Cascais - 20 December - 6 January 2012

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I have decided to break our stay in Cascais into 3 - so don't worry - there is more to come. The very observant will see we have also done the Christmas blog, so we are a bit out of sequence.

Originally we had planned to park the mother ship in Jeremy and Rachel's driveway - however, it looked a bit tight. JJ had said he had figured it out using 'maths' (slow day at the office?) and it was 'technically possible' - and then said I was a wuss. But he used to fly satellites and there is heaps of room in space, so what would he know.

Anyway, we took the van to a rather lovely campsite and left it there.

Cascais (pronounced Cash-kaysh - when speaking Portuguese put on a Sean Connery accent and turn all the 's' noises into 'sh') is a historic resort town. It is on the coast west of Lisbon, has a couple of beaches and is quite lovely. It also has the casino where Ian Fleming (who wrote the James Bond books) chased the real 'Le Chiffre' in Casino Royale. It has a little bit of everything, and as Jeremy told us, is like a small cross section of Lisbon.

It is also on a stunning coast. There are are beaches all the way north until the Cabo de Roca, they have good surf and lovely sand.

The Cascais beach - with obligatory dude asleep. Always at least one.

One of the pedestrianised streets in the shopping area. The cool wavy pattern in the paving can do funny things with your brain.

Staying with Jeremy, Rachel and baby Maia was so much fun. The times we have spent with friends and family have been the highlights of this trip, and it probably is a comment on how long we have spent in the van that staying in a house is a novelty!

We did several excursions with the Joneses (and yes I did have to wiki the pleural of Jones, and it looks weird!). Our first trip out was to 'go up Jesus'. Lisbon has it's version of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro (it's only a couple of metres shorter), and JJ and Rachel had never been - so off and up we went.

The back of Big Jesus. The sun was coming from behind so this photographed a bit better than the front.

Jeremy taking a break from defending the free world, Maia, me (should I start wearing a new hat?) and Rachel. Who is not flinching from my touch, which is nice of her.

Me and Jane, who is not flinching from my touch, which is nice of her. The bridge behind us is the 'Pont 25 de Abril' (they make learning history a bit easier in Portugal by naming things after the important dates). If it looks familiar, it is because it was designed by the guy who did the Golden Gate bridge. I wonder if he gave them a discount?

I wish I was cool enough to be in this photo. Don't care, I will stand over here having a photo of my own. Whatevs.

We also visited Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Monastery of Jeronimo, maybe) which was very impressive and also sported an amazing cloister. It is also next to the most famous pastry shop in Lisbon, which sported an amazing queue. We were lazy, so went over the road instead.  The pasteis de nata were still delicious!

JJ and Maia baring all 5 of her fangs. She is lovely, very smiley, talkative and very, very busy. It must be tiring for mum and dad but was endlessly entertaining for us.  I liked holding her just above the floor and telling her to run. She would start running in mid air like a cartoon character, She can walk when holding your finger, and for some reason decided to start goose stepping like John Cleese in Monty Python. Comedy gold.

The queue for the Lisbon's best pastries - this was just for takeaways. Inside was a madhouse. We went across the road with all the cops.

The front of the Monastery of Jeronimo. 

It had an amazing vaulted ceiling.

And an incredible cloister.

We are a bit tiny, but all smiling away happily.

And so is Maia 

Our first meal in. I helped Jeremy make Beef Wellington, which was a first for both of us. I made a nice meaty sauce, and then killed Rachel's potatoes with garlic. Sorry for murdering your potatoes, Rachel.

And of course we had New Year's Eve - which happened to occur on day 299 of our trip - which seems appropriate somehow.  Jeremy drove us all to Cabo de Roca which is the most western most point in mainland Europe (the Romans called it the end of the world). We were planning to watch the sunset, but it happened to be the only cloudy evening we have had since we got here. Ah well, the Verve comforted us well enough.

We then went home, got fed some wonderful food, drank quite a lot and had a wonderful time. Yay food!

Off to see the sunset on the only cloudy evening of our stay.

It's a bit chilly - more roasted chestnuts help.

A bit windy too - and the chestnuts have worn off.

Champagne will help more than stupid chestnuts.

Sunset - that little strip of light in the background. This was the last place in mainland Europe to see the sun in 2011.

Perfect woman - two glasses of wine and an imminent wardrobe malfunction. 

Look closely.....in the background....at the left of the picture - AAAAAAARGGHHHH!!!!

JJ hard at work on Phase 1: Scallops

Ta-da! Scallops and prawns in a seafood sauce with micro greens, served on half shell. Sweet Jesus it was delicious.

Staring makes food cook better.

So does stabbing.

Phase 2: Ribs. I am hacking away, Rachel is researching which local hospital re-attaches fingers.

This is what happens when you actually listen to Morgan's enthusiastic cries of 'let's cook they chestnuts in the fire!' They explode. Sorry for killing your chestnuts Rachel.

Phase 3: BBQ chicken and salad. With no chestnuts.

Hanging around in the living room with Maia.

Breakfast on the upstairs deck.

We went out for a very, very fantastic meal at a restaurant on the beach, down the road from the house. 

This was the most beautiful thing Jane has perhaps ever eaten.

These bits and bobs came (free) with the coffee.

The view was pretty amazing too.