Our (excellent) guide here in Lisbon and Sintra has got the 'back in the day' bug really quite badly. Over 2 days, we must have heard it at least 40 times. Well, almost. She actually favours 'back in the days'.

Here's a funny thing about reporting on events in an historical narrative:-

English: The king came here in 1500

Spanish: The king comes here in 1500

Portuguese: The king will come here in 1500. Or that's what I surmise from the frequent use of the future tense by our guide.

Here in Lisbon I've seen a new form of advertising for the first time; a person runs round the streets with a large pennant flying above his or her head with some name or other on it. It seems a good thing to me; you get paid for doing the exercise that'll keep you fit. While probably crocking your knees.

It's a bit annoying that, when we pass the traders stationed near the sights we're taken to, they shout out the prices in German. Especially as I can't respond by insulting them in Portuguese.

Call me old-fashioned but I don't much like the soap dispensers you have to use in hotel showers these days. But that's by the by, as the point I want to make is that there must be a generation of kids growing up now who'll only associate soap with such dispensers, never having used or even seen a tablet.

Off to lovely Evora today. Meanwhile . . . Some more fotos of Lisbon and Sintra. Before I go, I need to apologise for saying Alveiro saw itself as the Venice of Spain. It should, of course, have been The Venice of Portugal. My apologies to both countries:-

The altar of the (Jesuit) House of the English in Lisbon:-

A couple of not-terribly-English names on a tombstone in the English cemetery in Lisbon. And the shadow of a spectre which haunts the place:-

A couple of views of the Royal Palace in the wonderful Monserrat Gardens outside Sintra.:-

These gardens, by the way, owe their creation to 3 rich and/or nutty Englishmen. Back in the days when Englishmen got very wealthy on international trade.

Finally . . . A lovely blue tile (Azulejo) picture somewhere:-

Not as blue as it actually is. I blame my camera. Though it might just be age. The tiles', not mine.