Goodness, it's the 1st April already. We've been back in UK since 2nd March. Since then we've been really busy catching up with friends and relatives and trying to get organised so that we can go back to Portugal once and for all. The plan is to return to Portugal as soon as possible. Before then though, we have to get the house ready to sell, and then actually sell it! We are hoarders, so we have to get rid of loads of stuff and then redecorate several rooms. We are also working our allotment as we are happiest when we are growing some veggies.
Here is a summary of our last few weeks spent in Portugal.
Rain stopped exploration in the main. And then there was that big storm on Saturday the 27th February that brought down trees. We woke up to find that we had no electricity but apart from that the cottage seemed to be okay. We had arranged to travel to meet up with friends that day, and despite the weather we braved it. We drove over towards Arganil, watching the trees along the lanes with trepidation. There were signs that trees had fallen and had been cleared quickly, and the roads were littered with branches and other debris for the whole journey. We met Kathy and Keith at the Mendes Bar. The bar had no electricity either. Kathy had made us delicious chocolate cakes with icing topping as a farewell treat. Despite the bar being unable to serve coffees etc, it was full of Portugese chattering away.
We didn't actually get the electricity back on until 1630 hours on the 28th Feb. The reason why we had no power, and also the neighbouring villages, was because a pylon had fallen down on the N17. Our big clean up of the cottage was hard work without the vacuum cleaner. Twig seemed to know something was afoot as we packed our stuff away and cleaned the place through. We hauled the rugs outside on the varanda and beat them with brooms like the Portugese women do.
Very early on Monday 1 March we set off for home, driving up to Santander to catch the ferry for a 23-24 hour crossing.
The voyage was uneventful, thank goodness! We were dreading travelling in case we ended up meeting the storms we had experienced on the Saturday. All the rivers that we saw on our way through Spain had burst their banks. The Picos de Europa were thick with snow.
When we arrived at Santander it was gloriously warm and sunny with a gentle breeze. On our journey the Bay of Biscay was relatively calm, it felt just like being on the Witches' Hat.
Back in the UK and we hadn't gotten far before we met our first traffic cones. Then more, then more. How we hadn't missed them for six months! Our journey home was punctuated all the way with road works. About 40 miles from home we could resist no longer and we scouted out a chip shop. Slavering we were, imagining those hot salty vinegary chips. And they were horrible! Expensive and horrible. Nothing like what we had envisaged, or indeed, cooked for ourselves while in Portugal.
That's one of the things we have found since we've been back. The choice is overwhelming in the supermarkets. But nothing compares to Portugal. Everything we craved has left us disappointed (apart from cheese!). Nothing tastes as delicious as much as we thought it did unless we cook it from scratch using raw and fresh ingredients like we did when we were in Portugal.
This is the final entry for this blog as our six month Portugal Adventure is now over but after all the rain we may be escaping to Tenerife for some sunshine! We may start a sister blog to record the process we go through when house hunting and buying over in Portugal. We are looking forward to going back.
Thursday 1 April 2010
Monday 22 February 2010
Gouveia
Yesterday after lunch we had a drive up to Gouveia to do a geocache. We found the cache just in time as a heavy rain shower started. We didn't have time to explore Gouveia but it is definitely worth a proper look around from the little we saw. It sits in the foothills of the Serra da Estrela and is not as remote as we had previously thought. We spotted the "turismo" that we intend to visit, we also saw supermarkets such as Intermarche and Lidl. Gouveia seems an ideal base for exploring the mountains or lowlands on foot.
The other reason we drove up to Gouveia was to try and find a parking place for the PR2 and PR3 walks that are mentioned in a link on our "Hidden Treasures" post (links to Gouveia camara percursos pedestres). Studying the sketch maps we could see that Vinho was included in both these walks. It took us a while, but we eventually found where we could join both walks. They were quite separate from one another. Unfortunately the weather forecast for the next week is rain, rain, and more rain.
We have been trying to find information about a walk that goes from Vila Pouca da Beira to no avail. Even a visit to the village was fruitless. We managed to find a Roman road that was impressive but nothing to indicate the walk, despite a sign by one of the churches indicating that there is walking in the area.
Today we managed to find a little more information about this on the Oliveira do Hospital council website. Also is a bit of information about other walks. No maps unfortunately though.
After the terrible weather that has struck Madeira it seems that 11 districts on the continent are also on yellow alert. We wonder if El Nino might be the culprit for the really wet winter and now this period of "mau tempo".
The other reason we drove up to Gouveia was to try and find a parking place for the PR2 and PR3 walks that are mentioned in a link on our "Hidden Treasures" post (links to Gouveia camara percursos pedestres). Studying the sketch maps we could see that Vinho was included in both these walks. It took us a while, but we eventually found where we could join both walks. They were quite separate from one another. Unfortunately the weather forecast for the next week is rain, rain, and more rain.
We have been trying to find information about a walk that goes from Vila Pouca da Beira to no avail. Even a visit to the village was fruitless. We managed to find a Roman road that was impressive but nothing to indicate the walk, despite a sign by one of the churches indicating that there is walking in the area.
Today we managed to find a little more information about this on the Oliveira do Hospital council website. Also is a bit of information about other walks. No maps unfortunately though.
After the terrible weather that has struck Madeira it seems that 11 districts on the continent are also on yellow alert. We wonder if El Nino might be the culprit for the really wet winter and now this period of "mau tempo".
Saturday 20 February 2010
Bread and Cake
There are little white vans that comes around the villages. Some are selling fruit and vegetables, one man sells bread and cakes.
We can get lovely fresh baguettes, rolls, and loaves from the bread man. We bought 6 bread rolls, and two slices of sponge cake for a total of 1.33 euros. The bread is always soft and delicious, and the cakes were probably the best we have tasted since we arrived. One had a really yellowy custard in it, and the other was probably cinnamon and dates.
The only problem is with these vans is that it's a bit like trying to catch the icecream van. We never know when they will appear. And we either spot the bread van when the wallet is in the house, and we don't have any loose change in our pockets, or we only notice him as he's disappearing up the exit track.
Today we were very naughty and tried one of the fresh cakes from the fridge in Ecomarche that we have been salivating over for some time. The only problem is, once we made the decision to throw willpower to the wind and buy one, we then had to pick from a very alluring choice.
We plumped for a "Bolo de Chocolate" at 3.25 euros. We felt obliged to sample this as soon as we got back to the cottage. Soft, fresh, MOIST and delicious. It will stretch to about 8 generous portions (for greedy guzzlers like us). The only thing is the inside is not chocolate, just the outer coating. But that's no criticism really as the sides are plastered with chopped nuts and it really was quite superb.
We can get lovely fresh baguettes, rolls, and loaves from the bread man. We bought 6 bread rolls, and two slices of sponge cake for a total of 1.33 euros. The bread is always soft and delicious, and the cakes were probably the best we have tasted since we arrived. One had a really yellowy custard in it, and the other was probably cinnamon and dates.
The only problem is with these vans is that it's a bit like trying to catch the icecream van. We never know when they will appear. And we either spot the bread van when the wallet is in the house, and we don't have any loose change in our pockets, or we only notice him as he's disappearing up the exit track.
Today we were very naughty and tried one of the fresh cakes from the fridge in Ecomarche that we have been salivating over for some time. The only problem is, once we made the decision to throw willpower to the wind and buy one, we then had to pick from a very alluring choice.
We plumped for a "Bolo de Chocolate" at 3.25 euros. We felt obliged to sample this as soon as we got back to the cottage. Soft, fresh, MOIST and delicious. It will stretch to about 8 generous portions (for greedy guzzlers like us). The only thing is the inside is not chocolate, just the outer coating. But that's no criticism really as the sides are plastered with chopped nuts and it really was quite superb.
Hidden Treasures
The forecast for the next few days isn't great. Rain and thunder possibly. We light the fire every night though some days we feel that we need to light it early afternoon, and on other days when the sun is out, it does not get lit until about 1800 hours. It gets dark about 1820 hours at the moment.
Yesterday we were out near Arcozelo [Gouveia]. It was a beautiful sunny day after a couple of days of rain. We walked on part of the PR3 to a group of granite rocks that had steps, and a grave, hewn into the rock. The formations of the rocks were impressive, and added to that were wonderful views and archaeology - we felt like we had found treasure.
Today, another glorious day of sunshine after a night of quite heavy rain. We went over to Fiais da Beira to the remnants of an agricultural village, consisting of approximately 75 buildings. The array of buildings are built over a granitic plateau and are still amazingly intact. It felt very special to be allowed to explore this lovely place.
The green meadows and agricultural fields, beneath the pruned grapevines, are beginning to brighten with white, pink and yellow spring flowers. At the same time, in the distance, is the stunning sight of the snow-ridden Serra da Estrela. Magnificent.
We managed to find some information about walks in and around Gouveia, ie the PR1, PR2, and PR3. A downloadable file (28 pages) is available at this link
There are more walks outlined at this link just click on the word Percursos to open the hyperlink to the listed walks.
Yesterday we were out near Arcozelo [Gouveia]. It was a beautiful sunny day after a couple of days of rain. We walked on part of the PR3 to a group of granite rocks that had steps, and a grave, hewn into the rock. The formations of the rocks were impressive, and added to that were wonderful views and archaeology - we felt like we had found treasure.
Today, another glorious day of sunshine after a night of quite heavy rain. We went over to Fiais da Beira to the remnants of an agricultural village, consisting of approximately 75 buildings. The array of buildings are built over a granitic plateau and are still amazingly intact. It felt very special to be allowed to explore this lovely place.
The green meadows and agricultural fields, beneath the pruned grapevines, are beginning to brighten with white, pink and yellow spring flowers. At the same time, in the distance, is the stunning sight of the snow-ridden Serra da Estrela. Magnificent.
We managed to find some information about walks in and around Gouveia, ie the PR1, PR2, and PR3. A downloadable file (28 pages) is available at this link
There are more walks outlined at this link just click on the word Percursos to open the hyperlink to the listed walks.
Wednesday 17 February 2010
Coja Carnival
Yesterday we went over to Coja for the Carnival due to begin at 1500 hours. The Carnival marks the beginning of Lent and takes place on Shrove Tuesday. The floats were gathering in the grounds of the Galp fuel station on the end of town we came in on, so it meant the road was blocked off and the parked cars lined the road on the outskirts.
Though spectators were gathering in groups from the Galp station onwards, we made our way to the main square to meet our friends.
Despite the rain there was a pleasant buzz in the air. A relaxed excitement.
The floats didn't make their appearance at the square until nearer 1600 hours. But then the parade lasted for at least an hour. Imagine the smell of popcorn and the sound of big bass drums, whistles, horns and trumpets. There were varied and colourful costumes, clowns, bumble bees, animals. Water bags launched from one vehicle were caught and lobbed back at the sender, much to everyone's amusement. Children in the crowd had dressed up specially for the event, dressed as princesses, clowns, gladiators. People were wearing crazy hats or wigs.
Because of the rain it was difficult to get good pictures of the floats. It was really nice to see all age groups participating and spectating. The buildings around the square had people looking from balconies and windows.
After the parade we went up to Gordon's bar and had a beer. Then Keith and Kathy were invited to the house of a Portugese friend of theirs, and we were made welcome too. We felt very honoured to be able to participate in their celebration and to receive such hospitality. We were plied with food and drink, Serra da Estrela cheese, wine, homemade bread, goats cheese, and another soft cured cheese. The meat eaters were enjoying wild boar sausages, hams, and other types of meats. After the savoury came an assortment of puddings and then the spirits to finish off. Jon tried Aguardente (a smooth and fiery, brandy tasting spirit). At 1900 hours we all traipsed upstairs onto the balcony for a wonderful view of the firework display on Coja bridge. The display lasted about 15 minutes.
All in all a wonderful day.
Though spectators were gathering in groups from the Galp station onwards, we made our way to the main square to meet our friends.
Despite the rain there was a pleasant buzz in the air. A relaxed excitement.
The floats didn't make their appearance at the square until nearer 1600 hours. But then the parade lasted for at least an hour. Imagine the smell of popcorn and the sound of big bass drums, whistles, horns and trumpets. There were varied and colourful costumes, clowns, bumble bees, animals. Water bags launched from one vehicle were caught and lobbed back at the sender, much to everyone's amusement. Children in the crowd had dressed up specially for the event, dressed as princesses, clowns, gladiators. People were wearing crazy hats or wigs.
Because of the rain it was difficult to get good pictures of the floats. It was really nice to see all age groups participating and spectating. The buildings around the square had people looking from balconies and windows.
After the parade we went up to Gordon's bar and had a beer. Then Keith and Kathy were invited to the house of a Portugese friend of theirs, and we were made welcome too. We felt very honoured to be able to participate in their celebration and to receive such hospitality. We were plied with food and drink, Serra da Estrela cheese, wine, homemade bread, goats cheese, and another soft cured cheese. The meat eaters were enjoying wild boar sausages, hams, and other types of meats. After the savoury came an assortment of puddings and then the spirits to finish off. Jon tried Aguardente (a smooth and fiery, brandy tasting spirit). At 1900 hours we all traipsed upstairs onto the balcony for a wonderful view of the firework display on Coja bridge. The display lasted about 15 minutes.
All in all a wonderful day.
Monday 15 February 2010
Spring
It's distinctly chilly today, overcast and windy, and the sun is struggling to show through. We lit the fire about one hour ago and have resigned ourselves to a "make and mend" day. It rained heavily during the night and the forecast is for more rain today but it hasn't appeared yet.
Yesterday we drove down through Penalva da Alva in weak sunshine. The mimosa trees are all in bloom and look glorious. So is spring officially here? The festa period has started again this week. We saw people in fancy dress costume, and we are meeting friends in Coja tomorrow to see the carnival floats, then at 1900 hours there will be a firework display on the bridge. Let's hope it warms up a bit, and stays dry.
We are a bit stir crazy to be out walking and exploring the mountains a bit more, but our car isn't four wheel drive, and we daren't risk going up those winding steep mountain roads unless we know it's safe. It's deceiving that while in the valleys it is relatively mild, the Serra da Estrela is swathed in snow.
A look at the Manteigas webcam confirmed our decision to stay low was the right one.
This is Manteigas just before 1300 hours today.
Yesterday we cooked ourselves a romantic meal for Valentine's Day and generally spoilt one another more than usual. There is definitely a feeling of love in the air. Spring is so sexy.
Yesterday we drove down through Penalva da Alva in weak sunshine. The mimosa trees are all in bloom and look glorious. So is spring officially here? The festa period has started again this week. We saw people in fancy dress costume, and we are meeting friends in Coja tomorrow to see the carnival floats, then at 1900 hours there will be a firework display on the bridge. Let's hope it warms up a bit, and stays dry.
We are a bit stir crazy to be out walking and exploring the mountains a bit more, but our car isn't four wheel drive, and we daren't risk going up those winding steep mountain roads unless we know it's safe. It's deceiving that while in the valleys it is relatively mild, the Serra da Estrela is swathed in snow.
A look at the Manteigas webcam confirmed our decision to stay low was the right one.
This is Manteigas just before 1300 hours today.
Yesterday we cooked ourselves a romantic meal for Valentine's Day and generally spoilt one another more than usual. There is definitely a feeling of love in the air. Spring is so sexy.
Thursday 11 February 2010
Pneus Tyres
Today the weather has been glorious sunshine. Not sure what has happened to the forecast. Last night the forecast for today was mostly rain, and this morning it had changed to say it would be cloudy mainly. And yet, it must be 15 degrees Celsius or more. It feels like a beautiful May Day in the UK. Our washing that only went out at about 10.30 this morning was bone dry by 13.30 hours.
We had to get a couple of new tyres for the car. We tried a place just off the N17 down a side street, opposite the main turn off for Oliveira do Hospital. The garage had been recommended to us by a friend.
They were already busy with changing tyres on another car when we arrived, so we just loitered in the entrance way until someone came over to see what we needed. The lady spoke a smattering of English, and with our smattering of Portugese we managed to understand one another. We had been told by someone that it comes a bit of a shock to them if you walk straight up to them and begin explaining what you want. Play it cool, be patient, and when they can they will see to you.
She asked us if we wanted new or remoulds. We explained that we wanted new, mid range cost-wise. Then she checked the tyre size, went off for a few minutes, came back and had written down the options. We could go for an Asphalt at 39.50 per tyre, or for another make, for 50.00 euros per tyre. We chose the 39.50 ones. In the UK we usually pay about £30 per tyre so we were quite content.
They instructed us to pull the car in, put it up on a ramp, and within 20 minutes we had paid up and with a friendly goodbye, we were on our way. All in all, a very painless experience.
One thing to take into account is that most of these places seem to shut down entirely over lunch. So we knew that we would either have to hit them mid morning or sometime after 1430 hours to be on the safe side.
We had been procrastinating about changing our tyres because we were a bit worried how we would get on without speaking fluent Portugese. But judging from some of the used tyres discarded at the side of the garage, ours could have lasted another 12 months! Some of them were really bald. And considering the way some people drive over here it's worrying.
While we were driving up the N17 we spotted an Express coach heading in the opposite direction, towards Lisbon. This was just after 11.00 hours. We think they were just about to do a pick up at the next village on the N17 where quite a crowd was gathered (Beira, by the turn off for Galizes). We don't know whether this is a weekly trip, or a daily one, but thought we would record it here for future reference.
We had to get a couple of new tyres for the car. We tried a place just off the N17 down a side street, opposite the main turn off for Oliveira do Hospital. The garage had been recommended to us by a friend.
They were already busy with changing tyres on another car when we arrived, so we just loitered in the entrance way until someone came over to see what we needed. The lady spoke a smattering of English, and with our smattering of Portugese we managed to understand one another. We had been told by someone that it comes a bit of a shock to them if you walk straight up to them and begin explaining what you want. Play it cool, be patient, and when they can they will see to you.
She asked us if we wanted new or remoulds. We explained that we wanted new, mid range cost-wise. Then she checked the tyre size, went off for a few minutes, came back and had written down the options. We could go for an Asphalt at 39.50 per tyre, or for another make, for 50.00 euros per tyre. We chose the 39.50 ones. In the UK we usually pay about £30 per tyre so we were quite content.
They instructed us to pull the car in, put it up on a ramp, and within 20 minutes we had paid up and with a friendly goodbye, we were on our way. All in all, a very painless experience.
One thing to take into account is that most of these places seem to shut down entirely over lunch. So we knew that we would either have to hit them mid morning or sometime after 1430 hours to be on the safe side.
We had been procrastinating about changing our tyres because we were a bit worried how we would get on without speaking fluent Portugese. But judging from some of the used tyres discarded at the side of the garage, ours could have lasted another 12 months! Some of them were really bald. And considering the way some people drive over here it's worrying.
While we were driving up the N17 we spotted an Express coach heading in the opposite direction, towards Lisbon. This was just after 11.00 hours. We think they were just about to do a pick up at the next village on the N17 where quite a crowd was gathered (Beira, by the turn off for Galizes). We don't know whether this is a weekly trip, or a daily one, but thought we would record it here for future reference.
Wednesday 10 February 2010
Muddy Walkers
Generally the weather has grown a bit milder, but there seems to be a return of rain. We checked the weather forecast yesterday and it looked very promising, only 20% chance of rain, so we set off for a 16km walk SW of Tabua (that we found from a link posted on Expats Portugal ie http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/home.do)
But after only a few miles light rain had started. So we were unlucky there, but unthwarted, we donned our waterproof coats.
Another mile or so along the forest tracks and we came to a stretch that was virtually impassable. Okay we could have done it in thigh length wellies! The forest track had been churned up by some heavy vehicle and it looked like a scene from Glastonbury. Even if we managed to wade through, we didn't know how much more to expect further on. So, a bit disappointed we retraced our steps. We wouldn't even attempt to come back and do this walk until it has been dry weather for a few weeks.
We returned to Tabua, popped to the Post Office to post a birthday card to Shannon, and then we went to the Farmacia. It's been a revelation to be able to buy some drugs over the counter here that in the UK are prescription only. It was one of our worries that we were only able to bring 3 months supply of our prescription drugs from the UK. So we have to pay for them, and they are not cheap, but it's only for the short term. When we move out here permanently we will try and get onto a local doctor's books, and with a Portugal prescription the cost will be way less.
On our way back we stopped off at a little picnic spot at Covas to eat our packed lunch. The sun was out by now and all we could hear were bleating sheep. We were quite amused to see a herd of sheep following a few naughty goats to fresh pastures. The poor old shepherd was blissfully unaware of the exodus until the last few stragglers started running down the hill to join the escapees. We have to admire goats really, even though they ate all our veggies, as they're quite anarchic.
But after only a few miles light rain had started. So we were unlucky there, but unthwarted, we donned our waterproof coats.
Another mile or so along the forest tracks and we came to a stretch that was virtually impassable. Okay we could have done it in thigh length wellies! The forest track had been churned up by some heavy vehicle and it looked like a scene from Glastonbury. Even if we managed to wade through, we didn't know how much more to expect further on. So, a bit disappointed we retraced our steps. We wouldn't even attempt to come back and do this walk until it has been dry weather for a few weeks.
We returned to Tabua, popped to the Post Office to post a birthday card to Shannon, and then we went to the Farmacia. It's been a revelation to be able to buy some drugs over the counter here that in the UK are prescription only. It was one of our worries that we were only able to bring 3 months supply of our prescription drugs from the UK. So we have to pay for them, and they are not cheap, but it's only for the short term. When we move out here permanently we will try and get onto a local doctor's books, and with a Portugal prescription the cost will be way less.
On our way back we stopped off at a little picnic spot at Covas to eat our packed lunch. The sun was out by now and all we could hear were bleating sheep. We were quite amused to see a herd of sheep following a few naughty goats to fresh pastures. The poor old shepherd was blissfully unaware of the exodus until the last few stragglers started running down the hill to join the escapees. We have to admire goats really, even though they ate all our veggies, as they're quite anarchic.
Thursday 4 February 2010
Plug Plants Available
The rain promised yesterday probably appeared after we had actually gone to bed as we never heard it, but the ground was wet this morning. We drove over to Arganil to visit the market. The plant sellers were there with healthy plug plants; cabbages, tomatoes, peppers, leeks, and lettuce.
We bought some vegetables off the market; a huge bunch of fresh watercress and another huge bunch of flat leaf parsely, six juicy vine tomatoes, a lettuce and about half a dozen turnips all for about 5 1/2 euros. Then we had a lovely cafe meio leite in a cafe and treated ourselves to fresh doughnuts. Delicious.
While the weather was overcast, there were glimpses of sunshine, and overall it felt very warm and there was a happy bustle. A lovely morning. Back over towards Oliveira the sunshine was more sparse and now it is raining and it doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon. Time to light the stove.
We bought some vegetables off the market; a huge bunch of fresh watercress and another huge bunch of flat leaf parsely, six juicy vine tomatoes, a lettuce and about half a dozen turnips all for about 5 1/2 euros. Then we had a lovely cafe meio leite in a cafe and treated ourselves to fresh doughnuts. Delicious.
While the weather was overcast, there were glimpses of sunshine, and overall it felt very warm and there was a happy bustle. A lovely morning. Back over towards Oliveira the sunshine was more sparse and now it is raining and it doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon. Time to light the stove.
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Mata do Desterro - River Alva Walk
We have had three frosty nights in a row. But today it hasn't been the usual endless sunshine we have come to expect following a frost. It's rather overcast and cool, and the forecast suggests that there is a high chance of rain by 1600 hours.
It's now 1530 hours and we have not long lit the wood burning stove. The landlady came over today to sweep the chimney earlier, so hopefully the stove will burn more efficiently. When the stove gets stoked up it puffs smoke back into the room so you have to open all the windows and doors. Last night we just gave up on it as no matter what we did the fire just languished, there was no heat, and the radiators failed to warm up. Even Twig is cold. She tries to get on your lap to warm herself through and it's a bit difficult to type with a laptop and a cat on your lap!
Yesterday we were out walking again, and at the risk of being repetitive, we chose a walk that ran through the Mata do Desterro again (circular route from Senhora do Desterro), but this time the walk continued up into the valley and then ran back down above the River Alva.
It's hard to believe that the water in this river, unless it gets diverted in the meantime, will run past the cottage we are renting (about 20 miles away).
It was fantastic weather, the sunshine was wonderful. We had calibrated the map of the walk onto the gps and though there was a discrepancy of about 20 feet, it served us well. The only problem we had was near the end of the walk where we had to cross a water course that forms part of the hydroelectro works. The path across the water course was blocked by a locked gate. We have notified the site in the hope that they will rework the route so that it prevents others experiencing the same problem. This walk (12km) and other "Percurso Pedestre" are at the Turismo Guarda.pt site. The link also provides routes for cars. As our Portugese is still "muito pobre" we use Babel Fish to translate either words, sentences, paragraphs, or the entire Web page.
It's now 1530 hours and we have not long lit the wood burning stove. The landlady came over today to sweep the chimney earlier, so hopefully the stove will burn more efficiently. When the stove gets stoked up it puffs smoke back into the room so you have to open all the windows and doors. Last night we just gave up on it as no matter what we did the fire just languished, there was no heat, and the radiators failed to warm up. Even Twig is cold. She tries to get on your lap to warm herself through and it's a bit difficult to type with a laptop and a cat on your lap!
Yesterday we were out walking again, and at the risk of being repetitive, we chose a walk that ran through the Mata do Desterro again (circular route from Senhora do Desterro), but this time the walk continued up into the valley and then ran back down above the River Alva.
It's hard to believe that the water in this river, unless it gets diverted in the meantime, will run past the cottage we are renting (about 20 miles away).
It was fantastic weather, the sunshine was wonderful. We had calibrated the map of the walk onto the gps and though there was a discrepancy of about 20 feet, it served us well. The only problem we had was near the end of the walk where we had to cross a water course that forms part of the hydroelectro works. The path across the water course was blocked by a locked gate. We have notified the site in the hope that they will rework the route so that it prevents others experiencing the same problem. This walk (12km) and other "Percurso Pedestre" are at the Turismo Guarda.pt site. The link also provides routes for cars. As our Portugese is still "muito pobre" we use Babel Fish to translate either words, sentences, paragraphs, or the entire Web page.
Water Supply Fixed
Our water supply is all back on and connected to the mains.
However, it wasn't as straightforward as we had thought it would be. It turns out that the owner of the property is responsible for providing the box, or structure, to house the Council's water meter equipment. That meant that before the council could come and reconnect, our landlady had to sort out a new location for the box to sit, and get it built. Obviously the bank where the box used to be was no longer feasible (eroded), so she arranged to have it sit up against the wall of the house next door so the foundations are solid. It's only a simple structure, nothing too sophisticated.
Once the box was sorted the council arrived, on Monday (1st Feb 2010). There was a gang of about 4 people. They had to dig down to find the main pipe then alter the length of it to fit snugly into the new box. They also reconnected the original meter. The only trouble was we only found out they had arrived and started working when we turned on the tap to find we had no water.
However, within two hours they went, job done. Only they don't connect the water to the house again. That was another job for the owner.
Eventually, we got our water all connected back on, and the meter in situ working perfectly, all in the same day. The water is coming out of the taps cloudy, but clears after a while. It's probably perfectly safe but we tend not to use it for drinking unless it's boiled first.
However, it wasn't as straightforward as we had thought it would be. It turns out that the owner of the property is responsible for providing the box, or structure, to house the Council's water meter equipment. That meant that before the council could come and reconnect, our landlady had to sort out a new location for the box to sit, and get it built. Obviously the bank where the box used to be was no longer feasible (eroded), so she arranged to have it sit up against the wall of the house next door so the foundations are solid. It's only a simple structure, nothing too sophisticated.
Once the box was sorted the council arrived, on Monday (1st Feb 2010). There was a gang of about 4 people. They had to dig down to find the main pipe then alter the length of it to fit snugly into the new box. They also reconnected the original meter. The only trouble was we only found out they had arrived and started working when we turned on the tap to find we had no water.
However, within two hours they went, job done. Only they don't connect the water to the house again. That was another job for the owner.
Eventually, we got our water all connected back on, and the meter in situ working perfectly, all in the same day. The water is coming out of the taps cloudy, but clears after a while. It's probably perfectly safe but we tend not to use it for drinking unless it's boiled first.
Sunday 31 January 2010
Back Online
Our telephone (and internet) were out for 9 days. Yesterday (Saturday) a telephone engineer turned up in the afternoon and spent 3 hours looking for the fault. It transpired that damage had been caused to the telephone line further afield by people hunting. Anyway, it's good to be back online and being able to Skype our families.
Here is a quick overview of what we've been up to:
We went up into the Serra da Estrela just above Seia, to a pretty little village called Senhora do Desterro that has 5 chapels. From here we walked to Praia Fluvial da Caniça. We had the place to ourselves, but in summer this place must be brimming with people. Before we walked back we wandered down to "Buraco da Moura", a granitic cave. Jon was brave enough to venture inside and discovered that there seems to be quite a network of tunnels off the main chamber.
On another day we decided to go on a exploratory walk from Alvôco das Várzeas. We followed a caminho florestal for about 2 1/2 miles, all uphill, until we came to signposts indicating we could either continue on to Chao Sobral, retrace our steps, or tromp back down another caminho florestal to Parente. We chose to walk to Parente, that was about another 2-3 miles but all downhill, and from Parente we walked the final short stretch back to Alvôco das Várzeas along the road (and mostly flat). There were great views of the mountains, the valley and villages on the walk, but the first 40 minutes on the uphill stretch to Chao Sobral was pretty mundane as the trees lower down obscured the views.
We returned to Senhora do Desterro twice to explore the Mata do Desterro. The Mata provides 3 walks (percursos pedestres, PR1, PR2 and PR3). We explored PR3 and PR2 on two different days. We also did a small detour to Cabeça da Velha where there is a large granite rock that resembles the face of an old lady. The views were also really great.
The PR3 is the hardest and steepest, it takes you all the way to the top of the Mata, firstly through pine forest and then through a landscape of granite rock formations. Absolutely stunning views and landscape. We went on 24 January 2010, and the weather was fabulous. In contrast, when the next day we did the PR2 route, the weather was much chillier and there was a smattering of snow on the ground. There was a biting chill wind, though in the sheltered spots the sun was wonderfully warm. This walk was again through forest to begin with, and less steep than the PR3 route. Again, the views opened up to allow you to enjoy the fantastic scenery. The return path is mainly downhill/flat.
Being without the internet we made use of the free internet service at Coja library and Oliveira do Hospital. At Coja the computers are old and cronky and extremely slow. The computers at Oliveira were much better but you are not allowed to use the service at Oliveira without registering and being allotted a username and password. The "Monitor" at the Oliveira library speaks good English. The library at Oliveira is on the first floor inside the Casa da Cultura. To register you have to take a photocopy of your proof of ID, eg passport and fill in a form.
Several other things have happened in the past week worthy of mention:
Twig is back! Twig went awol when we went to the Algarve last December. Our landlady took Twig to live with her in a nearby village, the intention being that it would be a permanent move. But after a couple of days Twig ran off. We hoped she would make her way back to the cottage but after two months we'd more or less given up. And then a neighbour of our landlady spotted a little cat that fitted Twig's description near her barn. Twig is now safely ensconced back at the cottage. She's become very clingy, following us up and downstairs and insisting that she sit on our laps almost all the time (she's on Jon's lap as I am typing this). The poor little mite is half the size she was when we last saw her, but her fur is still luxuriously soft and clean and her eyes bright. It's good to have her back in town, though we are not counting on her to dispose of the new mouse who has taken residence!
The second thing is that we saw the second episode of Surivors on the tv on Tuesday night. There was this action scene where they run into an enemy gang and there is lots of chasing and fighting. And all of this was set in the grounds of the old HQ for West Midlands Fire Service in Birmingham! The new HQ is now a purpose built building a few miles down the road. On this footage, the nodding geyser who first appears is none other than Firefighter Tony Ball from Bilston Fire Station (E7)! Jon worked for the West Midlands Fire Service for 30 years and retired in May 09, and I worked for the Fire Service for 14 years. We both spent some time at the HQ either in the office block, or going up there for meetings etc. It was really weird to see it on the tv!
Weather wise - we've had a run of good weather from mid January onwards. Before that it was very wet, and now we get some glorious sunny days with frosty nights.
The only other thing to mention for now is that we have discovered "Sempreviva". This is a shop, not unlike Wilkinsons. We only wish we had found it five months ago! It's situated on the N17 near Oliveira, slightly offset, on the opposite side of the road, from Lidl.
Here is a quick overview of what we've been up to:
We went up into the Serra da Estrela just above Seia, to a pretty little village called Senhora do Desterro that has 5 chapels. From here we walked to Praia Fluvial da Caniça. We had the place to ourselves, but in summer this place must be brimming with people. Before we walked back we wandered down to "Buraco da Moura", a granitic cave. Jon was brave enough to venture inside and discovered that there seems to be quite a network of tunnels off the main chamber.
On another day we decided to go on a exploratory walk from Alvôco das Várzeas. We followed a caminho florestal for about 2 1/2 miles, all uphill, until we came to signposts indicating we could either continue on to Chao Sobral, retrace our steps, or tromp back down another caminho florestal to Parente. We chose to walk to Parente, that was about another 2-3 miles but all downhill, and from Parente we walked the final short stretch back to Alvôco das Várzeas along the road (and mostly flat). There were great views of the mountains, the valley and villages on the walk, but the first 40 minutes on the uphill stretch to Chao Sobral was pretty mundane as the trees lower down obscured the views.
We returned to Senhora do Desterro twice to explore the Mata do Desterro. The Mata provides 3 walks (percursos pedestres, PR1, PR2 and PR3). We explored PR3 and PR2 on two different days. We also did a small detour to Cabeça da Velha where there is a large granite rock that resembles the face of an old lady. The views were also really great.
The PR3 is the hardest and steepest, it takes you all the way to the top of the Mata, firstly through pine forest and then through a landscape of granite rock formations. Absolutely stunning views and landscape. We went on 24 January 2010, and the weather was fabulous. In contrast, when the next day we did the PR2 route, the weather was much chillier and there was a smattering of snow on the ground. There was a biting chill wind, though in the sheltered spots the sun was wonderfully warm. This walk was again through forest to begin with, and less steep than the PR3 route. Again, the views opened up to allow you to enjoy the fantastic scenery. The return path is mainly downhill/flat.
Being without the internet we made use of the free internet service at Coja library and Oliveira do Hospital. At Coja the computers are old and cronky and extremely slow. The computers at Oliveira were much better but you are not allowed to use the service at Oliveira without registering and being allotted a username and password. The "Monitor" at the Oliveira library speaks good English. The library at Oliveira is on the first floor inside the Casa da Cultura. To register you have to take a photocopy of your proof of ID, eg passport and fill in a form.
Several other things have happened in the past week worthy of mention:
Twig is back! Twig went awol when we went to the Algarve last December. Our landlady took Twig to live with her in a nearby village, the intention being that it would be a permanent move. But after a couple of days Twig ran off. We hoped she would make her way back to the cottage but after two months we'd more or less given up. And then a neighbour of our landlady spotted a little cat that fitted Twig's description near her barn. Twig is now safely ensconced back at the cottage. She's become very clingy, following us up and downstairs and insisting that she sit on our laps almost all the time (she's on Jon's lap as I am typing this). The poor little mite is half the size she was when we last saw her, but her fur is still luxuriously soft and clean and her eyes bright. It's good to have her back in town, though we are not counting on her to dispose of the new mouse who has taken residence!
The second thing is that we saw the second episode of Surivors on the tv on Tuesday night. There was this action scene where they run into an enemy gang and there is lots of chasing and fighting. And all of this was set in the grounds of the old HQ for West Midlands Fire Service in Birmingham! The new HQ is now a purpose built building a few miles down the road. On this footage, the nodding geyser who first appears is none other than Firefighter Tony Ball from Bilston Fire Station (E7)! Jon worked for the West Midlands Fire Service for 30 years and retired in May 09, and I worked for the Fire Service for 14 years. We both spent some time at the HQ either in the office block, or going up there for meetings etc. It was really weird to see it on the tv!
Weather wise - we've had a run of good weather from mid January onwards. Before that it was very wet, and now we get some glorious sunny days with frosty nights.
The only other thing to mention for now is that we have discovered "Sempreviva". This is a shop, not unlike Wilkinsons. We only wish we had found it five months ago! It's situated on the N17 near Oliveira, slightly offset, on the opposite side of the road, from Lidl.
Monday 18 January 2010
Gripe gets a Grip?
Jon and I are both a little under the weather at the moment. Jon is over the worst of his heavy cold. Can't be flu (gripe) as there were no aches and pains or a fever. He now has a racking chesty cough that we have to try and shift. And then in the middle of the night on Saturday I started sneezing for Britain. Last week I was acting as Florence Nightingale and now Jon is doing his turn. He's just making us a potato and leek soup to have for lunch.
Re medicines. The supermarkets around here don't sell medicines or drugs, unless you want foot powder or antiseptic gels. For anything else you have to go to the farmacia. The nearest to us is about 5 miles away at Galizes (near the post office).
I managed to ask for some medicine for the gripe and for nasal congestion. I paid 4 euros for tablets but back at the cottage and a close inspection revealed that they weren't much stronger than the paracetomol we brought with us. As luck would have it we had brought some cough medicine with us, a few Sudafed capsules and some Lemsips. Then our landlady kindly offered to try and ask for something at the farmacia like Sinutab. Amazingly, she managed to buy some Sinutab. It cost 4.61 for 20 tablets but it's good stuff.
Yesterday I had the choice of lying in bed under sufferance (Jon was trying to get me back for making him rest while he was ill) or convalescing on the balcony in the gorgeous hot sunshine. Guess what won? It was like a hot summer day in the UK. Today it's overcast again but very mild.
Re medicines. The supermarkets around here don't sell medicines or drugs, unless you want foot powder or antiseptic gels. For anything else you have to go to the farmacia. The nearest to us is about 5 miles away at Galizes (near the post office).
I managed to ask for some medicine for the gripe and for nasal congestion. I paid 4 euros for tablets but back at the cottage and a close inspection revealed that they weren't much stronger than the paracetomol we brought with us. As luck would have it we had brought some cough medicine with us, a few Sudafed capsules and some Lemsips. Then our landlady kindly offered to try and ask for something at the farmacia like Sinutab. Amazingly, she managed to buy some Sinutab. It cost 4.61 for 20 tablets but it's good stuff.
Yesterday I had the choice of lying in bed under sufferance (Jon was trying to get me back for making him rest while he was ill) or convalescing on the balcony in the gorgeous hot sunshine. Guess what won? It was like a hot summer day in the UK. Today it's overcast again but very mild.
Friday 15 January 2010
Mudslide takes out Water Supply
Sensational stuff yesterday, here at the quinta! We have had lots of rain, 3 days solid probably. About midday yesterday there was a bang and a thud and then the sound of a geyser of water spurting down the garden and hitting one of the galvanised roofs. From the cottage windows we couldn't make head or tail of it. But closer inspection revealed that the concrete junction box for the mains water supply (plus meter) was now down about 10 feet from where it used to be on the track. It was now in the garden, upside down. And the water was trained across the garden.
Can we take all this drama on our very own doorstep?
Of course it meant that once the water in the pipes was gone we would be without tap water. We filled as many containers as we could. Our landlady brought water with her from the font. And for flushing the loo we could make do with buckets filled up with water from the butts.
However all that was unnecessary. The landlady and a neighbour did a great job of patching up the disaster area and getting us reconnected to the mains.
The bank where the concrete box used to be has disintegrated. The temporary fix is dripping water. And as they rigged up the meter again, we will be paying for any water leakage. Let's hope the camara (council) get it sorted out sooner rather than later. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for them to come out and sort it.
Watch out for the next installment!
By the way, it's raining again today.
Can we take all this drama on our very own doorstep?
Of course it meant that once the water in the pipes was gone we would be without tap water. We filled as many containers as we could. Our landlady brought water with her from the font. And for flushing the loo we could make do with buckets filled up with water from the butts.
However all that was unnecessary. The landlady and a neighbour did a great job of patching up the disaster area and getting us reconnected to the mains.
The bank where the concrete box used to be has disintegrated. The temporary fix is dripping water. And as they rigged up the meter again, we will be paying for any water leakage. Let's hope the camara (council) get it sorted out sooner rather than later. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for them to come out and sort it.
Watch out for the next installment!
By the way, it's raining again today.
Thursday 14 January 2010
Central Portugal Album January 2010
Compilation of pictures taken during January 2010 in Central Portugal - link also on right hand side. Having to do this as the Picasa slideshow is not behaving itself and we can't display all the pics. A web album is limited to 500 pics per album.
Tuesday 12 January 2010
Penela
Yesterday we went to Penela to explore a little. We visited the information centre and the lady there was really helpful and spoke some English. She gave us leaflets and a map of places to visit in the surrounding area.
We spent quite some time looking around the castle (free entry). There was quite a lot of it to explore, though there were some odd constructions/houses scattered about, that we thought might be left over from Christmas grottos.
The views from the castle were fantastic. In the distance we could see snow topped mountains that were part of the Serra da Lousa.
After Penela we visited a miradouro (viewpoint) to get a glimpse of a 25m waterfall called Pedra da Ferida (Wounded Stone). On our way there we noticed signs for a river beach higher up in the mountains called Praia Fluvial da Louçainha (pic below). We made our way there and were not disappointed. This place is a natural fresh water river beach on the mountain road from Campelo to Lousa and has the usual infrastructure of restaurant, toilets, picnic/barbecue area etc. Of course in winter it was deserted, the roads were icy and there was snow all around.
After visiting the river beach we headed home as we wanted to go a different route back to avoid some of the icy roads we had encountered near Gois/Lousa on the way out that morning.
We spent quite some time looking around the castle (free entry). There was quite a lot of it to explore, though there were some odd constructions/houses scattered about, that we thought might be left over from Christmas grottos.
The views from the castle were fantastic. In the distance we could see snow topped mountains that were part of the Serra da Lousa.
After Penela we visited a miradouro (viewpoint) to get a glimpse of a 25m waterfall called Pedra da Ferida (Wounded Stone). On our way there we noticed signs for a river beach higher up in the mountains called Praia Fluvial da Louçainha (pic below). We made our way there and were not disappointed. This place is a natural fresh water river beach on the mountain road from Campelo to Lousa and has the usual infrastructure of restaurant, toilets, picnic/barbecue area etc. Of course in winter it was deserted, the roads were icy and there was snow all around.
After visiting the river beach we headed home as we wanted to go a different route back to avoid some of the icy roads we had encountered near Gois/Lousa on the way out that morning.
Friday 8 January 2010
Walking and A Little Bit of History
On Thursday morning we had a frost, but the sun was shining so we went out for a walk near to Penacova. We started off at Portela da Oliveira where there are ruined windmills and fantastic panoramic views. We could see the Serra da Estrela clearly with its snow topped peaks.
There is actually a geocache here but as it is a multicache and we have problems translating the clues from Portugese, we decided to leave it for another day. We have details of another walk in the area of Penacova (10km).
The walk took us through several villages and though there was a bit of road walking, most of it was off road. We struggled a few times though as the map we had taken from one of the information boards was different to the actual waymarkers on the ground. We sometimes risked deviating from what was calibrated on our gps because we figured the waymarkers would lead us to the same place, albeit by a different route.
Again we were privileged to see parts of rural Portugal that lie off the beaten track. It was so warm we eventually succumbed and took off our coats. When we returned to the car we went into the tiny cafe near the mills and enjoyed a huge mug of cafe meio leite (milky coffee) and it was delicious. The gentleman who runs the cafe was really welcoming.
All in all a lovely winter's day.
Saturday - it was another frosty night but the sun was lovely and warm. We went out geocaching and they all gave us glimpses of Portugese history.
The first visit was to a memorial of a horrific train crash that happened in 1985 at Beira Alta. The train line is single track and at the time communications weren't sophisticated enough to warn the train drivers of the imminent collision. The memorial site marks the spot near where the collision occurred. Many people died. It was a very moving place to be.
We then visited a site with some Arte Rupestre near Mangualde. The carvings were made in granite stone and were quite distinct.
The last two caches were to dolmens. The first one (Anta da Cunha Baixa / Casa da Orca) dates back to the Middle Neolithic Age. It is the largest and best preserved dolmen in Portugal. The location was very peaceful and rural.
The last dolmen (Anta de Carvalhal da Louça) was a lot smaller but there have been finds of quartz blades/arrow heads. This last site was in what must have been a really impressive landscape at the time of its construction. Unfortunately, there is a busy main road nearby though so it does take some imagination to picture how it must have been.
Today, Sunday, no frost but we have had a snow shower! Quite windy too. The snow has not stuck as it's several degrees above freezing.
There is actually a geocache here but as it is a multicache and we have problems translating the clues from Portugese, we decided to leave it for another day. We have details of another walk in the area of Penacova (10km).
The walk took us through several villages and though there was a bit of road walking, most of it was off road. We struggled a few times though as the map we had taken from one of the information boards was different to the actual waymarkers on the ground. We sometimes risked deviating from what was calibrated on our gps because we figured the waymarkers would lead us to the same place, albeit by a different route.
Again we were privileged to see parts of rural Portugal that lie off the beaten track. It was so warm we eventually succumbed and took off our coats. When we returned to the car we went into the tiny cafe near the mills and enjoyed a huge mug of cafe meio leite (milky coffee) and it was delicious. The gentleman who runs the cafe was really welcoming.
All in all a lovely winter's day.
Saturday - it was another frosty night but the sun was lovely and warm. We went out geocaching and they all gave us glimpses of Portugese history.
The first visit was to a memorial of a horrific train crash that happened in 1985 at Beira Alta. The train line is single track and at the time communications weren't sophisticated enough to warn the train drivers of the imminent collision. The memorial site marks the spot near where the collision occurred. Many people died. It was a very moving place to be.
We then visited a site with some Arte Rupestre near Mangualde. The carvings were made in granite stone and were quite distinct.
The last two caches were to dolmens. The first one (Anta da Cunha Baixa / Casa da Orca) dates back to the Middle Neolithic Age. It is the largest and best preserved dolmen in Portugal. The location was very peaceful and rural.
The last dolmen (Anta de Carvalhal da Louça) was a lot smaller but there have been finds of quartz blades/arrow heads. This last site was in what must have been a really impressive landscape at the time of its construction. Unfortunately, there is a busy main road nearby though so it does take some imagination to picture how it must have been.
Today, Sunday, no frost but we have had a snow shower! Quite windy too. The snow has not stuck as it's several degrees above freezing.
Tuesday 5 January 2010
Weather Forecasts
One of the problems we have experienced is finding accurate weather forecasts for Central Portugal. Interestingly, different sites contradict each other quite a lot.
Until a few weeks ago we were relying on WeatherBug, but the nearest tracking station seems to be near to Porto (supposed to be one at Coimbra but it never seems to work). And generally, we have found that the forecast from Porto doesn't genuinely reflect what happens this far inland.
Back at home in the UK we always use http://www.weather.com/ and we have taken to looking at this site here, comparing Coimbra, Viseu and Covilha forecasts to get an average idea of what it might be doing in the triangle in between them - ie where we are.
For the rest of this week WeatherBug is predicting a run of minus Low temperatures (-1, -4 and -5) and yet on the weather.com site the Low figure does not fall below 1 or 2 degrees Celsius for the same period.
From now on we will be relying on the Weather.com site but we still need to check on a daily basis as the outlook changes dramatically from one day to the next.
Until a few weeks ago we were relying on WeatherBug, but the nearest tracking station seems to be near to Porto (supposed to be one at Coimbra but it never seems to work). And generally, we have found that the forecast from Porto doesn't genuinely reflect what happens this far inland.
Back at home in the UK we always use http://www.weather.com/ and we have taken to looking at this site here, comparing Coimbra, Viseu and Covilha forecasts to get an average idea of what it might be doing in the triangle in between them - ie where we are.
For the rest of this week WeatherBug is predicting a run of minus Low temperatures (-1, -4 and -5) and yet on the weather.com site the Low figure does not fall below 1 or 2 degrees Celsius for the same period.
From now on we will be relying on the Weather.com site but we still need to check on a daily basis as the outlook changes dramatically from one day to the next.
Monday 4 January 2010
Grumpy Old Griffithses
Today we didn't wake up grumpy even though we fancied going out for a walk and the weather forecast was mostly for "precipitation".
We didn't let the weather get us get down though, as we had two tasks.
One: Get money from the cash machine (as when we tried the one at Lidl on Saturday 2 January, it wasn't working. That wasn't too surprising seeing as it was after the Bank Holidays). Two: Go to the main post office at Galizes AGAIN to see if is open to collect a parcel that we have been trying to collect since Christmas.
One: Lidl cash machine still out of action. We then drove down to Intermarche at Oliveira hoping that their cash machine was working. Thankfully it was. Trouble was, our timing was wrong and we turned up just as the senior school next door to the supermarket was emptying for lunch. This means the cafe at the Intermarche and the queues at the till are full of testosterone infused lads and giggling girls. We ask ourselves, we were that irritating as teenagers? Er....yep!
Two: Our visit to the the Post Office was a failure AGAIN as it was still shut. It has now been closed since 24 December! The card we had left in our post box on Christmas Eve to tell us to collect a parcel had some printed data on it about dates and times but we didn't fully understand it. So when we tried on the Monday after Christmas and the post office was shut, we were philosophical, ah, of course it was shut until...Saturday. Saturday came, Post Office still shut. Our card, at a guess, said it would be open on Monday (today) from 0900 hours. No, still shut...but sign on the door now saying it would open at 1400 hours. As you can imagine we were doubtful. If this Post Office ever opened again it would be a miracle.
So, all in all, by now, we were feeling pretty grumpy.
Anyway, the good news is that when we went back after 2pm the Post Office WAS open at last. There was a lovely long queue of people waiting to have some service. The girl tried to be pleasant but we weren't in the mood. We managed to strangle a "Boa tarde". Anyway, we retrieved our parcel successfully on showing Jon's passport, and managed to post some letters off to the UK. Cue fanfare!
Back at the cottage, there was a break in the rain. With the warm sunshine on our faces and the birds singing in the trees you could almost believe Spring has arrived.
Jon opened the parcel that had a Christmas card and lovely gifts from Laura and Graham. Grumps immediately gone. A ray of sunshine just when it was needed most.
We didn't let the weather get us get down though, as we had two tasks.
One: Get money from the cash machine (as when we tried the one at Lidl on Saturday 2 January, it wasn't working. That wasn't too surprising seeing as it was after the Bank Holidays). Two: Go to the main post office at Galizes AGAIN to see if is open to collect a parcel that we have been trying to collect since Christmas.
One: Lidl cash machine still out of action. We then drove down to Intermarche at Oliveira hoping that their cash machine was working. Thankfully it was. Trouble was, our timing was wrong and we turned up just as the senior school next door to the supermarket was emptying for lunch. This means the cafe at the Intermarche and the queues at the till are full of testosterone infused lads and giggling girls. We ask ourselves, we were that irritating as teenagers? Er....yep!
Two: Our visit to the the Post Office was a failure AGAIN as it was still shut. It has now been closed since 24 December! The card we had left in our post box on Christmas Eve to tell us to collect a parcel had some printed data on it about dates and times but we didn't fully understand it. So when we tried on the Monday after Christmas and the post office was shut, we were philosophical, ah, of course it was shut until...Saturday. Saturday came, Post Office still shut. Our card, at a guess, said it would be open on Monday (today) from 0900 hours. No, still shut...but sign on the door now saying it would open at 1400 hours. As you can imagine we were doubtful. If this Post Office ever opened again it would be a miracle.
So, all in all, by now, we were feeling pretty grumpy.
Anyway, the good news is that when we went back after 2pm the Post Office WAS open at last. There was a lovely long queue of people waiting to have some service. The girl tried to be pleasant but we weren't in the mood. We managed to strangle a "Boa tarde". Anyway, we retrieved our parcel successfully on showing Jon's passport, and managed to post some letters off to the UK. Cue fanfare!
Back at the cottage, there was a break in the rain. With the warm sunshine on our faces and the birds singing in the trees you could almost believe Spring has arrived.
Jon opened the parcel that had a Christmas card and lovely gifts from Laura and Graham. Grumps immediately gone. A ray of sunshine just when it was needed most.
Friday 1 January 2010
New Year's Eve 2009
Another damp but mild day, interspersed with heavy showers. We went out geocaching about 0900 hours, armed with a packed lunch, and did not return until after dark. We then prepared and ate a hearty cooked meal with a glass of red wine and then snuggled down in front of the television to see the New Year in.
Friends had asked if we wanted to meet up at a bar to see the New Year in but we were tired, the roads were wet and slippy, and with the prospect of colliding with other alcohol infused drivers, we opted to stay home safe with the Wamsler warming the radiators.
By 10.30 hours we were lagging, the television failed to stop us from diving into a warm bed. But at midnight the valley came alive with the sounds of loud fireworks marking the transition into 2010. The hubbub lasted about 10 minutes and then we were both snoring again.
During the day we had visited several geocaches. The first was the "Prehistoric Circuit Fiais/Azenha" (Circuito pré-histórico de Fiais da Telha / Ameal) not too far from Carregal do Sal. It is an amazing place, the area littered with prehistoric burial chambers, art work etc.
The second cache was to Cabanas do Viriato where we learned that one of the streets was named after Aristides de Sousa Mendes, who helped thousands of people (mainly Jews) to escape Nazi territory. It wasn't until 1974 that the Portuguese Government acknowledged the actions of Aristides Sousa Mendes as heroic.
The third cache was at Caldas the Felgueira on the River Mondego. The water of Caldas da Felgueira helps patients suffering from skin diseases. It was discovered that the water can cure various types of diseases, such as asthma, bronchitis, muscle diseases, skin problems such as eczema, etc.
Then we visited another ancient burial site called Anta da Arcainha. Excavations at this site show that it probably originated from the neolithic period, but was also used during the Copper and Bronze ages. Though it has been plundered over the years, much of it still remains to give an impressive sight.
Finally we went to Lagares da Beira to do our final cache for the day. However, there was much activity in the small village with it being New Year's Eve. There were the massive logs in the square ready to be relit (from Christmas Eve), this is a custom in all the villages, a gathering point for the community to celebrate together. Dark clouds that had followed us as we moved from one site to another now caught up with us and we heard the first signs of thunder. Back home to light the fire, prepare our hearty meal, and snuggle down on the sofa, for the eve of the new year.
Friends had asked if we wanted to meet up at a bar to see the New Year in but we were tired, the roads were wet and slippy, and with the prospect of colliding with other alcohol infused drivers, we opted to stay home safe with the Wamsler warming the radiators.
By 10.30 hours we were lagging, the television failed to stop us from diving into a warm bed. But at midnight the valley came alive with the sounds of loud fireworks marking the transition into 2010. The hubbub lasted about 10 minutes and then we were both snoring again.
During the day we had visited several geocaches. The first was the "Prehistoric Circuit Fiais/Azenha" (Circuito pré-histórico de Fiais da Telha / Ameal) not too far from Carregal do Sal. It is an amazing place, the area littered with prehistoric burial chambers, art work etc.
The second cache was to Cabanas do Viriato where we learned that one of the streets was named after Aristides de Sousa Mendes, who helped thousands of people (mainly Jews) to escape Nazi territory. It wasn't until 1974 that the Portuguese Government acknowledged the actions of Aristides Sousa Mendes as heroic.
The third cache was at Caldas the Felgueira on the River Mondego. The water of Caldas da Felgueira helps patients suffering from skin diseases. It was discovered that the water can cure various types of diseases, such as asthma, bronchitis, muscle diseases, skin problems such as eczema, etc.
Then we visited another ancient burial site called Anta da Arcainha. Excavations at this site show that it probably originated from the neolithic period, but was also used during the Copper and Bronze ages. Though it has been plundered over the years, much of it still remains to give an impressive sight.
Finally we went to Lagares da Beira to do our final cache for the day. However, there was much activity in the small village with it being New Year's Eve. There were the massive logs in the square ready to be relit (from Christmas Eve), this is a custom in all the villages, a gathering point for the community to celebrate together. Dark clouds that had followed us as we moved from one site to another now caught up with us and we heard the first signs of thunder. Back home to light the fire, prepare our hearty meal, and snuggle down on the sofa, for the eve of the new year.
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