Category: Portugal

Home again, after another visit from our friend

Smooth (except couldn’t find the car rental drop off) and very pleased to have chosen Stansted over Luton and it’s car park fire.

Wonderful evening with an unexpected visitor. And we’re at about 700m so just a little bit cooler than we’ve become used to.

Breakfast on the terrace (obviously)

But there’s work to be done, even though it’s very hard to drag ourselves away. But that’s Marvao Castle in the distance.

Well worth it.

While we’re out, worth a detour to Castelo de Vide

Then just getting provisions and returning for some R&R was a very attractive proposition!

So after the hectic sightseeing yesterday afternoon, we were looking forward to a laidback morning, wandering around Elvas, and it didn’t disappoint.

Yes – that’s my early morning, and the photos at sunrise are better. Two coffees in the square, enjoying the coolness and watching the world go by.

Then a bit of a find. A very small paragraph in the guide book alerted us to some ancient cave paintings pretty much on our way. We’d been to Lascaux in France where they’ve built a massive replica for tourists. Same vintage (thought to be between 4000 and 6000 years ago), but here just open to anyone (and we were the only ones).

And then Eileen found us an amazing place for the last two nights, with a decent view (!) from the terrace.

We’re leaving Evora and heading off to Elvas today. But Vila Vicosa came highly recommended, and it’s on the way.

It’s main claim to fame is a Royal Palace

I’m thinking an analogy to the UK might be Windsor – not the main one, but pretty high in the rankings and in a small town outside the capital.

Anyway, you can only go round in a tour group. Our Portuguese isn’t really up to scratch, so had the bright idea of letting google translate loose and transcribing it. Not sure that Smurfs or airports were in the original talk though ….

So it was ok, but probably a little below expectations.

Elvas

Elvas, however, is spectacular. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our plan was to relax when we got there and hit the sites on Monday morning – until we learned that everything closes on Mondays. So in 34 degrees we climbed (actually drove most of the way) to Fort da Graca.

That’s Elvas.

Then Elvas Castle

That’s Fort da Graca.

And the day’s work is done, so can enjoy the evening.

Bear with me here, but just imagine hand washing a pair of regular socks and hanging them on a line. 36 degrees and a breeze means they’re dry in an hour. Did I say it was hot????

Anyway, Estremoz is reputed to be well worth a trip, and we can confirm that – especially on a market day which adds a buzz to any town.

Castle/Palace was well worth it.

Apparently there is or was a plentiful supply of marble, which a lot of the town is built from.

And a wowee coffee machine (regrettably not working when we were there)

The Tile Museum

Not in the guidebook but we were alerted to it by a local woman to whom we got chatting over coffee. It’s the largest in Portugal and an interesting partnership between a large Portuguese wine producer and the local authority means there is a wine-tasting session as part of a visit. So here’s lots of pictures of tiles.

And that’s it for Evora and surrounds.

Here’s where we while away hot afternoons

and evenings

But first a mild niggle. “Do you take debit cards? Yes – but only those issued in Portugal! Why? No idea.”

First in a supermarket petrol station (where the supermarket does take all cards). Second on a museum. Hey ho.

Anyway, getting used to the heat and the rhythm of the day. Monsaraz is about an hour away, although a very easy drive, so set off early.

Quick detour to Mourao which is right on the Spanish border, but not a lot going on.

And that’s about it relaxing in the afternoon and a wander, an ice cream and a drink in Evora wathching the world go by.

Entrance to our little house:

Bit of a long one today. Unrelenting heat is, well, unrelenting. So planned an early start, and Eileen had put together a detailed agenda (which went pretty much to plan).

Roman Temple

Church (not the cathedral)

Yup – skulls and bones

Cathedral

Chapel of Bones

So an awful lot in a pretty small town, and then it got hot.

Not much to report today. Down south to Evora with a very easy drive.

And here, to sum up the rest of the day is a sentence that may well never have been written in human history:

“Here is a photo of a donkey and of a sardine shop”

Mornings are special.

And it’s a bit weird – we seem to be the only people in the entire compound – it’s soooo quiet.

Anyway, the heatwave means a gentle rhythm of morning sightseeing, lunch, swim and/or siesta and maybe out in the evening. Not exactly a stressful existence!

Tomar is nice enough as a small town.

Then went to suss out the 15th Century aqueduct for the Convent – amazing and nobody there.

Eileen was joined by a friend in the afternoon

Evening in Constancia about 15 minutes away. These Knights got everywhere, including this strategically placed castle in the river

Dinner (beef with kiwi, melon and orange, since you ask. No idea if it’s a Portuguese tradition or budding Masterchef but very good!).

It started with an early morning

And then the main event

And extremely photogenic as well as a peak experience.

Note how round their main chapel is below – apparently so the Knights could pray without getting off their horses.

And that was the work done for the day. So relaxation included lunch, swimming and sunsets. And it was only 32 degrees today …