solopes' VirtualTourist Home Page

Created by the monks of Cister, about 700 years ago, Turquel is a small town, with nothing special except being My town. It's a quiet and safe location where you can live an healthy and peaceful time. The locals are nice and warm, and being in the center of a small country, everything is minutes away.
The landscape is beautiful, and the weather always nice. As local attractions we have the Parque Natural da Serra dos Candeeiros, a natural park in a small mountain, with caves and dinosaur trails, a Manueline door in the main church, and some traditional windmills. Loosing expression in recent years, the local fruit is still excellent, especially apples pears and peaches. But the best is really the people.

After 30 years organizing life, I was infected with travelling disease.

Finally in peace and democracy, Fernanda Joined the team and, before the kids, we tried to know better Portugal and specially Algarve, adding Switzerland, Netherlands and Germany to my travelling list, and... stop again, waiting for the kids to grow a little. When the younger reached 5 years, in 1988, it was time. Spain, Andorra and Mallorca (repeated in 97) to start, Greece in 1989, Spain to Germany in 1990, Canary Islands in 91, USA (Florida) in 92, Cancun in 93, Morocco in 95, Thailand in 96, Turkey in 98, Brazil in 99, USA and Canada in 2000, India in 2001, Egypt in 2002, Italy (and Sardegna) in 2003, USA (West) in 2004, and Jordan in 2005 were holidays to remember.

In 2006, we had holidays in Croatia, that I used to a short visit to Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina

In March 2007 Brazil! Recife was the destination but also Olinda, Porto de Galinhas, Maragogi, Itamaracá and Igarassu

Summer holidays took us to China, where we visited Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Yangshuo, and Shanghai. Hong Kong and Macau were natural extensions, and, in our way, we made two stops in Dubai.
These are pages to grow for several weeks...

Paris, once again and ever, a week without a program, to visit Tito, working there for a few months. It's nice, Paris, with time to wander.

2008 took us to Jamaica and 2009 was the time to, more than twent years later, make holidays again in Algarve and to see what has changed.

What will be next? Till when? Who knows?

I was born in Turquel, and after almost 60 years of places and experiences still love to live there.
But traveling... is really great. Trying to understand people life and there master works, also admire the natural wonders.
Until 1971 my universe was Turquel and Lisbon (my studying place). A few small trips allowed me to know Alcobaca, Leiria, Batalha, Caldas da Rainha and not much. Holidays (a privilege) were always in Nazare, and I remember the adults fixing a tire under petrol lights, in my first time at my grand parent's village, near Santarem. The exception was, in 1962, a high school finishing trip to Sevilla, Granada, Malaga, Cadiz and Huelva

In 1971 I had to join the army, that took me to Angola, but before, with two friends, I made a memorable trip to Spain, France, Belgium, and London. And that's when I became infected by travelling disease.

Travel with the family is a must. But I had also some individual visits.
Professionally, with some trips to some of the countries already visited, I had the chance to add Ireland, Scotland, England, Sweden, Denmark and Czech Republic to that list.

In 2006, I visited Saint Louis and Philadelphia on the way, before the holidays with Fernanda.

In 2009 I spent a week in Istanbul used to know better that great city

To be continued... I hope!

She fears planes, but never looks behind. For almost 30 years she is there, in life and in all good traveling days. Despite her good performance, she still has more than 350 shops in the world to visit.

Born in 1980 he has been a good companion in almost all our travels.
Recently, he started preferring a younger kind of traveling partners, but when the program is special...
Nice and communicative, he is a positive member of all his teams, and usually takes the initiative.

Born in 83 he closes the team, and lately, in doubt, he rather follow his brother than the old guys. Difficult to see in daylight, when awake has a good sense of humor and observation, that makes him a good company.

Once upon a time we had snow in Turquel. Now, the local market occupies the site.

PS - 17 years later, in 2006 we had snow again. Lots of it.

Popular parade - As a small town, social and cultural initiatives always have an intimate feeling. Collecting donations for the Hoquei Clube de Turquel cleared the way to popular joy and imagination