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| Enjoying Évora! |
Évora is a city of around 60,000 that is located approximately 80 miles from Lisbon. There were options to take a train or a bus. It turned out that the bus was the faster and less expensive option.
There are at least two bus stations and two bus lines that provide service. We chose FLIXbus from the Oriente bus station. Round trip cost was $15 per person and it took around an hour and a half each way.
The drive was mostly along a modern highway through rolling hills scattered with oak and pine trees. There were cattle and sheep lazily grazing away. We were entertained by hundreds of stork nests on the power poles beside the highway. Many of the poles had multiple nests, and it was easy to spot young birds peeking out while carefully being watched over by their moms or dads.
Évora is a walled city that’s been around for a while. I’m not really sure when people started inhabiting the area but it goes back to BC. The Romans conquered it in 57 BC and must have liked it because they are the ones that first started building a wall around it. In recent years it has been proclaimed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to the historic sites, Évora has a university and it also regularly makes the list as one of Portugals most livable cities.
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| This peacock seemed to be guarding the gate |
We had a full day roaming around inside the walls of the historic “old town”. The restaurants and shops along the narrow cobblestone streets and around the main plaza were busy with a mix of both tourists and travelers.
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| Remnants from Evora’s Red Carnation celebration |
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| Roman ruins near the historic city center |
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| Evora’s city center plaza |
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| Of all the interesting sites in Évora nothing compares to the Chapel of Bones which was part of the Church of Sao Francisco. In the 1600’s the church realized they were running out of land within the city walls. Much of the land was cemeteries. The Monks came up with an ingenious plan. They dug up the bones of the dearly departed and displayed them on the chapel walls. It served two purposes. First, it freed up much needed land. Second it was to serve as a reminder to the living to focus on living a spiritually wholesome life. It was unique to say the least! Below are a few more photos from the Chapel of Bones: |
If you’re in the Lisbon area and looking for a day trip into the country side, Évora might be what you’re looking for. We sure enjoyed it!
As for the other Freedom Day Celebration….. well it wasn’t quite as big as the national holiday in Portugal on April 25 celebrating the country’s freedom. However, yesterday (April 26) was a personal “Freedom Day” for us. We celebrated eight years since the day I turned in my badge and keys and retired! We committed to two years of trying the vagabond lifestyle. We’ve had to adjust our sails along the way, but we’re still loving it and looking forward to more adventures in the future. I’m so blessed to be on this adventure with someone who is not only my wife but my best friend as well!
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| As I’m writing this blog we’re heading out to sea….the next part of this journey is underway! |
Our four days in Lisbon were great. The people of Portugal are outgoing and very hospitable. The more we see it the more we like it. However, there are always a few undesirables in every crowd. Unfortunately, we crossed paths with one or two on our walk from the hotel to the ship. Beth had her purse pickpocketed from her backpack. Obviously we wish it wouldn’t have happened, but the rotten scoundrel(s) didn’t get away with much. We had the credit cards locked in minutes before any charges were made. There might have been a small amount of cash and there was an old pair of prescription glasses. The biggest loss was the purse itself which was a 3-4 dollar thrift store investment and the feeling of being violated. We always try to be vigilant, but wow they were good! It did put a little damper on the end of our Lisbon time, but it is what it is and it could have been much worse! We still love Lisbon and Portugal!
