My friend Sture's records from our trip to Portugal in 2000.
 
Lissabon - the Sagres festival
The Sagres festival in Lissabon is definatly worth a page of it's own. High up on the huge Castle of Sâo Jorge, in the center of the city, the annual beer-festival takes place the first weekend in July. Come and join the medieval air of this fair and fiesta.


The trip up on the castle walls as the sun sets is really beautiful


Happy faces all around


The whole family working the tapas-stalls


The no 28 tram taking a break while cars are being moved..

The Sagres-festival
However, if you happen to be in Lissabon the first week of July, there is an event that should not be missed. Sagres holds it's annual beer-festival in the Castle of Sâo Jorge. Except from a few a bit embarrasing Sagres-banners, the castle has an air of a genuine medieval fiesta. An abundance of food-stalls preparing all sorts of small tapas. And of course the Sagres-beer. The impressive castle-walls all around creates an atmosphere that takes you back at least 500 years. Happy people enjoying the fair as the velvet night draws on and the bands starts to play.

The prize this year definately goes to the Portugeese band Folkquest. They played music in the Gaelic/Keltic/Bretagne-tradition. Seldom have I seen a band play with such a joy and vibrant skill! Ireland and Armorica,- eat your heart out! These guys are good! They really had the castlewalls rocking and the people dancing to their rythms...


As the night wore on, the nobility made their appearance amongst the commoners.

Making our way back down to the city with the no. 28 tram was a remarkable experience. The streets are narrow and steep, and cars are parked everywhere, blocking the tram. Big crowds milling about. Towtrucks, bluelights,- a remarkable chaos. Our female tramdriver simply said: -I don't know if we ever make it down. Whatever happens will happen.
The tram finally made it down this year as well....

Again,- if you're in Lissabon the first weekend of July,- make sure you don't miss this fair!

Portugal has many exciting artists and beautiful music-traditions.
One of them is Dulce Pontes.

This is the main area we covered on this trip. West from Lagos towards Sagres and north along the coast as far as Sines. Lagos/Sines is about 150 km.
Pages to visit from this trip:
Corrida do Torros | Burgau/Salimas
Sagres/Cabo Sao Vicente | Aljezur/Odeceixe
Porto Covo/Vila Nuevo Milfontes | Lissabon
Sagres Festival |