Orlando

Opening Spring Fling in Florida – Part 2 of 3

Our return to an expanded Disney Springs.

(sung to the tune of Abba’s Fernando)

Can you hear the gasp, Orlando?
I remember long ago when souvenirs were less than this
On a fire sale day, Orlando.
You’ve come a long way from a few shops to miles of chains
I could hear the constant ka-ching,
And sounds of consumerism from all over.

They are so many now, Orlando.
Every hour, every minute a sale is made
My eyes are glazed, Orlando.
Every turn I make, there’s a character from the past and present,
And I’m a little ashamed to say,
The sights and sounds still impress me.

Other parts:
Part 1
Part 3

Opening Spring Fling in Florida

Part 1 of 3

My family and I had our own mini-celebration just a week before Major League Baseball’s Opening Day on March 29th. We went for a brief visit to Florida, where we stayed with friends and, among other things, went boating in Kissimmee, bopped around in Orlando, and enjoyed the beaches and downtown sites of historic St. Augustine. This was our way of welcoming the new season with faces turned to the sun and arms open wide to embrace the warm weather (even though we experienced two more nor’easters upon our return home). Not to be deterred, our recent memories of good times mixed with  sunny days and beautiful evenings will be presented here and in the next two posts. It’s just a reminder for those up north that spring will soon feel like spring!

Kiss-a-me, Why Don’t Ye?
Water-sprayed hair,
Laughter fills the air,
As old friends toast,
Listening to Margaritaville
And other oldies from the ‘70s,
Eighties, and 90s,
O, Sun, kiss-a-me,
Why don’t ye?

Part 2
Part 3

Casas Royale

[Day 9 – Sintra]

Now a resort town,
Once mostly for royalty;
Lisbon’s great retreat.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8

A Fantastic Foray

[Day 8 – Óbidos, Alcobaça, Batalha, and Fátima]

Óbidos
Viewing from a ledge
Walled village of Óbidos
Perfect for parkour.

Alcobaça
A monastery,
Splendid Gothic monument
Houses royal tombs.

Batalha
A UNESCO site,
Another monastery
Preserved very well.

Fátima
Visions of Mary,
Catholic pilgrimage site;
Many faiths pray here.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7

The Knights that Went Dark

[Day 7 in Tomar]

Once headquartered in Tomar,
The Order of the Knights Templar
Overcame Islamic domination in Portugal;
They were rewarded the castles of Almourol,
Monsanto, and Pombal.

Faced with perceived heresy,
And political upheaval,
The once mighty warrior monks’
Reputation and status were all laid lower
When the jealous King of France
Persuaded the Pope to destroy the Order.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

Hot Lisbon, You’re Cool

[Day 6 in Lisbon]

Murals paint the city walls,
Vintage trams keep pace with urban amblers,
Bacalhau à brás graces dinner halls.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5

Bend the Knee in Braga

Day 5 was a déjà vu at the São Bento train station, where we boarded the 8:15 a.m. suburban train to Braga. We spent the whole day at a baroque capital founded by the Romans, who named it Bracara Augusta, and now referred to as Braga. Renowned for its numerous churches and nearby Bom Jesus do Monte pilgrimage center, Braga is home to the first cathedral in Portugal.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

Gone to Guimarães

Day 4 finds us in the Porto train station at 8:20 a.m. to catch the suburban train to Guimarães, a city of medieval origin, dating back to the 10th century. Its historic center was classified as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in December 2001.


In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

Pure Porto

Day 3 was non-stop Porto.  Armed with a 24-hour pass to use Porto’s impressive public transportation system, which includes trams, buses, and subway trains, not many popular places were left unseen. Not even port wine tasting during the day slowed me down.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2

Perambulating Porto

Porto is Portugal’s second largest city and is situated in the northern part of the country. As soon as I alighted from the train from Coimbra, I hit the ground walking. And what a lot to see . . .

Day 2 – In and around Praça da Liberdade and Avenida dos Aliados

If you missed it, see . . . 
Day 1 – Coimbra