A Different Sort of Day…

I’ll start with watching the sunrise through the Roman aqueduct at Evora, as I wanted to be on the road early.. heading towards Spain, unless I found something else to do in Portugal !

I was driving by 8-30 a.m., out of Evora, following the ‘back roads to …somewhere…however, I eventually got my directions right, and was following the road towards Espana ! As I was driving, I saw this nice church, stuck out on it’s own, in the countryside, so I stopped off,   into the graveyard and ultimately into the church, with it’s doors wide open ‘This is nice’ I thought, ‘how trusting to leave the doors open for anyone to walk in’… so I did !

As I was walking out, back through the graveyard a man came walking in, saying something… I presumed ‘Good Morning’, however, as I got back in Wally and was driving up the side road, I saw a large group of people covering the entire small road…. It was a funeral procession! The coffin was inside a mini bus/van, with it’s back doors open, and all the mourners following behind walking, no other cars ! Obviously a rural community all turned out to pay their respects to the deceased, from the look of them all farm/rural labourers …dressed in their ‘best jeans ‘ !! I stopped to let the procession pass, to the bemused look of lots of the mourners… that’s obviously what the man was saying…!! ( I didn’t take any pictures !!)

Then back on to the better road, carrying on towards Spain, a pleasant view on this lonely ‘back road’ ! Then , I was there… back in Spain, I’d only thought I’d be in Portugal for a week or so ! 

Now, things will get tricky… as all my photograph times will be an hour wrong…I can’t adjust the settings on my camera, so will continue to show Portugal times, rather than Spanish/European time…

Anyway, continuing… I drove into the first village Rosal de la Frontera http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosal_de_la_Frontera a real ‘cowboy frontier’ town/village ! I realised something was happening as I drove into the outskirts , and could see lots of people milling around, not only that, they were dressed in traditional Spanish country dress, all the women in ‘Flamenco ‘type dresses, and men on horseback, strutting around ! There  were also lots of decorated tractors towing floats, and bands around…and a police officer directing me off the main street..’ Where to ?’  I wondered…so found somewhere to park, and ran back to see the parade, and what was happening ! I don’t think it was the ‘May Day’ parade, something to do with the Church, as they carried two differing statues, one pulled by two great oxen… lots of men on horseback, in their finest, some of them carrying their women ‘side saddle’ on the back…  followed by carts containing other women ( not so young, and ‘young’ ) all singing, and drinking as they made their way in the procession.. They all made their way through the village, then along a road out of town, towards the distant fields… I presume they were to reach their destination and ,having done what they need, would then ‘party/picnic’ where they were… what a fantastic sight to come across, pity I didn’t find out more… anyway, too hot to hang around, I continued, snaking my way along the back roads, towards Seville, although I didn’t want to get there today… I found another castle at Cartagena http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena,_Spain  which I had a look round, the outside, as it was closed, then continued, seeing signs nearby for a campsite, so turned off there, and ended up at Camping ‘El Madronal’… http://www.campingelmadronal.com/ sounds great…it was a ‘dump’, although the showers were clean, and nice, so it was nice to have my first shower all week…and relax in the countryside, at what really was a site with a difference !

So, wishing my Grandson Tristan a ‘Happy Birthday’ – as his brother asked ‘Why do Gorillas have big noses ?’ … I’ll tell you again….and a new niece in the Family, all the way over in Calgary,Canada… Welcome ‘Sierra Brooklyn’, congratulations Jack + Vanessa, and all the Canadian clan !

Anyway, a day to remember…Chicken curry,bread cheese and wine – Goodnight !