TanK(ed) in Spain: August 16, 2005

August 16: breakfast and our apartment

Tom looking pretty hungover at breakfast. tee hee.

Close up of Tom once he was feeling a bit better.

Below: to get to the apartment we were staying at, we had to climb a few flights of stairs, the last being solely our own, and then to the left of the top of the stairs was the bedroom, to the right was the kitchen, living room space. A very long very narrow apartment. The bedroom ceiling sloped down so that it was only two feet above our heads when we were lying down. But they had built in a skylight that opened, so we had open sky above our heads all night each night we were there. I fell asleep watching the stars... it was pretty amazing. :)

Tom in the front hall of the apartment--a good view of just how narrow it all was!!

August 16th: Leaving Tornavacas

Some final shots of Tornavacas before we head out to Portugal.

One of the more wornout buildings.

Hand carved writing could be seen above most doorways.

Krista in front of the hotel owned by Miguel, who made us feel totally at home even though Tom and I were staying in an apartment up the way.

More hand carved writing--this building was apparently built in 1795.

A full shot of Miguel´s hostel.

The table in the front hall of the hostel--it´s an old farm implement of sorts, upsidedown. All the white bits are rocks that are sharp, and we think must have been used to either crush grain or do something to the land.

Tom and Miguel.

August 16th: the drive from Tornavacas to Lisboa

On the road--large metal bulls frequented the landscape.

2 castles seen in Spain--we pulled over so I could snap the last two pics, but the first one, taken from the backseat while Tom was driving, turned out pretty good as well.

August 16th: Lisboa, Portugal part 1

Views of the statue of Cristo-Rei, Christ the King, with arms outspread, overlooking the huge bridge of the 25th of April, which crosses the river Tejo.

Tom´s dad thinks this bridge is bigger than the Golden Gate bridge.

(These pictures don´t do justice to the enormity of it.)

August 16th: Lisboa, Portugal part 2

The very ornate Monastery of the Jeronimos (monks of Saint Jeronimo i guess?) in a tourist-populated square in Lisboa, and our first stop.

Tom and Krista with a glimpse of the monastery we will visit.

Tom in front of the HUGE monastery doors.

Statues of scholar-types or Saints--statues are my favourite parts of all the architecture I´m seeing.

August 16th: Lisboa, Portugal part 3

Inside the Monastery of the Jeronimos.

This doesn´t hold a body, I don´t think--but it brought to mind the book the Da Vinci Code.

A view of the columns and the main altar... isn´t the ceiling incredible?

Within the flashed casket is a depiction of Jesus, above that is Jesus carrying the cross, and on either side of that are angels (?) carrying the four passions: the column, the wreath of thorns, the cross and the shroud.

An altar for the Virgin Mary and Joseph--it´s one of the most cheerful ones I´ve seen!

The stained glass windows in this church were incredible--this is just one small sample. Additionally, all the marble in this monastery used to be pure white, somewhite parts are still visible; Tom and I couldn´t begin to fathom how beatiful it must have looked being pure white.

August 16th; Lisboa, Portugal part 4

Tom and the bridge we came in on. The Cristo-Rei is still visible even at this distance.

A tribute to the Discoverers, with the sun setting behind it... it´s a tribute to all the Portuguese who helped discover the roads of the sea.

I love the way the cross and his hands have been done.

A scholar, I believe.

The other side of the monument.

I was standing way in front of the monument, so really she is much bigger than I--but I was pleased to see a female among the other Discoverers.

August 16th; Lisboa, Portugal part 5

Open this pic up and you´ll see that Tom is kneeling in front of the Principe S. Tome which is something to do with a Saint Thomas. (Same name...not that Tom is a saint, or anything :)