Portugal - the first few days on my own

Tuesday 1 October 2019

This proves to become a very long day.  I have to get up at 4:30am to catch my flight at 8am.  Fred is kind enough to drop me off at Schiphol, because it would have been impossible to get a train that early in the morning.

Customs and security aren't too bad, save that I have to empty my backpack completely, because I am carrying my chargers, batteries, powerbank, etc.   They are not allowed in the checked baggage, so I don't quite understand why they seem to be a problem in my carry on luggage.  I've never come across this before, but then, there is a first for everything.  The main problem really was that I have a white laptop and I had to set it aside to empty my backpack.  Of course I didn't see it upon leaving, but luckily one of the security officers noticed and came running after me.  Disaster averted!

The first trip to Frankfurt (yes, via Frankfurt unfortunately) is uneventful.  At Frankfurt airport I fill my time with chatting to Kevin.  I miss him and it's so kind of him to stay on line a bit longer than usual. 

The second flight is okay as well, but we land much later as expected.  That, and a whole range of incidents at Lisbon make me miss my 17:02h train by 13 minutes. :-(    The 'incidents' are mainly finding the Metro and railway station at Oriente, finding the correct ticket booth and having to line up endlessly to buy tickets.  Anyway, when you travel you have to take it all in your stride.  I just fill the time till 19:02h with a cup of coffee and something to eat.  And look at the size of my coffee.  Yes, I am in Europe! :-)

On the Metro

A Portuguese cup of coffee

In the end I catch the train, from a different platform than first announced, and make it safely to Vila Nova da Baronia where Wolfram and Johanna are waiting for me.  They take me to a nearby restaurant where they have booked dinner, expecting me to arrive two hours earlier.  However, they had been informed by me...

The train to Casa Branca

By the time I was in bed it was about 11 pm, I think.  A long day indeed.

Wednesday is a day that makes my head spin.  Wolfram and Johanna both are vying to give me all the instructions I need and besides that I find a house full of little post-it notes.  And if that is not enough there is the instruction manual, A4 pages with instructions throughout the house and a tabletop full of tourist information.

After all that we have lunch.  A nice break!  And in the afternoon Wolfram and Johanna take me to Alvito, Viana do Alentejo, and São Bartolomeu do Outeiro for a bit of sight seeing.

view from  São Bartolomeu do Outeiro

Alvito castle

By 4pm it is time for them to leave as they are taking their caravan to Tavira on the south coast where they will be staying at a caravan park for the duration of our stay here.

Time to unwind...

Thursday the first day on my own and I actually enjoy this.  I have had great four weeks (the sore ankle and doctors' visits aside), but I think I can do with some 'me' time...  All I do is go for a bike ride to and around Alvito.  I have an eBike that I can use and it comes in handy, because 'flat country' is not so 'flat' when you are riding a push bike.

view from the side of the house

view from the back

sunset

our very neat and tidy little farm house

(a very light) lunch

I visit the tourist information centre.  I have been told the girls speak English and they do and are only too happy to give me some information.  Then I ride back to the Capela de Santa Luzia, a little chapel close by.  There is supposed to be a geocache, but I can't find it.  Perhaps I will have more luck when Patricia is here.

Alvito

stairs in the building of the info centre

Alvito in he distance

very old olive trees
we're in olive country here

a processing plant for olive oil
the 'smoke' is steam from the factory

the little chapel

land bought by big companies who plant
too many trees and thus rape the soil

home from my bike ride

Friday a day at home.  I left a possible bike ride too late and then it got too hot.  It's currently mostly sunny and above 31 degrees.

walnuts ripening

walnuts ripe

real nice when fresh from the tree
softer and less bitter than when you buy them in the shop

persimmon, also from the orchard

Saturday is the day before Patricia arrives, so I make sure that everything is ready and I stock up on groceries in preparation.  For that I drive to the Intermarche at Viana do Alentejo.  It's a good way to try out the car, although there isn't much need for that.  It's quite similar to the VW Caddy that I drove in the Netherlands.

my wheels for the duration

Sunday I don't do much either.  Potter around a bit and by 6.30pm I drive to the train station at Vila Nova da Baronia.  But before I go I cook dinner so that we can eat upon Patricia's arrival.  In the end I am running late after all, because I realise nearly too late why my travel phone wouldn't send messages to Patricia.  Just before I have to leave I have to quickly top-up my credit, which had run out without warning, and I get the phone to work again.  You never know in a foreign country.  You may run into trouble and can't reach anybody without your phone, nor Patricia if that would be necessary.  Anyway, I am at the station with 10 minutes to spare. Finally the train arrives and I see that familiar face around the doorway...

I don't need to tell anybody that we had a lot to talk about that first night.