Vila Nova de Milfontes

Technically we are still in the Alentejo, although we are further south and west. We have come for the ocean and the beaches; so have thousands of others. 'Tis the season, after all. Our accommodation at Casa do Adro is right in the middle of the old town. The streets are very narrow and parking is an art form, best done with a vehicle of no value. We managed to find an ideal parking spot for our little Audi right outside the house the first night. It was such a shame that we were going to have to give it up. Casa do Adro is amazing. Shortly after our arrival, one of the ladies showed up at our door with a pot of tea and two giant slices of chocolate cake. We didn't need it, but we ate it. It was the first time in seven months that Lynda has eaten such a decadent (gluten based) dessert. It was delicious. We went out for dinner and consumed the couvert (bread, cheese and olives), then ate three more tapas plates. By the time we left the restaurant, we were stuffed. After a peaceful night's sleep, we went up to the terrace and were stunned by a massive breakfast. We ate 3/4 of a fresh fruit platter, scrambled eggs, cheese, meat and toast. We were also served freshly squeezed orange juice and cafe com leite. How is it possible to consume so much food after eating such a big dinner? We aren't sure, but we know our first Bikram yoga class at the end of August will be a painful one.

There are several beaches within walking distance, but they are very crowded and after being on the farm for nine days we are feeling a bit claustrophobic. We borrowed some beach towels and an umbrella from our consummate hostess, Idalia, and drove to Praia de Malhao. It was north of town, down a dirt track, but the views were stupendous and the people few. We spent the rest of the day there, then returned to town. Craig is getting very brown. Soon he will be mistaken for a native Portuguese. We located a parking spot fairly close to the Casa (at the end of a short street), said a prayer, and walked away. Waiting for us was more tea and chocolate cake. We took it up to the terrace, helped ourselves to a small box of raspberries in the guest fridge, and called it dinner. 

Tomorrow we have to leave Idalia's B and B for another one up the road. Unfortunately, she was already fully booked. We understand why she is rated number one on Trip Advisor. Her hospitality goes well beyond the standard expectations, even without chocolate cake!

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Life on a farm

Our stay at the Herdade Da Maroteira Farm showed us and exposed us to a wonderful way to live. There's a rhythm to everything. It's a natural cork oak forest that is harvested each year on a ten year cycle. Every fall yearling pigs are fattened for six months on the acorns. The farm hands, to supplement their wages, graze cattle and goats on the grasses, and produce some cheese. In some areas of the land where the soil is right, there is a small vineyard producing a mere 25 000 bottles of very good Portugese Wine. The cool mornings are busy, the afternoons are hot and quiet, and the evenings are social. Even the animals follow the routine. There couldn't be a more perfect way to settle into a vacation!

A few more things about cork:

          It takes sixty years from planting, for your first harvest.

          Seventy percent of the world's cork comes from Portugal.

          The harvesting of cork is very labour intensive, almost done completely by hand.

          Cork is processed by boiling, which expands it by 30 percent.

          Raw cork is actually quite heavy, and fetches about $1.75 a kilogram.

          The primary use of raw cork is for wine corks.

          The scrap is then ground and mixed with glues to make fabric or construction material. 

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Monsaraz, Portugal

We saved the closest town for our last day trip in the Alentejo before we head south. Monsaraz sits on top of a hill and it was occupied by the Muslims and the Spanish numerous times over the years before it was restored to Portugese rule in 1640. The town was shored up tactically after that and it became another impregnable citadel. Nowadays, it is occupied primarily by old people and its income comes from tourism. Monsaraz has a very pleasant atmosphere with fabulous views of the surrounding grape and olive farms. Monsaraz and  Marvao both rank up there in our must see places. As usual, we arrived just in time for the mid-day siesta so we headed over to "Cafe Lumumba" for lunch. No sooner were we in the door when the place became inundated with locals. After struggling a little with the menu, we enjoyed a hearty lunch of olives, cheese, bread and lamb stew - way more than we would ever eat at home.

On our way out of town, we stopped at Sao Pedro do Corval to check out the local pottery. Although Lynda was reluctant to purchase anything breakable that we were going to have to carry around with us, Craig was insistent and we purchased a colourful fruit bowl for our kitchen. We'll see how it fares over the next few weeks. 

As we were driving home, we came across a goat herder and his flock in an adjacent field. Craig stopped to take some photos and we were able to see the herder and his five dogs transfer the goats from one side of the road to the other.  It was a very amazing sight to see, how efficiently the dogs controlled the crossing. The herder really did very little except voice a few commands and take care of the gates. It reminded us of a similar experience in Australia with sheep. 

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Caceres and Merida, Spain

We love the Motor ways. These beautiful, straight roads are fast and empty. The speed limit is 120 km per hour, but cars fly past us like we are standing still. At some points we have been going well over the speed limit, but it seems natural. We wonder about the lack of cars around us, but it might have something to do with the tolls.  We aren't sure how much it costs because we have a transponder in the car and will settle up with the rental company when we take it back. Hopefully, it won't be too big of a surprise.

Our proximity to Spain prompted us to set off for a day trip to two of the nearest towns, Caceres and Merida. We had forgotten about the time difference between the two countries so we didn't start out as early as we had anticipated. We headed north to Caceres first. Unfortunately, we did not have a Lonely Planet book on Spain and the town's high tech tourist information system didn't work for us because we left our IPhone at home. We wandered around the old town without any sense of the history. The best part of our visit was the lunch. We found a little bar and ordered "cerveza con limon" and tapas. The family sitting beside us was Australian. They had been traveling with two teenagers and a two year old since December. They had bought a car in France and had put 40,000 km on it. They had been from one end of Europe to the other and were in the last month of their journey. We congratulated them on their willingness to take a risk and live for the moment.

On to Merida...a must do for any Lovers of Roman history. For 12 Euros each, we purchased a pass that allowed us entry into a number of historical sites. We started at the "teatro"and "anfiteatro", both of which are incredibly well preserved. More importantly, all of the information signs were multilingual so we knew what we were seeing. All along the tunnel entrance to the anfiteatro, there were models of the different kinds of gladiators and facts about their weapons, clothing and opponents. The theatre is right next door and in the summer they use it for concerts and other performances. It looked like they were preparing for an evening event, but we were unable to stay to enjoy it. We also visited the Temple of Diana, the Alcazaba, the Roman bridge and the Cripta de Sta. Eulalia. It was all very well done and we highly recommend a visit to Merida. 

Two things to be aware of...Firstly, at 5:00 pm it was 40 degrees Celsius. Yes, it is hot.  Secondly, be aware of the parking meters....we did not see that the area was pay parking. When we returned to the car several hours later, we were greeted with an 80 Euro parking ticket. The attendant was patrolling the streets and when we asked him about it, we think he told us that it was only for Spanish residents.  Then again he didn't speak English so we can't say for sure.

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Where is the Alentejo?

If you drive two and a half hours into the centre of Portugal you will come upon the province of Alentejo. After a week in two cities, we were more than ready for some peace and quiet and a slower pace of life. We found it at Heridade de Maroteira, a cork farm/Agro-tourismo near Redondo. We are staying in a cute, but comfortable wood cabin on 512 acres of cork oak, some olive trees and a small vineyard. The owner of the farm, Phillip Mollett, and his family live on the property. Phillip makes a living by harvesting cork, fattening up pigs on the acorns, from which they get Iberian ham, and wine making. Other residents include chickens, goats, wild rabbits and five rescued dogs. Our favourite by far is Trash. She was found just after birth in the garbage and was bottle fed to keep her alive. Although she suffers from some brain damage, she is both energetic and loving. She is always up for a walk or some cuddles.

Our first full day in the Alentejo involved a road trip to Castelo de Vide and Marvao. We had been told to visit both places and since Friday was market day, we programmed the GPS and headed out (not as early as we'd hoped, but traveling is tiring). Upon our arrival in Castelo de Vide, we parked outside the castle wall and walked into the town. We immediately found the market and although most of the stalls were selling clothing and shoes, we hit the jackpot with an "antique" dealer. Lynda was very excited about the selection of goat bells and was able to purchase one on a leather collar for 10 Euros.  We had seen something similar in Nepal, but they were much costlier and not nearly as authentic looking. The day was scorching hot, but we explored the castelo, walked the crumbling remains of the walls and found the Fonte de Vila, the ancient source of mineral water for the town. 

We arrived in Marvao at around 4 pm. As you drive up the winding road towards the town, you are treated to an impressive view of the 13th century castelo. Its location and construction make it impenetrable. It was only seiged once by treason through a back entry. Again, we parked outside the town walls and walked in. We could have actually parked inside the walls because the town was virtually deserted. We explored our second castle of the day, walking the high walls, admiring the lush gardens and roaming the narrow streets. Marvao reminded us a lot of Gubbio in Italy. It was somewhere that we could have stayed had we known it was so nice

Saturday arrived and we had no plans other than to stay put. After a leisurely breakfast and a walk around the property with Trash and Arroba, we tackled our never ending pile of laundry. With the sun blazing by mid day, we knew it would dry quickly. We spent the latter part of the afternoon at the pool. It was about a fifteen minute walk from the cabin, but we cheated and drove down. It was quite the oasis surrounded by a brick wall, an iron gate and a variety of plants and citrus trees. The water was refreshing, and it was such a treat to be able to do nothing. The day was finished sitting in a small courtyard, watching the sun set over Alentejo, slowly uploading to our blog.

Most tourist sites are closed on Mondays so we got up early-ish and drove to Evora. It was very quiet on a Sunday morning and we were a bit let down by the absence of a castle. There were several churches and a palace to explore, but we were not inspired enough to pay the entry fees. We enjoyed a coffee in the Jardim de Diana, wandered around for a little bit and decided to move on to Alvito. Alvito is a small town 37 km southwest of Evora. The Lonely Planet guide for Portugal highly recommends it, but again, there was not much going on. By the time we arrived, we were starving so we treated ourselves to lunch at the former 15th century castle which is now a luxury pousada. We were the only guests in the restaurant. Craig ordered the most interesting and tasty tomato soup. It was served with a poached egg in the middle of it. After lunch we made our way back to Redondo and our wood lodge. We are eating later now, but we have been using the BBQ to cook our meals. Food is very inexpensive and we are saving money by cooking for ourselves. 

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Lisbon

We arrived at the Lisbon airport, collected BOTH our bags and headed for the taxi stand. We knew that the taxi ride to Chiado should cost us about 15 Euros. Taxi drivers worldwide are renowned for taking advantage of people arriving at airports. Our Lisbon taxi driver appeared to turn off the meter prior to arriving at our destination, then insisted that there was a minimum 25 Euro charge. We felt scammed until we were sitting at breakfast the next morning and a British couple admitted to paying 67 Euros for the same journey. 

On our first full day in Lisbon we got our feet wet walking across the city centre and up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge. This fortification has been used by the 5th century Visigoths, the 9th century Moors, the 12th century Christians and the 15th century Royals. From this vantage point we were able to see the city and locate our B and B across town. 

The city keeps you busy so on day two we were up and at em, taking one of the tram rides Lisbon is famous for, to the district of Belem. There are several sites there which celebrate the Age of Discovery, when Portugal was at its strongest. We were particularly impressed with the 52 m high limestone monument called "Padrao dos Descobrimentos." It celebrates Portugese discoverers including Henry the Navigator, Vasco de Gama and 31 others. We enjoyed our day walking along the Rio de Tejo boardwalk. 

Everyone must make the journey to Sintra. We wish we had listened to our friend, Warren, who suggested an overnight stay in the town. Pressed for time, we just went for the day. We walked the short distance from our b and b to the Rossio train station and hopped onto the train for the 40 minute ride to Sintra. The best part....it only cost us 2 Euros each way. After disembarking at the last stop, we walked a short distance to the old town and the location of the bus that would take us to the Palace and Parque de Pena. There are other places to view, but it would take more than one day to experience them fully. We elected to concentrate on the Pena sites.

You must walk through the Parque de Pena to get to the Palace. The Palace is a very popular tourist site. It is such a unique castle that it is hard to be annoyed by the hoardes of people. When we first saw it, we thought it resembled a Bavarian castle. We later discovered that the architect and the owners had been Prussian. The outside was primarily pink and yellow in colour with onion domes and turrets. We were impressed by the fact that it was very lavish and fully furnished. The walls in the queen's bedroom were covered with intricate designs made out of plaster. Another room in the king's wing was being painstakingly restored to its original state. You were given the freedom to walk all the castle walls and the grounds. The views of the countryside and the nearby Moorish castle were spectacular. The Parque itself is lush and green, and you have many options. You could spend hours exploring the pathways alone. We went to the High Alter, the residence of the Countess of Adla, and the lakes, where you can see a castle shaped duck house. It was quiet and easy enough to get away from others. Most people seem to visit the castle and move on to the other sites. 

After hours of walking, we returned to the town and found a little bistro called "O Torque."  We enjoyed a delicious salad and lasagne for lunch, even though it was 5:30 pm. The North American in us decided it would be our dinner. We had a delightful conversation with the young owners, Mauricio and Nury, who gave us the names of some towns to visit and wines to try while we were in the Alentejo. 

The Zuzabed bed and breakfast was very well situated in the centre of it all. Craig was able to take millions of pictures of the architecture, the many characters on the street and Lisbon's trams. The best part of Zuzabed is Luis and his team. They go above and beyond to ensure that their guests are happy.
 The rooms were clean, the breakfast was outstanding (How would you like your eggs prepared?) and the team was always available via the mobile phone they provided to us. One night, Luis even called
us up and invited us to join him for a drink. We are looking forward to reconnecting with them in mid-August. 

The next morning we left town and headed out to the airport (on the metro this time) to pick up our rental car. We have it for three weeks and we will try to use it to explore some of the areas off the beaten track.

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Seeking Out the Shade in Madrid

 We rarely have this problem in Vancouver, but being a tourist in Madrid involves being on the alert for shade. We spent a great deal of time criss crossing the cobblestone streets to stay cool. We enjoyed the random breezes that materialized between the buildings as we meandered down the streets, seeking out cafes with outdoor seating that included "misting" umbrellas. Who knew such a thing existed?

We were impressed with the cleanliness of the city, the history, the massive landmarks and the multitude of restaurants. Adjusting our eating schedule was much easier this time as compared to our 2010 trip, mainly because the time change and the heat zapped our energy, and between the  hours of 6 and 8 pm, we were asleep on our bed. Tapas also encourages sharing so we didn´t have to deal with huge meals and overeating. One night we invited another bed and breakfast guest, Robin from California, to dine with us. It turns out she is a doctor whose speciality is working with children with autism, so Lynda had a lot to talk about with her.

One of our favourite places was Park de el Retiro. Right in the centre of the city, it is a haven for joggers and assorted entertainers, but on Sunday, it was packed with multi-generations of families. It was refreshing to see people out enjoying a sunny day in the city with their loved ones. We were able to cool ourselves under the trees and watch the people going by.

We also made a stop at the Palacio Real. We are not fans of tourist spots, but the palace, with its 3000 rooms and massive white courtyard, was very impressive. Unfortunately, they have a no-photography policy inside the palace and we were unable to document the ornately decorated rooms and the ample armoury.

Madrid is home to many reknowned art galleries, and three of the biggies were within close proximity to our bed and breakfast. After a lengthy discussion with Paola, we settled on the Thyssen gallery because of the variety of artwork it offered. We quickly discovered that we do not understand modern art, however, we did enjoy the portraits of the Old Masters and the Impressionist paintings. Two hours was long enough for us. We are happy to say that we had the experience, but we are not likely to go back for more, any time soon.

We would like to extend a very big thank you to Paolo and Rudolfo for creating such a warm and inviting place to stay. Bed and Breakfast is not usual in Spain, but the Artistic bed and breakfast exceeded our expectations. The location was amazing, the rooms were large and very clean, and the breakfasts were ample. Paola went beyond the call of duty when Craig´s baggage was M.I.A. and we enjoyed many conversations with both of them. If you are ever in Madrid, you must stay with them.

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Hola Madrid!

It's all about the people and the stories, and it seems we are never lacking for either.  As Lynda waited at the gate for our KLM flight to Madrid, Craig ambled over to the windows to take a photo of our plane set against the coastal mountains. We were late boarding and people were beginning to get a bit antsy. Craig returned excitedly and showed Lynda photos of what was happening on the Tarmac. When he looked down there were two vehicles and a group of men, including several Canada Border Services agents, surrounding the second vehicle. Very slowly they extricated an African man from the back of the car and led him (in handcuffs) up the back stairs of our plane. We had already seen three men we assumed to be air marshalls boarding the plane via the front gate so now our curiosity was really piqued. Many hours later Craig did see our special guest sitting near the back of the plane between his two hosts. The rest of the passengers were oblivious.

Luckily, our flight was uneventful. After a short stopover in Amsterdam we boarded another KLM plane for the two hour flight to Madrid. In no time we were there. We made our way to the baggage carousel and waited for our luggage with the other passengers. We were feeling pretty good about traveling so light. Lynda's bag came quickly and then we waited, and waited and waited. The baggage stopped coming and the gates closed. For the second time in six months, Craig's bag did not arrive at our destination.

We found the line for lost luggage and waited some more. The agent was unable to tell us where the bag was although he was pretty sure it would arrive on the next flight from Amsterdam. In any case, they would deliver it to our bed and breakfast. In the meantime Craig had only the clothes on his back (long pants, a golf shirt and leather shoes) and the temperature was nearing 38 degrees. We took a taxi to the Artistic bed and breakfast and met our host, Paola. She assured us she would check with the airline so we lay down for a nap. To make a long story short, we slept through the night, and the luggage did not arrive until 5 pm the next day. By that time Craig had bought a toothbrush, two new shirts and a pair of shorts. Lynda had written the bag off, but with Dutch efficiency, it appeared no worse for wear. We were very relieved as the thought of replacing all of the items was overwhelming, to say the least. 

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