Waterfalls, Picnic Sites, Mediaeval Bridge and Veggie Sausage

Yesterday it was surprisingly warm. It must have been about 18 degrees celsius, though the sunny spells were interspersed with goodly rain showers.

Off out geocaching we went. First to Barriosa where there is a river beach and a waterfall, weir and restaurant. There has been a fair bit of rain over the past few days/nights and the waterfall was impressive.



After Barriosa we visited Vide where there was a picnic site hidden away up through the lovely narrow streets in the village. The start of the T1 waymarked pedestrian walkway through the Serra da Estrela begins at Vide, though we couldn't see any obvious starting point. On our gps we did have one of our calibrated maps though and managed to find where the walk would lead out of the village.

After Vide we went to a mediaeval bridge at Alvoco das Varzeas. The bridge is in good condition and the marks made by the stone masons perfectly preserved. Near the bridge we found another waymarked pedestrian walkway but with no information board etc we have no way of knowing where it leads to, whether or not it is circular, and how far it goes. We may try and follow the path for a couple of hours to see where it goes and then retrace our steps if necessary. Also at the bridge is a picnic site that must be a real magnet in the summer.



And on a different subject altogether - We have been experimenting with vegetarian sausage/burger recipes. You can buy tofu and soya products here, but the processed veggie fare is very expensive. We have found several recipes on the internet and are adapting these to give them more of a kick. One of the recipes is more labour intensive but is lovely with mash and peas and gravy. It consists mainly of cheese, mustard, onion, mixed herbs, breadcrumbs, and then floured egged and breadcrumbed on the outside. These are then gently shallow fried. Another recipe is from soya mince, contains thyme, sage, turmeric, coriander, stock, mustard, Marmite, and eggs, and is easily shaped into patties for sticking on a bun with fried onions, mustard and HP sauce. Hmmmmmm delicious.

Bolo Rei

We have found so far with most of the cakes we have tried (Pastéis de Nata being the exception) is that they are very sweet but lack any distinctive flavour, and they are usually DRY. Jon's says that eating some of these cakes removes every drop of moisture from his body. You definitely need a cuppa to help, I agree.

In the run up to Christmas we saw "Bolo Rei Com Chila" for sale in all the supermarkets. They are traditional Portugese cakes and are either round with a hole out of the middle shaped like a huge Polo mint, or square/oblong shaped. They are decorated with strips of brightly coloured, translucent confection, in red, green and/or yellow. But they always seemed a bit expensive for us to try out on a whim (3.99 to 4.99 euros). So when we saw them reduced in Lidl after Christmas we decided to try one out of curiosity (still well within the sell by date). And, undaunted by the fact that we can barely fasten our waistbands, we felt obliged to give one the taste/moisture test.

Well, we tried this Bolo Rei cold, and we tried it hot and considered buying custard to make it palatable. They are a bit like a big dry sponge strudel with thin layers of something like figs or dates, and occasionally a chopped nut. Sounds yummy, but it isn't. And these beautiful strips of translucent confection on the top, taste of nothing but sugar.

We also bought something that looked like a really rich dark chocolate mousse roll, with chopped biscuit in it. Taste test: moist, sweet, Chocolate flavour none. Biscuit flavour, none. A cake seriously in need of a chocolate injection.

Our quest for moist tasty Portugese cake continues...in the meantime where we can we recycle them. Most end up as a bread and butter pudding, moist, with plenty of flavour. The chocolate mousse roll has yet to be transformed.

Boxing Day

On Boxing Day we decided to walk towards the Ponte bar at Barril da Alva along the track behind the house. It was a lovely mild sunny day. We had uploaded aerial images onto the gps that would help make a decision as to which tracks to take, as we knew we would come to forks in the trackway. As it was the first time we had used the Garmin Bing Map tool we were eager to try it out.

We walked for about a mile and tried to keep as close to the river as the track would allow. We came across a lovely picnic site and river beach area beside the river, that we had no idea was there before.



A little further on and we arrived at the Ponte Bar on the outskirts of the village. And then we turned back, retracing our steps. Along the way we had wonderful views of the mountains and the river. There was a section where the slate showed distinct fossilisation of leaves.



The walk to the Ponte and back was just over 4 miles. We intend to extend the walk by heading down the lanes through Digueifel, through Vila da Cova, down to the Ponte, then along the track back to the house.

The accuracy of the images on the gps were excellent, and this will be a boon for us to explore more on foot etc without paper maps.

Back at home it was time for a snack and a cuppa. We had traditional Portugese cakes called Broas de Natal that were made in Seia. They are a bit like a scone and contain mixed fruit and nuts. On the ingredients there is batata-doce that is, apparently, sweet potato. Overall they are dry and a bit disappointing on the taste scale.

Christmas Ghost Story

It was Christmas Day. The day had passed with the usual jollities, and darkness had fallen outside. All was eerily still and quiet apart from the hiss and bubble of the river on its eternal journey. On the horror film that we had just started to watch, a girl was being chased by something through the woods. Would she make it into the house? You could almost hear the breathing of her pursuer on the back of the girl's neck...

And then there was this almighty banging on the windows of our cottage...

Frozen in the light from the film, we stared wide-eyed at one another in disbelief. Our hearts had almost stopped. And it came again. BANG BANG BANG BANG! BANG BANG BANG BANG! Who, or what, was banging on the living room window? Twinned with the horrifying realisation that our lounge is on the upper floor of the cottage! Was this creature at our window suspended in mid-air? Or was it some terrible spectre that was so tall that it could beat the window with it's bony fingers...

Actually, no, it was our neighbours letting off fireworks!

We ran outside onto the balcony, suddenly all very brave now, and enjoyed the spectacle.

It was all a bit of a squib after the initial heart somersaults. There was only one more firework which did bang bang bang bang, and was pretty, but that was the last. And the film...well it was quite a scary film, but it seemed pretty lame after we had exercised the terrors of our own imagination.

And then all was eerily still and quiet apart from the hiss and bubble of the river on its eternal journey.

Weather - frost, mist, thunder

We always knew that buying a place in Portugal would demand some thought as to the aspect of the property (consideration of the compass direction). It's common sense that if you buy a place on a north facing hillside then it can mean you are left in the shade (cold) for most of a winter's day.

We have experienced 3 nights of frost so far, though talking to a friend yesterday, she says they have had a run of frost 10 nights in a row almost. But they are higher up in the mountains. We are at the bottom of the valley so when we wake up to a mist we have probably been saved from the worst.

The forecast for last night was a Low of -4 degrees celsius, and that is probably the coldest we have experienced here. In reality however, today is overcast and milder than expected. It is difficult to get an accurate forecast, and though we do keep an eye on a weather internet site the forecast does alter from day to day.

Mist; frost; neither lasts too long once the sun is on it. We are fortunate that the house we are staying in is positioned so that we get early morning sunshine, and then it is upon us all day until it disappears behind the hills near to sundown. If were were in the shade, the frost or mist would probably linger a lot longer, maybe all day.

The sunshine is still very strong compared to what we are used to in the UK for this time of year. It feels more like a warm spring day. Our washing dries on the line, and it's still warm enough to sit on the patio and soak up a few rays.

At the moment, the forecast for tomorrow is widely scattered thunderstorms. That means possible loss of electricity, internet will be out, and everything electrical unplugged for the duration. Even with surge protection we have heard that people have had electrical equipment destroyed.

Queijo Azul Bergader

Just tasted the blue cheese we brought back with us from Continente supermarket in the Algarve. It's called "Queijo Azul Bergader" and is really delicious. It's been a while since we had Stilton but in its absence this is a good substitute.

Earthquake off Sagres - Felt in Quinta da Sapeira

Last night we both woke up, not knowing why, about 01.40 hours. It sounded like the roof tiles were shifting. Jon thought he felt the house give a single shake. We both decided that it was probably an earth tremor and went back to sleep. Apparently there was an earthquake off the coast of Sagres (where we were visiting last week - maybe we should both concentrate on the diet a bit more!)Perhaps it was us that awoke the sleeping dragon!

This link (from the Expats Portugal forum) gives more info.

Independent Walking in the Algarve

Early December is a great time of year to visit the Algarve for walking, if you like it about 15 degrees Celsius, not too many people around, and cheap hotel prices. We managed to get a six night (bread and breakfast) stay in a four star hotel in Albufeira for 30 euros per night (ie 15 euros per person). That's cheaper than staying on some campsites in the UK.



We are back from our trip where we did some independent walking in the Algarve and have come away being pleasantly surprised with the area. As usual, we tended to stay away from the beaten path if we could. But the beaten path does have its advantages, such as fish and chips!!!! Mostly though we ate in a Portugese restaurant that provided a 3 course meal and a drink (wine in our case) for 8.95 euros per person. The service was excellent and the food very tasty, and good portion sizes. What was good was that they also had a few vegetarian options.

The drive down was pretty boring mainly along toll roads, that cost us somewhere in the region of 35 euros altogether. Needless to say coming back we opted for the drawn out, explore Portugal, drive home. It took several hours longer as we were keeping to the speed limits (unlike everyone else!). We shaved off about 70 km from our journey, saved toll fees, and used less diesel. We also saw the changing landscape as we journeyed 288 km from the Algarve up to Central Portugal. We may be biased but as soon as we hit the "Central" area (just above Tomar) the landscape became more interesting, with its hills and valleys instead of miles of flat farmland.

The downside was that we arrived home in the dark. The house was very cold, but intact. It does not do to be complacent, and we had taken precautions to make the house look like it was business as usual, and taken care of securing any valuables.

The Algarve has stunning coastal scenery. We used geocaching to help us explore safely, and the guide to walks in the Algarve that we had taken with us. We actually saw the Portugese version for sale in the Albufeira tourist information centre in Albufeira Old Town. It was A5 size and was on sale for 7 euros. They didn't have an English version. We asked if there were any walking maps for sale but the staff told us they didn't.

Anyway, summary of our visit to the Algarve:
West Coast, geocaches x 2, on the "Trilho das Mares" or Trail of Tides walk on Page 15 of the Guide (see link above). We cut the walk short by going through Carrapateira to get back to the car that was parked at Point B on the map. It amounted to about 5 or 6 km. If we did it again we would reverse the walk so that we were doing the coastal part last on the return route (as per Walk 27 of the June Parker book "Walking in the Algarve") or just walk along the coast one way, and then back again. The route along the road was pretty boring. Alternatively, we would return to do the whole 19km walk as per the map in the Guide.



After the walk we visited Sagres. There was a geocache there that took us to the Fortaleza da Sagres that juts out into the sea making it the southern most point in Europe. The fort was quite an ugly building, and we had to pay 3 euros each to go in, but it was worth it as there were information boards inside and a few remains of the original fort built in Henry the Navigator's time c 1400s. The rest of the fort was mostly destroyed by Sir Francis Drake and by the 1755 earthquake. We took a pedestrian path from inside the fort that took you on a route around the promontory to the different points of interest (and info panels). There were "furnas" or sea blowholes fenced off. One furna in particular, that didn't look much as they had blocked it with huge rocks, gave a really loud roar every time the sea beneath the promontory entered the blowhole. So SCARY! It really did sound like a dragon or some monster was under your feet, and the grass around the blowhole moved visibly each time from the dragon breath. Filmed the noise and moved away FAST! If you play it back you must turn up the volume on your computer and your speakers, and this 8 second film still won't be anywhere loud enough. Hard to imagine what the noise would be like on a windy or stormy day. It's no wonder that it was a sacred place to the Romans and pre-Romans.


THE SLEEPING DRAGON

On the way back to Albufeira we passed a retail park with a large supermarket called "Continente" and we managed to buy Mature Cheddar Cheese! The block was 200g and we paid 3.09 euros. When we went back on Sunday to stock up on Cheddar cheese to keep us going for several months, the 3.09 cheese was all gone (bloody English people!) but they had Cathedral City, 200g for 3.19. So we had most of it...the sell by date is May 2010. We also managed to buy a block of Parmesan that we haven't been able to buy here (though we can get pre-grated Parmesan in packets from Intermarche and Ecomarche).

Tuesday 7 December we decided to visit the mountains near Monchique to do some walking. Again there were geocaches, and we had a map from the Guide for a walk in the area of Foia, that is the highest mountain in the Algarve. Unfortunately, as we drove up the mountain the fog and mist thickened. At some points we rose out of it, only for it to drift across again a few minutes later. Certainly no day to be out walking in an unfamiliar area on a mountain. So, we retreated to the coast, and using geocaching again we did a 7km circular walk between Lagos and Luz. Half the walk took us along the coastal path, and then it brought us slightly inland across a golf course, past ruined buildings, and then back to the coastal path. There was no fog lower down and the weather was perfect for walking.



Wednesday 8 December we decided to explore Albufeira, as we hadn't at this point, actually seen a beach in the resort we were staying in. We found the beach,a few hundred meters from our hotel, and began walking along what looked like a coastal path. And ended up walking all 4km to Albufeira Old Town where a lot of the main tourist action takes place. The Old Town is certainly worth a visit as it is very pretty. There are plenty of bars and restaurants, the tourist information centre (though it's probably the only info centre we've visited that does not have any info to give out apart from a map of the resort). Nearer to our hotel is The Strip. We wandered down The Strip a few times looking for somewhere to eat. Most of it was closed down but it wasn't hard to see that there is usually a panoply of bars/restaurants to suit every taste. Blissfully, we had the place almost entirely to ourselves. The advantage is, that though most places were shut down, those that were still open had quite good offers on. Though, having said that, we did pay a total of 22 euros for a fish, a cheese and onion pasty, 2 portions of chips, 2 portions of mushy peas, and two pints of Super Bock.



Thursday, we visited Pera, near Silves to do one of the walks in the Guide (link above). This was the Praia Grande Interpretation Trail, 5.5km. There were 3 geocaches on this route. It was a nature reserve, but really there wasn't much to see at this time of year. The section that runs along the beach was exhilarating.

Friday, we returned to the beaches of Olhos da Agua (Eyes of Water) that takes its name from the numerous fresh-water springs that bubble up both on the beach and off-shore underwater. We used geocaching to help us explore safely. Unfortunately, the tide was in to start with and we could not do the first cache. But we ventured in the opposite direction and managed to move along the coast on the coastal path. We were rewarded with more secluded beaches, fantastic views, and a structure that was built for pedestrians straddling the coastal landscape to protect it. The wooden structure was akin to something from Swiss Family Robinson. By the time we had finished in this area, the tide was going out and this enabled us to go and find the cache in the other direction. During our stay in the Algarve we have paid different prices for our Super Bock. Costs of beer - Olhos da Agua, being a tiny fishing village, was surprisingly, the most expensive with two small Sagres costing 1.50 euros each. In comparison, at the chippy, we paid 2 euros per pint for Super Bock. In Central Portugal we normally pay 60-90 cents for a Super Bock.



We visited a Chinese "eat as much as you dare" buffet place on Friday night. The meal was 9.50 euros per person, and the drinks were on top and were not extortionately priced. There was plenty of choice for meat eaters but less for those who prefer vegetarian fare.

Saturday was taking it easy day. We lazed, bathed, slept, read, watched Sky (couldn't get anything else).

All in all, a great break in a fantastic hotel at a budget price with wonderful staff and fabulous buffet breakfasts. The most we spent was on the way down there on toll roads and diesel. Apart from that the other main expense was eating out. With tips etc, the minimum we paid out was 20 euros per occasion, and the most expensive night out cost us 27.50 euros.

Christmassy Feel

It has finally started to feel like Christmas. We went to the car boot sale at the Kapingdi Bar, that at this time of year only happens on the first Sunday in the month.

We stocked up on mincemeat, dried mixed fruit, mixed spice, vegetable suet, cranberry jelly, a Christmas pud, and some mince pies. What a bounty!

As soon as we got back Jon lit the fire, as it's like a typical day in the UK today, very wet. And then in the comfort of the warm kitchen we enjoyed a mince pie each with a cup of frothy coffee. Heaven...

Caminho do Xisto de Fajão

Yesterday we visited a tiny village in the mountain range, Serra do Açor, called Fajao. There is a 4km walk from the village that we found details from at the Aldeias do Xisto website.



On the drive up into the mountains the views were, as usual, fabulous. We were above the cloud in the valleys below.

The walk on the website is described as facil (easy) but compared to the Benfeita walk that we did (that was medio - dificil) the Fajao walk was more strenuous. So, in our opinion, this should be at least medium to difficult as well.

The length of the walk is only 4km but the terrain is quite challenging in some parts, and taking it at a leisurely pace with time for picture taking and a butty stop, allow yourself 3 hours.

The weather was overcast but dry, and there was barely any wind, though as the afternoon wore on we could see the clouds beginning to brush the tops of the mountains near by. The walk would not have been as enjoyable in the mist, but the trail was fairly well waymarked so there was not much danger of getting lost. There is also a path that splits the 4km walk into two to allow a faster descent if required. The whole time we were on the mountain walk we never saw anyone else.

We recommend doing the whole 4km walk. The views are fantastic and the rock formations awesome. Jon felt that the rock was a bit too loose to do any actual rock climbing or scrambling (that we might have considered doing on another day, with all the proper equipment).

Guia de Percursos Pedestres do Algarve

Fantastic! We managed to find an English version of the Guide to walks in the Algarve (typical, we couldn't find one when we were deliberately searching and found it when we weren't looking for it). This was after our last post where we were saying how frustrating it is that we can not find English versions of booklets etc.

To download an English version, visit the site on this linky, scroll to nearly the bottom of the page, and download the pdf, but be warned, the guide is over 100 pages long. Guia de Percursos Pedestres do Algarve.

Piódão, Chas d'Egua and Foz d'Égua

On Monday 30 November we did a geocache that took us to the Parque Arqueológico de S. Bartolomeu in Meruge near to Oliveira do Hospital. (The village of Meruge holds an annual fair of pork and sausage (ie Feira do Porco e do Enchido) each November which is worth visiting if you like pork).

Near to the Parque Arqueológico de S. Bartolomeu is a monument site called Sepulturas Antropomórficas. It is believed that the whole area has been inhabited by Romans, perhaps Visigoths, Arabs or Mozarab. Their graves at the site are clearly visible, carved in the granite (one child and five adults).



Yesterday, 1 December, it rained most of the day and night. But today was fine and we were off out geocaching again. This time we headed for Piódão, that is a historic schist village in the mountains (Serra do Acor).

On the way there we stopped at the Arte Rupestre: Centro Interpretativo de Chãs d´Égua, Arganil. The centre is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Entry is free. The centre is very small and there is no information in English, but there are a couple of "finds" showing the carvings on pottery and on slate. There is also an information panel indicating where in the immediate landscape some of the artwork has been found.

We travelled further up the valley to Piódão and found an information board outside the tourist information centre outlining a circular walk around Piódão itself.


There are also slate waymarkers to nearby villages Foz d'Égua and Chas d'Egua but though we asked at the tourist information centre there were no maps available. The trouble with these walks is that the paths are not very well marked from what we can see. The original slate markers are sometimes broken or have disappeared altogether.

The best tourist information centre we have found is at Loriga. All of the others so far have not been able to provide us with the information we require, namely maps, leaflets or information about walks. Sometimes they indicate that you could try the another tourist information centre.

We are going to visit the Algarve to do some walking. The Algarve is currently about 3-5 degrees warmer than Central Portugal but cool enough for us to enjoy hiking and walking. We were chuffed when we discovered a booklet in Portugese entitled "Guia de percursos pedestres do Algarve" that looks really useful for exploring the Algarve on foot. But realistically we need it in English. On Monday we rang the tourist information centre in Albufeira (as we will be staying in that resort) and asked about the guide. No they didn't have it in English, and no they didn't have any of the Portugese versions either. They told us to try another tourist information centre. Is it us, or don't they get many English tourists on the Algarve, or maybe they just don't expect us to want to leave the beaches? It's quite disappointing that the tourist information centres are just really not equipped to help people who want to explore the country outside their car.

On the way back from Piódão we stopped at the really pretty village of Foz d'Égua. A lovely end to a lovely day out.