We are wandering again in Spain and Portugal

[Lee16]

Would you recommend Albuferia?
We are moving to Armaco de Pera tomorrow. Coming your way?

 

[suavecarve]

I m intrigued by the bird spotting app.

Could I ask you to elaborate a bit. I m useless with birds (so the wife thinks) but love a bit of geek time.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Would you recommend Albuferia?
We are moving to Armaco de Pera tomorrow. Coming your way?

We haven’t been to Albufera yet, but are thinking of moving down the cost in that direction on Tuesday.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

I m intrigued by the bird spotting app.

Could I ask you to elaborate a bit. I m useless with birds (so the wife thinks) but love a bit of geek time.

I use the Collins Bird Guide and we have the Europe version. It allows you to enter things like size, plumage, bill etc. in a search. It also gives the bird’s song and geographic distribution. There is a written description too with aspects to help with identification. Think it was quite expensive for an app.

The birds are grouped in to things likes waders, raptors, gulls and so on. I also like the ability to maintain multiple lists of the birds you have seen.

Wow that makes sound a real nerd, though to be honest it has always interested me. Not something I admitted very often in my punk rock days!

 

[suavecarve]

I use the Collins Bird Guide and we have the Europe version. It allows you to enter things like size, plumage, bill etc. in a search. It also gives the bird’s song and geographic distribution. There is a written description too with aspects to help with identification. Think it was quite expensive for an app.

The birds are grouped in to things likes waders, raptors, gulls and so on. I also like the ability to maintain multiple lists of the birds you have seen.

Wow that makes sound a real nerd, though to be honest it has always interested me. Not something I admitted very often in my punk rock days!

I think you, or someone else, has mentioned this before.

I need to get my geek into this bird identification thing.

If it flaps it's wings it's not a bird if prey is our knowledge

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[Wanders from Glos]

It’s definitely something you can get geeky about. I take my binoculars everywhere!

 

[Joethejoiner]

Oh my that is very narrow roads to meet a funeral on.

It was a nightmare. Coffin , mourners all there . I wasn't popular

 

[Roger S]

"Think it was quite expensive for an app" well thas just gone and blown it then

 

[activecampers]

I m intrigued by the bird spotting app.

Could I ask you to elaborate a bit. I m useless with birds (so the wife thinks) but love a bit of geek time.

You can get "Merlin" free app https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/ that will "listen" and then highlight what songs it can hear - its fantastic

 

[Wanders from Glos]

You can get "Merlin" free app https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/ that will "listen" and then highlight what songs it can hear - its fantastic

It is very good.

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[Bamboo]

We docked in Santander to light misty rain. A word of warning customs were randomly selecting and pulling over motorhomes. They had two large green wheelie bins and were throwing food into them, I assume after a fridge and cupboard search. Fortunately we were not selected, although all we had were two apples! I've never seen this happening before.

We decided to stop at a small Lupo supermarket we have used before near Santilana del Mar and were pleasantly surprised but both quality and price. Also for my lactose intolerance, lots of different milks 'sin lactosa'. We bought a couple assuming it might be harder to get in Portugal. Then we headed south up through the hills onto the plateau where the rain had stopped but there was still a lot of cloud with the odd burst of sunshine. The aire in Palencia we had planned on stopping at was full and did not really look our thing, so we decided to press on to another one not far away in Ampudia.

View attachment 948571

We were so glad we headed here the free aire is very good, with free services too. It is next to a small bullring and behind some trees is the most amazing castle from the C15th, no more than 200 yards away. The town is fabulous too and very old, with walkways covered by the first floor of all the buildings. It is a lovely town and not at all touristy. A great find and well worth visiting.

We decided not to eat out as we are both tired, instead we will get some bread and coffee tomorrow so that we put some money back into the town. Plus we need diesel .

View attachment 948572View attachment 948573View attachment 948574

The clouds are rolling away leaving a starry night. I stepped out of the van to get a night picture of the castle.

View attachment 948575

We visited Ampudia a few years ago, not really intentionally. Just right area for a stop over. We loved it. Had a great tour of the castle with Theresa, local guide, who went above and beyond to look after us and introduce us to villagers in the social centre

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Not much to report today. The day began with beautiful blue skies and ended the same, the bit in the middle was cloudy. We caught the ferry back to Ilha Tavira at lunch time and went for a sardines meal as we haven't had one yet this trip.

Who remembers this wine, usually with a candle in the bottle, or sometimes a lampshade? I had forgotten how sweet it is, more like an alcopop.

We had another swim in the sea and did a bit of lying in the sun, then caught the ferry back.

We will be moving on tomorrow, maybe a town to explore. Wherever we go it won't be far, so somewhere in the Algarve.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

We visited Ampudia a few years ago, not really intentionally. Just right area for a stop over. We loved it. Had a great tour of the castle with Theresa, local guide, who went above and beyond to look after us and introduce us to villagers in the social centre

We would have liked a tour of the castle it looked fabulous, but it was only open for two hours a day, and we were on the road. Maybe next time, I'm sure we will go back.

 

[Lenny HB]

Who remembers this wine, usually with a candle in the bottle, or sometimes a lampshade? I had forgotten how sweet it is, more like an alcopop.

A few years ago with my mate in Portugal in a restaurant he noticed it and had to get a bottle. Oh boy was it disgusting all four of us had a taste and instantly ordered a bottle of drinkable wine.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

A few years ago with my mate in Portugal in a restaurant he noticed it and had to get a bottle. Oh boy was it disgusting all four of us had a taste and instantly ordered a bottle of drinkable wine.

Pretty much our reaction, except my financial supervisor would not allow it to be thrown away and replaced with another. Palpitations of the wallet and all that.

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[Grianan]

Your boiled potatoes with the sardines remind me of my only visit to Portugal, over 20 years ago … to visit a tomato canning factory owned by Heinz. We were taken to a restaurant by the MD and had sea bass with green beans and boiled potatoes - I’d never had such flavoursome spuds …

Just caught up with your thread and really enjoyed it - thank you! So many ideas for the future.

 

[jumartoo]

We once chose our fish from a platter at a small restaurant in Portugal. It arrived, cooked, with lovely, tasty, boiled in their skins, potatoes. The Dutch couple on the next table meticulously deskinned all their potatoes

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Your boiled potatoes with the sardines remind me of my only visit to Portugal, over 20 years ago … to visit a tomato canning factory owned by Heinz. We were taken to a restaurant by the MD and had sea bass with green beans and boiled potatoes - I’d never had such flavoursome spuds …

Just caught up with your thread and really enjoyed it - thank you! So many ideas for the future.

Thanks for the nice comments. They do seem to do booked potatoes well, much more flavour than at home.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Today we swapped flamingos for storks, they are everywhere around our motorhome.

We are 50 miles down the road in Silves. Our pitch on the local camper stop is €8 without electric and looks across the road to fields that were full of storks when we arrived. No more than 30 feet away. Silves is a lovely little town a little bit inland from the Algarve coast. It's not a big place, but seems very up together with a castle (as always) and nice little streets.

The castle is spectacular and well worth a visit. In the centre is a large cistern built by the Moors in the C11th that used to provide the town's water until the 1980s.

The cafe in the castle does freshly squeezed juices made from fruit grown locally. The lemonade mixed with a little bit of ginger and cardamon was the best I have tasted in a long while.

Silves is definitely worth a visit, if only to see storks flying 20 feet above your head. They really are very big, and they make a lot of noise when they bang they pills together. There seem to be quite a few restaurants here, so we may wander in later a sample one.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Dinner last night, spare ribs for me, Piri Piri chicken for Claire. It was a small portion of chicken because the waitress said standard size would be too big for Claire! Including beers €27.

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[varaizian]

Have a good trip, we may catch up with you again, we are on the Newhaven Ferry next Wednesday we may end up in Portugal, as usual no real plans just want warm weather.


I know a great place to stop a few miles outside Chaves, I'll sent you the info rather than clutter your thread.


So do I but Mi is not very inclined, she prefers the feathered variety.

I hope you are having a good trip. We are loosely planning a trip in January / February and like to have a few bankers. Chaves was one of those for us. However I've found a post from Westbarn1 saying that the fire there is closed. I would be very grateful for the details of the one nearby that you know.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

We hope to stop in Chaves on the way back to Santander.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

The weather today has been grey interspersed with light rain. Just right for a bike ride! We moved on from Silves to Vila do Bispo at another camper stop which is okay at best. The town itself is a bit of a one horse place, but nice enough. We came here because we wanted to cycle to the most south westerly point in Europe.

We set out towards Sagres on cycle tracks nearly most of the way. Past the town is a C18th fort which defends the area beyond so to get to the very end you have to pay. It is €3 for normal adults and €1.50 for older ones. Not as bad as Land's End I suppose. The road leading to it is cobbled, which I hate on the bike!

The sun was shining on us, so we stopped for lunch on a cliff top enjoying the view. Then we paid to go in the fort.

After walking around the cliff tops we got back on our bikes and took the excellent cycle path to Cabo de Sao Vincente. The area was busy, but we managed to stand in the most south westerly point, so mission accomplished.

I didn't want to go back the way we came so we took a dirt road across the peninsula, which seemed to go on for ever and felt very remote. We were just praying we didn't have any problems.

It isn't the big rides people like suavecarve and jumar / jumartoo do, but 30k on a non-mountain bike felt enough to get a beer in Vila do Bispo. Only one though as they shut shortly after ordering! The weather doesn't look great tomorrow either, but the weekend looks fabulous so we will have a think. Maybe start working our way slowly northwards along the coast.

 

[varaizian]

We hope to stop in Chaves on the way back to Santander.

I would be grateful for any info regarding the aire (not the "fire" as above!) if you look at it.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

I would be grateful for any info regarding the aire (not the "fire" as above!) if you look at it.

I guessed that’s what you meant. I’ll let you know when / if we get there. But give me a pros if I say I am there and don’t let you know.

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[suavecarve]

It isn't the big rides people like @suavecarve and @jumar / @jumartoo do, but 30k on a non-mountain bike

We don't do big rides.....there are just longer stops between bars !

 

[suavecarve]

The weather today has been grey interspersed with light rain. Just right for a bike ride! We moved on from Silves to Vila do Bispo at another camper stop which is okay at best. The town itself is a bit of a one horse place, but nice enough. We came here because we wanted to cycle to the most south westerly point in Europe.

We set out towards Sagres on cycle tracks nearly most of the way. Past the town is a C18th fort which defends the area beyond so to get to the very end you have to pay. It is €3 for normal adults and €1.50 for older ones. Not as bad as Land's End I suppose. The road leading to it is cobbled, which I hate on the bike!

View attachment 955765

The sun was shining on us, so we stopped for lunch on a cliff top enjoying the view. Then we paid to go in the fort.

View attachment 955767View attachment 955768

After walking around the cliff tops we got back on our bikes and took the excellent cycle path to Cabo de Sao Vincente. The area was busy, but we managed to stand in the most south westerly point, so mission accomplished.

View attachment 955769View attachment 955771

I didn't want to go back the way we came so we took a dirt road across the peninsula, which seemed to go on for ever and felt very remote. We were just praying we didn't have any problems.

View attachment 955773

It isn't the big rides people like suavecarve and jumar / jumartoo do, but 30k on a non-mountain bike felt enough to get a beer in Vila do Bispo. Only one though as they shut shortly after ordering! The weather doesn't look great tomorrow either, but the weekend looks fabulous so we will have a think. Maybe start working our way slowly northwards along the coast.

View attachment 955774

Also adding this to voie verte thread. It is worthy.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Also adding this to voie verte thread. It is worthy.

There is a similar track from do Bispo to Sagres as well.

Bar to bar sounds a perfect way to cycle. We adopt that technique when we go to the Tour de France each year. It works well.

 

[jumar]

There is a similar track from do Bispo to Sagres as well.

Bar to bar sounds a perfect way to cycle. We adopt that technique when we go to the Tour de France each year. It works well.

You are a Tour de France competitor..WOW
Sorry...eyes not too good now...read Go as Do.... easily done...

 

[Wanders from Glos]

You are a Tour de France competitor..WOW
Sorry...eyes not too good now...read Go as Do.... easily done...

Ha ha absolutely not. A group of 10-15 of us go each year and do part of the route. I have cycled to Paris and back twice to see the tour but we are relative light weights. We usually do around 60 miles a day, and never more than 100.

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