Portugal

Oct 13-22

 I think I may have miss labeled the pages. First impressions is this should be the “adventure” page. We crossed in Portugal at 11:00 and 12:00 depending on which country you are in. The Portuguese had been kind enough to but a big clock of the road say 12:00. The road immediately improved, in that it was straighter because the Portuguese had spent a lot more money on bridges. Big huge long bridges. We got off the Autoroute were the sign said in 5 languages “if you don't pay we will get you” or something like that.

We stopped for gas on a small two lane road and here they had a attendant and he filled the tank.

Across the road was another gas station of the same company but with a restaurant and store. Something was on the grill that I smelled all the way across the road and since we were early for the appointment with our new landlord we went across to eat. Inside the restaurant was of modern design but very utilitarian. There were about 60 seats, must filled with families and working people and one waitress handling all the tables. Everything. Taking orders, serving, cleaning and paying. She quickly established that we did not speak her language and indicated to wait a moment. Every eye in the restaurant was on us. Shortly she came out with a big platter of chicken with rice and french fries, I mean fat boy southern type big, and casserole dish of almost equal size with rice, sausage and a unknown meat. She signed asking which one we would like and I said one of each all the time thinking, “damn, that is a lot of food”. She said in English “no chicken, chicken finished”. So she and I agreed upon one casserole dish for Vicki and me. She smiled and shook her head in agreement. Vicki sat discussing how we are going to be lost as we waited for the food. Since we had not planned on coming to Portugal we did not even have a dictionary to look up words. Lots of people had said they found most people speak English. “Lots of people” don't wander off the main highways like we do.

The excellent meal came, along with salad and bread and bottled water and coffee. We went to pay and the total was 6.80 euro's. This just stunned us. Normally this would have cost twice as much. Though busy with a house full of customers, the waitress took time to talk to us in English, French, and Spanish piecing together the price and why we were there.

This is a meal from another day at the gas station. Meal, wine, soup, coffee $10 U.S.

 serving for one

this is half the restaurant after rush hour

On to our rural apartment. The instructions we great until the last 300 meters. “Go straight ahead by EM556 for 1km and afterwords turn right at CM194. You will find the green doors of the farm on your left 300m afterwords.” We guessed on CM194 but there were about four green gates and the road, I mean the paved path, split. Back to EM566 and start all over, but we ask directions. Sign language, right, left, left..down there. OK, go to next person. Right down there and they pointed. OK, there is the big green gate. No buzzer, knock on gate. No answer. OK, call on cellphone, right property wrong gate. In we go.

 which way

 palms that is a good sign

oh this gate

A great little oasis and a wonderful small barn converted into a very modern and comfortable open apartment. It also came with grapes, winery, distillery, both small, three cats, about ten ducks, two geese on this property and a whole barn yard of animals across the “road” and a key to the kingdom.

 do not leave your windows down

 the land lord takes a siesta

 that is rain out there

 the spirits area

 damn mean geese

but happy ducks

Our neighbors:

 i was their first american customer and they were excited that their picture would travel to america

The world is not connected here. There is no internet and unlike other places there is no signal from surrounding homes. Early indications is that it is like this everywhere outside the big towns and cities in Portugal. So, you will get it when we get it.

Braga

The weather has turned wintery and our time on the farm has been gray. We visited the city of Braga and do not know if it is the weather, that it was Sunday, or the economy is not good, but it's downtown was dead and closed. They have some great “OS” including the Braga Cathedral "a sacred place". Aren't they all? It had some of the most interesting paintings and sculptures we have seen and a great organ. They also had a lot of dead bones laying around. Not the crept, the dead bones. Also, they had a lot of petty little tyrants with name tags saying “no photo”. I guess they are trying to keep Jesus a secret. We stepped into another church and listened to a little bit of a mass and the organ music until one of the priests decided to sing into a microphone. Lord have mercy on his soul, because that boy could not sing. Not even one note. We quickly escaped the ear pain. The constant rain drove us back to our barn outside of town.

We ventured out some but the rain, not that soft Parisian rain, heavy ran made it no fun. Europe is all about walking but not in this stuff.

After three days of rain and a 90% everyday for the next three days, we packed up and headed south. We knew that it had not rained a drop south of us so we were driving until it quit.

It stopped raining and the road was dry near Coimbria so we drove into town to have a look around.  Most of the places we have been to so far in Portugal are, we have decided, a little shabby and it is not just the drabness of the rain. Coimbria is a old hilltop town on the river with a large university. It to is drab and when it started to drizzle we were back in the car and headed south again.

We departed the Autoroute and started overland to the coast. The scenery greatly improved. There were rolling hills of vineyards and orchards with the occasional old windmill. However, any town near a beach, and they are few because of the coast geography, seemed all new and purpose built for tourist.  One town we drove through all the signs were in English.

We rolled into Nazara about mid-afternoon with sunny skies!!! At the corner of the road down the hill to the beach and the beach front road were ladies, young and old, holding signs to rent rooms or apartments. We went to the end of the beach and checked into to the Cubata Residential with a waterview and a cheap, cheap price.

Drinks and dinner were called for. We found a nice little restaurant and a new experience we had forgot happens. The waiter brought bread and appetizers, unasked for, when we sat down. Both were good, until the bill came. The bread was 2 euro's and the appetizer was 10 euro's. This is not uncommon in some countries, but we had been out of "touristlanda" for awhile and forgot that such things exist. Lesson relearned. The meal was excellent by the way.

Once we entered "touristlanda" we were going to be stuck for awhile, so off we went to Sintra, a old hilltop town with lots of small castles near lisbon. You can read about the town here..Sintra..and I will throw up some pictures later.

The "OS" is interesting, but more interesting to me is restoration. It is such a slow process that requires extensive research and skill. Fortunately in Europe not only are there are schools to teach the skills, but old masters to teach them.

 she is methodically painting each square and she has a few to go.....

 Sintra, even though it is in “Touristlandia” was quite enjoyable. Several reasons, I guess, for that. The weather was perfect, there were not many tourist, and the “attractions” were very interesting. We visited four castles, that were not really castles in the grand European since. They were small, really small compared to those things in France. Two were owned by royalty and two by individuals. The Pena and Senta were owned by royalty. The Pena was small and on top the hill with spectacular gardens. The Senta was old and in the middle of town and took about 10 minutes for me to see. The private ones, Montserrat and Quinta were owned by various individuals over the years. They were both beautiful and both abandoned for a long period of time. Montserrat in about 1933 and Quinta in 1947 more or less. The gardens at Montserrat were great and the gardens at Quinta were whimsical with all kinds of little grotto and underground tunnels leading to different parts. Several of these properties were sold at auction. Even rich people run out of money or interest at times.

 the picture above and below are the city square. above is the least interesting palace

We had not had a meal out in a few days, opting for wine and cheese on our balcony, so before we left town we decided to eat out. We found a great small local restaurant called Tulhas. It was small and cozy with tight tables. All the staff were friendly, but the owner was especially friendly. He came over several times to chat and Vicki immediately took to him when he carried a big plate of fish bones from a table out to feed the cats. Our dinner was steaks and they were excellent. Usually they come with french fries and rice, but the owner substituted some of the best green beans and carrots I have had.

The port bottle came to the table and the owner kept filling the glasses for free. Finally we had to call “uncle” and give up. But the story is not about that. The story is during the meal the owner turned on the big screen TV which is normal in all restaurants in Europe to the World Wrestling Entertainment with the women wrestlers. Just like being in America.

 not him

 not her

 this is it

the owner is on the right starting at WWE

By fortunate coincidences we were able to by pass Lisbon. A beautiful city but, been there done that. We rolled right through Lisbon and headed south the Algarve area and the southern coast. About an hour out of Lisbon we got off the Autoroute for the two lane highway. Neither were very busy. This area is one of those you have in your mind when you think of Portugal. Rolling hills with cork trees, umbrella trees, olives and agriculture with lots of cows. Just north of the ocean the hills got higher and steeper and the growing changed to fruit.

 cork

 the villa and the workers housing

We were headed for the Albergaria Vila Lido in Portimia on the southern coast. Jackie Kennedy stayed here several times but so had our friend Roger and he said we had to stay there in the Jackie suite. Roger and the website lead us to believe this was on a lonely beach in a small town. It was at the end of a strip of high rises and casinos. Well, Roger does live in Vegas. The place itself was fantastic. A converted villa into about eight rooms and it would have been a great little oasis for several days. Unfortunately skipping Lisbon came back to bite us in the ass. No suite was available and there was only one room left with no ocean view for 40 euro. Well worth the price. Julia Roberts showed us around the whole place from the laundry to the kitchen. She was a great host. Skipping Lisbon had bit us in the ass as the Jackie suite was available on Monday, our scheduled arrival time. We declined the room and headed down the road looking for a nice little town with a small hotel that we were sure we would find. This was to bite us in the ass too.

Portugal, like Spain, jumped into the real estate stupidity just like in the States. France and Italy protected the old architecture but Spain and Portugal mowed theirs down for ugly, ugly apartments and “resorts”. They also fell on their ass harder than the U.S. Things are so bad, that I am shocked to tell you that I do not even know the name of the town I am in and we are in a Holiday Inn on the beach. It was the only choice. Honest. The town had no culture and the oldest restaurant is from 1969. Most towns like this have restaurants from the 1800's.

Over a great Italian dinner in little restaurant we decided to early tomorrow and head back into Spain. Worked for me as I see no redeeming factors in this area. Some time in the middle of the night, 3 am'ish, Vicki decided that we were missing something and should stay here a little longer. Karen Brown says........ At a decent hour I read Karen Brown's guide book and told Vicki that she was putting lipstick on a pig and a ugly one at that, but a decision was made to stay one more day. So around 10 we went searching out “the real Algrave”. By 12 she said “unless there is something you want to do I am ready to go to the hotel”. No kidding. After chauffeuring her through several mini-Myrtle beaches I was done.

On the way back we did follow the signs to this....

….and were justly rewarded. This is one of the best and most fun exhibits I have seen any were. It is all sand. They have been doing it since 2003 and have a new theme every year.

 I am setting in a small plaza in the heart of Cordoba, Spain. The sun is lighting the rooftops, but it will be a few hours before it makes its way down to the table. People are walking by, most hurriedly, off to work or with small children in tow to school. The Pan Recor Fruiteria is taking in his weekly supply of vegetables and fruits from the curb on the narrow little street. Locals are drinking coffee and milk in glasses as is the tradition here. The cafe next to me, in the cobble stone square, seems to be more popular with all middle age women. Women in clean white uniforms are mopping the entrance to the church. The restaurant down the street is just starting set out his sidewalk tables. As the time approaches 9 the foot traffic begins to slow and the tables begin to empty awaiting the next wave of invaders. This is the time of day I love in Europe. Grab a cup of coffee and watch the town wake up. It awakes at first light when the deliveries are made and then it roles out of bed and starts to stretch as the doors are unlocked and dress's as the outside tables are set out and new stock taken off the side walk. Then the day begins with customers arriving and people hustling by.

We arrived last night and will stay two nights before traveling to Madrid to fly home. All in all it has been a great trip. Way to much traveling for our style, but some times it has to be done. Overall Portugal did not meet our expectations. That could be because of the monsoon in the north did not allow us to fully enjoy that area. Sintra was excellent, but the Algarve was a total disappointment as we both had other expectations. And just to add insult, on the way out of the country we traveled a road that only took electronic tolls. We had encountered these before and there were lots of warning's that it was coming and you were able to pick a alternate route. This road said nothing. Portugal will now add a handling charge, send the bill to Avis, who will add a handling charge and then bill my credit card. I imagine the 6.85 euro of tolls, will end up costing 30 euros.

It was a great ride and now it is time to go home.

 THE END