Architecture – Maldo Travels

Portugal – Towns, Mountains and Lakes

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 05 Sep 2020 14:26:00 +0000

On our trip to Portugal, we stayed at a friend’s family’s place in Canas de Senhorim which is about a 1-hour 45-minute drive from Porto where we landed. There are several car rental companies within walking distance from the airport and our friend normally rents from Drive & Go. The drive to Canas de Senhorim is beautiful as we pass by mountain landscapes along winding roads. We were staying here for about a week and we did some grocery shopping in the bigger town of Nelas which is a short 10-minute drive away. For eating out in restaurants, we headed to the city of Viseu which was a 30-minute drive away. For activities, the Serra da Estrela national park is close by as well as several small towns.

Praia da Lagoa Comprida

It took us about a 1-hour drive to get to this lake in Serra da Estrela and the route is very scenic as we climb the mountains along winding roads. There are a couple of small mountainside towns on the way before reaching the car park which is next to the dam at the lake. There’s a small shop/cafe here and you can walk along the dam for some great pictures. The lake is huge and there were a couple of groups of people sunbathing by the lake. We found a spot on one of the large boulders by the lake and went for a swim. The weather was great when we went with 30-degree temperatures but the lake was still quite cold which made for a refreshing swim. After doing some swimming, we went for a walk around the lake and there are many large boulders that would be great for bouldering. Overall, it was a great place to spend a relaxing afternoon.

Viseu

One of the main attractions in this city is Sé Catedral de Viseu which dates back to the 12th century. Entrance to the cathedral and adjacent square which has some iconic tile artwork is free, but you can also pay to visit the museum which goes through very old buildings. The architecture and stonework of the cathedral appear to be untouched which allows you to appreciate the history in this place. Across the main plaza, you can find the newer Igreja da Misericórdia de Viseu. Next to this church, you can find a viewpoint that looks over the city. We walked around the stone-tiled city which has several shops in its high streets and ended up at Jardim da Ribeira. There is a funicular here which goes up to Igreja da Misericórdia de Viseu, but the highlight at this time of year was the Feira de São Mateus. This yearly event takes place at the end of August and the beginning of September. There were many funfair games, food stalls, and a stage with live music. One of the iconic foods was the farturas which were being sold everywhere. These were very tasty and are similar to churros but much larger.

Mangualde

This was one of the bigger towns close to Canas de Senhorim. The highlight here is the Live Beach which is an artificial beach. It’s a great place to relax with beach chairs and parasols available for hire. There is also a bar/restaurant, a kids area, and a football pitch in the sand. After going for a swim, you can head to the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Castelo which is at the top of a hill and makes for a great viewpoint. You can either drive up to the parking area or walk up some steps. There’s also a restaurant there which is famous for serving a snail dish.

Milan – Art, Culture and a Fashion Capital

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 22:38:28 +0000

For the UK Easter break, we decided to go on a 4-day getaway to Milan. It’s a short 2-hour flight from London and we arrived at Malpensa Airport at around 10 AM. It’s a small airport so we got through customs quickly and were out by 10.20 AM. The train station is a short 5-minute walk away and buses to the city center are also available at the terminal. Buses cost 8 EUR¹ and the train is 13 EUR. We decided to take the train and got on the 10.30 AM train to Milano Centrale. The onboard ticket man was very friendly and recommended us to get a daily travel card which cost 4.50 EUR to get around in the city. He also said we could touch and go using contactless credit cards. The train ride to Milano Centrale took about an hour so we got there at around 11.30 AM. The station is huge and there are no ticket barriers to exit so you just make your way out. From the station, we decided to walk to our Airbnb² near Duomo since we had time to spare before our check-in time slot. It should take about 45 minutes to walk but we made several stops for pictures so it took us 1 hour 30 minutes. On the way, we walked through Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli which is a garden where the natural history museum is. We also came across the shopping district which has several Gallerias which are like shopping malls.

We got to our Airbnb at around 1 PM and after settling in we went looking for food. We soon found out that most of the local places close the kitchen between 2-3 PM. We managed to find a place that said they could serve us if we ordered quickly. After lunch, we headed to the historic city center. The main site is the Duomo and it is a truly magnificent cathedral. The building is huge and it has many columns all with great detail. The plaza also covers a large area and is great for pictures. We walked around the area and got back to the Airbnb by 7 PM.

Our next two days we took day trips to Como and Verona which you can find out more about from the links. On our last day, our flight was at 8 PM so we explored the city throughout the day. In the morning, we went to Sempione Park which is one of the biggest in Milan. We got off at the Cardona metro station and walked towards Castello Sforzesco which serves as an entrance to the park. It is free to enter the open areas of the castle and tickets are available for the museum. The park has gardens and a lake which make for a picturesque walk. We walked through the park and got to the Arco della Pace which is an arch dedicated to peace. From here, we went to get lunch and then to the Duomo.

There are several tickets available to visit the inside of the Duomo; cathedral only, cathedral plus stairs to the top, or cathedral plus lift to the top. We chose the ticket with lift access and it cost 37 EUR. Tickets can be bought online or at the ticket office. The queue for the lift was quite long and we waited for about 30 minutes. The stairs queue was practically empty so it would have been quicker and cheaper to go by stairs. Also, the lift entrance is around the back of the Duomo. Once inside, the lift takes you to the terrace area. The level of detail in the stonework is mesmerizing and there are several balconies that make for great pictures. You walk across the terrace to the front and climb a couple of stairs to get to the top. More impressive views from here and you can walk over to the other end of the cathedral. Watch your footing as some of the stonework can be slippery. Once we were done, we headed down to visit the inside of the cathedral.

The inside is massive and there are many tall columns throughout. It’s very gothic in style and nice to walk around. At the entrance of the cathedral, there are some stairs which lead underground. Here you’ll see some tombs and the original baptism pool. This is a museum-like area and there are several artifacts on display. When finished with this, the ticket also gives you access to the museum opposite the Duomo. Do keep in mind that the museum closes at 6 but the last entry is at 5 PM. So we couldn’t get in as we got there at 5.10 PM. Following the Duomo, we went for a quick walk around the area and came across the Leonardo da Vinci statue. From here we then headed to the airport for our flight back to London.

Lake Como – Lakeside Towns and the Alps

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 20 Apr 2019 22:15:00 +0000

The day following our arrival in Milan, we decided to head to Como. We first went to Milano Centrale and bought tickets at the machines which have an English option. Tickets are quite cheap with a one-way journey costing 4.80 EUR¹ and you can also buy online beforehand. Our train departed at 9.04 AM and it’s only a 40-minute journey to the Como S. Giovanni station. From the station, it’s a short walk to the main plaza – Piazza Cavour. The ferry is opposite the plaza lakeside and after walking around for a bit, we headed there to get tickets for a ferry to Bellagio. We got there at around 10.30 AM and there was quite a long queue which we waited in for about 15 minutes. We bought fast ferry tickets for 13 EUR departing at 12.15 PM. There’s a complete list of fares available here. With about 1 hour 30 minutes to go, we went for a walk around the city. There are several plazas and pedestrian areas that make walking a nice way to explore the city. The lakeside walk is also beautiful and has some seating areas to enjoy the view.

By noon, we were back at the pier and the queue was already long. We boarded the ferry and all seats on the upper deck were almost taken but I managed to find one. The windows on the upper deck are a lot cleaner than the lower deck so it’s better for pictures. The windows on the lower deck also get splashed by the water. It took about 45 minutes to reach Bellagio arriving at around 1 PM. The views on the way are incredible especially the last 15 mins where you can see the Alps. We also got a peek at the small towns of Argegno, Lenno, and Tremezzo which the boat made stops at. Once in Bellagio, we walked up a narrow path and there were several restaurants along the way so we stopped at one for lunch. After finishing lunch around 2 PM, we headed to La Punta which is the peninsula that sticks out into the lake. This viewpoint has the best views of the Alps and it takes about 10 minutes to walk there from the town center. Once at the peninsula, there’s a small park and cafe/restaurant where you can relax and enjoy the view. We stayed here for about an hour then headed back to the pier to get tickets for Menaggio.

When we got to the main ticket office, there was a huge queue. We waited in line for over an hour. All the staff is behind the counter and there is no one walking about to provide info which was frustrating. We saw a ferry stopping at another pier at the other end of town, so one of us went to it to see where it went. It turns out there was another ticket office there with no queue. We had to run there as it was departing soon at 4.30 PM but we made it and ended up getting tickets for Varenna for 4.60 EUR since we’d lost so much time. It was a quick 15-minute sail to Varenna and again, the views of the lake and surroundings are spectacular.

After getting off in Varenna, we went for a walk and wandered through narrow hilly passages. It’s a nice walk and there are several restaurants/cafes in the colorful lakeside town. My favorite part is the path along the lake as there are several viewpoints with postcard-perfect views of the lake and colorful houses. There are some benches to rest at and take in the views or you could dine in one of the many lakeside restaurants. After about 2 hours of walking around, we headed to the Varenna train station and got there at around 6.45 PM. Trains to Milan leave every hour and we’d just missed the 6.37 PM train so we had to wait for the 7.37 PM one.

The ticket office was closed and there was no one around to provide info. A train arrived at 7.27 PM and we weren’t sure if it was our train being early or another train. We got on and there was no information about where it was going nor did the train conductor make an announcement. We asked passengers and they said it didn’t go to Milan so we got off. Our train was late and came at 7.50 PM. Since we couldn’t buy a ticket at the station, when the ticket inspector came by he sold us a ticket for 6.70 EUR and we were able to pay by credit card. On the route from Varenna to Lecco, the train goes right by the lake with views of the sun setting behind the mountains. The journey back took about 1 hour 20 minutes and we were back in Milan at 9.10 PM.

Stonehenge & Oxford – English History

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 01 Dec 2018 21:29:00 +0000

Although I started the journey from Bristol, it can also be done in the same way from London with roughly the same timings. There are tours available to Stonehenge, but it’s probably best to get a group together and rent a car. From Bristol, it takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to get to the Stonehenge site. There’s ample free parking available at the site outside the visitor center. This is an English Heritage site and tickets cost 22.80 GBP³ for non-members. Becoming a member gives you free entry to Stonehenge among several English Heritage sites. Since I planned on doing other day trips, I became a member which costs 5.25 GBP a month (for 12 months) or a one-time payment of 63 GBP for 12 months. There’s also a discount on the membership if you’re a student. Once we got our tickets, we picked up an audio guide which is included with the ticket for a self-guided tour. Then, you have the option of a 25-minute walk to the site or waiting for the bus which takes 5 minutes to get there. Once at the site, the trail is easy to follow. There are numbered signposts along the trail which you can input into your audio guide.

Construction is believed to have occurred in multiple phases which the audio guide goes over. What we see now are large stones laid out in a circular form with an outer circle and inner horseshoe. The entrance lines up with the sun in the summer and winter solstice. Several remains have been found at the site which suggests it may have been an important burial site. It took us about 45 minutes to go through the site with the self-guided tour. We then headed back to the visitor site where there is a small museum with artifacts and more information. There’s also a cafeteria/restaurant where you can get food and drinks.

It was now around 1.30 PM so we headed to Oxford which is about 1 hour 30 minutes away. Free parking is difficult to find around the city center, but there are several paid car parks available. We found a car park near Oxford castle so first headed there for a couple of pictures. Then we went for a walk around the city, coming across several of the old university buildings. Once it got dark, we walked back via the main high street stopping by a rooftop restaurant. It was then a 1 hour 30 minute drive back to Bristol.

Rio de Janeiro – Vibrant Megacity

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 22:07:37 +0000

From Iguazu Falls to Rio de Janeiro, the bus journey takes around 20 hours an it wasn’t recommended when I was looking online, so we decided to take a flight which is only 2 hours. We left at around 10.05 AM and arrived at the Rio Galeao International Airport at around noon. We then connected to the airport WiFi to get an Uber⁴ to our hotel in Copacabana. The airport is in the north of the city and Copacabana is at the south end of the city. It took us about 45 minutes with some light traffic to get there and it cost 57.73 BRL⁵.

The City

Rio is huge and I had about 5 days to explore. For the first 2 days, I stayed in Copacabana since I read up it was a little safer than some other areas. Walking around Copacabana felt safe as long as you stick to the main roads and tourist spots. If you wander off into side roads, it starts to get sketchy. The beachside walk is also great at night with several bars and restaurants along the beach with live music. The other 3 days, I stayed in a hotel in Centro which is the city center. This area didn’t feel as safe as Copacabana so make sure you stay on the main roads and tourist spots here. One of the interesting things I noticed is that Rio is very nocturnal. During the day, most of the shops are shut and the streets are deserted. But then in the evenings, the streets are filled with people and the shops, bars and restaurants open well into the night.

I had a free day where I went for a walk around Centro. Having been out early to find deserted streets a couple of days before, I left closer to noon at around 11.45 AM. I first headed to the Municipal Theatre which was a 15-minute walk away. Once I got to the Municipal Theatre, there were a couple of other tourists there. I took a couple of pictures and then walked another 10 minutes to the Arcos da Lapa. Again there were several tourists here, so it felt fairly safe going at this time and sticking to main roads. Next, I headed to Bossa Nova mall which was a 20-minute walk away.

I got some lunch and then walked up the riverside to the Museo do Amanha (Museum of Tomorrow). This was a longer 40-minute walk but I made a couple stops on the way. I would have checked out the museum but it was my last day in Rio and I was running out of money. The area I was in was called Boulevard Olimpico, and there were a couple of street vendors here selling food as well as arts and crafts. I read up that there were painted murals in the area so I continued walking further. I found the painted murals walking to the AquaRio aquarium on a pedestrian road parallel to Avenida Rodrigues Alves. After taking a couple of pictures here I went to get some food and then back to rest at the hotel.

Maracana Tour

The day we arrived, we headed to the Maracana Stadium soon after we checked into our hotel. We took an Uber from Copacabana to the stadium which cost 32.29 BRL and took about 25 minutes. The driver told us to be careful walking around the stadium as the area can be dangerous. He dropped us off in front of the Bellini Statue. We took a picture there and then headed to the entrance which was at the other end. It took us about 10 minutes to walk to the other side but we managed to make it in time for the last tour at 4.00 PM. Tickets cost 60 BRL and you can browse around the museum before the tour begins.

The guide then calls the group and first takes us to some key parts of the museum talking about its history. We are then taken to the locker room where there are several Brazilian club shirts. We’re given some time there for pictures before heading into a viewing room where they play a short video. Next, we walk down the tunnel and out to the sideline. We have about 10-15 minutes here before heading back in and into the media room where they hold press interviews. That’s then the end of the tour and we’re directed back to the museum.

Full-Day City Tour

Initially, we had planned to check out the city ourselves via public transport. However, whilst walking around Copacabana Beach we came across a full day city tour for 200 BRL each. The tour included entrance tickets to the Corcovado and Pao de Acucar, other quick stops, transportation, and a guide. It was a good deal since we’d cover more sites than by attempting to go via public transport so we went for it. The tour bus picked us up from our hotel at around 8.30 AM. After picking up other groups, we headed to the Corcovado mountain which is where the Christ the Redeemer statue is. We arrived at the car park at around 10 AM and the guide took us to the ticket office for him to buy the tickets. Once we had our tickets, everyone boarded an official bus which took us further up the mountain. We then have to walk up the rest of the way but there are also escalators. We got to the top at around 10.30 AM and it was already quite busy. There are viewpoints all around with amazing panoramic views of the city. Towering over the city, you can see just how massive Rio is from up here. We were given about 30 minutes for pictures before meeting to get the official bus back down to the car park.

Next, we were taken to the Maracana Stadium which was about a 50-minute drive away. It’s only a quick 10-minute stop here for pictures with the Bellini Statue. We were happy to have visited earlier to go on the tour of the stadium. From here, it’s then a quick 10-minute drive to the Sambadrome. This is uniquely for the famous Rio de Janeiro Carnaval. There are some costumes on display if you want to try them on for pictures starting from 10 BRL or there are also dancers dressed in Carnaval outfits. This was also a quick 10-minute stop before continuing another 15-minutes to the Catedral Metropolitana. This cathedral has an interesting circular pyramid shape and is beautifully decorated with colored stain glass. Again it’s another 10-minutes for pictures before getting on the tour bus for another 10-minutes to get to Escadaria Selaron. This is the iconic colorful stairway that is decorated with mosaic tiles. We were given 10 minutes here as well and the guide told us not to go to the top of the stairs since there are thieves there.

By now it was around 1.20 PM so we were taken to a tourist buffet restaurant for lunch in the area. The 20 BRL buffet plus a soft drink was included with the tour and it was a great buffet that included Picanha (Brazilian steak). After lunch, it was about a 30-minute drive to the Pao do Acucar (Sugarloaf Mountain). After the guide got our tickets, we got on the cable car which takes you up to the first smaller mountain. There is a viewpoint here and some cafes/restaurants. Then there’s another cable car which takes you up to the peak of the Sugarloaf Mountain. From here you get great panoramic views of the city. We had about an hour to explore the site before meeting back at the cable car station. This was the end of the tour and we were then taken back to our hotels.

Quito – City in the Middle of the World

Jean Maldonado — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 18:00:02 +0000

The capital city of Ecuador, Quito, was among the first ones to be named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its vast historic city center is so well preserved that it’s like going back in time to colonial Spain. Since the city is located between mountains, the geographical terrain is hilly with ravines which make the city take a long and narrow shape. This should be taken into consideration when picking a place to stay since it can take at least an hour to traverse the city from north to south. Quito is also the closest city to the equator which lies to the north of the city and has a monument dedicated to it. Being so close to the sun, the climate is naturally hot. However, being located in the mountains, the weather is unpredictable and changes throughout the day. It is normally chilly in the early morning/evenings and hot throughout the day reaching its peak at midday. Sunblock is a must and you should always leave with a sweater in case you get back at night when it’s cooler. Being a modernizing and metropolitan city there are many things to do in the city. Being my natal city, I could go on and on about all the things there are to do, so I’ll go over some which I find the most interesting.

Convento de San Francisco

The largest religious complex in the historic city center was built over a period of 150 years between the 16th and 17th century. It’s located in Plaza de San Francisco and not only is it full of history but also bears a local legend. The legend of Cantuña tells the tale of an indigenous native being tasked with building the atrium by the Franciscan priests. Cantuña ambitiously promised he would get it done in 6 months. He brought together a group of indigenous workers for the construction but they didn’t progress as quickly as Cantuña had hoped. The day before the deadline, the devil appeared before Cantuña and offered to help him finish construction in exchange for his soul. Cantuña accepted but on the condition that every last stone would be put in place by the deadline. The devil agreed and got his demons to work on it and they progressed quickly finishing by the deadline. So when the day came, the devil returned to claim Cantuña’s soul. However, Cantuña had covertly hidden a stone before the demons started working and told the devil the construction was not fully completed. The devil, ashamed of being fooled by a mere mortal returned to hiding in the depths of hell. There’s a tombstone of Cantuña in one of the chapels so the person exists, but it’s not known how the legend came about or which stone is missing. Part of the Convent has been turned into a museum and costs only 2 USD⁶. It exhibits the history of the convent and has seasonal exhibitions. There are many chapels and the main church has much of its detailed interior decor bathed in gold.

La Basilica del Voto Nacional

Inspired by the Notre Damme and Bourges cathedrals, La Basilica is a magnificent structure with details local to the region. The gargoyles are not like the typical ones found in other basilicas, instead, they are of animals native to Ecuador. Plans to build the La Basilica began in 1882 but the first stone was only laid in 1892. Construction took over 30 years and although it appears to be finished, it’s not officially completed. Local legend states that the end of the world will arrive if the La Basilica is ever finished. Entrance costs 2 USD with access to the towers. The altitude can make climbing the winding steep steps tiring but it is the highlight of the visit. Given that the La Basilica is located in the city center, it yields breathtaking views of the city and an unobstructed view of El Panecillo.

TeleferiQo

The TeleferiQo is found west of the city center and go up the east side of the Pichincha volcano. The easiest way to get there is via taxi/Uber⁷ since it is off the Occidental Highway. The bus would leave you on the highway where you would have to walk uphill for about 30-45 minutes to the park entrance. A taxi/Uber on the other hand would leave you at the entrance. There are two entrances; one is for Vulqano Park which is a small theme park and the other is for the TeleferiQo. If you take a taxi/Uber, make sure to tell them you wish to be dropped off at the entrance to TeleferiQo as this is further uphill. The ticket office is right next to the cable car entrance and it costs 8.50 USD. Make sure you bring ID as this is required to purchase a ticket. This is done as a security measure to track visitors who have gone up and come back down. Once you have your ticket, you can then queue up at the entrance where the operators will instruct you to get on. You are also told to keep your ticket for the way back. If you don’t have it, you’ll need to buy another one at the top. The ascent of over 800 meters to 3945 meters above sea level and takes around 20 minutes.

Once at the top, you’ll notice it is a lot windier and chilly so make sure to take warm clothing. There are a few shops/stalls and a cafe that sells coca tea to help with altitude sickness. As soon as you step out of the cable car there is a viewpoint looking out towards the city center. There is another viewpoint a short walk down going left as you exit the cable car station. This viewpoint looks out towards the south of the city and has two giant chairs which make for great pictures. From here you can see just how far the city stretches south. It has grown so much that it is no longer possible to see the city limits. On a clear day, you’ll also be able to see the volcanoes in the vicinity. There is a panel which illustrates their location and displays some information on them. Once you have taken in the sights from here, you can continue on a short 10-minute walk upwards towards another viewpoint. This viewpoint also looks out towards the city center and has some swings which get pretty busy as everyone wants to take pictures with them. For most tourists, the journey ends here and they’ll make their way back down. However, for the more adventurous ones, it is possible to hike all the way up to the summit of Rucu Pichincha. The hike to the summit at 4696 meters takes about 3-4 hours depending on your fitness and whether you’ve taken time to acclimatize to the altitude. Being at almost 4000 meters above sea level, just walking is tiring so hiking uphill and at some point doing some rock climbing can be exhausting. The reward is definitely worth it though as the views from the summit are the best in the city and if you’re lucky enough to get up there on a clear day, you’ll be able to see the surrounding volcanos. If you decide to do the hike, go as early as possible since the weather in the mountains tends to be clear early in the day with clouds approaching in the early afternoon.