Mark Simms Photography

Monument to the Discoveries

The massive 54m high Monument to the Discoveries was erected in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator, arguably (along with Vasco de Gama) Portugal’s most famous explorer:

Castelo Peacocks

Lisbon’s Castelo De Sao Jorge has a muster of Peacocks resident in the grounds (and yes I did have to look up that collective noun).

It goes without saying I think that Peacocks are amongst the most beautiful and photogenic animals on the planet, although unfortunately these were a bit camera-shy because they refused to show me the full magnificence of their display.

They are also bloody noisy, especially first thing in the morning…….our hotel is the yellow building that can be seen in the background through the railings in the first shot below. Perfectly placed right next door to the castle, but also close enough for the Peacocks to provide an alarm call every morning. Occasionally these guys would even wonder into the grounds (by which I mean small courtyard) of the hotel.