![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.koren.korenscreativearts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/8B74A6E0-1566-4E07-AD33-3AEAF796339A-scaled.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWe walked about half an hour to the meeting spot for the tour. The sea was really rough – good thing we were not kayaking. We met our guide Francisco and he brought along with him three trainees. Francisco\u2019s English was excellent, and he was very knowledgeable. Our first stop was to see some dinosaur footprints. He told us a story of the Avelino Quarry that unearthed evidence of footprints in between layers of the sedimentary rock; specifically, Sauropod footprints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We spent three hours driving through the Arrabida Nature Park. Two of our stops were looking over sheer cliffs with stunning beaches below. Unfortunately when we went out of the car to look at one of them, we were pelted with rain and wind, but it was still beautiful. Here are a couple photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Francisco taught us a lot about the local plants, especially once he realized I am a plant nerd. I was particularly fascinated by a flower that starts out as a beautiful yellow flower but then later turns purple. \u201dThe origins of the cult performed at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Cape Espichel dates to the 15th century. Most of the buildings centre about the sanctuary, except for the Memory Hermitage, also known as Nossa Senhora da Pedra Mua Hermitage. The sanctuary and its associated buildings date to the 17th and 18th centuries, a period of pilgrimage which received royal attention and protection, especially during the reign of King Jos\u00e9 I. Source: [https:\/\/explore.museumwnf.org\/countries\/c-pt\/l-154\/m-234\/lan-en]\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This complex had the chapel, long rows of accommodations for pilgrims in the past, as well as the ruins of an Opera house and other buildings that housed the royal family at the time as their vacation home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our last stop on the tour was Castelo de Sesimbra. There was of course another chapel, but also many ruins of buildings, and a large border wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After our tour we went to a restaurant recommended by our guide called Lobo do Mar. It had amazing grilled fish with a host of side dishes. We tried Black Scabbard fish, Grouper and Stone Bass. Delicious!<\/p>\n\n\n\n We waited to leave the restaurant until the rain cleared up again and had a lovely walk along the beach without the rain and wind we were dealing with earlier. Note the black rocks more familiar in Canada, here from when the continents were connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We were so full from dinner, we decided to go to the closest mini mercado to buy ingredients to make some nice pasta at our home away from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sesimbra was an interesting and low key start to our Portugal adventure. We are looking forward to our next phase of our adventure in Lisbon starting tomorrow \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The weather today was weird. At times, rainy and blustery, at times calm and sunny, and other times everywhere in between: cloudy, windy, or something else. We were never sure what would happen next. Luckily our tour was in a … Continue reading <\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/a>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
We then visited an interesting monument, dedicated to \u201cOur Lady of the Cape\u201d. Here is the official description from the site itself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The origins of the sanctuary are connected to a legend, which relates that two elderly people \u2013 one from Caparica (on the south bank of the River Tagus) and another from Alcabideche (near Cascais) \u2013 dreamed about Our Lady appearing on top of the cliffs of Cape Pedra Mua riding a gigantic she-mule. Inspired by their dream they followed their calling and met at the top of the promontory where they found the miraculous image of Our Lady. The footprints of the she-mule left on the stones of the promontory continue to bear witness to the veracity of the legend, although in reality these are footprints of two types of dinosaur (one being the largest footprint of this type).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n