Larry Hampton, Author at Portugal Resident

Larry Hampton

Contributor for the Portugal Resident

The Porta da Vila seen from inside the village. The original bell, dating from 1692, is housed in the tower on the right.|There are only two streets in Monsaraz that run the length of the village. This is the main one. Wheeled vehicles are not allowed, except for loading/unloading, but there is plenty of parking just outside the walls.|Another view of the Rua Direita. All the village’s streets and lanes are cobbled.|This ATM, next to the Junta da Freguesia, is about the only concession Monsaraz makes to the 21st century.|The main tower of the castle, called the Torre de São Gens do Xarez, or, more familiarly, Torre das Feiticeiras (Tower of Witches). Construction of the castle was started by King Alfonso III and eventually completed by his son Dinis I in the early 13th century. Entrance is free. The views from the tower are exceptional.|One of the many beautiful views from the village – this one looking east to the Alqueva Lake.|A reminder that the Templar knights were active in the castle’s construction and defense.|The fertile Alentejano plains as seen from the castle|Another view of the village. Note the absence of tourists and of cars!|The Porta da Cisterna and, beyond it, the Porta do Buraco, one of the four entrances to the village.|The hilltop walled village of Monsaraz, seen from the east (the Alqueva Lake) side. The castle and the Igreja Matriz are clearly visible, anchoring the walls.|The 16th century Igreja Matriz, Nossa Senhora da Lagoa, which was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake and is currently being renovated. In front of the church, in the main square (Largo Nuno Álvares Pereira), is an 18th century marble pillory (pelourinho) where announcements were made and laws and punishments given.|A view over the roofs of Monsaraz, looking southeast towards the Alqueva.|Helga and Robbie Edwards toast Monsaraz with a lovely local vinho branco on the terrace of the Sahida restaurant.|The Porta da Vila serves as the main entrance to the walled village. It dates from the 17th century. Above the arch, there is a memorial to the Immaculate Conception, installed by King João IV in 1646

Monsaraz: dream village

Helga and I, along with a few family members, have just spent a marvellous long weekend in Monsaraz. It wasn’t our first time, and it certainly won’t be the last.

April 25, 2024by Larry Hampton

Menemsha harbor, formerly a major whaling station but still a departure point for local fishermen|A typical Martha’s Vineyard harbor scene, this one in Vineyard Havejn, a town of about 2,000 but the car ferry terminus from Woods Hole on Cape Cod|Most of Martha’s Vineyard is very rural. This row of mailboxes is quintessentially New England|This woodsy trail leads to Lambert Beach, on the north shore. It is late Autumn, but there is still quite a lot of color in the remaining leaves|Lambert Beach is typical of the large number of very sandy beaches on the island|A typical house, right on the water, with its dock|East Chop Light is known locally as Telegraph Hill Light. The present 40 ft tall tower was erected in 1878 and, although open to the public, the lighthouse is still active today|A late season maple brings a tongue of color|This little house is one of about 300 Victorian cottages built in the 1800s in Oak Bluffs as part of a Methodist retreat. In season, they are all occupied and there is a flurry of activity at the “Campground”|A row of lovely houses on a quiet, secluded street in Oak Bluffs|Edgartown Harbor Light marks the entrance to Edgartown and Katama Bay. It was built in 1939, replacing the original 1828 structure. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the public in season.|Edgartown Harbor|This is the Orange Peel Bakery cash register|This tiny structure is the Orange Peel Bakery, a native-owned bakery based on the Wampanoag lands of Aquinnah. It is run by Juli Vanderhoop, who bakes every day in a wood-fired stone oven and leaves her delicious edibles in the unstaffed little house. Payment is on the honor system|The Gay Head Light was authorized by the US Congress in 1798 and was built shortly thereafter at the tip of Aquinnah on Wampanoag land|Menemsha is a small fishing village in the town of Chilmark. It was the shooting background for the fictional “Amity Island” of Spielberg’s 1974 film “Jaws”|5088 – Sailing is a major activity on Martha’s Vineyard, but in November the sails are all furled

Martha’s Vineyard – idyllic playground for the rich and famous

I usually write about the great places that Helga and I visit in Europe. However, in November I had the chance to see Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts while visiting the

January 12, 2024by Larry Hampton

The Greek temple of Concordia in Agrigento, one of the largest and best-preserved Doric temples in the world. It was built ca. 440-430 BC.|The Benedictine cloisters of the Duomo in Monreale, just west of Palermo. It was built in the 12th century in the Norman-Arabic style and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.|Palermo Duomo, erected in 1185 but rebuilt many times since, resulting in a melange of architectural styles.|The relatively unassuming tomb of Frederick II Stupor Mundi (1194-1250) in Palermo Cathedral. He became King of Sicily at the age of four and Holy Roman Emperor in 1220|The statue of Guiseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) in Giardino Garibaldi in the Piazza Marina in Palermo.|This Ficus Benjamina is over 150 years old and is located in Gardini Garibaldi|Mt Etna, towering 3,400 meters over northeastern Sicily, is an active volcano – its last eruption in August 2023 closed Catania airport for a day. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site|The stage of the Greek theatre in Taormina, dating from the 3rd century BC. There are wonderful views looking out over the east coast. Today, the theatre is used as a venue for the annual arts festival ‘Taormina Arte’|The Greek Theatre in Siracusa is located in an archaeological park. It was first built in the 5th century BC and rebuilt in the 3rd century BC. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Siracusa|This stairway in Erice, in northwestern Sicily, is typical of the narrow and steep passages found in many of the small Sicilian towns|Gangi, a small village which stands on Mount Marone in Palermo province and is overlooked by Ventimiglia castle, was nominated the most beautiful village in Italy|The staircase of Santa Maria del Monte in Caltagirone. It was built in 1606, is over 130 m long and is entirely decorated with polychrome ceramic tiles. Caltagirone has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2002|Vincenzo Bellini, a bel canto opera composer, was born in Catania in 1801 and died very young in France in 1835. Catania claims him as a favourite son|A wine tasting at Barone di Villagrande in Milo. Alfonso Caltagirone is having Vibeke and Poul Snorgaard and David and Linda Grindley taste the winery’s Carricante white

Impressions of Sicily

When you think of Sicily, what do you think? Great place to vacation? Historically important? Impressive architecture? Good food and wine? Home of the Mafia? Yes, it is all of

November 2, 2023by Larry Hampton

Looking across the Plaza San Pablo, past the Convento de San Pablo, with the Plaza de las Veletas and the Museo Provincial in the background|One of the many narrow alleys in old Cáceres, a perfect reason why there are no cars in most of the town|The Plaza de San Jorge with the Palacio de los Golfines de Abajo, which dates from the late 15th century and has always been in the hands of the Golfin family|Looking across the Plaza de San Jorge at the baroque 18th century Iglesia de San Francisco Javier (there is a great view from the towers)|The Plaza de los Golfines, with the Palacio de los Golfines de Abajo on the left and the baroque façade of the Edificio del Ministerio de Fomento (Ministry of Public Works) on the right.|A statue of San Pedro de Alcántara, standing in a niche at the corner of the cathedral. Rub his toes and you will have good luck!|The portals of the cathedral are Gothic, and in the Evangelio Portal, there is a corbelled pillar holding a rather sweet statue of the Virgin and Jesus.|The Plaza de Santa Maria and the Catedral de Santa Maria, the most important church in Cáceres, built at the end of the 15th century. There’s another great view from the tower.|The 15th century gothic and renaissance Casa del Sol built for the Solis family, whose coat of arms, featuring a great sun with a human face crowned with a helmet, appears above the front door.|The gothic 16th century Iglesia de San Mateo was made a Monumento Histórico Artístico in 1982. It is a sort of Panthéon of Cáceres in which the noble families of the town (Ovando, Golfines, Paredes, Saavedra) are buried.|The Convento de San Pablo, founded in the 15th century, in the Plaza de San Mateo.|The Palacio de las Cigüeñas (storks) was built in the 15th century by Don Diego Ovando on the highest point in the town. The tower is the only one left standing by Queen Isabella in 1477 – it has great views. Inside the Palacio is a military museum.|Helga is standing on our balcony in the Parador of Cáceres, looking forward to a cold glass of blanco from La Mancha and a lovely dinner.|The portal of the Iglesia de San Mateo, with Saints Peter and Paul in the lateral medallions and Saint Matthew above.

Go back in time 500 years in a weekend

Driving down from England a few days ago, Helga and I had the occasion to stop in Cáceres. This Spanish city of about 100K population, in the heart of the

September 29, 2023by Larry Hampton

The twin crater lakes of Sete Cidades (blue lake on top, green lake below), with the town of Sete Cidades in the middle left|Praça Gonçalo Velho Cabral is Ponta Delgada’s main square, with its three-arch gateway, with the São Sebastião cathedral behind.|The 17th century Paços do Concelho (Town Hall) of Ponta Delgada, fronted by a statue of the Archangel Michael|The cloisters of the Convento de São Francisco|Several of the Caldeiras at Furnas, each containing the food of a different restaurant, as marked by the plaques|The floral decorations on the roads of Povoação on Corpus Christi day|The Igreja Matriz de São Jorge in Nordeste, with a statue of António Alves de Oliveira (1847-1936), an important politician, in front|The Vila Franca do Campo town hall, with a statue of Gonçalo Vaz Botelho, a companion of Gonçalo Velho Cabral, in front|A private chapel in the grounds of the Pestana Bahia Praia hotel|A view of the northeastern coast of São Miguel|The Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Paz, on a hill overlooking Vila Franca do Campo|The volcanic crater island called Islet, just off the Vila Franca do Campo coast

The Azores – a little known part of Portugal

Ah, the bounty that Portugal offers to those “in the know” – like us! The mainland is packed with history, beautiful vistas, great food and excellent wine. We have all

June 29, 2023by Larry HamptonIn Features, Travel

A view of the Praça do Comércio, showing the equestrian statue of King José I, with a 19th century triumphal arch in the background|The statue of General Marquês de Sá da Bandeira (1795-1876) was erected in the Jardim Dom Luís I in 1884|Looking from the Praça do Comércio across the Tagus towards the resplendent and enormous statue of Cristo Rei, opened in 1959|One of the colourful 1930s style trams that make getting around Lisbon so memorable|A view of the Alfama looking east towards the Tagus from a viewpoint near the Castelo São Jorge|The Sé, Lisbon’s 12th century Romanesque cathedral in the Alfama quarter

Lisbon – A capital break

“So close and yet so far”. Or should it be “familiarity breeds contempt”? Whatever. We live within 300km of one of Europe’s most beautiful, most historic and, for us, most

March 30, 2023by Larry Hampton

A view over Câmara de Lobos and Churchill Bay, from what is known locally as “Churchill’s Viewpoint”, where he set up his easel on January 8, 1950|The view from the balcony of our room in the Churchill Bay pousada|Larry enjoying his cold white wine on his balcony, with Câmara de Lobos in the background|The rugged coast near Porto Moniz|Porto Moniz, named after Columbus’ Portuguese wife, which features the only protected harbour on the north coast|The lush, mountainous countryside of the centre of Madeira|Helga on the quayside at the mouth of Churchill Bay on a lovely, soft evening|The remarkable artesonado locally-sourced cedar wood Mudéjar ceiling in the Funchal cathedral, declared a National Monument in 1910|– A statue of Sir Winston Churchill, in front of the Churchill Bay pousada reception|The replica of Christopher Columbus’ boat the Santa Maria, built in 1998 in Câmara de Lobos

Madeira is much more than just Funchal, Ronaldo and bananas

Madeira. They call it the “Pearl of the Atlantic”. That’s a misnomer. Madeira is neither round nor smooth nor white. It is rugged and spiny and volcanic (although the volcanos

December 9, 2022by Larry Hampton

The façade of the Monastery of Saint Mary of Guadalupe, built during the 14th century|A view of the Mudéhar cloisters of the Guadalupe Monastery|The Marble Temple Roman ruins on the bank of the Valdecañas reservoir|A wonderful view of Toledo, looking across the Tajo River, with the cathedral on the left and the Alcázar on the right dominating the skyline|The Toledo cathedral|The Toledo Alcázar, site of an important siege when Nationalist Colonel Ituarte held the building against overwhelming Republican forces, and now a military museum|The Puente de Alcantara, spanning the Tagus River, a national cultural monument|Puerta del Sol, built in the late 14th century by the Knights Hospitaller. The medallion above the arch depicts Ildephonsus, Toledo’s patron saint|The Spanish gothic façade of the cathedral. The harmonious tower on the right is topped by a dome designed by El Greco’s son in the 17th century|The El Greco Museum|The beautiful Bodegas Martué Pago winery|From left: Linda and David Grindley, Poul Snorgaard, António Merino, the winemaker at Casa del Blanco, Helga and Larry Hampton, Henk and Loes Vooijs and Vibeke Snorgaard

La Mancha – Discovering Spain

The wine in Spain grows mainly on the plain Every autumn since 2005, a group of us (usually eight, but occasionally more) spend a week discovering new wines in some

November 5, 2022by Larry HamptonIn Travel, Wine

Aerial view of the Carcassone citadel|The façade today, as it was painted by Monet 130 years ago|The west façade of Rouen’s Notre Dame Cathedral, clearly showing the tower of Saint Romain (on the left) and the Butter Tower (on the right)|The cathedral’s semi-cloister in the Cour D’Albene|The rue du Gros-Horloge, with its attractive 15C-17C half-timbered houses and the clock itself, one of Rouen’s most popular monuments|Helga enjoying oysters and a cold white wine in the Place du Vieux-Marché|St George rampant on top of the Cathedral|The Cathedral St-Étienne, seen from a vantage point on the heights behind the Lot river|The Pont Valentré, a fortified pedestrian bridge built in the 14th century.|The barbican of the Pont Valentré|A side view of the Cathedral, showing the heavily fortified façade and the two cupolas|The cloisters of the cathedral|The town of Puy-l’Évêque near Cahors in the heart of the wine region|The main gate of the Carcassonne citadel|The outer ramparts of Carcassonne|The entrance to the Château Comtal, showing the moat and entry bridge

Rouen, Cahors, Carcassonne – A tale of three cities

In the 10 years we lived in France, and in the many trips driving through France to, or from, our Algarve home, we had never stopped in Rouen or Cahors

September 25, 2022by Larry Hampton

The Château de Colombières where we spent our last night, in the suite on the 1st floor of the tower nearest you.|The Abbaye aux Dames, a 1000-year-old nunnery attached to the Église Sainte-Marie. Our room was on the 1st floor to the right in the photo.|The Arch of Germanicus in Saintes, built in 18 AD and dedicated to the Emperor Tiberius’ nephew and adopted son Germanicus|– A street scene in Vannes, showing the half-timbered houses that characterise the old town.|The city gate, named Porte Saint-Vincent, in Vannes. It was built around 1600 AD as part of the city’s ramparts and was to allow entry to the old town from the port.|The Château de l’Hermine, Vannes. The original was built in 1381 as part of the city’s ramparts, but the present-day building dates from 1785|A good view of Vannes’ ramparts, built in the late 1300s, and their gardens. These ramparts are a national heritage monument and are complete along the eastern side of the old town.|The Tour du Connétable was built in the early 1400s and was an integral part of Vannes’ ramparts. It has been a listed historic monument for almost 100 years.|A view of the town of Douarnenez overlooking its little harbour|The Hotel de la Plage, in Sainte Anne la Palud, one of the westernmost points of Brittany|A view of the gigantic beach, from the terrace of the Hotel de la Plage|Half-timbered houses in Dinan|The aqueduct at Dinan, as seen from Dinan harbour on the River Rance. The aqueduct is not a bridge over the Rance valley|The donjon de la Duchesse Anne, all that remains of the château of Dinan, built in 1382 and listed as a historical monument in 1886.

Brittany – La Bretagne n’est pas la France

Recently, on our annual summer pilgrimage from the Algarve to our flat in Wimbledon, Helga and I did a small detour to spend a few days in Brittany, an area

July 27, 2022by Larry Hampton