6th March
Right, its down the IC27 again to Castro Marim and a large shop is in order. It is boiling hot today. The warmest day of the whole trip so the van will be hot. Why didn't we get a van with air conditioning. Good question, but too complicated to answer. So we just have to open the windows like we did in the old days. We will be fine, but not so sure about my pups.
Out of Alcoutim and at the junction we turn left. A few miles later when we have done a few up hills, down dales, I ask JC if this is the quickest way. He looks on the map and says he doesn't know. We stop and look on the iPhone and it appears we are on the old road. Ugh, why is everything always going wrong on this trip. Ok so how far till we get on the motorway. We can see it on the iPhone. Not far then. Off we set and soon we are motoring under the great IC27. There is no way onto it!
After some grumpiness and words, we eventually join the road. Arrive in Castro Marim and park in the shade of a building and the pups are ok in there for a while
We find the highly recommended supermarket which is as good as we have been told. Even the butcher speaks English. The Portugese way is completely different to ours. The butchers attend to each customer's wishes, either slicing or cubing the meat, or if a chicken is bought, it is chopped into many pieces. Not jointed, simply chopped. So, you know you have a long wait at the butchers counter and it is very helpful if the butcher speaks English. I buy chicken fillets, lamb steaks, pork chops, burgers and steak. All beautifully prepared. Good, we are set up for a while.
The journey back went without mishap and actually doesn't take that long. It is only 30 odd clicks anyway. However, parking near to the house mid afternoon on a Monday was not that easy. We had 3 heavy bags and a fourth full of wine. Plus 2 dogs which so far cannot be left in the house without barking the roof off. JC takes the dogs and one heavy bag and I drive into a tiny space and carry 2 of the other bags up to the house, whilst JC comes back to pick up the other one. So minimum roof off barking time. What a palaver.
I drive the van over the small bridge which crosses the tributary leading into the Guardiana where there is some parking under plastic sheeting which offers cars good shade. I wonder if the van will fit under. I swing in and whilst the engine is running leap out and look at the gap above the lifting hatch. Loads of room. At least a foot I estimate, so back into driving seat and slowly manoevre forward. There is a scratching noise. Out again and I can see that the aerial is bent back and rubbing along the plastic. Ah, I hope it will be ok when I come out again which I do and decide to park in the large car park behind which is already full of motorhomes. No idea how these large ones have got in there though. As I swing in I obviously haven't taken a wide enough turn and can see that I am literally mm's away from the concrete wall which stops large vehicles from entering. Anyway, all ends ok, and I park up. Jump up onto the wheel arch and bend the aerial back towards the roof. So we are now set for another day.
Right, its down the IC27 again to Castro Marim and a large shop is in order. It is boiling hot today. The warmest day of the whole trip so the van will be hot. Why didn't we get a van with air conditioning. Good question, but too complicated to answer. So we just have to open the windows like we did in the old days. We will be fine, but not so sure about my pups.
Out of Alcoutim and at the junction we turn left. A few miles later when we have done a few up hills, down dales, I ask JC if this is the quickest way. He looks on the map and says he doesn't know. We stop and look on the iPhone and it appears we are on the old road. Ugh, why is everything always going wrong on this trip. Ok so how far till we get on the motorway. We can see it on the iPhone. Not far then. Off we set and soon we are motoring under the great IC27. There is no way onto it!
After some grumpiness and words, we eventually join the road. Arrive in Castro Marim and park in the shade of a building and the pups are ok in there for a while
We find the highly recommended supermarket which is as good as we have been told. Even the butcher speaks English. The Portugese way is completely different to ours. The butchers attend to each customer's wishes, either slicing or cubing the meat, or if a chicken is bought, it is chopped into many pieces. Not jointed, simply chopped. So, you know you have a long wait at the butchers counter and it is very helpful if the butcher speaks English. I buy chicken fillets, lamb steaks, pork chops, burgers and steak. All beautifully prepared. Good, we are set up for a while.
The journey back went without mishap and actually doesn't take that long. It is only 30 odd clicks anyway. However, parking near to the house mid afternoon on a Monday was not that easy. We had 3 heavy bags and a fourth full of wine. Plus 2 dogs which so far cannot be left in the house without barking the roof off. JC takes the dogs and one heavy bag and I drive into a tiny space and carry 2 of the other bags up to the house, whilst JC comes back to pick up the other one. So minimum roof off barking time. What a palaver.
I drive the van over the small bridge which crosses the tributary leading into the Guardiana where there is some parking under plastic sheeting which offers cars good shade. I wonder if the van will fit under. I swing in and whilst the engine is running leap out and look at the gap above the lifting hatch. Loads of room. At least a foot I estimate, so back into driving seat and slowly manoevre forward. There is a scratching noise. Out again and I can see that the aerial is bent back and rubbing along the plastic. Ah, I hope it will be ok when I come out again which I do and decide to park in the large car park behind which is already full of motorhomes. No idea how these large ones have got in there though. As I swing in I obviously haven't taken a wide enough turn and can see that I am literally mm's away from the concrete wall which stops large vehicles from entering. Anyway, all ends ok, and I park up. Jump up onto the wheel arch and bend the aerial back towards the roof. So we are now set for another day.
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