Learning about Lisbon and Portugal

This morning we visited the Queluz National Palace. It is an 18th-century palace and one of the last great Rococo buildings to be designed in Europe. The palace was conceived as a summer retreat for King Joseph I's brother, Peter of Braganza. It is modeled after the Palace of Versailles in France.

We drove to the seaside town of Cascais and had a guided tour about the town.  Interesting information is about the designs of the sidewalks in Portugal. In this picture you can see how the design creates an optical illusion. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a traditional Portuguese lunch in Lisbon and then had a walking tour of the city center. 

The fountains and sculptures in the major roundabouts remind me of the the ones in Rome. There is some urban art and many sidewalk cafes int he city center of Lisbon.

 

We ended the day with a lecturecby a university professor about the history of Portugal. I admit that I struggled to stay awake after a day of mostly outside activity and walking about 4 miles. 

First Day in LIsbon,, Portugal

I was in Oregon for a little over a week after my trip to Asheville, NC. Now I am on another Road Scholar trip and it is to see some of Portugal. I had an 9.5 hour overnight flight from Portland to London Heathrow airport and then a flight dwon to Lisbon. My high school classmate, Donna, had arrived earlier in the day. We met this morning for breakfast at the hotel. 

We decided to walk to a nearby park. There were three museums in the park and I wanted to see them and Donna decided to walk back to our hotel.   

The park had small lakes, families enjoying a lovely Sunday and some saundering on the trails.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't appreciate the art in the Modern Art Museum but many ot the items on display in the main museum were very lovely. I am extremely fortunate as it is another travel day with perfect weather.

I meet our tour leader and fellow Road Scholar travelers for a meeting and dinner thiw evening.  

Seeing more of Asheville and the area

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning Martha took me on a long walk in her neighborhood that is called Biltmore Forest. Biltmore Forest is an incorporated residential town situated just south of Asheville and nestled between the historic Biltmore Estate and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The land was acquired from the Biltmore Estate in the early 1920s following a recommendation to develop unused estate acreage. Walking the neighborhood is like going ona a tour of homes wih a golf course tucked in the middle.

 

 

 

 

In the afternoon Roger took me for a ride to the towns of Montreat ,where Billy Graham lived, and Black Mountain, which is a small artsy town. We drove through the campus of the Warren Wilson College. It tucked into the hillside of a mountain. On the way back to their home we stopped at the Blue Ridge Parkway National Park Visitor Center.

 

 

Another good day in Asheville

 

 

 

 

 

 

We left the mountain cabin mid-day and headed back to Asheville. The neighborhood where Roger and Martha live has some large homes. On a walk this afternoon we saw quite a few wild turkeys. They are large birds and are totally unafraid of humans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This evening Doug and Ann, who were on the trip I took to South America last February, came to Roger and Martha's home for a light meal and a good time of visiting. Still no rain even though it has been forecast that there is some. 

 

 

Saturday in North Carolina

This morning I woke up to bird songs and a light mist. The cabin where I am staying is an extremely peaceful place. Roger and Martha took me to Sylva. It is the county seat of Jackson County. The Jackson County Courthouse was constructed in 1914 and is located on a hill at the end of Main Street in downtown Sylva. Since 2011, the Jackson County Courthouse has been the site of the Jackson County Public Library after a new County Justice Center was built in 1994. The Tuckasegee River runs thought the town.

Roger and Martha's daughter and son-in-law came with their two children, Leo, age 3 and Lily, 11 months. It was fun to spend time with the grandchildren while the parents went to a wedding. Roasting marshmallows in the fire pit was a highlight for Leo.

 

Poppy duty for Roger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leo loved the marshmallows.

The scenic Blue Ridge Parkway

 Tis morning my friend Martha picked me up at the hotel and we headed to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Our first stop was at the Pisgah Inn for lunch. We were seated at table by the window that had a wonderful view. 

The fall leaves are just beginning to turn. 

Next stop was a hike to Devil's Courthouse. the hike is described as a short but strenuous trail climbing a half-mile to its peak with wonderful panoramic mountain views. Unfortunately, I left my hike poles in the car. 

 

After enjoying beautiful views Martha and I arrived at their mountain cabin. The cabin had been owned by Roger's father. It has a beautiful location. 

The rocking chairs invite you to sit and enjoy the view. We ate dinner on the deck.

 

Roger and Martha's daughter, son-in-law and their 2 children are coming this weekend so I am staying in a neighbor's cabin. It is so beautiful and peaceful.

The private cabin where I am staying.

The living room. 

My bedroom. 

Final Scheduled Day for Road Scholar Program

This morning we visited the Thomas Wolfe House. Wolfe wrote the epic autobiographical novel,  Look Homeward, Angel. It is a portrayal of his family and his hometown of “Altamont” which is Asheville, North Carolina. It tells about the his life in the boardinghouse that his mother owned and ran. Wolfe died just before his 38th birthday. After visiting the memorial house, seeing a short movie about him. and hearing the local guide talk about his life it seemed to me that Thomas Wolfe is a tragic figure despite his literary success.

We ate lunch on the patio of the historic Grove Park Inn. Opened in 1913, the resort is built from massive native granite stones mined from Sunset Mountain. Designed in the Arts and Crafts style, it features large stone fireplaces, and panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Over its history, it has hosted ten U.S. presidents and numerous global dignitaries. It reminded me of the famous Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite Valley.

The Grove Park Inn has an antique car museum, lots of crafts shops, sculptures in the gardens, and the world Gingerbread contest. The picture of the the gnomes and crooked houses is the winner in 2025. All of the entry has to be edible. 
 

View from the balcony where we ate.

Some of the many cars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The winning Gingerbread House. 

Our hotel is in the center of town so it has been fun to walk around during breaks in out schedule.This afternoon I walked to the public library and to several bookstores. This sculpture is one of several in the downtown area.