To Sintra by sidecar

For Ian's birthday I shouted him / us, it is about me too, a trip around the coast of Portugal to Sintra, in a sidecar. The sidecar journey was fun, although as we moved around the coast a cool wind blew in across the Atlantic Ocean, and the wind in an exposed sidecar necessitated that I break out and wear a sweatshirt to keep warm. We visited Cape Raco, the furtherest point west in Europe. Cape Raco is a small cape sticking out into the Atlantic, next stop The Americas. You can begin to understand Christopher Columbus's urge to explore, when all you have to do us sail directly out into the ocean blue, and it was blue and so calm. So here I am perched high on the cliff tops, amongst some fantastic and huge rock formations admiring the view with an urge to explore further! Our guide driver told us the Azores Islands are 6 days away by small boat travelling at 6 nts. Sintra is a beautiful inland retreat nestled high on a "mountain" amongst a natural reserve and forrest. Many rulers, dignitaries and noble people have built summer palaces within the Sintra hillside. Right on the mountain tops were 2 fabulous Moorish Castles from times gone by. I enjoyed seeing more of the Portugese country side and comparing the similar varities of trees that grow in our counrty side including the regulars eg pines, Norfolk pines, gums etc. No gorse or broom! I enjoyed the freedom and flexibility the trip in the side car gave us rather than being herded around in a tourist bus of which there are plenty. I enjoyed exploring the narrow cobbled streets of Sintra, now totally a tourist town. Coming back into Lisboa again we passed the beaches crowded with people and their umbrellas. Those who were in the water were standing around knee high with one or two souls actually out enjoying the water. Perhaps the beach goers like me realised as they surveyed the horizon, American is a long way off.