Our Portuguese Hymer Holiday Tour

  • Thread starter Thread starter JJ
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Our young neighbours, even though very well behaved, were enjoying their camping experience... And 15 young people chatting quietly and laughing generate noise...

Campsites are not for me.

However, for off-siters like us who use the beautiful Pego spot and need a drive over empying point this is a very useful place to know.

It was a great joy to get a ten percent reduction for being old!

Two nights, electric and two washing machine tokens...

24 euros.

JJ
 
Two nights, electric and two washing machine tokens...

24 euros.
JJ

Is that an estimate or did you actually pay that much ?

I am thinking this is a very dangerous little frog. We all know about kissing frogs but I'm thinking you've maybe you've gone a bit too far.
 
hi jj not sure whats worse . being in the army or being in a campsite . all the same to me .barriers and barbwire fences .
had a good look at the east german camps .and spent lots time in colditz campsites arent for me . there is a cure .
wild camp .or call it free camp if you like . but dont go into a cage.
have fun .red hot here today .almost too hot .
 
hi jj not sure whats worse . being in the army or being in a campsite . all the same to me .barriers and barbwire fences .

Abbey Wood is the best, full electrified fence surrounds the site.
 
Yesterday was hot hot hot.

We set off with no fixed destination in mind.

It was hot.

We stopped at a very local restaurant in Porto Alto for lunch.

An excellent lunch... The ladies in the kitchen found the huge English man trying to speak Portuguese very amusing...

Outside it was hot.

We then reached the West coast at Nazare and headed north.

It cooled down by the coast thank goodness.

We drove through some pine forest and came upon Polvoreira, a tiny beachside hamlet with a hugecarpark and a small bar. All the cars were leaving and we parked up and had a peaceful, cool and free night.

JJ

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Hee hee we are not jealous anymore, we are sat here bathed in sunshine a comfortable 30 degrees.

Just getting acclimatised ready for heading your way in early September, via one or two important stops down through France.

Hey and we are on our daughters pub carpark so we have free beer and great food

Aint life a peach
 
We were here this morning...

JJ :Cool:
 

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After a day and a half break for the dreaded "W" word our tour continues today.

Will go the short distance to QMJ from Figueira Da Foz passing Funsters Ant and Debs's place on the way.

Maybe a quick mini "meet"!

My Sources tell me Tony might have pies...

JJ
 
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JJ's World Tour of Portugal.

So where's the camera crew ?

Billy Connoly would have made a fortune out of it and he did it without French eye candy.
 
Looks idyllic JJ

We were here this morning...

JJ :Cool:

Just returned from a roasting Cropredy Festival - only 20,000 people there, you'd have loved it!

C

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I hear there is a Football match of some sort on today.:thumb: I don't expect that JJ will be watching:cry:, after all his attention is elsewhere.:Rofl1:


Pete:Cool:
 
A great day.

A night at Quinta Majay...

A delicious rural drive through superb countryside (Cernache de Boniardim, Ferriera do Zezere, Abrantes and Ponte de Sor) ending up lake side between Pont de Sor and Montargil.

There would be enough room here to park every Funster who has ever been on a meet ten metres apart... and still have room for hundreds from "Facts" too... :Wink:

Families park the car... go to the waterside with their umbrellas (for shade of course, not rain) camping tables and chairs etc and picnic. Each family at the moment has about a hundred metres of waterside each.

Why this off-site parking/camping is dismissed out of hand by so many motorhomers on this forum really puzzles me.

(This is one of the proposed "sites" for the "Rolling Funster Portuguese Off-Site Meet" I have been thinking about.)

Don't know how long we will stay here yet... :Wink:

Some pics of the location and also a couple of pics of grapes on the vines that Nigel (Sundowners) pruned earlier this year. :thumb:

JJ :Cool:

 

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Why this off-site parking/camping is dismissed out of hand by so many motorhomers on this forum really puzzles me.

:BigGrin: Surely this is a good thing....leaves more space for those of us who prefer it off-site....:thumb:

A bit like bus lanes in the UK.....they usually work only between 0700-1000 and 1600-1900. :Wink: But 99% of drivers think they apply at all times, thereby leaving a nice traffic-free lane for those of us who can :BigGrin: READ :BigGrin: traffic signs, and so use them when they're not restricted.......:thumb:
 
Sounds like a lovely trip :BigGrin:
 
My go ... for a little change!


When we woke up this morning it was a bit dull ... well for Portuguese that is ... English would have jumped in their best swimsuit and gone for a bathe!!:thumb:


Anyway .... JJ was already computering and I thought I would have a ride around , see if there was any blackberry to eat (I am sorry but I did not change a bit .... If there is no mulberry tree to climb in to eat some forbidden fruit then I have to find another way to munch)

So off I went !

Well you can easily have a nice half an hour ride with all the paths which surround the area..... and not always that easy because the sand can be on your way without a warning and if you're not caring that's it ... head first in the bunches.:BigGrin::BigGrin: Sand is a traitor it nearly got me:Eeek:

Here are a few pics of my little bike tour


I guess I will have to make another post to show the ladies all the empty beaches ..... sunbathing here is a real pleasure .... you don't really need a swimsuit:Cool::Wink:

Amicalement

Frankie:Smile::Smile::Smile:
 

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Now for the ladies who like to sleep on the beach or have a lie down with a good book on empty beaches (remember we are in August and all beaches should be packed with people)... this is just heaven !

No one in sight or may be a fisherman and a nice portuguese family .... and this is it !

All advantages in one place! :

First this is not the ocean, so no salt on your skin, no big waves... you can have a nice and peaceful swim, second ... water is boiling!!! and third , there is no seeweed , it is all nice and sandy under your feet !(well you might walk now and then on a little stone) .

So for all the missus ... a few pics of the place (BTW ... spotted a single van.... clever people !!:Laughing:)


Amicalement

Frankie:Cool:
 

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now that looks seriously nice Frankie

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OOH, Looks a bit too busy for my liking :RollEyes:


Think I will go when all the crowds have left
:thumb:
 
Rain.

Do you believe it!

It rained last night and was cloudy today... a good day to be on the move.

We drove to the walled town of Evora (157 kms) and arrived in time for (late) lunch. We had parked outside the walls and walked into the town. The first thing we came across was a Chinese restaurant doing a lunchtime buffet.

Just what the doctor ordered.

The bill of €61 (for two) came as a bit of a shock but they spotted the mistake and it was amended to €21 :Smile:

You can't tell a book from its cover and this restaurant didn't look much from the outside but the food was excellent and great value.

Then into the town for a bit of tourist stuff.

Then we headed south for the Algarve.

I knew a peaceful lake side spot on the way at Mina de Sao Domingos. I didn't know they were having some sort of village party! The place was packed... five vans parked where I usually park on my own and the music (sic) from the dodgems is beating incessantly but never mind... it will stop at 4am no doubt :thumb: (photos tomorrow.)

Frankie loves the little beach on the side of the lake and the really nice cafe/restaurant too so plans to spend some of the day there tomorrow.

JJ :Cool:
 

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Frankie sunning herself on the near-by beach and swimming in the lake when she is too hot...

Me, lounging around in the van listening to the cricket and reading Fun.

A good day... :thumb:

JJ :Cool:
 

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Picture of the bike wheels !!

Too ashamed to let the funsters see the shade of PINK !!! on Frankies velocipede then !
:Rofl1::Rofl1::Rofl1::Rofl1::RollEyes:
 
:Eeek::Eeek: Now Steve ... May I know what's wrong with PINK colour???? I love Pink and so this is why "I" have chosen my bike's colour !!! If you don't like it ... well I bet you'll have more than one female funster having a moan to you about it .... Lady Penelope to start with and perhaps Lesleyjean to follow ....Prepared for a little fight ?:boxing::boxing::boxing:


Amicalement

Frankie:Cool:

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Yesterday we left the lake at Mina de Sao Domingos and headed down to the Algarve and arrived at the "aire" at Castro Marim... one of the places I know I can empty my black water tank easily without using the pipe.

We were now full of fresh water and empty of waste and as the aire was not too busy we decided to stay the night. We were next to a charming French couple with a large, hairy black dog who was very hot!

Next to them was a young Aussie couple on a long European tour having worked in London for a couple of years to save up for the trip.

We ate at the near by "Medieval" restaurant ... it was just about ok but a touch pricey. We made sure that the boss knew we were only at his restaurant because we had been drawn to the area because of the motorhome service point and the council's motorhome friendly attitude... (unlike nearby Cabanas and Tavira)

Today we called in at Cabanas to have lunch and meet a couple of friends and do a teeny weeny bit of business with a small part of the "Empire."

Frankie did some shopping for presents and then we drove the 100 odd kilometres to the Chicken Run where we got a very warm and friendly welcome. More of this place tomorrow.

JJ :Cool:
 

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Has the aire at Castro Marim been extended? We were there three years ago and the large area used as a truck stop etc had been closed to campers and the aire with facilities opposite seemed much smaller than on your photo, but could be my failing memory.

I don't know how long it is since you overnighted at Cabanas but motorhomes are parking in the area now, but not en masse, and not in the nice location that I think you used. We have stayed at the opposition, Camping Ria Formosa,, for varying spells for the last three winters, usually March and April when the site is quieter and they do some very cheap deals. Incidentally the owner of the site sadly died recently, a very nice and helpful man.

We have now sited our 5'er so will probably not be returning , this year at least.

Give our regards to all at Chickenrun, we will be returning at the end of September, not sure if they they know my screen name but think they will be able to work it out.
 
Yes Matamoros... I have over-nighted in Cabanas (and Tavira) several times since the ban and not had any problems... We visited the opposition yesterday with a view to it's suitability as a site for a meet. Frankie loved it! (no comment from me.)

We were going to stay with our heads down in Cabanas last night until we learnt it was the start of a Fiesta weekend and all the parking places would be jammed packed and the noise etc helped us to decide to move to the Chicken Run. :Wink:

Will pass on your message.

Just popping outside to take photos now... (I very much prefer it now the "view stopping" "Statics on Stilts" have gone...)

JJ :Cool:

PS. I think the "aire" at Castro Marim is the same size... but due to misuse by motorhomers the water is no longer free... you have to buy tokens (€2 for ten minutes.) Apparantly people were washing their vans with it when it was free... some people hey!
 

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Chicken Run Photos 2.

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