rooms. Our guide, Isabel (part of the UniWorld crew) gave great information about the furniture, designs of the rooms and historical events that occurred in the spaces.

The private alter in the Capela at Queluz

Queluz – The Sala de Mangas decorated with tile panels illustrating the wealth of Portugal’s colonies

The Music Room. Portrait of Maria I hangs above the piano

Lovely garden but only about 1/3 of what was there. The rest is under renovation.

After the interior tour we went through the gardens (always a highlight for Janeen) and back to the bus for our next Palace.

Live Monkey’s were around the garden and memorialized in the garden fountains

The Palace of Sintra is not as opulent as the Palace of Queluz and is the best preserved of the medieval royal residences in Portugal. It was occupied from the early 15^th century to the late 19^th century.

Sintra Palace – with two chimmey stacks from the kitchens

Outside in the one of the courtyards at Sintra

Janeen outside in the courtyard at Sintra

Ceiling of the King’s audience room with crests from various families

King’s room – called the Magpie room for all the decorations on the ceilng.

Large fires would be made in the middle of the room for cooking large game

The main kitchen of Sintra open fires would be paced under the areas

After we were finished up touring the Palace of Sintra, we headed towards the coast and to the small town called Cascais. This resort focused town had lots of new homes as well as well kept places of some substance. However, as it was getting closer to 2 in the afternoon, my particular goal was lunch.

Lunch menu – nice place to stop for a bite.

Lunch with great fish and sparkling sangra.

Janeen outside of a cork shop – lots of goodies made from cork.

After lunch, back to the bus and our hotel.

September 15, 2017April 11, 2019

9-15-17 City Tour on the Bus

Friday was City Tour time with the bus and large groups using the headphone system to hear what the guild has to say. Our first stop was in Belém at the Monument to Fallen Soldiers.

Memorial to the fallen – all the names are written along the back wall.

The represented a dark period in Portugal’s modern history that ultimately resulted in the overthrow of the Salazar dictatorship but the toll on Lisbon was extremely high as many of the soldiers families originated from the capital. The Overseas War took the lives of over 9,000 soldiers and lasted between 1961 and 1974 as Portugal desperately tried to retain its African colonies.

From there, it was a short walk to the Belém Tower. The Tower built in the early part of the 16^th century is a fortified tower and was part of the defense system at the mouth of the Tagus River. Having survived for so long, including a major earth quack in 1755, it is the Ceremonial Gateway to Lisbon.

Jerry and Gloria – also a lovely couple.

From there we boarded the buses and made our way to the Monument to the Discoveries. This monument was created to celebrate the achievements of the explorers during the Age of Discoveries and the creation of the Portugal’s empire.

The Age of Discoveries started in 1415 with the capture of the North African city of Ceuta by the Portuguese and reached a peak at the turn of the sixteenth century when Vasco da Gama discovered a shorter route to India and Pedro Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil.

The creation of trade posts and colonies on the new trade routes led to a Portuguese empire that spanned three continents, bringing wealth to Portugal and Lisbon in particular.

The monument was built in 1960 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Henry the Navigator’s death. Henry the Navigator was a driving force behind the overseas exploration and he financed many of the expeditions.

The 171ft tall monument, shaped like a ship’s prow, stands at the marina in Belém, the starting point for many of Portugal’s explorers. It shows more than thirty statues of people who played an important role in the discoveries. Leading the way is Henry the Navigator who is shown standing on the bow holding a model of a caravel. Behind him are king Afonso V – who supported the exploration and colonization of Africa – and the explorers Vasco da Gama (who found a direct route to India), Pedro Álvares Cabral (discoverer of Brazil) and Ferdinand Magellan (the first explorer to circumnavigate the world). They are followed by navigators, writers, missionaries, a mathematician, a cartographer and other figures from the era of the discoveries.

After this we took a rest on the bus while the rest of the group toured a Monastery (we had visited it on our first trip to Lisbon so didn’t need to do it again).

From there a brief walking tour of the old town and then back to the Hotel.

One of several “streets” we walked in the old city.

Not all the guides information was that interesting.

Loved this woman putting out her laundry to air as we walked by.

Once at the hotel we popped out for a bite to eat – found a VERY local place where Janeen had the fish! There were maybe 6 tables and a counter where you placed all your orders. Not any English being spoken in the place!

September 15, 2017April 11, 2019

9-14-17 Museum and Castle day

After a full breakfast, we packed up and headed out for the day. From our hotel, we crossed the street and immediately went through Edward VII park stopping along the way for a couple of pictures.

Here we are at the Edward VII – across from our hotel.

Edward VII park lovely spot across from our hotel.

Broad walkways on either side of the Park.

Lady with Baby in the park across from out hotel.

After our walk by the park, we headed to the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum. Founded upon his death, the museum houses the collection of ancient and more modern art collected during his lifetime. It took a while to work out all the legal issues but eventual the building was created and the collection put on display. It seems Gulbenkian spent a lot of time in the far-east – born in Turkey but raised in Portugal and France – his collection seems to be vast. Organized by time period starting with Greco-Roman art and moves through classical antiquity towards more modern times.

One of dozens of wonderful carpets on display.

Wall ceramic from the late 13th century – Moorish.

Various things caught our eye. The entire collection is well displayed and informative. After exploring the various displays we hit the cafeteria for a nice lunch.

Lovers of the Centaurs by Rubens in 1635.

Triptych with scenes from the life of Virgin Mary made out of Ivory around 1300. About 12 inches tall.

A pair of Lions – Female protection a cub on the left and the mail protecting the “world” on the right.

Deep plate from Turkey late 16th Century.

Chimney revetment from about 1550 made from tile

Bust of Bacchus 18th Century. The expression makes you think he just had a sour wine.

Would not have been easy to storm this place.

After lunch we took Uber to the Castle Saint George.

A loving couple in Lisbon visiting the St. George Castle.

Built in the mid-11^th century, during the Moorish period, the castle is situated on the most inaccessible area at the top of the hill – and we were glad the Uber driver could get us close to the entrance rather than have to hike up.

The views of the city are wonderful – lots of red tile roofs, different color buildings and a view of the river is well worth the effort to get there. Of course we had to climb up to get to the ramparts and walk along the upper walls.

Jerry and Gloria on their way up the wall to the Rampart walk

Here we are walking along the rampart walkway.

On the way back down to get another ride, we say this pastry shop with wonderful tile work on face of the building. No idea of the products sold are any good but the outside looked lovely. This is really a typical situation with lots of tile on the outside of buildings sometimes telling a story or just decoration.

This pastry shop had interesting tile work on the face of the building.

All in all a nice couple of sites for the day.

September 14, 2017April 11, 2019

9-13-17 Lisbon first day

Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic is located in southwestern Europe whose territory is located in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula and islands in the Atlantic North. There are two major cities – Lisbon in the south and Porto in the north.

So, we are now in Lisbon – arrived yesterday after an overnight flight from Dulles airport and when we arrived, we were met by the UniWorld rep who got us into a cab and sent us on our way.to check into our hotel, InterContentental, as part of our River Cruise with UniWorld. We spend 4 days here in Lisbon and then go to Porto and board a riverboat, Queen Isabel, for a trip up the Douro River. However, once we got settled into our room, our travelling friends (who are on the cruise with us) Gloria and Jerry called and we all went out for a shopping trip.

The first stop was a snack and a bottle of Rosé just up the street from the hotel at a little wine shop with an outdoor seating area. A serving of ham, cheese and crackers helped to tide us over for our upcoming walk around the shopping area of the city.

Gloria had it her mission to buy a new leather purse specifically made in Portugal. Along the way we saw a lot of interesting people, places and shops.

Did you know that there is an interesting lift in Lisbon seemingly patterned after a famous tower in Paris? Well the Santa Justa lifet or Carmo Lift is an elevator in the Old Town. It takes you to an observation tower overlooking the city.

Of course we stopped for a

beer along the way, looked for shoes, watched street artists and had dinner.

It had been a very long day so we called it a night and heading to our beds for a long sleep.

September 10, 2017April 11, 2019

9-10-17 Last days in the USA!

The last two weeks have flown by! Here we are getting ready for our next leap in the adventure – this time to Europe! Over the last 2 weeks, we have had a wonderful time visiting with family,

Our granddaughter helping with the eggs for breakfast.

eating way to much and had the joy of our friends Jessie and Phil from Pasadena come to DC to help me turn the page on the next decade spending all of my birthday with us as we did a pub crawl

Me, Janeen, Terri, Jessie and Phil at Gadsby’s Tavern in Alexandria

through old town Alexandria, a boat ride on the Potomac

Phil helping Little Miss with her coloring before we leave for the boat.

Another Life Ring Picture – making about 45 we have done around the world.

If you don’t know what this is, take a history class.

to Georgetown for a wonderful dinner at an Italian Restaurant (Filomena’s).

Family and friends make for a wonderful celebration.

Tuesday we head to the airport for our flight to Lisbon Portugal and the start of the next leg in our journey – 4 months in Europe. So, continue to follow along – provide comments as you feel the urge – and we will try and entertain you with comments, photos (not all of food) and highlights as we discover new parts of the World we all live in.

Little Miss with the T-P my mother made for Jason – so many years ago.

September 6, 2017April 11, 2019

9-5-17 The White House

It doesn’t matter if you voted for the current occupant a tour of the White House isn’t about politics it is about HISTORY. This past Tuesday Jason arranged a tour time, then was able joined us for the “self-guided” wander through the 8 of 10 rooms on the first floor.

The White House is the oldest public building in the District of Columbia, and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is the most famous address in the United States. Every president except George Washington has conducted the government of the nation here but it wasn’t until T. Roosevelt was this building officially became known as The White House. In the early 1900’s, the Presidential offices, the West Wing and Oval Office replaced the glass conservatory enjoyed by 19^th century Presidents families. The East Room, largest of White House spaces, includes the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington. The painting was saved from fire, during the war of 1812, by Dolly Madison who smiles at him through a corridor of the Red Room.

Janeen chose the Grant China in the corridor as a favorite

Our walking tour was through several of the more well know rooms (on the first floor) including the Vermeil Room, the China Room, the Diplomatic Reception Room, State Dining room and the East Room. It was interesting to note the roll up the edge of the carpet to allow the visitors to walk through the rooms but not on the carpet. On display were a number of artifacts, portraits and lovely furniture.

The East Room – location of may press conferences and bill signings

Most rooms had a Secret Service person who could explain the features of the room and what kinds of events the room has had. Janeen chose the Grant China in the corridor as a favorite, but the China room and the Visitor Center display much more glassware and china purchased for the standing Presidents.

All in all an interesting tour and really glad we made time in our schedule to visit this place.

I loved this – Maintenance happens all the time!

After bidding Jason goodbye, so he could go back to work, we walked back towards the metro stopping at Old Ebbitt Grill for lunch.

Old Ebbitt Grill is a historic bar and restaurant and is Washington’s oldest bar and restaurant. It opened as an unnamed restaurant in the Ebbitt House Hotel. The Hotel distinguished itself as the first hotel in Washington to remain open all summer instead of closing when Congress adjourned.

Since 1970, because of its popularity Old Ebbitt Grill has been frequented by numerous politicians, some known for scandals and maneuvering.

Known for its oysters and seafood it was a wonderful spot to stop and have a bit and a bottle of wine.

After our lunch we continued on to the Metro for our ride back to Springfield.

August 29, 2017April 11, 2019

8-28-17 Fallingwater and Roads End

The route from Illinois, through Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, and Maryland into D.C. and Virginia often followed the National Highway (US 40. sometimes U S 22) and one could envision frontier families, Civil War Companies, Appalachian hikers, through the decades, even from the four lane Tarmac.

Mills Run, PA is the location of the Western PA Nature Conservancy, which administers entrance to Fallingwaters. Kaufman, Jr. deeded the family retreat and surrounding acreage to the Conservancy in the mid 1960s with the conditions that his family home would be viewed, not as a museum, but as it was imagined by FLW and. used by the family; an island of calm and a retreat into nature.

Monday – our last day on the Road across the USA – found us heading to Fallingwater.

Fallingwater, or the Kaufmann Residence. Frank Lloyd Wright designed “Fallingwaters ” the weekend retreat cabin of the Philadelphia Kaufman family that was built in 1938-39 at a cost of 150,000 dollars; the cliffs and boulders of Bear Run Creek and its falls envelop the cantilevered house. Asked to describe the house in one word, the Kaufman’s son, said,” Romance”. Liliane and Edgar Kaufmann owned the Kaufmanns department Store in Pittsburg and had a small “cabin” near the location and wanted something nicer for weekends and summer vacations. Fallingwater was the family’s weekend home from 1937 until 1963 when Kaufmann Jr donated the property to the Western Pennsylvania conservancy. In 1964 it was opened to the public as a museum.

The design, by Wright, was intended to bring the outdoors inside with the use of windows and outdoor seating areas. In the seating area, or living room, there is a large stone fireplace – the stone around the fireplace is bedrock and incorporated into the structure. On the left side of the fireplace, hangs a red round globe – this could be filled will mulled wine and the entire globe swings into the fireplace for heating and out again for distribution of the warmed wine!

The house in the background. We are standing on a ‘bridge’ over the river.

Our tour included most of the rooms and areas of the building – quite interesting. While I could certainly “live” in Fallingwaters I think the MAINTENANCE required to keep the house up might be a bit difficult! We are glad we visited this special spot.

Steps from inside lead down to the stream

Lots of glass in the building opens it up to the outdoors.

After finishing our tour we completed our trek across country by arriving at our son’s home in Springfield Virginia. While here we will visit with friends, tour the White House, celebrate my 70^th birthday and do packing for our next adventure – ACROSS the Atlantic to Portugal, Germany, Italy and any other place we find ourselves.

August 26, 2017April 11, 2019

8-26-17 On the Road to Richmond Indiana

Early this morning we left Macomb and continued our journey towards Virginia. After several hours of driving on the freeways we dropped down to US 40 and cruised along through a number of small towns – Greenfield, Knightstown, Dunreith, Lewisville, Straughn, Dublin, Cambridge City, Centerville – until we reached Richmond. US 40 is an east-west route running the entire width of the US starting in New Jersey and ending in Utah (OK, not the entire width of the country). It seemed like every one of these small towns was having a garage sale or yard sale everywhere. We didn’t stop. Our Best Western was near the eastern side of town and really almost on the state line between Indiana and Ohio.

For dinner we went to the number one Trip Advisor restaurant in Richmond – Galo’s Italian Grill.

Expecting a nice Italian place, I said “Buonasera” – which we all know is an Italian phrase meaning “Good Evening”. Well, they thought I meant “I want Sara to wait on us “and put us in the bar…not liking that spot I moved us elsewhere. When Sara came over and asked if we had requested her station…we said, no, just honoring the restaurant theme, seems Italian isn’t something they hear much in the restaurant.

We started with a Prosecco which was OK and an appetizer of bruschetta which was OK but not as great as it could have been had they used heirloom tomatoes.

Janeen ordered the grilled eggplant lasagna with spinach, ricotta and mozzarella cheese while

I had the Bolognese sauce with pasta and an added meatball .

To accompany this we had a Banfi Chianti Classico.

Maybe we have higher expectations then we should be overall the meal was OK – not what I would have expected for the number one restaurant for the area. Each of our food dishes was pleasant but had no special ingredient to have it stand out from something you might pick up at the frozen section of the supermarket and the wine list, well, it left a lot to be desired.

So, we are back in our room with the rest (half) of the bottle of Chianti some ice and sprite to make some coolers to enjoy for the rest of the evening.

August 24, 2017April 11, 2019

8-23-17 The Lincoln Museum and Union Station

THE LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL MUSEUM

On Wednesday we headed out to Springfield, a little under a two-hour drive from Macomb to visit The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. This Museum is considered to be the first major Experience Museum where it combines priceless historical artifacts with innovative, contemporary storytelling technologies. Visitors are offered an engaging, emotional and educational experience through immersive, “you-are-there” exhibits. There are two different sections – one depicting the early years growing up and the second reflecting his political career more specifically his presidency.

The first section shows young Lincoln presented in a frontier, log cabin and a country store walk through with a number of interesting depictions from his history being represented.

The second area reflects the political history portion of his life.

The second section is represented by the White House South entrance. As you walk through the doors, you first see various dresses worn by Mary Todd Lincoln and her contemporaries during her time in the White House.

Turning to the hallway, you walk through what might be called The Hall of Political History covering Lincoln’s entry into the Republican fray. This is an unsettling hallway with various voices quoting from newspapers regarding the Lincolns’ appearance, manners and policies – many unpleasant for sure. On the walls are actual political cartoons of the period as well as genuine quotes from the newspapers regarding the Lincolns’ – not very pleasant stuff. The commentaries presented convey the opinions and beliefs he had to contend with, and the criticism his family endured, that was unprecedented in previous White House families

From here the walk through experience presents his cabinet personalities, the divisions of the Civil War and the faces of the combatants and ends with his assassination and funeral procession. Two theater experiences include holographic 3D multiscreen immersion into the Civil War, and the Historic research and artifact Library.

Ford’s Theater with Booth entering from behind…

After touring the Museum we headed across the street to plaza and Union Station.

Union Station is a former train station and now part of the complex of buildings that together form the Library and Museum complex. One of the more prominent features of Springfield Union Station was a three-story (110 ft) clock tower. The tower made a striking addition to the Springfield skyline, helping the station become an immediately recognizable landmark.

After passenger train service ended, Union Station housed several private businesses before being used for Illinois state offices until September, 2004. The building was extensively restored as the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library visitor center, which reopened in March 2007.

Today Union Station houses a display of movie items related to Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln that came out in 2012 staring Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln (won the Best Actor Academy Award for his role). On display are movie sets, props and costumes worn during the movie.

Hollywood set of Abraham Lincoln’s office as seen in the movie, Lincoln. Costumes were worn by actors portraying Abe Lincoln and his son.

All in all it was a nice day and an interesting spot to visit.