Saved by Sevilla !

A sound nights sleep saw me lazily getting up and ready Sunday morning, even the sun was late getting up – although with the time change, it just seemed it !

I set off from El Modranal, not having filled my water tank, but ‘dumping’ my ‘other’ one ( if you know what I mean) ! So I was ready for anything as I drove along, stopping at a ‘Mirador’ ( viewpoint ) overlooking a village, with large church in the centre, and a castle above… as I was looking ,suddenly mortar rounds were being fired in the air, a prelude to a service ? – I don’t know, I couldn’t see what was happening, even after driving in… so continued towards Saville, or Savilla ! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seville my days destination… the roads got quite busy, but I knew where I was heading for – Porto de Gelves – a small Marina/yacht basin which allowed me to park for a relatively cheap $15 a night, including electric ! A nice safe compound in the city, with good bus links into the centre, very helpful staff as I pulled in and filled my fresh water tank alongside the river , whilst taking in the pleasant surroundings !

I was able to wash all my clothes, catch up on computer time,  and even have a cycle around the outskirts ( getting lost in the process !), before showering again, in the heat of the night (still 34C at midnight !) , and an early night ready for a hot busy day on Monday !

I had the alarm set for 6-45 a.m….it was still hot, although slightly cooler, and I wanted to stay in bed, but up I got, washed and ready and out of the marina by 8 a.m., onto a packed hot commuter bus into the city ( so all my washing was in vain !) got off in the centre, and was immediately surrounded by stately buildings all around me,  and I didn’t even know where I was !

I made my way to the tourist office, which I found !, got a free map, and was looking up at the queues of people, already waiting to get into some of the main attractions (not for me !) I chatted to a tour guide for a while, didn’t buy his services, and as I wandered off at the back of the Cathedral saw an open door….and being an inquisitive chap wandered in, to find I could get into the Cathedral for mass, before it opened to the Public ( and free !) so, as you’d expect in I went, and enjoyed a nice sung mass, with 6 priests, and a big men's choir (or monks) behind… with the Altar screen opened , which I suspect isn’t normally…  after mass I did sneak a few pictures before being thrown out, but I’d seen enough !  As I went outside I chuckled at the large queue snaking round the outside, awaiting it being opened for them, and I’d saved $8 !

I then wandered around the city, seeing the buildings, wandering though the spectacular gardens  and all the differing types of architecture, wonderful, far too much to mention… although I eventually ended up at the Plaza D’Espana http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_de_Espa%C3%B1a_%28Seville%29 a tremendous big open square, with Government buildings all around it  … I could go on and on, and did, eventually having a late lunch, and catching the bus back to my marina around 6 p.m….

Phew, Savilla in a day, you could be there a week, and still not see it all !

Anyway, very enjoyable…now, where to next ?

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 !

Evocative Evora

Well having found myself here, what to do ?, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89vora I suppose I’d better have a look around, they don’t make these places a UNESCO world heritage site for nothing ! So off I went walking firstly around the fortified walls of the old city, and then through one of it’s gates, and towards what looked like the centre of attention !  I found the tourist office, and armed with my map of the city, went a wandering… it turned out that the Romans had been here, leaving behind temples and stuff… then it had been attacked and conquered by the Moorish invaders, and held by them for a few hundred years, then it had been regained by the Christians…. and there’s lots of the old buildings  still left – how’s that for a quick potted history ? ( check the link for more !)

I’d already been in one impressive church, found my way to the Cathedral, and got a bargain ‘seniors ‘ rate of $2 to visited the roof,towers,cloister and Cathedral itself… so, unlike my normal thing… I paid ! ( and it was worth it) Firstly up onto the roof, looking at the city and countryside all around… I was like a child again running all over, with hardly anyone else around !

Then down into the impressive cloisters looking at the Cathedral looming overhead, and finally into the big Cathedral itself.. all in all a good $2 worth

I then continued around the centre of the old city, seeking out new places and finding the ‘Diana’s Temple’  – what a thing to have stuck outside your house all this time !! Every street had a different impressive building in it, even a great Broken Marble sculpture…. I had lunch back at Wally, and sheltered from the 30+ heat ! in the shadow of my Roman aqueduct… before going out on another walking circuit around the city, constantly finding new places, even a sort of Samba band (with bagpipes) playing in the main square in the early evening ! I wasn’t quite sure why, or what for, none the less entertaining..then after a simple meal it was back to Wally for a good nights sleep… waking early to a nice sunrise, to continue my journey towards…??

It’s not been a bad place to stumble upon, with cheap accommodation thrown in !

Sunsets,Beaches….without the Showers !!

I’d decided to leave Espiche, and so packed,paid and left by mid morning….into the unknown !

Firstly some food shopping, then I continued up to Cap Sao Vicente again, only this time the easy way, by Wally !, looking along the coast, although unfortunately the lighthouse complex itself was closed … although that didn’t bother some of the locals !! I decided it would be too hot to spend the day exposed on the top of the cliffs, and so drove back through Vila do Bispo, and along the road where I’d cycled – I’d spotted a handy little forest, and went there for lunch, and a relaxing afternoon, before going back out early evening, exploring the beaches along the coast, and their rock formations , and the little caves that had been formed, and crashed down again… I then made my way back to Cap Sao Vicente, the most South Westerly point ( of Europe), and waited, and waited, ready to witness the fantastic sunset from there… things were looking good, although there was a pesky little sea mist hovering over the horizon…it won’t spoil things…surely ? the sun was happily sinking down, with the sky colouring up as I wanted,  it was chilly and windy, and soon I hoped to see the sky fill with colour as the sun dipped into the sea… and then ?, you guessed it…it sank into the misty horizon and Poof ! It had gone…no colours no nuffink…! The large crowd of people groaned in unison, and promptly got back in the their cars to go – I decided to vacate my spot as well, with a sea mist rolling in and it being quite windy,

I returned to my wooded spot for a nice quiet nice amidst the trees - not a bad view from the bedroom window !  The following day, I relaxed around most of the day reading one of my Kindle books, then decided to go out for a ride through the forest, doing a little exploring.. and wow, after a short time I realised I was cycling towards the coast again, and the Ocean was glisteningly beckoning…and I found myself above a secluded cove, with just a dirt track to reach it by… I knew where I was going to be at sunset ( abandoning Cap Sao Vicente, again !), so I rode the 5 kms back to my camp spot, had something to eat, got my stuff and rode back to the beach, ready for another…great sunset ? , although you may see the mist forming…once again, as the sun started dropping the mist reared up again, and what had promised to be a good event… ended in another damp squib, so I rode back to camp, and another peaceful nights sleep, and looking at the stars above !

The following day, Wednesday, I had a nice lazy start, and decided there was no real point hanging around for a spectacular sunset , when all the prospects for the week seemed to be the same, and so after a lazy start I packed and left my forest home, and continued driving up the coast to Amado Beach, a popular surfing beach, where when I arrived in the early afternoon was heaving with people surfing, and watching from the shore, as well as sunning themselves ! I stayed in Wally’s shade for a while, and as it started to cool down I went for a wander, along the beach, and the rocks , even managing to have a paddle myself ! I then settled down, ready for another …sunset !! I walked away from the beach area, up onto nearby cliffs, and further away towards some railings , which I found to be an ancient Muslim Fishermans settlement, which has recently been re-discovered,and preserved , and I could see the modern day fishing port below it ! I sat on some benches awaiting my fate…again ! things though were not looking good, and I saw the dreaded mist rolling along.. again the sun was swallowed by the mist, and went.. splat ! Ah well, not to be, another night gone, and only the stars to look at ! 

Thursday morning I set off from Amado beach, again travelling North along the West coast, dropping in at different beaches and towns as I went, all of them interesting, and different  in their own ways… I eventually ended up at Puerto Cova, where I found some waste ground where a number of campervans were stopping – there was even fresh water and a waste ‘dump’ if needed… I had a walk around the town, and, although nice, I decided not to stop, so continued on my travels, and heading right towards Spain…. Oooops, should have checked the map properly ! I ended up going North more than East, so had gone quite some distance wrong, before realising my mistake – I didn’t really have a destination in mind, but knew I should have gone East a little quicker… still I found another castle to have a look around, take in the view… and keep driving, looking for somewhere to stop !

I eventually saw some signs for Evora – with the Unesco world heritage symbol – sounds good I thought, and not too far away, so I headed for there, impressively finding a car park with some other motorhomes on it….this’ll do to stop I thought !

So I’m here… underneath a Roman aqueduct…which I’ll tell more of again !

Goodnight ….Oh, and with not being on a campsite all week….I’ve not had a single shower….but have washed behind my ears (and don’t smell too much, I don’t think ) !