Two Go Back to Spain

[DBK]

Showers were forecast for Thursday so we decided to use this as an excuse to move on. We went via Barbate to do some shopping at the Aldi and saw the signs to the walks @Jenowen mentioned. They looked intriguing although I don't think there is anywhere to stay nearby. The aire in Barbate gets muted reviews.

We drove for less than an hour north to Camping Las Dunas in Puerto de Santa Maria opposite Cadiz. It's listed in ACSI and CC 48789. We stayed here on our first visit in the MH to Spain. It's a big and busy site but is well positioned though in an ideal world it would slightly closer to the centre of the town.

On Friday we took the ferry across to Cadiz and following almost literally the steps we took on our first visit as we toured the older parts of the city by following the green line painted on the road!

Which took us past the cathedral.

And cool courtyards.

We ate a light lunch of tuna which was delicious - it had been marinated I think and it melted in the mouth - and I forgot to take any photos or even note the name of the place! But it was slightly under €20 for the two of us including two glasses of wine each.

First thing this morning we took Charlie on a geocaching hunt and placed a new travel bug (Travelling Terrier 4) in a cache near the campsite.
Afterwards we walked into Puerto de Santa Maria and did a sherry bodega tour and tasting - again at exactly the same place as we went last time. Adventurous aren't we! But it wasn't boring and the bloke who took us round was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I even remembered to take my mini-tripod with me this time. The shot below was taken with it resting on a barrel.

Afterwards we really forced ourselves to sample 6 different sherries.

We then grabbed the last available outdoor table at the La Venencia restaurant and shared a salad.

Followed by garlic prawns - only five left by the time I remembered to take a photo. They were very yummy.

Followed by a tuna steak we also shared. It was slightly overdone but ok. And I forgot completely to photograph it!

€35 for us both including two glasses of wine each.

Afterwards we visited the beer festival being held in front of the castle. Storks nest on the castle but they seemed unphased by the noise. We had a very nice beer brewed by a British family based in Malaga - Baker's Beer.

It's a tough life being a tourist.

 

[DBK]

We have been staying for a few days on the outskirts of the Doñana national park at Camping Doñarrayan (ACSI and CC 54347) which is literally in the middle of a vast pine forest.

Dissapointingly, there is a dearth of interesting bird life but I did manage a brief snap of a red rumped swallow.

Given I failed to photograph the eponymous rear-end feature you will have to take my word this is a red-rumped swallow!

The major tourist attraction here, apart from the park, is El Rocio, which saw the annual romería a couple of weeks ago. About a million people converge on this little town over a weekend, many arriving on horseback or horse drawn carts.

The focus is the Iglesia de Neuestra Señora del Rocio.

A statue of the Virgin in the church is believed to have performed miracles since 1280.

The church was busy.

And the alter impressive.

During the romería the statue of the Virgin is taken in procession around the town and further afield. At other times of the year various "Brotherhoods" from all over Spain come and hold events here.

A nearby building was full of folk lighting candles.

Overlooked by a curious Madonna stained black by the candle smoke.

Curious because she isn't holding a typical figure of the baby Jesus! Which suggests this statue isn't a Madonna but I haven't worked out who she is yet. The skirt on the figure is shiny because the people entering always touched it. Suggestions welcome.

Historians believe the traditions derive from fertility rites of the Phoenicians who settled around here in the year dot. I kept quite about this as I watched folk entering the church, kneel and cross themselves.

In hindsight I should have lit a candle for my dicky hip. We may go back tomorrow. If only to see if this bloke has worked out how to play a tune.

Interesting though El Rocio was (for a brief visit) I was more interested in the bird life so we called in at the Doñana visitor centre at El Acebuche where there are some lagoons and bird hides. (Not the gazebo - the thatched but in the background. )

Almost entirely bereft of birds other than a few Little Grebes and a Ferruginous duck. But a dopy lizard posed for a photo.

The lack of birds wasn't a surprise as these lagoons are apparently only used when the water levels in the main part of the reserve are low, which given the rain earlier this year probably doesn't describe the current position.
There are 4*4 tours of the park which leave from here but there was zero information about them at the visitors' centre. Indeed, as a visitors' centre it was strangely devoid of basic information such as a map of footpaths.
In the afternoon we walked over some dunes towards the sea from the Laguna del Arjal. The path crosses a band of high dunes before ending on a cliff made from a dune turned to stone high above the sea.

Sadly there was no way down to the beach for a very hot Charlie.

We plan to spend the weekend near another beach then head north - into the interior.

 

[DBK]

We are now in Portugal.

Though some might argue the Algarve is not proper Portugal. We are staying on a commercial aire near Albufeira, with the catchy name of Acoteias Albufeira, CC 60473. Just €6 a night without electricity or €8 with. The place is fairly new and has free WiFi and free hot showers. It is in competition with the much larger and more established Algarve Motorhome Park (AMP) a few hundred metres up the road. I initially selected AMP as it had a better overall rating on CamperContact but when I looked more closely at the reviews for AA I noticed a couple with very low scores but glowing reviews and in another one Brit had scored it 1.0 complaining the pitches were too narrow. I've checked and if you think 6.0m is too narrow you must be driving a bus - except there is a converted UK bus here and obviously had no problems getting in. It all makes me wonder if rival establishments post negative reviews of the competition?

The beach a few minutes walk away has striking cliffs.

They are mostly a soft sandstone and like the cliffs on the Jurrasic Coast chunks fall off from time to time.

We went on a search for a geocache along the top of the cliff today which afforded a different view of the cliffs.

The path was close to the edge at times.

The erosion is spectacular.

We found the geocache - a nest box up a tree!

A large flock of sheep graze on the rough ground either side of the aire. Amusingly, when the shepherd stopped for a lunchtime rest all the sheep did too and stopped grazing.

Later, one of the sheep discovered the best grass was inside the aire.

 

[DBK]

A breezy and often cloudy day today but warm in the sun. On this morning's dog walk I turned a plank over (as you do) to see what might be lurking underneath. Hoping for perhaps a scorpion I was surprised to find this.

It was obviously feeling a bit chilly first thing in the morning and was in no hurry to move off. On our first trip to Italy I saw several snakes but each view was measured in micro-seconds. This one posed for photos though I only had my mobile phone with me. I returned later with the proper gear gear but it had vanished.

It is an Iberian false smooth snake (Macroprotodon cucullatus) described reassuringly on one website as only "moderately venomous". Their main prey are small lizards and are normally nocturnal apart for some strange reason on the Balearic islands where they are diurnal. Not a big snake, they grow to only around 55cm and this one was less than that and very slim.

Later on the same walk I flushed a red legged partridge but it didn't go far and went into a distraction display which worked effectively on Charlie who pulled hard on his lead to catch it. Being more wiley I examined where it had come from and spotted a tiny chick, pale with stripes, in the low scrub. It must have only been a few days old and no doubt there were others close by. I left them to it. I watched a kestrel hunt over the same bit of ground yesterday and there are numerous Azure winged magpies plus of course at night other terrors for young chicks - like snakes.

 

[jumartoo]

Funnily enough we've not seen any live snakes yet this year. Plenty of lizards of varying sizes though. Seen a few dead snakes on the roads though

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[Viennese]

Thanks John - I've just caught up with several days of your log, this is all fascinating. I really want to do this area, perhaps next year. We saw vultures in 2010 in the Desfiladero de la Yecia Gorge, near Santo Domingo de Silos (not far from Burgos). Very interesting little place where the monks still sing Gregorian Chant in the Abbey - which dates back to the 10th century, although most ancient parts now are 11th. We diverted there to hear the chant and see the Abbey. If you haven't been to the Abbey or the Gorge it's worth visiting. No campsite but we overnighted in the public car park which seemed OK.

Catherine

 

[DBK]

The slow trek north has begun and we have arrived at the picturesque town of Mértola and a free aire (CC 12238) without facilities other than a water tap beside the river Guidiana. This is the river if you enter Portugal on the main coast road from Seville you cross on an impressive modern bridge.

On the way here we stopped to do some shopping at a small supermarket on the outskirts of Albufeira.

This I assume is bacalhau or dried salted cod and a Portuguese favourite. It needs to be soaked in water first then cooked. It is not something I've ever eaten but I'lI give it a go if we eat out and it is on the menu.

Mértola is approached over a narrow, traffic light controlled bridge.

Which is a good introduction to Mértola! Do not follow your satnav. There is a sort of ring road which ends in a roundabout near the river. From the roundabout it is relatively easy to get to the aire. However, this road is one way and when we leave tomorrow we may have to cross the town.

Which has steep, cobbled streets wide enough for cars.

And some a little narrower.

The aire is on the quay by the river.

That's us in the middle of the picture but all the other MHs left in the afternoon so we have the place to ourselves tonight.

This afternoon we explored on foot and being a Monday the castle and the Roman excavations (a few mosaics etc) are all closed. We should have learned by now to stay in bed on Mondays.

But the cemetery was open and white like the town.

 

[Teuchter]

We have shuffled a bit further up the coast to Camping Pinar San José near Barbate and Cape Trafalgar, CC 57777 and ACSI.

View attachment 233370

It is a good kilometre walk to the beach but worth it when you get there.

View attachment 233356

The lighthouse is Cape Trafalgar and it looks quite close - don't be fooled it must have been nearly another two kilometres away along the beach!

But we plodded stoically on, being overtaken by a party of Brits on horseback just before we reached the lighthouse.

View attachment 233357

The view from below the lighthouse looking back the way we had walked.

View attachment 233358

And looking inland - with horses. Eat your heart out Peter O'Toole.

View attachment 233359

Nature Notes

We'll get the plants out of the way way quickly.

The Large Cuckoo Pint Arum italicum very like the Lords and Ladies we get in the UK except for the colour. Poisenous seeds too but not normally deadly. The roots can be boiled and eaten but something from Lidl or out of a tin would be generally be better.

View attachment 233360

And the Spanish Oyster Plant Scolymus hispanicus a weird fusion of thistle and dandelion.

View attachment 233362

Bugs Section

This is a great place for Coleoptera and I have seen several interesting beetles. The star in terms of size were these, which are numerous.

View attachment 233363

A relative of the Stag beetle I think. Lucanus barbarossa (TBC) and a male about 4cm long. I suspect it can give a painful nip!

We only saw one of these, a European Rhinoceros Beetle Oryctes nasicornis and if it looks a bit dirty I had just rescued it from an outdoor sink. I suspect it can't do short or vertical take-offs.

View attachment 233367

Spider-phobes stopping reading here.

Mrs DBK turned out her sandals today, which had been sitting outside the 'van and the biggest spider I've ever seen in Europe fell out of them! It was grey/brown colour but with banding on the legs. Too quick for a photoshoot it fled rapidly. In size because of the brief glance it would be easy to exaggerate but I would guess not less than 100mm and probably bigger.

My guess is it was one of the Huntsman spiders. The image below isn't mine but it looked like this.

View attachment 233365

Sleep well and check your shoes in the morning!

Love Camping Pinar - nice restaurant across the road from site & Cape Trafalgar is a good say oyt on the bikes from the site!

Funnily enough there is no mention of Nelson or the Battle of Trafalger on the information board telling the history of Cape Trafalger!

 

[2657]

Downstream from Mertola on the opposite bank is a small village called Pomarao with an aire by a bend on the river, there is a road bridge that forms the border with Spain. The road was closed on the Spanish side due to a landslip when we were there last year, don't know if it has been re opened.
There are a couple of restaurants and the remains of a pier which was the end of one of the first railways in Portugal from the Minas de Sao Domingo, discharging ore into sailing boats.

Love the Guadiana, keep saying that one day we will take one of the river cruises from VilavReal de Santo Antonio.

 

[DBK]

Love Camping Pinar - nice restaurant across the road from site & Cape Trafalgar is a good say oyt on the bikes from the site!

Funnily enough there is no mention of Nelson or the Battle of Trafalger on the information board telling the history of Cape Trafalger!

We should have tried that restaurant - it was always very busy but all the others, including the campsite restaurant very quiet - so the signs were there it was good.

Downstream from Mertola on the opposite bank is a small village called Pomarao with an aire by a bend on the river, there is a road bridge that forms the border with Spain. The road was closed on the Spanish side due to a landslip when we were there last year, don't know if it has been re opened.
There are a couple of restaurants and the remains of a pier which was the end of one of the first railways in Portugal from the Minas de Sao Domingo, discharging ore into sailing boats.

Love the Guadiana, keep saying that one day we will take one of the river cruises from VilavReal de Santo Antonio.

According to a recent review on CamperContact the landslip has been cleared. The aire looks good, similar to the one we are on now but we need to find somewhere to dump this morning so we will go on to Sao Domingas and have a look at the lake where apparently you are now allowed to stop overnight.

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[Tribbtravs]

Thoroughly enjoying your blog if your travels and noting all the interesting places you are visiting.
Excuse my ignorance though could you explain "geocaching" which you have mentioned on a few occasions?
Thanks helen, safe travels

 

[DBK]

Thoroughly enjoying your blog if your travels and noting all the interesting places you are visiting.
Excuse my ignorance though could you explain "geocaching" which you have mentioned on a few occasions?
Thanks helen, safe travels

Many thanks! Geocaching is an updated version of Dartmoor letterboxes. Using a smartphone app you can locate any caches near you. Have a look at geocaching.com
It's a good way to explore a new area.

 

[Tribbtravs]

Never heard of Dartmoor letterboxes either will google that also! Many thanks.
Looking to follow some of your route soon on way down to Italy.
Helen

 

[DBK]

Thoroughly enjoying your blog if your travels and noting all the interesting places you are visiting.
Excuse my ignorance though could you explain "geocaching" which you have mentioned on a few occasions?
Thanks helen, safe travels

We have just arrived in the Portuguese town of Serpa to stay at the Municipal campsite. There is quite a lot to see here and also quite a few geocaches. Screenshot from my phone below.

The blue blob is where we are and the green blobs caches. One is only 75m away at a church.

If I click on the green start arrow the screen changes.

The bar along the bottom is a compass and by walking in the direction of the orange line I should reach the cache. There is often a hint and some sort of description of what to look for. Written in Portuguese in this case.

 

[Tribbtravs]

Thank you for showing me, it's very interesting. I have created an account and am looking at ones near where I live, amazed to learn about this, I had no idea this was going on and I have walked past some of the caches on numerous occasions!
Will definitely be using this app in future, thanks once again for the introduction.

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[DBK]

There are a lot of Storks in Portugal. We passed one small area this morning which had a nest on top of almost every electricity pole.

There are I think two "Storklings" in the nest above and interestingly they are already gaining the same colouration as their parents despite still being quite small.

There are young in the nest above but they are not visible due to the camera angle but what you can see are a couple of sparrow's nests. There are several in this next nest and many storks host sparrow's nests "below stairs" like this.

I've assumed they were just the common house sparrow but I've recently read the Spanish sparrow is partial to a stork's nest but the one above on the wire is a house sparrow I think. I need to look more closely next time!

On the way to Serpa we stopped in São Domingos at the MH service point in the town centre (CC 54001). This is a town with an interesting history. The Romans mined here for gold and silver but mining stopped when they left. It resumed in a big way in the nineteenth century when a British company, Mason and Barry, were given the contract to extract copper which they did, creating a large opencast mine.
They built accommodation for the workers with the miners given windowless single rooms for their families according to one source. The managers had their own much plusher houses in a segregated area. Anyone familiar with Army quarters will recognise the model.
The copper ran out in 1965 and 90% of the population left.
Today, the town is making efforts to attract tourists. Reservoirs were built to provide water for the mining operations and an artificial beach with cafes has been built where you can stay overnight in your MH according to the latest reviews on CamperContact as hitherto this was banned.
But it still looks like a mining town.

There are probably "middle-management" as the miner's houses lacked all facilities and communal toilets and bread ovens were built at the end of each row.
We should have stayed and explored further, the old mine workings are open to the public.

 

[DBK]

We explored Serpa on foot yesterday and soon realised the "mining village" school of architecture is common in this part of Portugal. "Low and white" was one description I read.

In the shot above you may just glimpse the aquaduct in the distance, which we were to visit later. In the upper left is one of the characteristics pepperpot chimneys which we have seen a lot of.

We wandered around the narrow streets inside the city walls for a while then popped outside the walls to see the "front door".

This is the Porta de Beja and above it is an aquaduct feeding an Arabic waterwheel.

I couldn't get to the bottom of the building but from what I glimpsed through cracks in the walls the building sits over a well.

There is a castle in the town which is reached through an intriguing entrance.

I think it needs more than a bit of work with a pointing trowel to sort it out.

The inside of the castle was an H&S disaster too. Where steps or elevated walkways had railings at all they were just a single bar at waist height. No wonder large junks of Portugal are depopulated.

There were a lot of the masons' marks on the stones, which we have seen before and one section of wall showed a keen eye for recycling.

Some Roman writing and the remains of a corn grinding stone I think.

They were getting ready for a music festival in the town square over the weekend, a large covered stage had been erected and roadies in black tee-shirts were installing sound equipment. Our aspirations were more relaxed so we bought some cheese made from sheep's milk which Serpa is well known for.

Our plan was to eat out for lunch but we are still on Spanish time so after walking all around the town it was still only 11:30 local time! So it was back to the van where we ate the cheese with crusty bread. The middle was soft and runny and it reminded me of Stinking Bishop in texture but without the smell. And it was delicious! The bit of thread in the photo above is from the cloth it was wrapped in.

Today we drove to an amazing aire at Monsaraz high above the River Guadiana which is blocked by a dam a little further downstream forming a huge lake. (CC 10815).

There are effectively two aires here. The CC coordinates will take you to the lower one just off the roundabout on the main road. But if you head towards the village you see signs with a caravan on them. Following these takes you to the upper level just below the town walls. The road is steep and uneven. Those with soggy bottoms should stay on the lower park. There are no facilities here but a couple of kilometres away you can dump grey water but fresh water and black waste needs a key which according to a notice you can obtain with a phone call and €3.50.

You can just see the lake in the distance in the image above. We are on the left with Charlie on guard to stop anyone parking next to us and spoiling the view.

Monsaraz has often been called the prettiest town in Portugal and it is easy to see why. Perhaps because of the topography, it sits on a steep sided hill, there are virtually no houses built outside the town walls so from the outside the town appears as it must have done centuries ago.

You enter through a gate very like the one in Serpa.

Inside are the usual narrow streets.

In the first picture above the most popular restaurant in the town is off to the left. The Taverna Os Templários had a nice covered area at the back and unlike everywhere else it was busy. We met someone outside while we were looking at the menu who had just eaten there who said the food was excellent. Sadly, we had already eaten in the van!

But as in Serpa there was a castle, here viewed from outside the town walls this evening as the sun was setting. The castles in this part of Portugal are there because of the border with Spain. They are effectively frontier posts. From our position on the aire much of the far bank of the lake we can see is in Spain.

It isn't a big castle. The front gate below.

Inside, the courtyard is used for bullfighting once a year or so. They must use very small bulls or very nimble nimble matadors, the area is tiny.

I hadn't associated Portugal with bullfighting but we have now seen several bull rings.

And of course more mason's marks.

This is where we are:

 

[jumartoo]

We explored Serpa on foot yesterday and soon realised the "mining village" school of architecture is common in this part of Portugal. "Low and white" was one description I read.

View attachment 236122

In the shot above you may just glimpse the aquaduct in the distance, which we were to visit later. In the upper left is one of the characteristics pepperpot chimneys which we have seen a lot of.

We wandered around the narrow streets inside the city walls for a while then popped outside the walls to see the "front door".

View attachment 236125

This is the Porta de Beja and above it is an aquaduct feeding an Arabic waterwheel.

View attachment 236124

I couldn't get to the bottom of the building but from what I glimpsed through cracks in the walls the building sits over a well.

There is a castle in the town which is reached through an intriguing entrance.

View attachment 236126

I think it needs more than a bit of work with a pointing trowel to sort it out.

The inside of the castle was an H&S disaster too. Where steps or elevated walkways had railings at all they were just a single bar at waist height. No wonder large junks of Portugal are depopulated.

There were a lot of the masons' marks on the stones, which we have seen before and one section of wall showed a keen eye for recycling.

View attachment 236136

Some Roman writing and the remains of a corn grinding stone I think.

They were getting ready for a music festival in the town square over the weekend, a large covered stage had been erected and roadies in black tee-shirts were installing sound equipment. Our aspirations were more relaxed so we bought some cheese made from sheep's milk which Serpa is well known for.

View attachment 236130

Our plan was to eat out for lunch but we are still on Spanish time so after walking all around the town it was still only 11:30 local time! So it was back to the van where we ate the cheese with crusty bread. The middle was soft and runny and it reminded me of Stinking Bishop in texture but without the smell. And it was delicious! The bit of thread in the photo above is from the cloth it was wrapped in.

Today we drove to an amazing aire at Monsaraz high above the River Guadiana which is blocked by a dam a little further downstream forming a huge lake. (CC 10815).

There are effectively two aires here. The CC coordinates will take you to the lower one just off the roundabout on the main road. But if you head towards the village you see signs with a caravan on them. Following these takes you to the upper level just below the town walls. The road is steep and uneven. Those with soggy bottoms should stay on the lower park. There are no facilities here but a couple of kilometres away you can dump grey water but fresh water and black waste needs a key which according to a notice you can obtain with a phone call and €3.50.

View attachment 236129

You can just see the lake in the distance in the image above. We are on the left with Charlie on guard to stop anyone parking next to us and spoiling the view.

Monsaraz has often been called the prettiest town in Portugal and it is easy to see why. Perhaps because of the topography, it sits on a steep sided hill, there are virtually no houses built outside the town walls so from the outside the town appears as it must have done centuries ago.

You enter through a gate very like the one in Serpa.

View attachment 236132

Inside are the usual narrow streets.

View attachment 236135
View attachment 236134

In the first picture above the most popular restaurant in the town is off to the left. The Taverna Os Templários had a nice covered area at the back and unlike everywhere else it was busy. We met someone outside while we were looking at the menu who had just eaten there who said the food was excellent. Sadly, we had already eaten in the van!

But as in Serpa there was a castle, here viewed from outside the town walls this evening as the sun was setting. The castles in this part of Portugal are there because of the border with Spain. They are effectively frontier posts. From our position on the aire much of the far bank of the lake we can see is in Spain.

View attachment 236137

It isn't a big castle. The front gate below.

View attachment 236138

Inside, the courtyard is used for bullfighting once a year or so. They must use very small bulls or very nimble nimble matadors, the area is tiny.

View attachment 236140

I hadn't associated Portugal with bullfighting but we have now seen several bull rings.

And of course more mason's marks.

View attachment 236141

This is where we are:

View attachment 236145

Interesting, epic post, thanks.

 

[Bailey 15]

Brilliant thread very interesting thank you

 

[1881TB]

If you are still in Serpa and go to the restaurant almost opposite the entrance to the municipal campsite you may hear the canta alentejano (sp) during the evening which is the traditional communal singing. Magical.

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[DBK]

If you are still in Serpa and go to the restaurant almost opposite the entrance to the municipal campsite you may hear the canta alentejano (sp) during the evening which is the traditional communal singing. Magical.

Alas, we have departed, but we were warned off that restaurant by the reviews on CamperContact!

 

[1881TB]

Sorry, I see that you have already moved on. We also stayed at Monsaraz after Serpa at a lake which was visible from the car parks. It was a free overnight spot, busy during the day but quiet at night.

 

[1881TB]

Alas, we have departed, but we were warned off that restaurant by the reviews on CamperContact!

To be fair the food was fine, pretty standard stuff, but we were there the day AFTER a music festival (this happens to us a lot!) and that was the only restaurant open. My navigator always goes by the reviews but all the highly rated restaurants were closed. The canta alentejano was top of our wish list while we were in the region and especially in Serpa.

We went to the Taverna Os Templários as well and had the best meal we had the whole time we were in Portugal - I had the Iberian black pork. Sorry to be that person who points out all the things you missed! Having read and enjoyed your posts and blogs I assure you it's usually the other way about.

I sneaked a photo of the singers:

 

[DBK]

Sorry, I see that you have already moved on. We also stayed at Monsaraz after Serpa at a lake which was visible from the car parks. It was a free overnight spot, busy during the day but quiet at night.

I saw several roads going down to the shore and I'm sure as you found there would be lots of places to stop overnight.

 

[Viennese]

Loved Monzaras. Before we went there we went to an amazing restaurant at a vineyard near Regenguos de Monzaras, see https://www.esporao.com/en/winetourism/herdade-do-esporao/herdade-do-esporao-restaurant/, where we had a fantastic Michelin quality lunch at a quarter of the price. It's 13 miles from Monsaraz.

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[Viennese]

John are you going to update your Spain book, hope not as I have just ordered it!

 

[DBK]

John are you going to update your Spain book, hope not as I have just ordered it!

That was my intention though I'm still not sure how best to do it, either just add a few more chapters or call it the "second edition" or something like that. But it probably wouldn't come out until early next year I think. My list of "Things to do" from Mary when we return home will keep me busy all summer then we will be off again in September.

 

[DBK]

We left Monsaraz this morning. Potentially we could have stayed another night and eaten in the good restaurant but the forecast wasn't good for today and coupled with the potential hassle getting the key for the services we moved on. Yet another place to revisit some day.

But before we left the area we made a couple of brief visits to the local megalithic ruins.

"Megalithic ruins, this is Portugal¡" I hear you cry, but there are a lot around this bit of Portugal.

This is the Cromlech of Xerez, a tall stone surrounded by a rectangle of smaller stones.

Amongst the smaller stones was this, which I initially thought was an early urinal.

Mrs DBK put me right by suggesting it was a corn grinding stone, no doubt used potentially thousands of years after the cromlech was built.

We then moved on to the curious Menhir of Belhôa.

Curious because it is made of two different stones and the gap between them looked as if it had been filled by cement!

The upper stone is genuine I think. It is identical to the main stone at the Cromlec of Xerez being made of a sort of sandstone with cobbles mixed in to it. The origin of the lower stone is a mystery.

The upper stone has a few faint carvings.

The plan, made without regard to the weather, was after the stones we would visit Evora, "an architectural and cultural cornucopia" according to my guide book.

Our first stop in Evora was the somewhat less architecturally and culturally renowned Intermarché supermarket on the outskirts of the town where there are facilities for MHs to relieve themselves in the black and grey waste departments. (CC 64039)

This is a useful facility and MHs can stay overnight in their car park and it looked as if half a dozen had done so the previous night. All for free but they no doubt hope you shop with them, which we did but I have to mark them down for the lack of grapefruit.

Like the services near Monsaraz everything hinges on obtaining "the key" but here no money is involved but you have to leave your passport at the information counter in the supermarket.

While waiting for the French couple in front of us to finish, the rain arrived - heavily - and it persisted down for some time.

By the time I had obtained the coveted key the idea of strolling through a damp if not flooded Evora had evaporated. So after doing the necessary we drove for a good hour or more (Portuguese roads are not for fast travel) to Camping Rosário on an arm of the same lake we overlooked at Monsaraz. (CC 11920)

The site is run by a Dutch/Italian couple and fortunately the Italian side does the cooking so the pizzas should be good.

 

[DBK]

Should anyone want to spend a night on the upper parking area at Monsaraz the route we took to get there is shown on the video below. The coordinates given in CamperContact are for the lower area. You need to take the road on the opposite side of the roundabout, towards the village, to get to the upper bit. The turn-in is sharp so you have to go past it and turn around. We used a little car park but there is a proper roundabout about 200m further up the hill. There is also a narrow road off this rounbabout to the upper area but no one seems to use it.

 

[DBK]

Is that video above working? I can't get it to run.

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