... Temple of Diana (Évora)
Towards Evora,-which I hiked in about four days- I hiked all the time besides a busy nacional (national road) with lots of heavy traffic overtaking me. There is enough space to walk but it is stressfull since huge trucks are rumbling by, overtaking you quite close. I listened to music on my I-Pod what was a bit consoling.
From a densely populated zona urbana the route took me to the vast, green Alentejo! (roughly the area under the Tagus river). Everywhere there were cork trees and occasionally eucalyptus trees. If there would not have been this # # nacional # # road it would have been perfect !.
... horses, N4 Montijo- Montemor
... Alentejo
... Hugo Chavez (President of Venezuela):
"Wikileaks says that the Americans say you're my friend, but also that you are a friend of the Americans. What about that?.
Sócrates (Prime minister of Portugal):
"You know Hugo, I have something tactical that lets me be friends with God and the devil. You (Hugo) are obviously God. "
... 'embalse' (Alentejo)/ artificial lake (Alentejo)/
... Montemor (Alentejo)
Occasionally I hiked through a small town with white houses and a huge castle on the mountain!. Very nice!. Enormous strategic!. On the foto above the impressive castle and also a couple of grandfathers busy in an important conference with each other.
Most of them have problems with hearing, listening and are therefore quite loud as they speak. I hardly am able to concentrate when I am reading a portuguese news paper in for example a 'Pastelaria' /place to eat pastry/.
One time I said in a nice way if it would be possible wheather Grandfather could shut the f*** up but I regretted my question almost immediately as he didn't stop apologizing. Anyway: "Andere Länder, andere Sitten"/ Other countries, other customs/.
... Castillo, Montemor
... Castillo, Montemor
... Castillo, Montemor
... Atardecer /sun dawn/
I arrived late and also had to find a place to sleep. The BV (Bombeiros Voluntários): 'impossivel! Estamos nas obras! '/ Impossible! We are in the middle of contruction work! /.
The Casa de Misericordia (an organization that shelters addicts, fringes, losers, victims of the crisis and sometimes pilgrims!): "Impossivel! Não temos um cuarto pra vc.!. Mas há um recidencial pra lí! '/ Impossible! We do not have room for you. But [overthere] there is a guest house /.
I then pretty much have tried out the whole parade and continue to a Residencial: a huge house, with a bed for twelve euros, not bad right?!. It's in a way funny: often I succeed in finding a shelter at the B.V., but sometimes not.
It just takes time to try out all these people and consequently there is not much time left to see more from the village. But that beautiful castle I had to see!. It was already dark but there were huge spotlights pointed at the castle walls so still it was possible to see something.
... 'In these days all the winds blow in the direction of the one who is dreaming.
In these days the rain always describes the face of those we love. " (Paulo Coelho)
... Santa Sofía (Alentejo) II
In Santa Sofia I had three coffees after two hours of hiking. Imagine a hamlet of six houses plus two bars (!). Grandma- I is wiping her back yard while grandmother-II inspects here laundry (above). Grandpa is sheltering behind his domicile against the wind and taking a sunbath. There is a strong biting wind and it's eight degrees Celsius. They whine here all the time about the cold temperatures and people are not really impressed when I tell them that I have hiked all the way from Holland to their tiny village ...
... gate (Évora)
Now in Evora I got shelter at the Bombeiros Voluntarios (BV). The previous two nights I had my own bed plus heating but now I'm in a kind of hall (without heating, shit!) and I sleep on the floor. But I'm not complaining because it is not so cold after all since I have a super- de-luxe-cool sleeping bag that goes to minus five degrees Celsius!. Amanhão Evora!/ Tomorrow Evora!/. There is an exhibition of Escher! I have to see that one!!.
... Kreuzgang (Venezia)
Today I did not do much. I slept until eleven o'clock and strolled through the streets of Évora. You can not really be too long in the streets since it's quite cold. A pity really, in the summer it must be very nice
here. There is also a university though I can not really figure out what you can study here, I think art or something.
I have visited the Escher exhibition. I have seen it before in Rotterdam but Escher is always cool. I was able to take some pictures before I was stopped by the guard- watchdog.
... B.V. Évora/ Voluntary Firemen, Évora/
... Temple of Diana (Largo conde vila flor, Évora) I
... Temple of Diana (Largo conde vila flor, Évora) II
.... Temple of Diana (Largo conde vila flor, Évora) III
... Escher I
... Escher II
... Escher III
... Escher IV
... Escher V
... Escher VI
... Escher VII
... Escher VIII
... Escher IX
... Escher X
... Escher XI, the ´wentelteefje´ in dutch dialect :), click twice for zooming in
... Turistenmeile/ tourist quarter/
... Cathédral I
... Cathédral II
... Cathédral III
...´Praça do Giraldo´, the site where the head quarters of the Inquisition were and place of cruel scenes/ executions (Évora)
... Aqueducto da Agua da Prata (Évora)
There is also a huge Roman aqueduct in Évora that is still intact (and not inferior to the aqueduct in Segovia, Spain). A very impressive structure that comes from far away and crosses the city wall (surrounding the city) . In the city houses are integrated into the Aquaduct.
Yesterday was cool too. I walked down a street and heard music. I went in for a look and in a 'local' a studentband was playing: two guitars, a bass, an accordion player, two drummers, a flutist and a lady who was singing. The rest was dancing. I felt a bit of an intruder, but still stayed a while (because it was warm and also because the music was so good :)).
"Morgenn fängt das harde Pilgerleben wieder an! '/ Tomorrow will start the hard pilgrim life again! /. Thirty-three kilometers on the 'nacional', shit!.
BUT .... I also got a new gadget: a solar watch!. I bought it today for thirty euros! Kein Money!. Not really expensive right?. It is unclear whether it is manufactured in the People's Republic (= China) and maybe works only fifteen days before giving up on me), but it looks robust and I'm happy with it.
... my cool solar- powered- 'reloj'! /watch/
The next ten days I intend to follow a route described by my German Friend (see below) and more or less follows the Portuguese-Spanish border. Those Germans are quite gründlich / thoroughly/ organized. In the guide everything is described: what to bring with you on the hike, what to eat and almost every hundred meter is described how to hike.
Quite weird people those Germans but occasionally handy. From Vila Real de San Antonio I have to go my own way. I want to go to Huelva, Tarifa, and finally: Al-Maghreb! (Morocco).
... Hike guide 'Via Lusitana´ through eastern Portugal
 |
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten