71.11 Portugal, Geres: While there is no funicular in Geres, one exists for us; and always will.
Jen returning from the end of the waterpipe, a long, grueling climb. She probably realizes at that stage the walk down wasn't too tough. We refer to this as the 'funicular' because from distance, that's what it appeared to the naked eye. (See photograph following one below). We soon discovered it was a pipe through which water was pumped from the lake to the tank above. That humans are able to manufacture such pipes, cart them to the site and even more difficult, to assemble and build them into the mountain, astounds me. But then...We do notice there are tracks alongside the pipe which is indicative of a funicular. Our research indicates it may have carried coal in earlier days to the 'new castle' built at the time. A look at the 'funicular' from the opposite side of the lake. The pipe transports water from the lake to the upper tank. It comprises 3 sections, the first from the pump station down to the 'bump', the second section down...