Destination Portugal: Évora

 Évora is a charming and historic city in central Portugal with relics from Roman and Moorish influence before and during the Medieval period, including protective walls, a temple, several cathedrals, and remains of a royal palace.

Group following the guide

Our tour of the UNESCO Heritage Site began with a walk through a quiet park bordering an ancient wall as a local guide provided information about the city's rich history when it was one of Portugal's cultural and educational centers. 

Church of St. Francis

And then on toward the Old Town center, stopping first at the eerie Chapel of Bones at the Gothic-style Church of St. Francis, its walls "decorated" by Franciscan monks with the remains of 5,000 corpses. 

Bones in the Chapel of Bones

Walking on the cobblestone street, we headed to the Old Town square of Évora, where there are shops and restaurants. People congregated to eat at tables next to a fountain, while others sat on benches along the perimeter to chat or take in the sunshine. For me, this was one of the most relaxing places on the tour. 

Church of Santo Antao in Old Town square

Now on to some other sites in this enchanting place.

Sentry post along wall

Side street 

Temple of Diana, built in the first century

Church of Grace 

Remains of the Royal Palace

Bust of Dr. Francisco Eduardo de Barahona,
 a benefactor of the city, in the Garden of Diana 

Évora Cathedral 

After our visit to Évora, we made a stop at a cork-making factory. Wine is an important Portuguese product, so it makes sense that cork would be prominent as well. 

Bark stripped from cork oak trees 

Now on to the Algarve region in the southern part of Portugal. I hope you stay along for the ride.

Until the next time . . .

South America Destinations: Iguassu Falls

One of nature's magical kingdoms to experience is Iguassu Falls, a J-shaped area comprised of about 250 waterfalls on the Brazilian and Argentinean borders.

A view of Iguassu Falls from Brazil

My wife and I spent two days trekking at Iguassu National Park—one day in Brazil and one in Argentina. In Brazil, it's spelled Iguacu, and in Argentina, it's Iguazu. For English speakers, it's Iguassu. The word means "big waters" in Guarani, the language of the indigenous people.

It was rainy both days but tolerable as we were covered, for the most part, by the canopy of subtropical trees as we walked to the falls. And when we arrived to the falls, we felt the mist from the powerful cascading waters from the Iguassu River. Suggestion: Pack a raincoat!

At Devil's Throat

We were there when the falls were probably at their mightiest as the river current was swift and wide from recent rains. The national park has walkways leading to overlooks, including the thunderous Devil's Throat, and to the mouths of lesser, but still impressive, waterfalls.  For those who are more adventurous, and don't mind getting drenched, there are boat rides to the bottom of several falls.

A coati

Prego monkey

The parks were listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in the 1980s. Besides the falls, they are nature preserves with many species of animal and plant life. Especially "friendly" were the coatis and prego monkeys, who weren't bashful around places where people get a bite  to eat. The monkeys would strike, without warning, on those unsuspecting folks sitting at tables by grabbing their sandwiches and leaping back up into the trees. Another suggestion: Don't feed the animals, intentionally or unintentionally.






Iguassu Falls was named as one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World," and I certainly wouldn't dispute that designation. It's an unforgettable and magical place to visit.

Until the next time. . . .