Back to Portugal

Now this is more like it...getting to stop and see some castles on the way back to Portugal.
But first we wondered about Merida a bit more.

Unfortunately the Roman museum was closed as we missed it yesterday (closed early, but was free on Sundays) and closed on Mondays. We'll have to save that for another time. Also Alexa's store was closed so she was unable to buy some earrings she had eyed the day before. Instead we got lost trying to find the main post office..it almost became an epic journey and it was right there in the middle of everything. Had to recover by having another drink on the plaza...this is the life.

Alexa was a bit worn out so we decided to basically go back the way we had come (but with stops!). Remember the aqueduct we had a picnic at (Elvas), well the castle walls above the town was really spectacular. They even preserved the drawbridge entrance and it was just wide enough for a little car (you had to honk of course, since it was a 2-way street!). From the top, you could see the aqueduct and the huge wall (double walls) encircling the town. There was some other church with its own wall just up on another hill joined to this hill. All from the Moors. It was great to scramble along the walls and enjoying the view.

Next we got to stop at Vila Vicosa...where the last Portugal royal family had come from (Braganca). The town had streets lined with orange trees and beautiful villas. A Moorish castle was on the high part of town which then overlooked the palace. In front of the castle was the town's old whipping post which Alexa really enjoyed (as long as she was the whipper, not the whippee).
Also marble was mined in this area so the streets, buildings, sidewalks all were lined with marble. The hills of marble being mined and slabs ready for shipment were impressive.

We then meandered over to Redondo which is a center for a particular kind of pottery which I had seen in Sintra. They were doing some road work so we couldn't really get to the artisans except for one. The pottery in preparation reminded me of the artist from Eugene that Katy features in her gallery. One of the few times I had wished we had been travelling in high season so we could have seen more artists.

We wound our way around back to the highway through forests of cork and eucalyptus (passed a huge convent now a pousada) as the sun set to the west. We dropped off our rental car (incredibly inexpensive) and hunkered down in the hotel, finishing up all picnic goodies. Anticipating our 5am wake up for the flight to Paris.

Paris...can't believe it is tomorrow.

Boa noite and a bonjour.