Old Favourites

Our excursion along the deep Douro Gorge gave us another perspective of this impressive ravine with the sun showing up the extraordinary geology. lichens and 'tidemarks' caused by the fluctuating water levels of Portugal's largest  hydroelectric scheme but by late afternoon we were crossing the dam over in to Spain to pick up the fast empty motorways for a 200 mile whizz south. Due to the hour's time difference we arrived around ten in Valencia D'Alcantara a few miles from the Portuguese border for a quiet night on the aire alongside the bull ring.

Monday morning gave us the opportunity to visit the regular market held in the main square alongside the church. The extensive range of fruit and veg left us spoilt for choice so we headed over to the clothing stalls first where the dour colours and patterns of the items on display were somewhat uninspiring. However I was attracted to some underwear bargains and left a happy bunny. Chorizo and serrano ham, sheep's cheese, a huge bag of fruit and veg plus some treats from the bakery completed our shopping so we headed towards Porugal stopping only to fill up as diesel is 10% cheaper on the Spanish side.

A side trip to the stark rocky ridge where last year I had watched vultures nesting was unproductive as presumably they are yet to arrive so we carried on through the empty customs and border buildings to the viewpoint above Castello De Vide alongside the beautiful chapel. A Spanish touring cyclist lugged his well laden bike to the top - his matching panniers and well equipped bike were equally impressive.

We then headed out to the Barragem half way towards Nisa where we planned to stay two nights.It was a scorching day and after a walk round we decided to take the narrow track down almost to the water's edge that was out of reach to the larger vans already parked up.

After a couple of hours in the sun we took the bikes out for a couple of hours as it was cooler and took a mixture of empty roads and unsurfaced tracks to Povoa e Meadas, the nearby village and back via an inpressive menhir that had recently been returned to its upright position.
Just as we returned an almost full moon rose across the water and after an evening meal we decided to sleep with the van door open to the striking view.

Tuesday dawned bright and sunny as a few local fishermen arrived for the day and we explored the far side of the water but failed to find a way round as the tracks dwindled to footpaths.
Thus after lunch we headed along another clutch of tracks and lanes to Nisa whose historic centre was a maze of narrow lanes and alleys with in one corner a colourful diplay of umbrellas suspended across the street.

On our return we stopped at the tiny bar near the dam for a cool beer and felt that with the nearby cluster of affluent vanners he was missing a trick by only offering cold beers and soft drinks. 
Once we were back we spoke at length to an English lady who'd bought a van I had admired a year or two ago at the Birmingham Camper Show. They felt it was not that well built and had a long snagging list for their return home, they also felt that it lacked ground clearance due to the underslung gas and water tanks.
After another night under a full moon we departed for Portalegre in a search for Campingaz but despite the 'stockist locater'app it was unobtainable in either supermarket - strangely we noted that neither butcher sold lamb at this time of year.




After a salad lunch on the slopes of Marvao we parked up alongside the walls and climbed through the streets to the castle where at the top of the main keep millions of flying ants were swarming. From here we could see the blackened slopes to the west where a summer fire had scorched a large swathe of the chestnut and oak forests. We dropped in to the small shop to surprise Joao who assists at the campsite before shortly turning in to the familiar gates of Camping Asseiceira.
It was good to see Gary again and over a cuppa we had a quick catch up before settling down in a private corner and offloading the bikes. Apart from a brief return to the UK in mid November I will be here until the New Year which is a very pleasing prospect.

Yesterday we cycled to Galegos and then through the quiet border lanes back to Valencia and then took a turning to La Acena De La Borega for a beer and tapas before taking tracks to the impressive dolmen El Mellizo.

An ice cream on the way home set us up for the final few miles and later that evening we joined Gary and some other guests at the Pau de Canela restaurant in nearby San Antonio das Arreias. I enjoyed baby squid whilst Mandy chose a more restrained omelette both accompanied by delicious chips and a mixed salad. Profiteroles for afters left us feeling replete as we walked home on a mild night.
Today we have been to see a project that Gary has in mind for the next few years - an olive oil factory last worked in 1975 that he hopes will provide a home plus adjacent holiday lettings. The old settling tanks, pressing equipment and various associated fittings will be incorporated in to what has the potential to be an interesting project..

Our circuit of the 'Roman Steps' walk was interrupted by a clap of thunder and some rain as we reached the road back but fortunately an engaging Irish lass who lives locally stopped and dropped us back at the site.

Here we have relaxed and caught up with news as I have taken up the internet pass available at £5 a day- my roaming data allowance having been used up over the past month.

The photos are here - my Spot device seems to need new batteries or has a fault but Marvao comes up on any map search.