Late February 2009

February 23rd 2009

After the final entry in my last update I am writing this from a different part of Portugal , alas however, it is two weeks later, alas it not to be, that Hugo was
going to to be repaired as the parts like a lot of things in this part of the world maybe (amanha) tomorrow, by Wednesday the 10th , we had spent a week free camping in Jorge’s scrapyard, Briar and I were getting a little frustrated with not knowing when and where our escape was to be or not to be. So to break the monotony now that the weather had decided to act like it should on the Algarve (reputedly 300 sunshine days a year) we untied the bicyclettas of Hugo’s rack and kitted up and heade of for a bike ride into Moncarpacho to get a few supplies, use the local internet café (only one in town of course) and just to feel the wind on our faces again, now I know why dogs enjoy the wind on their face so much. We did our things in Moncarpacho and then we decided to head into Fuseta about another 7/8 kms downhill towards the coast. We pedalled around the harbour past the boat moorings and the campground and stopped on the promenade and had lunch. Garlic bread / Beer / Fruit sundaes and short black coffees, god knows what the café owners thought. We just made out we were poms.
We then headed back up past one of Antonio’s apartmento in Fuseta he had shown us earlier. We decided as we cycled past if the parts were not going to be here before the weekend we would rent the apartment for a few days. As it turned out when we got back to the scrapyard uphill all the way, took 20 minutos longer going back, the parts
were not all there. Confronted Antonio about the apartmento, he of course said no problemo, we can make more deneiro’s out of these inglese’s (affectionately called strangers by Antonio). We packed our bags the nite before and the following morning
by 10.00am we were in Antonio’s apartmento. He kindly dropped us and several boxes and bags off , opened the place up, turned on the gas and water. Oh no no agua!
,one of the other reasons we wanted to stay at the apartmento was we had about 2 weeks worth of washing to catch up on. The local ministry of works (not called that) but the same guys, ya no wot I mean, had cut the water supply to Fuseta for several hours, just our luck. Hey no problemo, we were now becoming seasoned campaigners at dealing with scenarios, there is always amnaha. We did get several loads of washing done over the preceding days with absoluletly superb Algarve weather dyring it out beautifully for us. The apartmento had good sized roof terrace with vistas right across the old town and of course the praia known as the Alantic sea.
As you guessed many a vino and tapas were devoured and swirled on that roof terrace,
It was great to get shorts on and feel Sol (sun) on ones white legs, especially in Briar’s case. We spent every late morning sitting in the local plaza having our café con leite con boha ( coffee and cake) and of course we tried a different cake/ pastry/ sweet every day . They don’t use a lot of cream or icing sugar in their cakes, seemed to be lotsa almond, coconut, egg custard (egg custard tart - which is a national favourite) and citrus flavouring ( mainly orange) , all very nice , no complaints. When in Fuseta do as the locals do. It was a quaint little town with its locals and roof terraces full of washing and endearing smell of barbequed fish and dog shit every where on the footpaths and roads. Nobody picks it up, so its left to dry, add colour to the cobbled streets and permeate the street air. We did a train excursion to Lagos on the Saturday,
Took 1 ½ horas , but worth it you get a different look at the countryside than from the road/autovia’s. We had lunch in the old part of Lagos, a lot of the old towns are built within fortress walls , which gives them their uniqueness and you don’t get much traffic in these streets, to narrow or the people living in these parts can’t afford a car, hey everything nearly, is close at hand , ya don’t need one.
Wandered down the promenade to the marina past bus loads of Spanish tourists on tour. Had a beer in a pommie pub called the South bar and watched the first half of the France-Scotland six nations rugby game while we waited to catch our train home again. Both had a wee nap on the train on the way home, its wot people our age do in it, yeah right.
We treated ourselves as it was Valentines day and had dinner at Josy’s pizzeria again, mainly cos we wanted to try Josy’s garlic bread again. Definitely will be bringin that recipe home, sensational – will be in MC’s Europe recipe book. We both went for the lasagne traditional and seafood. Yum yum. Of course we were well looked after by both Josy and Suzy, it was a very busy nite for them with a full restaurant, great to see.
We had another very relaxing Sunday , prepared ourselves for maybe an exit tomorrow , Hugo maybe remedio Ci ! Not to be again but yes will be ready by amanha tarde , tomorrow afternoon . So another day chilling. Café con leite and another boha – oh bugger. Yeah right. Antonio arrived on Tuesday arvo , picked us up we headed out to Moncarpacho for the last time yaayyyy!!
After the departing of mucho deneiro , mucho obrigardo, mucho buon and mucho caio. We fired Hugo and headed to Fuseta . well we both beamed like Cheshire cats all the way to the apartmento, we could do one last load of washing, one last nice shower, pack the bags , one last meal on the roof terrace, hunker down for the nite for an early assault on the autovia amanha. We both thoroughly enjoyed staying in Fuzeta as one of the locals almost, and it gave us a very good insight into local ways of the Portuguese, something we would not have experienced had we had been on the road . We are for ever grateful to the hospitality of the Marcello familia and will never forget them. My views on the Algarve – it is becoming rather like the Gold coast, a lot of development with foreign influence and money, which is a shame for the locals who have lost the old Algarve – it’s the new world order – everywhere in the world almost.

February 18th 2009

Captains log – The day is an Algarve stunner, but of course we are hitting the trail and it is also Ames birthday ( Biente -seis hoje dia / 26 today) . A quick birthday text to Ames , drop the keys of at Josy’s pizziera and we were on our way.
We wasted no time and hit the autovia fast tracking our way to Sagres ( Hugo was right as rain and flyin down the autovia’s at 70-75 mph.
Sagres is the most western point of Portugal and Europe and it was such a stunning day we had to stop and go wandering around the cape, fortress and do the tourist thing, lotsa snaps, the usual café con leite but with a sammie this time ( fiambre con Quejo - ham & cheese sandwich for you intellectual kiwis) while marvelling at the Atlantic ocean in all its glory. We were just so amped to be looking at something different I really think. The Sagres fortress carpark was full of campervanners – freecamping With freewheeling spirit we hit the road , stopped at a Lidl supermercado we spied on the way into Sagres to stock up. Headed north towards Lisboa, along the coast road. We stopped at a quaint little seaside town called Vila De La Milfontes where a river meets the sea. Stayed at a nice campground, did the usual dump the greywater , chemical toilet drop and refill, and refill the water tank, all the things ya do when you’re campervanners. Settled in had some chena and headed out for a nite walk to check out the local town and harbour. We wandered around the streets, along the estuary past the campervanners freecamping spot, with a nice spot overlooking the harbour of course, amazing where these people will park to avoid paying $12-15 euros for a night. Better not speak to loud we’ve done it and no doubt we will do it to again. (But we are amazed that predominantly free campers have really flash vans..like 2 years old with telly etc!!) Walked past the old fortress and through the older part of town, the local soccer team were practising, stopped and had a gawk for a bit. After an hour or so we had walked off our dinner back to Hugo for the night. Up around 8.30-9.00am to another sunny clear sky day , can’t be to early – looks bad, Hugo and we were on the Autovia Lisboa bound.
We detoured through a pretty seaside town called Sines , where they were setting up for a Carnivale, circus / sideshows and all the carfuffle that goes with it. Had a great little harbour with lotsa fishing boats, even watched a few come with the days catch. Along our route to Lisboa passed through some forested areas with young senorita’s done up to the nine’s, selling their wares, talents ahem… themselves I should say, right out in the sticks , no one around , obviously their market aimed at the many truckies passing by. I’m sure one or two would get knocked up if not knocked off each year. We stopped in Setabul right down at the waterfront, there were lotsa fisherman fishing of the wharf for lunch. Found a park in amongst the lunchtime traffic an all, well done Briar .
Setabul is about 20km’s south of Lisboa, and is another important seaside port. Unfortunately there was a real fog,come haze across the harbour – yes it was midday. So the view out was somewhat limited and when it was time to leave the fog had lifted nearly, the bloody universe is testing us again. (Or was it part of the pirate-like challenges in the doldrums?)
Lunch over on the trail, we are certainly getting much better at getting out of towns/cities between the tomtom, us and instinct into Lisboa we charged across the main watermelony come pink bridge into Lisboa, passing the Rio Christ statue ( stat u bro ) massive – you can see it from miles away, didn’t seem to bother the customary seagulls or pigeons shittin on his head and outstretched arms, you see a lot of birds shittin on important statues ( stat u bros) over here, they certainly didn’t think about that when they were making them however many years ago. Did abit over a tiki tour out to Caircais a seaside suburb of Lisboa, to check out a Parque de Campismo. Briar thought too far out, was nice and quiet but…. We headed back into Lisboa centro , found a huge Parque de Campismo about 7/8 km’s from Lisboa centro cuidad and booked in for the night. Off course it was parked next to the A10 autovia so it was rather noisy, Briar says just think of it as sea noise, yeah right. Once we were hooked up to electricity , stays down , mat out… Briar spotted a massive Ikea store near the campismo.
There was also a shopping centre there as well, so decided to stroll over and have a peak. Bought a few groceries from the local hipermercado – our first Continente hypermarket. Back to Hugo for some dinner bunkered down for the nite with a DVD and of into lala land. Woke to another great sunny day around 18 degrees. Up around 8.00am early start today- on a mission. After breakfast caught the 714 auto comboios(bus) into centro Lisboa. Stopped at a praca (plaza) spotted a fountain to get a snappie , one of our tasks had to complete from Briar’s teachers back at Arataki school. Then down into the metro subway and caught the train to Sao Sebastion. We were off to the Guilkenheim museo ( a private collection of all sorts of art and artefacts accumulated over 40 years by an Armenian anthropologist who donated it to Lisboa city. Had ancient Roman, Grecian, Eygytian, Macedonian artefacts – thru to paintings by Monet, Renoir, Rembrandt. Gainsborough etc. A very eclectic collector who had a taste for all sorts. After perusing that museo we had a quick bite to eat in the museo gardens and then went to the Museo of Modern Art, which by comparison was a disappointment, don’t quite know what people see in some modern art, if this type of art is what we will be remembered by in 4040 we are a sad lot. There is no comparison to what was done over the previous 7/8 centuries and more... ( 3 modern painters even had the audacity to paint the canvas white…funnily enough they were all untitled works...huh??) It took us 15-20 minutes to view the modern art compared to the 2 ½ hours at the Guilkenheim museo. Wandered down through the Parque Eduardo 7th to the bottom and hit the metro again down to the river front. We then hiked up to the Castelo De Sao Jorge on top a hill, has expansive views over the river and most of Lisboa. Most of either the churches or Castelo’s Iv’ve seen have been on hills overlooking their realms I guess. This one was no different , had spectacular vista’s , shame their was such a hazy day , photograph wise. Never mind
we did it and with out catching the tram up. Sauntered through some city lanes back down again and found a cervecia in the Rossio praca , stopped and had a vino tinto off course to catch our breath and people watch. About an hour later we went looking for a authentic Portuguese restaurant for dinner. Found one down a street lined with restaurants and waiters/owners out on the cobbled pedestrian lanes plying/bartering passing diners and each other for trade . We finally went for one who had a nice little Nepalese man trying to give us the you no wot, Briar fell for it. So after grilled swordfish and insalata Portuguese style and of course the rudimentary bottlier of vino it was time to catch the 714 home to Hugo. By the way the Nepalese man was right, the food was very good or as the Portuguese say mois bon..molti bon. And we tried our first Portugean white wine…over priced as it was – all good.
Awoke the next morning to another beautiful day and around 11.00am we once again hit the trail, ya just can’t rush things in this part of the world. We headed for Sintra, supposedly the place where the aristocrats in other words anyone with shit loads of deneiro from the Lisboa went for their summer holidays , it’s a hilly region about 30/35 km’s east of Lisboa towards the Atlantic. A very pretty spot and rather touristy ta boot, it was well worth the visit as we both tasted our first traditional custard tart, well I wouldn’t rave about it , it was in MC’s terminology average, won’t rush out for another in a hurry. Still be there done that. Took the obligatory snappies , back into Hugo and hit the trail again.
Stopped for lunch just before a town called Ericeira, even got the camp chairs out to marvel at the view while we ate our filled rolls and you guessed it another custard tart, Briar took a fancy to them. We were perched on a cliiftop about a 100metres above the sea crashing below us, see the attached photo, still Briar wanted to eat her filled roll with a view and of course I obliged ( whew lucky for me I came across that place). After lunch we got onto the autovia to do some much needed quick kilometres, up to yet another seaside town called Nazare. There were people everywhere enjoying the beach and the carnivale which was on over this particular weekend that we arrived. The Portuguese nino’s dress up in fancy dress and just parade up and down the streets , they have bands playing lotsa street food stalls etc.etc . We found a park next to a row of campers near the centro of Nazare and headed down to the esplanade to the beat of the band. Lotsa people of all ages strolling up and down the esplanade , plenty of young kids dressed up in fancy dress costumes of all descriptions. A real carnivale atmosphere, everybody enjoying the sun and themselves. We spotted the Ascendor when we got to the end of the esplanade, being the ever inquisitive sorts we had ta have a look. Glad we did jump on 1.80 euro up and down – no problemo senhor. Headed up to the top , got out wandered around a corner and spectacular views of the town, beach, marina of Nazare and several other coves/beaches south of Nazare, magnifico. The usual old town stuff lotsa touristy shops and nut stalls, the obligatory Santa Maria church, Took some pics with the sun settin down in the west. Back down the Ascendor ( cable car for the kiwis) , on the hunt for a Talho (butcher) and Fruiteiria ( fruit/veggie shop) some neccessito ingrediente for dinner.
When we got back to Hugo there were a helluva lot more campers than when we went for our walk. 6 when we left 24 when we got back
All freecampers like us, the irony is there are two camping grounds about 3 km’s up the road. Before we went to bed we counted 28 in all. We were somewhere in the middle so we felt rather safe for our 1st freecamping night. After dinner we went for another walk along the esplanade , a bit quieter for sure stopped at a café which had 6 or so TV’s goin all with different programs on. Had a café con leite and watched the BBC channel, caught up on a little of the outside world. While freecamping costs nothing sometimes it means ya hav to put up with other hassles – like road noise and barking dogs in town. Still we did it saved a few deneiro’s didn’t hav too bad a night’s sleep , no shower. But Briar insisted on havin brekkie at the top where the ascendor went the previous day, so we had bacon & eggs with the sun rising and once again spectacular views of Nazare and the Atlantic. (Better than squashed between other campers says Briar…)
After the washing up back on to the autovia and Porto bound , we did a mix of motorway and some dodgy N roads , with a more potholes and bumps than stars in the milky way. We got to Espinho found a supermercado to replenish supplies and headed out to the praia (beach for the kiwis)
Lotsa people again enjoying Sunday arvo at the beach, no surfies, but Briar got her vista with lunch again, damn I’m good (might even get lucky soon- yeah right). After lunch we joined the bumper to bumper traffic trying to get to our next stop Orbitur camping near the praia of course, still parked up, each of us showered did a load of washing to hang out the next day while we were in Porto. Had a few tapas, Vino a very good dinner, some writing and off ta catch some zzzzz’ss. We both slept rather well, I think also because the camp was quiet both with campers and the position away from roads, train lines and f…en dogs. Another shower, breakfast and caught the 906 auto comboios into Porto Trinadade estacio (central station). We are becoming experts at catching buses I’ll tell ya. This bus trip was certainly more interesting than most, Porto is a very old town and the cobbled streets have been there for centuries and of course were only designed for donkey carts and buggies, not modern buses flyin past each way. In some narrow winding hilly streets our bus had to back up to allow other buses and cars to pass, because of lack of room, I wouldn’t even drive the campervan through some of them, so full credit to the bus drivers. They don’t slow down either …ya either get out of the way or get run over, no discussion. We got off at Trinadade estacio in town and headed for the tourist info centre.
This place is well worth the time to visit. Tight hilly narrow streets with architecture and tiled houses with washing crammed against one another. We were constantly looking up at amazing sights and too many for a camera to capture. We walked our way down from the top after our obligatory climb to the top of the Clergymens Tower where the city was laid out for us to view…the five bridges crossing the Douro River..and all of the other old buildings interspersed with fantastic architecture. Not pretty to photogragh as it is so higglety pigglety but great to see all in one viewing. Down down down to the river through steep cobbled streets we wandered, clinging in door ways as trucks, vans and cars used the old cobbled ways… no chance of road rage here- you’d go gray tooting!
The river was a sight to see with tiled houses, cafes, trad Port boats and tour boats, and traditional cervacerias where the old men gather to play dominoes – money on the table- all mixed into one…and the washing of course hanging from all kinds of windows. Briar wanted the river tour but time meant river or port tour and the port tour won out. We crossed the old bridge to where all the Port houses are on the Gaia and found the Calem one near our bus route and offering what we wanted…NOW we know to drink a vintage in one sitting and not leave it for months!! Full of Port knowledge and a few tipples..not so keen on white port..we caught the 906 bus ready for the trip back.
Well…what can we say…every driver is different…and this one had a plane to catch!! Old people – there are heaps in Portugal and buses must be free cos they fill them!! And wo be tide if you don’t stand and give them a seat but there aren’t enough seats for them all anyways. The driver takes off before the doors close and screams around every bend over every cobbled surface and pothole in a gut-renching swerving journey, up and down, round tight corners beeping, screeching to a halt to fit more oldies in... yet hilarious as passengers fall into one another as it is the norm. WE could hardly keep straight faces and will remember this for quite a while.
Time to leave Portugal, we did see cows and sheep and even Friesian cows, and smelt silage, but nothing like NZ as far as heard and flock numbers. Our next stop will be back in Esphana, around the Galician coast and islands, probably at a nice campground right on the beach in a seaside town of Baiona. Will stop there for a few days just ta chill. See ya at the next update.