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Published: December 6th 2010
Our Adventure Monday 29th November to Sunday 5th December 2010.
Monday 29th November 2010
Fatima.
Not too cold as it is raining.
Off to Tomar – more country roads so we went the long way around but got there OK. Parked in the centre of the town car park and off to see the tourist information office. Maps and directions were great, so walked up the hill to the visit the ‘Convent of Christ’ and the ‘Knights Templar Castle’. The members of the Order of the Temple helped the Portuguese fight the Moors in the XIIth and XIIIth centuries. As a set-off against their effective aid, they received lands and acquired a certain political power. Tomar was chosen in 1156 as headquarters of the Order of the Knights Templar and the Convent of Christ was founded in 1162.
Toured around the Convent which was currently under renovations. Tom chatted to a guard who was into Aussie rugby and NZ, SA etc.
As the castle was not open to the public, we walked around the wall – the view would have been better if it was not raining and cloudy.
Walked back to town on the river and had lunch in
29.11.10 Tomar
Convent of Christ and Knights Templar Castlea great restaurant. Only had ½ servings of mains and still could not eat it all – coffee, bread rolls, cheese, olives, 1 sweets, ½ bottle wine.
After talking to a young waiter, we went looking for a craft/artists shop that he recommended. Couldn’t find it so went to tourist information office for better directions – found it but not much good. Tom’s umbrella had broken, so we bought him a new big one and both of us a beanie each. Then off to the handmade tile workshop and bought a tile to remind us of Tomar. Then back to campsite for the night – only 6amps outlet, so could not use the electric jug, but the heater worked OK – the facilities were good.
Tuesday 30th November 2010.
Up and away to see the Templar Almourol Castle on the Tagus River. Tried to follow the directions given by the guy in the tourist information yesterday, but got lost so tuned on TomTom and it sort of worked – has been getting worse – stop start on voice activation and directions on screen keep disappearing. So into Torres Novas to buy a new one - €290 for the top
30.11.10 Torres Novas
Castle of Knights Templar on island in the river Tagus G1000 2010 model – much nicer to use, also did some grocery shopping.
So off to the Castle- some of it was unpaved road – not too bad. Castle was in a beautiful spot – it stands in a small rocky island in the middle of the river. The location is very peaceful. This castle was also part of the gift to the Templar Knights Order for their assistance in fighting the Moors. There was no-one there as it’s really is the end of the season. We had seen on TV that there was snow further north where we had been a few weeks ago. Glad we missed it.
We then set off for Evora, but it as it was getting too late to make it there before dark, we settled into a campsite at Montargil along the way. Tom got a seniors discount !!!! LOL. The showers were crap, Tom’s only had cold showers, Gaye’s were luke warm – not good when it is cold.
Wednesday 1srt December 2010
Lots of rain during the night but the morning is fine.
Off to Evora. Easy drive. We saw the sign to the megalithic monuments, which was one of
the historical sights we wanted to see, so off we go – no distance on the sign and the TomTom wants us to turn around after 5kms or so, but we kept going to end of road and as we turn left to Evora, there was another sign to the monuments back along the road that we just travelled. Just like Ireland – point once and then you are on your own. We will visit them later – they are 2000 years older than Stonehenge.
Found the campsite €11.64 per night including electricity, so we booked in for 2 nights. Walked into town (2kms) – no buses as it is a P/Hol and looked at the Roman aqueduct and Roman ruins and lots of little narrow streets with lots of shops and restaurants – heaven knows how they all survive, especially when 2 coffee with milk, 2 large pastries cost €3.60 = $5.
Walked back to campsite. Tom did a bike ride on MTB – it is not working well, too much water from being on the back of motorhome. He will try to fix it but may need to buy special tools.
Thursday 2nd December 2010
Tom up
early and worked on the MTB as cluster body sticky – so cleaned and oiled it – not much better so need to buy chain whip and cracker.
Went to catch bus into town – but we were on the wrong side of the road (dah), and so we walked.
We went via the public gardens which had the old palace residence (17th century) in it, plus medieval walls, 16th century fortress. Walked along part of the wall of the city and other sights. We went into the Chapel of the Bones – 17th century in the Gothic Cloister – this is where the walls, pillars, arches are lines and filled with human bones – they removed the bones from around the city graves. The really disturbing sight was 2 skeletons hanging from the wall with cloths – 1 of a child and 1 adult - don’t know how old but also probably from 17th century. Wandered around and found an old push bike shop. It was something out of the 50’s, dark and owners in their 80’s – so we left there and went into an Italian restaurant for lunch. Lovely décor, staff and food was great – so
2.12.10 Evora
Chapel of the Bones story we had a big lunch – good value.
Went to Correois (Post Office) and posted package to home.
We walked home to walk off some of the lunch via shopping centre and bike shop. We purchased the tools and ended up chatting to the owner of the bike shop for 1.5 hours. Got home by 6pm. Had a cup of tea - too full to eat dinner. A good day – sunny but bloody cold – as least it’s not raining or windy.
Friday 3rd December 2010
Tom up and tried to fix the bike – no luck, so we packed up the van and headed to the bicycle shop and left the bike with them to repair. Said to come back late afternoon. They opened at 10am and closed at 7pm and then re-opened at 8pm until 11pm for Fridays’. They only charged $13 per hour for labour – glad I don’t have a shop in Portugal.
So off we head to look at Megalithic Stone Arcle of Almendres - monuments near a town called Gadalupe near Evora. Dirt narrow roads and low trees. Not at all set up for tourism – which is typical of Portugal.
2.12.10 Evora
Chapel of the Bones - close up of the pillar made up of bones and skulls, and in the background are the bones and skulls in the walls The monuments which constituted nearly 100 monoliths, some of the with engravings - not as big or as dramatic as Stonehenge and Newgrange, but 2000 years older.
Back to the bike shop at 3pm. Gaye went to Hiper Chinese shop – purchased a Santa hat/beard for Tom.
We went back to the camp site at 4pm-Tom went for a 1 hour ride – he was knackered having not done much riding for the past few weeks. He will need to do 2/3 weeks training in Italy before he heads off to France.
Talked to Megan. She received her birthday present in the post.
Saturday 4th December 2010
Off to Monsaraz for a look. We found out that there was going to be a Xmas parade at 5.30pm, so we wandered around this amazing place. They had lots of manikins on lots of the streets with camels, sheep etc and also the nativity scene at the end of the town near the city wall.
We went into a shop that does weaving of rugs etc – the lady owner (about 70 years of age) has a factory. We purchased a beautiful bedspread €120. It looks like silk but it is
3.12.10 Evora-Guadolupe
Story of the Megalithic Stones of Almendres made from cactus plant fibers’ and dyed.
We left there to look at more Monoliths and some pottery. All went well until Tom misunderstood directions and ended up in narrow streets, just fitting through – what a shit fight. Eventually he turned on TomTom and we went back the way we came sort of and out to main road and found the pottery. Monolithic sites were singular monuments and at various places around the country side. Back to the town of Monsaraz and set up the van for the night. Dressed up for the cold and off to watch the parade. Tom wore his Santa hat/beard and the kids kept pointing to him with excitement in the eyes and saying ‘Papa Natale’. Well it ended up not being a parade at all. It was the inauguration of the nativity display. There was a male choir – in their Sunday best suits singing a few Xmas songs and then speeches by mayors and local politicians – just like home – they went on and on and on.
Then we all walked to the manger scene and there were more singing and more speeches.
We saw the lady from the weaving shop,
and she explained that the songs are sung slowly so the voices can travel through the valley from the castle so all villagers could hear them. Also the bells are rung twice on the hour, so the villagers could hear them through the valley. She also explained that in the 1700’s the king declared that to avoid the spreading of disease all houses were to be painted on the outside each 2 years and every 5 years inside the house. They were painted with white and blue trim or white and yellow trim as people believed that these colours helped keep out the fleas and pestilence. Many people tiled their houses after a while as it was less work than painting them all the time, and it was more hygienic.
So we wandered around until 7.15pm talking to people and then went to dinner. Dinner was good. Then a group of people came in – we all only just fitted as it was a small area inside the restaurant. There was a male doctor, the rest female, 6 nurses, a journalist and a female movie producer. They were all old friends and meet this time each year for a few
3.12.10 Outeiro
5.6 metres high and 8 tons days to catch up. It turned into a great night talking to them. Even the owner shouted us all a cherrybrandy each.
Monsaraz overlooks ‘The Great Reservoir’. This is the biggest artificial lake in Europe.
Sunday 5th December 2010
We left Monsaraz and headed towards Sagres via the scenic route – well almost – we are learning more about the new TomTom. All in all it was a good drive and we picked up a local young man hitchhiking home, so we found out more about the cork trees. They have numbers painted on them, and the number is for the cutter of the cork and/or the owner of the tree, as in old times they could not write or read and did not keep journals. It takes around 25/30 years before they can harvest bark/cork from the tree and from then on each 5/6 years before reharvesting it.
Where we picked him up at, it was just like driving along the Old Bells Line of Road to the Blue Mountains- winding road, full of gum trees, misty and damp and bark leaves branches on the road as there had been a storm earlier.
Arrived at Sagres about 5.30pm.
4.12.10 Monsaraz
Entry gates into the walled city Set up the van. Couldn’t be bothered to cook dinner as it was a full day of driving, so just had wine, cheeses and nibblies.
Tom suggested we have our photos up as a screen saver on the computer. So I did that and we are watching them and can’t remember ½ of them as we have seen so much. So have put up the file name so we can see which photos they are.
Bugger, it is starting to rain – we hope it will be fine tomorrow. Well it turned into a great thunder storm which Tom slept through, Gaye used ear plugs to get to sleep.
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