Final day

Sadly our trip is coming to an end. Rain was predicted today so we started in the National Museum Soares dos Reis. On the way there, I snapped this lovely building.

My favourite painting was a self portrait of of Aurélia de Souza done in 1900. "Unanimously considered a masterpiece of self-portraiture in Portugal, this is a painting that has achieved international recognition."

As we walked through the galleries, Dara (a professor of more than 30 years) noted the lack of historical context. Portugal was neutral in WWII and was ruled by a dictator for 40 years beginning in the 30s. None of that history was referenced on the wall-mounted placards. Yet how has it shaped what is and what is not in the galleries? What gets painted, what does not get painted?

The museum is named for sculptor António Soares dos Reis. He killed himself at age 41 yet left behind an amazing body of work done in bronze, plaster and marble. The statue below is carrara marble.

Next the Crystal Palace garden, where Dara was mobbed by pea hens and gulls when she shared her crackers with this guy. It was very Hitchcockian.

There were two downpours during our visit to the gardens and we were able to retreat to shelter each time. One of the things we didn't manage to do was to go to the beach next two where the Douro River meets the ocean – seen in the distance below. There's always next time.

And this view is in the other direction toward Porto.

We have been very lucky with the weather until now, so no complaints re. the odd shower. Next stop was Sao Bento train station, which our guide told us to see.

It was lovely.

I didn't take any photos of the Lisbon train station. It was a striking deep red but there was no tile and I just didn't feel the love.

We went back to the apartment and I had a lie down. My cold catches up with me in the evenings. Then back out for dinner at an amazing vegan restaurant. I kept feeling a bit cheated that vegan food can be so amazing yet so unavailable where I live. My appetiser was tofu cooked perfectly and coated in barbecue sauce while Dara had the pumpkin with a feta-style sauce (but vegan).

7 March