Off to Portugal and the Azores in the morning

[omega50]

Last sleep before a food and wine extravaganza. Three couples. One week in Lisbon and Porto drinking Port and Madiera and roasting sausage over an open fire- Then a week on the island of San Miguel in the Azores staying with my buddy's family. Heavy volcanic activity so want to cook some meals buried in the cooking holes.
Going local so hope to be making sausage with some Portugese chorizo masters.
Definetely looking to buy an Asador de Barro which is a clay pig that you lay sausage on and then pour moonshine down the centre and light it on fire and it roasts your sausage.

Traveling buddy sent me this link to an Azores Video.

http://youtu.be/h1_9oys6tyk

[lone wolf]

Last sleep before a food and wine extravaganza. Three couples. One week in Lisbon and Porto drinking Port and Madiera and roasting sausage over an open fire- Then a week on the island of San Miguel in the Azores staying with my buddy's family.
Going local so hope to be making sausage with some Portugese chorizo masters.
Definetely looking to buy an Asador de Barro which is a clay pig that you lay sausage on and then pour moonshine down the centre and light it on fire and it roasts your sausage.

Traveling buddy sent me this link to an Azores Video.

http://youtu.be/h1_9oys6tyk

Do not forget the fishing. Some great Marlin and Sailfish fishing in that part of the world.

[Arn?Narn.]

Was in Lisbon a couple of years ago. I alway find it funny how I can be oushing a stroller with my wife on my arm, and in the broad daylight, on a busy shopping street I am asked if i would like to sampple and buy some cocaine....lol

We brought back an awful lot of port an I had some very nice leather gun slings and cartridge holders made while I was there.

Enjoy !!!!!

If you can get to Sevilla, Spain...go for it..only a few hours on bus, but worth it a million times over. Also, the Algarve in just a couple hours away...also worth it. Maybe 10euro by bus...

I wish I was going with you... :(

[omega50]

Was in Lisbon a couple of years ago. I alway find it funny how I can be oushing a stroller with my wife on my arm, and in the broad daylight, on a busy shopping street I am asked if i would like to sampple and buy some cocaine....lol

We brought back an awful lot of port an I had some very nice leather gun slings and cartridge holders made while I was there.

Enjoy !!!!!

If you can get to Sevilla, Spain...go for it..only a few hours on bus, but worth it a million times over. Also, the Algarve in just a couple hours away...also worth it. Maybe 10euro by bus...

I wish I was going with you... :(

Two of the couples are from Toronto and all of them speak Portugese, so it will be easy from a language perspective to see and do the things we want.
We rented a huge villa near the beach in Praia Das Macas outside of Sintra and rented a Mercedes Vito. So we have wheels and are day tripping to the Algarve,Evora, Fatima and Porto. My buddy wants to head to Spain, just not convinced we have enough time.

Thanks for the heads -up on the leather goods-Will keep an eye open.

I have been drinking Portugese wines all winter and kept a list of my favorites and we are visiting all of those wineries with any luck.

[Redfrog]

Stay safe and enjoy your trip.

I worked with a guy whose family came here from the Azores. He was a child and his parents had very little when they arrived here, One thing his dad did bring was small hand hoe that he had used all his life in gardening there. The son used it for landscape maintenance in B.C. It was homemade and crude but very very efficient, He called it a Sosh [sp]

Eat , drink , enjoy the sun.

[outdoorsmen101]

I recently watched Anthony Bordain's TV show "No Reservations". He featured the Azores, food wine etc.. It sure was interesting and judging by his show you will have a fantastic time. I didn't know anything about the Azores but after his show I sure would like to go. He showed the "volcanic kitchens", and some of the other things you mention. Have a great trip!

[tiger woods]

We spent a couple of weeks in the Algarve last summer and it was terrific. If you like great food, wine, hospitality, weather, scenery and everything else in between you are in for an amazing time. The fishing was great too.

A must on anyone's bucket list. You'll see what I mean when you get there. Enjoy your vacation!