Visiting the cathedral. Interesting art work at the Café Inglês.

It was Pancake Tuesday yesterday. The start of Lent. We should not eat sweet stuff from now until Easter. This is an American style pancake.

Whereas these are English pancakes, also incidentally French crèpes, in this case prepared by Granddaughter Number One. (She posted pictures! As you do in the modern age.)

Traditionally they should be served with sugar and lemon juice, not with maple syrup, not with the addition of caramel, which Granddaughter Number Two said she melted into her own homemade pancakes. Both granddaughters, by the way, follow my mother’s recipe. 

Here in Portugal, we did not eat pancakes. As Phil was not playing chess until the evening, we played tourists and went to see the cathedral of Silves. From the outside quite imposing, set up there on the top of the hill, next to the huge castle, inside it seems quite small. 

Here in Portugal, we did not eat pancakes. As Phil was not playing chess until the evening, we played tourists and went to see the cathedral of Silves. From the outside quite imposing, set up there on the top of the hill, next to the huge castle, inside it seems quite small. 

In the time of Al-Andalus when the Moors ruled most the Iberian peninsula, a mosque was built where the cathedral now stands. Silves was reconquered from the Moors in 1189 by King Sancho I, whose enormous statue stands guard outside the castle. 

However, as the Moors took back the city 1191 it is more likely that the mosque was rebuilt as a cathedral by Allfonso III, who definitively reconquered Silves in 1242.

For some time it w as the seat of the bishop of the Algarve until economic difficulties in the 15th and 16th centuries led to the seat being transferred from more prosperous Faro. So much for the humble poverty of Christians! 

The cathedral has also suffered from earthquakes, one in 1352 and the big one that shook much of Portugal in 1755. Known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, it destroyed most of Lison and much of the surrounding area.  It was the first earthquake to be studied scientifically for its effects over a large area, and led to the birth of modern seismology and earthquake engineering,  there you go, random facts!

The cathedral was repaired and modified, replacing the simple Gothic forms of the upper part of the main façade with Rococco volutes (famcy scrolly bits). The bell tower and the south portal are also 18th-century additionsj

In the 20th century, an extensive renovation of Silves Cathedral suppressed many of the Baroque additions and returned the building to a more "medieval" look.

After doing our tourist thing we went for lunch at the Café Inglês, close to the castle and cathedral, recommended to us by one of the chess tournament organisers. 

Much of the menu seemed aimed at English speaking tourists. I saw one client served with an enormous burger and chips. 

The “specials” sounded interesting but rather more than we planned on eating. So we opted for soup, salad and garlic bread. All good but possibly overpriced, still not expensive but not quite such good value for money as other places we have eaten here. Location says it all, I suppose.

The decor was interesting, with art work done by a Belgian artist who works with fabrics, making collages that look like paintings from a distance. 

 According to the information available in the cafe, she was once a teacher at a circus school in Lisbon and branched out into art work as a way of making a living. 

Many of her works feature clowns and carnival figures. Interesting stuff!

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!