Latest blog - Middle Portugal and photos hopefully!

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Travel blog 6

Wednesday 10th

Time to leave this lovely site - amazing being only ones here though a lot of static touring vans filled most spaces. Stopped at bottom of 'la 'ill' as decided to update blog from library in town. Left Andy in the market for few hours while I found the library. That itself was wonderful; extremely old heavy stone building with an ultra modern interior which somehow worked. Headed off for Villa Real and again we had to cross a mountain to get to it - uphill 10 miles and downhill another 10. Villa Real advertised as a commercial centre and thats exactly what it was. We did not like it at all. Camp site right in middle of big town and to get to it had to enter tiny street with cars either side as school on one site and university and busy drs on other and people just about everywhere. New toilet block had just been finished which was great and again only ones on the whole site. Think everyone seems to hug the coast here and we are quite a way inland. As right in town found internet cafe to download our insurance certificate which had not arrived when we left and had a fright other day when police were stopping everyone at a roundabout. They were just about to pull us over when Andy took next exit to avoid being stopped - then had to travel 20miles to get back to where we wanted not sure copy acceptable but better than nothing? Cooked sardines Andy had bought from market on bbq for tea, yummy.

Thursday, 11th
Reason we had come to Villa Real was to bike from here to Casa Mateus depicted on the label of Mateus Rose wine - trip back in time as first bottle of wine we ever ordered out was this and yes we probably took bottle home and stuck a candle in! Got slightly lost on cyle ride and ended up doing 5 miles instead of 3 and all uphill but coming home was great. The road was very busy and set up as a racing circuit as Vila Real hosts several races during July. Funny cycling along beside crash barriers and wire netting everywhere. The reason I wanted to visit Mateus was to see the gardens but was slightly disappointed. The 25 ft high cedar tunnel was spectacular and the boxed hedges in symetry with the building were cleverly done but I felt I could have organised planting scheme better on my limited knowledge. Found a local paper which had pictures showing the visit we witnessed at Amarante as the President of Angola. Started to read history between Portugal and Angola but do not want to be boring?


Friday, 12th
Got up and decided to try and sort out my ear problem. Set off for drs just up the road in the hope of finding a nurse to syringe it. No joy here but were sent to hospital. Called at tourist office to find out situation and then got taxi to another drs. From here sent to a drop in casualty type place where I first had to pay the exhorbitant consultation fee of 3 euros to see doctor! X-rays and ECGs were only 2 euros. After an hour wait got to see dr who did not speak word of English and despite carefully rehearsed description of the minor problem came away being told (I think) to carry on with drops and sprays already using to absolutely no effect. Felt bit disheartened as have no hearing in right ear at all now and sure drops not doing a thing. Got back and had some lunch and then walked along the river bank to the very old part of Vila Real. Opposite our site across the river was a brand new shopping complex - a massive place like Lakeside which seem to be springing up here as well as everywhere else and absolutely heartless. However, our guess was that the company who built the complex offered to put in new footpaths along river to old part of town as these were excellent with big seating areas, drinking water but when these petered out we were right in the oldest part of town, hundreds of years old and completely run down. It was like stepping back in time or being in an old movie set and we kept waiting for Fagan or the Artful Dodger to appear!

Saturday, 13th
Left Vila Real quite early as we had seen signs in a big town called Viseu for a camping shop and we needed some fluid for the loo that you can only buy at accessory shops. The hour journey was wonderful, through the mountains with perfectly kept rows of vines used for Port. As we rounded one sharp bend the "Sandemans Port" figure loomed from nowhere and looked sppoky against the bright sun. After two hours around Viseu could not find the Campinado and reluctantly gave up search as getting hot and bothered. Headed back into the hills to a site in the Serra da Estrela Mountain national park near Gouveia (off N17). This is the highest range in mainland Portugal The journey here was amazing - we drove down into the bottom of a deep bowl, through massive granite boulders and surrounded by mountains (should remember the geological term, sorry Mr Jackson) and found the site 1000ft upwards (of course). Most tranquil site yet, run by friendly dutch owners. Whilst Andy was determined to pick up BBC for the Eng France rugby game, I had a wander down to tiny village of Mila and got into the heart of real Portugal. Tiny cobbled streets with interesting housing; mostly really poor with the occasional new home in between. Cooked some lovely skate wings for tea with new potatoes in the good old Remoska - May, I could not be without this. Cook everything in it and will definitely buy another for home when I get back; its so easy to get wonderful meals. Sat up in the mountain watching the lights coming across in the sporadic little villages spread around the bowl and up into the mountains. Wonderful. Don't like to spoil this image but the one thing you always get is a barking dog; every site we go on we lay and hear a dog barking somewhere.

Sunday, 14th
Drew the blinds this morning and looked straight across the other side of the mountains. What a view with the birds singing beside us in the trees, could not ask for better start to the day.Thought we would ask about washing facilities and were duly shown an old copper bath and mangle (made of course by the Acme). First time we have hand washed and used a mangle - real journey back in time. After a bacon butty put on our walking shoes and headed off along the main road (ha ha) saw 5 cars in 3 hours! Alexia had bought Andy a GPS device for when we walked so we knew we could get home and I had already decided not to fall for any of his pleas about trying short cuts. Walked for 3 hours across the rim of the mountain, by then over 2000ft up with the most spectacular views all the time. Fortunately day was not too hot. Stopped and picked fresh figs from a tree and some sweet chestnuts. Wandered around a tiny hamlet and witnessed the weather beaten Portugese women dressed totally in black sitting outside tiny, poor little houses, stitching. Word spread like wildfire about our visit as next thing people coming out of nowhere to say hello. Rows of grape vines were now interspersed with olive groves for as far as you could see and the olives were starting to turn black. Not sure what you do with them when picked, as I tried one and it was awful.

When we got back were hot and thirsty so had a drink with the dutch owners in their bar underneath a veranda of kiwi fruits. Never seen so many in all my life. Did not know they grew like vines. Had a good old clean out of the van and cooked steaks for tea. Eating like kings in Portugal. A big weekly shop here for everything would be about £33. Sunday night, phone night so nice to speak to get news from home.

Monday 15th
Laid in bed and listened to news of holdups on British roads and felt glad of our serene mountain spot and to be out of rat race for a while. Sad but needing to move on so headed off for a town called Arganil purported to be the old Roman city of Argos. Stopped to do a shop and fill up with diesel and found a lovely picnic area in middle of main road. Surprised what excellent facilities there were, bbq, fresh water, washing up sink and NO vandelism! Nothing outstanding at Arganil but only a few campsites about and Portugese frown on wild camping so need to be somewhere we can stay. Found the municipal site which was actually OK from where we could bike into Arganil to explore. Only thing very humid today and we did not feel like biking so went for a walk up into the little village of Sarzedo. There was the most wonderful viewpoint from this really poor little village - seats underneath grape vines and masses of pot plants on a veranda overlooking Arganil. All the 'old boys' from the village sitting and around the benches, full of gossip. Found a tiny shop which sold drinks. Ordered a couple and the friendly owner came out with drinks and a big bowl of butter beans which had been soaked in something? They were awful so we had a battle between us who would eat a few as we did not want to appear rude and leave them all. Another old gent then proudly showed us something he had grown - goodness knows what it was but boy, was he proud. Was shaped like a walking stick and guess like the Brits growing oddly shaped vegetable for competitions, Portugese do the same? Roast chicken for dinner and made some soup with stock for tomorrow's lunch.

Tuesday, 16th
Decided against ride to Arganil and set off again on N112 up Mountain Santa Luzia where we got up to 3000 ft and stopped at the top (after running over massive snake) where we ate our soup amongst the wind turbines, gently turning in breeze. Spectacular. Did 100 miles today and ended up camping in the middle of nowhere in a place called Idanha a Nova. Camp site with only us on it was on edge of a large reservoir Idanha. Walked down to it with intention of a swim but saw big water snake and changed mind. Scenery here so different. Was very Jurassic Park like - big boulders and dark and quite eery - no birds or noise at all.

Wednesday, 17th
Lucy, bless her, woke us with an early phone call so we decided to pack a lunch and set off on a walk of 10km. Hard going to start with and we wondered whether we had made right choice to go but path evened out and we walked through olive groves, fields of cows, hills with horses, dried up river beds and forests of holm oaks grown for the cork bark. Path well signed with way markers and we ended up crossing a river to access a remote village called Idanha-a-Velha. What a shock as we just thought it was a place to walk to and did not expect it to be such a wonderful, picturesque place which stood on a place which was formerly a Roman city from 1st Century BC and now consisted of a remarkable group of ruins. The old Roman wall still stands and we could not believe you could just wander around the stones. World heritage seemed to be restoring and preserving some areas and we wandered what the locals thought about this intrusion into their simple lives. There was an ice cream board outside a door so we went in and ended up sitting in this little old ladies front room, along with five other ladies all chattering away. They thought we were American! We sat with them and ate our ice creams, whilst their men folk cooked sardines on a barbeque outside. There was much to see and observe but we were conscious that the temperature was rising rapidly and we had another 10 km walk back in the heat. On way out we saw a massive storks nest built on the cross on the top of the church which looked bizarre and we noticed that the houses were having electricity put in, so maybe that will be pay off for tourism hitting the village. Also when we left a few of the older folks had started to harvest the olives by knocking them off the tree into nets held underneath. First time of witnessing the process. Made it back in two hours which was good as we did not find any shade and we felt we could not have gone any further.

Thursday, 18th
Headed off for Castelo Branco on N223. On way saw a funny sight (amongst the wonderful scenery), a stork with a penchant for the local football team, had built a nest in one of the football ground floodlights. Parked the van amongst a council block of flats car park and walked up to the handsome busy old city. The reason I wanted to visit here was to see the 18th century garden beside the former bishops' palace. The garden was something else. We paid a small fee to go in but it was worth the 2euros! The whole garden was dense with statues. The stone steps were edged with a statue lined stairway of Apostles. There were statues of everyone and everything. The funniest thing (to me) was the statues of the monarchs - the hated Spanish kings from the 60 year rule had been made only half size and looked like dwarfs. The fruit trees, box hedges and wonderful fountains made us glad we had made the detour. As there was nowhere here to stay we headed off south west, on motorway, as time pushing on and we wanted to get settled for night. There was a council run site advertised at a place called Abrantes which we just about found (not easy), and a few heated words passed between us - we have given up with Dora today as thought she had a death wish on us as kept telling us to take a left when we were coming down a mountain so we had switched her off. Well, we pulled up in this rough old village just off Abrantes in a tiny site - just a half moon of grass but with the local bar on site and all the locals sitting with their Super Bock's. They all stood up when we arrived - think they were shocked we got thro entrance, which was tiny! Parked up behind a lovely couple from Scotland and nice to have a chat with someone! Went for walk around (bit scary really) but found outside site a house with a dr sign on it. Went back and asked girl at the bar whether I could make an appt to see dr as my ear starting to get me down (being deaf!). She said "come with me". Next thing I am walking round this village and the girl calls out to someone sitting on a balcony who sends her children down and they march us round to a house where they keep ringing the bell. Noone comes but then a man appears from house opposite and girl tells him I have trouble with ear. Next thing I am walking behind him and he beckons me into a tiny door (this whole thing felt bizarre!). I am in a tiny room filled with medical artifacts (old!). I am told to sit on tiny stool and he looks in ear. Wait, he says and disappears out of the house and comes back with copper jug and next thing am holding basin to head and having ear washed out and guess what, I could hear!!! Via the bar girl I asked how much I owed - she said nothing. I was so over the moon that I could hear I offered him a kiss which he was pleased with and asked for another on other cheek! I threw him 10 euros and left with girl and we weaved our way back to camp site. I could not thank her enough and she refused money too, but I left 10 euros on her tray. Such a simple thing, which had proved so difficult to sort. Ran back to van to tell our neighbours the tale and we broke open bottle of wine to celebrate! Only spoilt day day by burning hole in mosquito net in kitchen with lid of Remoska and Andy not pleased................

Friday,19th
Still euphoric re ears, headed off 100 miles to a place called Evora. Had planned to stop in between but altho beautiful in middle of nowhere we needed a few groceries so pushed on to Weather very hot now, got up to 30 degrees today, so after lovely varied journey leaving rows of cork oaks now hit acres of ploughed fields (first). Got to site about 2 and as it was hot, swimming pool open so wonderful to have a dip and met a nice Norwegian lady who I spent some time with. Too hot to venture to city today so plan to stay tomorrow (also have ITV reception ready for rugby tomorrow). Evora is squeezed within Roman, medieval and 17th Century walls and looks very intersting with lots to see, so excited about exploring tomorrow as we can bike into town.

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Photos

Idanho
Arrival in village

Castelo Branco
Gardens

Storks nest
Big stork!

Idanho
Exhausted after long walk

Gardens at Castelo Branco
18 Century statutes of the Apostles

Comments

[tremendo]

so cool
this place is so frekin cool.