Portugal October 2013 - The Anthill Tour
- Thread starter Pumpy
- Start date
Oops, I was wondering where my report had gone...
Thanks very much, Tim, for making it 'sticky' - I feel deeply honoured.
Thank you all for your kind feedback, it makes the time spent worthwhile.
I should have a few free hours tonight to write the next instalment; thanks for your patience.
Thanks very much, Tim, for making it 'sticky' - I feel deeply honoured.
Thank you all for your kind feedback, it makes the time spent worthwhile.
I should have a few free hours tonight to write the next instalment; thanks for your patience.
Possu
Registered user
All of the videos below:
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It's not often I watch lengthy video clips all the way through but Possu I was willing you on all the way up the Roman Road, you must've been fooookin knackered!
Timpo said you mentioned wrong power modes within reach of his unforgiving ears
Timpo said you mentioned wrong power modes within reach of his unforgiving ears
Mr K
Registered user
Glad you guys rode that. No way I would.
Possu
Registered user
It's not often I watch lengthy video clips all the way through but Possu I was willing you on all the way up the Roman Road, you must've been fooookin knackered!
Timpo said you mentioned wrong power modes within reach of his unforgiving ears
Cheers, Timpo was all smiles as he enjoyed my "misery".....
The weather improved steadily during our trip and on Saturday 5th October we were woken by the sun - rising over Vila Velha de Ródão...
... over the Rio Tejo...
... and our hotel
The whole complex of the Estalagem Portas de Ródão is rather nice and, although the paper-mill brings a lot of business travel here, not overly expensive - we paid €49 for our double-room, and that included bottled water, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries and an abundant breakfast buffet.
The non-stop extreme trail riding, all the hills, boulders and fords were starting to take their toll on the riders...
... and their bikes
Famous's starting problems hadn't cured themselves overnight...
GFJ had lost his back brake in a fierce encounter with some barbed-wire fence the previous day (which had also ripped his tyre - but he didn't know that yet...)
... and Rick didn't hold much hope that the bike shop in Castelo Branco would be able to repair his fork
So Matt and Timpo explored alternative means of transport
Somehow the two reminded me of a certain painting in the notorious Quatre Gats in Barcelona...
Strange creatures you can see in Portugal...
Eventually we split into three parties: GFJ and Rick went to Castelo Branco and Famous returned to his van in Freixo, because he didn't want to risk another breakdown in the middle of nowhere - as this was exactly where the rest of us was heading to.
St Matthew had kindly offered to ride with me again to which I bravely replied, nah, today I'll try to keep up with the group. Yeah, right - maybe it was the already baking heat, maybe the perceived peer pressure, but the first available gully was mine. And although I somehow saved it and came out upright, I ripped my pannier straps off in the process...
The others were long gone and when Timpo returned to see what the matter was (nobody gets left behind on his rides...), I sheepishly admitted that it would probably be wiser to take Matt up on his generous offer...
With my jacket securely fastened on the luggage rack and only clad in my body armour, we enjoyed the summery temperatures and the wind in our hair - riding flat, fast and fabulous trails through the open countryside.
There was the occasionally hill climb, which involved tight hairpin bends with lots of loose gravel and a tiny bit of screaming, but the views were worth the effort
And now we ride here on the crest for a while, right, Matt?
Oh no, after 300 yards it was downhill again - and steep! Steeper even than the trail on the first day that had scared the *** out of me...
But with my back brake restored to full working order it was actually a walk in the park. It's all in the mind... :wink:
We rode along irrigation canals, fields, little villages and admired the southerly flora
Mmm, wouldn't this be like nicking apples from your neighbour's garden back home?
Ok, we won't then. Off we go!
Landscape and trails reminded me a bit of South America - without the fences, obviously...
... and you know what happens if you start day-dreaming on your bike... Yep, that's right, there will be a rude awakening. Around a lovely bend I swept and there was this abyss three feet ahead.
I should have opened the throttle and jumped it, said Matt, when he investigated the scene of the accident...
Fortunately only my pride was dented and we carried on. Every little refreshment was most welcome
Pure trail riding bliss
These may be Golden Eagles...
What do you think, Matt, is it coffee o'clock soon?
In Idanha a Nova we found a very nice café with a view
My intention had been to pay for all of Matt's food and drink during the day as a little compensation for putting up with me - but with my purse inside my jacket securely fastened to the back of my bike, my plan failed at the first opportunity...
At 3.30pm our destination for the night came into view - Monsanto
Suddenly Matt remembered that the trail led to a really nasty river crossing and we turned round
On lanes like this you don't really mind riding them twice
At the Marechal Carmona Reservoir the route was cut off by a locked gate. We trial-and-error-ed around for a while but couldn't get any further
Back to the road it was, until we found another trail that let us join the track again. We were definitely in cattle country...
... where gates and fences made it tedious and sometimes difficult to stick to our route
... but we could understand that the production of meat takes priority over the entertainment of foreign trail riders...
... and nevertheless, Monsanto came closer
It was gone 4pm by now and just over 20 kilometres to our night-stop. Would there be any more obstacles in our way? Rivers to cross? Dead ends? Locked gates? Would we still have time to explore the remnants of Portugal's Roman past? Would Matt get his well deserved ice cream that afternoon?
To be continued...
... over the Rio Tejo...
... and our hotel
The whole complex of the Estalagem Portas de Ródão is rather nice and, although the paper-mill brings a lot of business travel here, not overly expensive - we paid €49 for our double-room, and that included bottled water, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries and an abundant breakfast buffet.
The non-stop extreme trail riding, all the hills, boulders and fords were starting to take their toll on the riders...
... and their bikes
Famous's starting problems hadn't cured themselves overnight...
GFJ had lost his back brake in a fierce encounter with some barbed-wire fence the previous day (which had also ripped his tyre - but he didn't know that yet...)
... and Rick didn't hold much hope that the bike shop in Castelo Branco would be able to repair his fork
So Matt and Timpo explored alternative means of transport
Somehow the two reminded me of a certain painting in the notorious Quatre Gats in Barcelona...
Strange creatures you can see in Portugal...
Eventually we split into three parties: GFJ and Rick went to Castelo Branco and Famous returned to his van in Freixo, because he didn't want to risk another breakdown in the middle of nowhere - as this was exactly where the rest of us was heading to.
St Matthew had kindly offered to ride with me again to which I bravely replied, nah, today I'll try to keep up with the group. Yeah, right - maybe it was the already baking heat, maybe the perceived peer pressure, but the first available gully was mine. And although I somehow saved it and came out upright, I ripped my pannier straps off in the process...
The others were long gone and when Timpo returned to see what the matter was (nobody gets left behind on his rides...), I sheepishly admitted that it would probably be wiser to take Matt up on his generous offer...
With my jacket securely fastened on the luggage rack and only clad in my body armour, we enjoyed the summery temperatures and the wind in our hair - riding flat, fast and fabulous trails through the open countryside.
There was the occasionally hill climb, which involved tight hairpin bends with lots of loose gravel and a tiny bit of screaming, but the views were worth the effort
And now we ride here on the crest for a while, right, Matt?
Oh no, after 300 yards it was downhill again - and steep! Steeper even than the trail on the first day that had scared the *** out of me...
We rode along irrigation canals, fields, little villages and admired the southerly flora
Mmm, wouldn't this be like nicking apples from your neighbour's garden back home?
Ok, we won't then. Off we go!
Landscape and trails reminded me a bit of South America - without the fences, obviously...
... and you know what happens if you start day-dreaming on your bike... Yep, that's right, there will be a rude awakening. Around a lovely bend I swept and there was this abyss three feet ahead.
I should have opened the throttle and jumped it, said Matt, when he investigated the scene of the accident...
Fortunately only my pride was dented and we carried on. Every little refreshment was most welcome
Pure trail riding bliss
These may be Golden Eagles...
What do you think, Matt, is it coffee o'clock soon?
In Idanha a Nova we found a very nice café with a view
My intention had been to pay for all of Matt's food and drink during the day as a little compensation for putting up with me - but with my purse inside my jacket securely fastened to the back of my bike, my plan failed at the first opportunity...
At 3.30pm our destination for the night came into view - Monsanto
Suddenly Matt remembered that the trail led to a really nasty river crossing and we turned round
On lanes like this you don't really mind riding them twice
At the Marechal Carmona Reservoir the route was cut off by a locked gate. We trial-and-error-ed around for a while but couldn't get any further
Back to the road it was, until we found another trail that let us join the track again. We were definitely in cattle country...
... where gates and fences made it tedious and sometimes difficult to stick to our route
... but we could understand that the production of meat takes priority over the entertainment of foreign trail riders...
... and nevertheless, Monsanto came closer
It was gone 4pm by now and just over 20 kilometres to our night-stop. Would there be any more obstacles in our way? Rivers to cross? Dead ends? Locked gates? Would we still have time to explore the remnants of Portugal's Roman past? Would Matt get his well deserved ice cream that afternoon?
To be continued...
I`ve watched em all again, still shaking,walking that would be bad enough. Good on all of you.
Now this is a Ride Report 
Fffffffantastic .... thank ya's
Fffffffantastic .... thank ya's
Thank you all, you are very kind!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
On with the report:
When we approached the town of Idanha a Velha, Matt chivalrously went first into the river...
... to gauge the depth of the water for me...
Looks like our route was not the main one into town...
Idanha a Velha (Old Idanha) is a parish in the municipality of Idanha a Nova (New Idanha), where we had been lunching earlier. Idanha a Velha is one of the oldest towns in Portugal, with Roman settlement recorded since 16 AD and, like Penamacor, allegedly the birthplace of Wamba the Great...
The masonry looked rather interesting
... and so we took the time to explore the historic settlement a bit further
The church - built on the ruins of the first Visigothic cathedral on the Iberian Peninsula from the fourth century
What are you looking at?
Well, at the Celtic, Roman, Suebic...
... Visigothic, Arabic and Medieval architecture, if you don't mind...
I personally find that sight-seeing is even better when accompanied by an ice-cream - and I also thought that Matt deserved a treat for depriving himself of the boys' company and ambling along with me all day. So we entered the next bar, I asked for two Magnums and reached for my wallet - oops, that would be the one inside my jacket securely fastened to the back of my bike... Ma-hatt, could I borrow a couple of Euros, please?
Before we continued north, we returned briefly to the Roman bridge...
... for some family album shots
Just after Idanha the route was gated again and we had to detour on tarmac to the next junction with the track
Monsanto within our grasp...
... but we were not quite there yet. The path ahead looked suspiciously like a goat trail - a classification supported by the contour lines on TopoLusitania...
(Photo courtesy of Muddymatt)
... and also by my reliable travel companion, who had once attempted the ascent together with his friend Laurence. Now Loz is extremely handy to have with you on a technical trail when you are only 5 foot and a bit - but as we hadn't, we just admired the giant boulders...
... and rode up to Monsanto on the beaten (paved) track - just like everybody else. The boys had already arrived and sorted the accommodation for bikes and riders
We stayed in the Casa de David, owned by Estela, an old friend of the Three Stooges, who runs a B&B and a successful art gallery in Monsanto.
Our room was delightfully boutique-ish...
... and I was to share it not only with my Possu baby but also with Timpolino...
Well, it's been a few years since I last sampled the pleasures of spending the night with two men, so I didn't really mind...
Have a closer look at this sculpture and see what it is made from
While the others headed straight for the bar, I immersed myself in the charms of the 'most Portuguese village in Portugal'
The town clings to the slopes
The houses embrace the big boulders - literally!
The earliest traces of man found on this hill date from the early Stone Age
A truly magical place
If you want to know more about Monsanto just zoom in...
While dreamily walking around, I suddenly spotted a familiar van - Seamus had obviously made it back to Freixo on the poorly DRZ, picked up his rally bike and driven over to spend another evening with us. Now parking is a bit of an issue in the steep narrow streets of Monsanto, but we found a suitable space by the miradouro and went to join the others in the Taverna Lusitana.
The lads were already in high spirits
I took a few more photos
If you get bored you can stop looking - but I just couldn't get enough of this beautiful place
Estela had recommended the restaurant Petiscos e Granitos...
... where she joined us for dinner...
... and she even brought her mum
83 years, lively and alert, charming and witty; the rock on which the whole family is built - she can make a palace out of scraps, said Estela lovingly - she's the one who held everything together during the family's (and Portugal's...) eventful past. Senhora Estela Sr. still makes ornaments and helps her daughter in the art gallery; a really awe-inspiring lady.
Filled with lasting impressions, visions of history long gone, samples of great local cuisine and a few cups of vinho tinto we went home. It was one of those days that we will remember for a long time...
To be continued
----------------------------------------------------------------------
On with the report:
When we approached the town of Idanha a Velha, Matt chivalrously went first into the river...
... to gauge the depth of the water for me...
Looks like our route was not the main one into town...
Idanha a Velha (Old Idanha) is a parish in the municipality of Idanha a Nova (New Idanha), where we had been lunching earlier. Idanha a Velha is one of the oldest towns in Portugal, with Roman settlement recorded since 16 AD and, like Penamacor, allegedly the birthplace of Wamba the Great...
The masonry looked rather interesting
... and so we took the time to explore the historic settlement a bit further
The church - built on the ruins of the first Visigothic cathedral on the Iberian Peninsula from the fourth century
What are you looking at?
Well, at the Celtic, Roman, Suebic...
... Visigothic, Arabic and Medieval architecture, if you don't mind...
I personally find that sight-seeing is even better when accompanied by an ice-cream - and I also thought that Matt deserved a treat for depriving himself of the boys' company and ambling along with me all day. So we entered the next bar, I asked for two Magnums and reached for my wallet - oops, that would be the one inside my jacket securely fastened to the back of my bike... Ma-hatt, could I borrow a couple of Euros, please?
Before we continued north, we returned briefly to the Roman bridge...
... for some family album shots
Just after Idanha the route was gated again and we had to detour on tarmac to the next junction with the track
Monsanto within our grasp...
... but we were not quite there yet. The path ahead looked suspiciously like a goat trail - a classification supported by the contour lines on TopoLusitania...
(Photo courtesy of Muddymatt)
... and also by my reliable travel companion, who had once attempted the ascent together with his friend Laurence. Now Loz is extremely handy to have with you on a technical trail when you are only 5 foot and a bit - but as we hadn't, we just admired the giant boulders...
... and rode up to Monsanto on the beaten (paved) track - just like everybody else. The boys had already arrived and sorted the accommodation for bikes and riders
We stayed in the Casa de David, owned by Estela, an old friend of the Three Stooges, who runs a B&B and a successful art gallery in Monsanto.
Our room was delightfully boutique-ish...
... and I was to share it not only with my Possu baby but also with Timpolino...
Well, it's been a few years since I last sampled the pleasures of spending the night with two men, so I didn't really mind...
Have a closer look at this sculpture and see what it is made from
While the others headed straight for the bar, I immersed myself in the charms of the 'most Portuguese village in Portugal'
The town clings to the slopes
The houses embrace the big boulders - literally!
The earliest traces of man found on this hill date from the early Stone Age
A truly magical place
If you want to know more about Monsanto just zoom in...
While dreamily walking around, I suddenly spotted a familiar van - Seamus had obviously made it back to Freixo on the poorly DRZ, picked up his rally bike and driven over to spend another evening with us. Now parking is a bit of an issue in the steep narrow streets of Monsanto, but we found a suitable space by the miradouro and went to join the others in the Taverna Lusitana.
The lads were already in high spirits
I took a few more photos
If you get bored you can stop looking - but I just couldn't get enough of this beautiful place
Estela had recommended the restaurant Petiscos e Granitos...
... where she joined us for dinner...
... and she even brought her mum
83 years, lively and alert, charming and witty; the rock on which the whole family is built - she can make a palace out of scraps, said Estela lovingly - she's the one who held everything together during the family's (and Portugal's...) eventful past. Senhora Estela Sr. still makes ornaments and helps her daughter in the art gallery; a really awe-inspiring lady.
Filled with lasting impressions, visions of history long gone, samples of great local cuisine and a few cups of vinho tinto we went home. It was one of those days that we will remember for a long time...
To be continued
Mr K
Registered user
Just lovely.
Sunday 6th October
I forgot to update you on the fate of our injured bikes and their riders the previous day: Gareth was lucky and got his brake line fixed in Castelo Branco. He also had his rear tyre replaced although he may have as well carried on, as he hadn't noticed the damage until the mechanic pointed it out to him...
All inclusive for €100, IIRC, which is not a bad price at all.
Rick was not so fortunate with the repair of his Husaberg fork - no replacement was available and so he carefully rode his bike back to Bragança and then headed home to Old Blighty... Thus the Anthill Mob was down to eight.
We won't go into detail about what happened during the night...
... because "what happens in Monsanto stays in Monsanto..."
Another crisp blue morning, just as you expect when waking up in Portugal...
We admired the views
... and now you, dear Reader, can enjoy the views, too...
Here's Famous spoiling the only picture I took at the breakfast table...
Then we got ready for another day of adventure
These public wells are really great - I guess we must have them in England, too, I just never looked for them before
Estela watching our progress...
... and kindly taking pictures of us in return
I couldn't go without exploring this beautiful place further, so I let the boys shoot off
... and climbed up to the castle - while keeping a close eye on the village of Relva down on the plain...
... where the lads soon came into view
The footpath I'd chosen was not the main one...
... and a lot longer than expected
Fires had been raging here...
... not that long ago - the grapes had already been ripe
I find it a very comforting thought that life always finds a way back and that Earth was, is and will be able to survive the greatest catastrophes - even us...
At some point I left the sign-posted path and just climbed straight up the hill - completely covered in black smut by the time I reached the castle
... but the views were well worth it
The Romanesque Capela de São Miguel
... and the impressive fortress it belongs to
The strategic position was even better than Monsanto's
One of the town's quieter neighbourhoods
There was the obelisk...
... that you may remember from the previous day
Even at the risk of boring you again, here are a few more sights from the top of the hill
St Michael's Chapel from above - and the highly controversial telephone mast
Spot the archway from earlier...
And another one
On the way down I used the more popular route
Past the restaurant we had dined in the evening before...
... the historic tavern...
... and suddenly I realised it was already siesta o'clock and high time to leave Monsanto if I wanted to see the boys again that day (and some more of Portugal, obviously)
So I vacated our beautiful room, bought some local art from the gallery, said 'adeus' to the two lovely Estelas and hit the road north towards Almeida.
To be continued...
I forgot to update you on the fate of our injured bikes and their riders the previous day: Gareth was lucky and got his brake line fixed in Castelo Branco. He also had his rear tyre replaced although he may have as well carried on, as he hadn't noticed the damage until the mechanic pointed it out to him...
Rick was not so fortunate with the repair of his Husaberg fork - no replacement was available and so he carefully rode his bike back to Bragança and then headed home to Old Blighty... Thus the Anthill Mob was down to eight.
We won't go into detail about what happened during the night...
... because "what happens in Monsanto stays in Monsanto..."
Another crisp blue morning, just as you expect when waking up in Portugal...
We admired the views
... and now you, dear Reader, can enjoy the views, too...
Here's Famous spoiling the only picture I took at the breakfast table...
Then we got ready for another day of adventure
These public wells are really great - I guess we must have them in England, too, I just never looked for them before
Estela watching our progress...
... and kindly taking pictures of us in return
I couldn't go without exploring this beautiful place further, so I let the boys shoot off
... and climbed up to the castle - while keeping a close eye on the village of Relva down on the plain...
... where the lads soon came into view
The footpath I'd chosen was not the main one...
... and a lot longer than expected
Fires had been raging here...
... not that long ago - the grapes had already been ripe
I find it a very comforting thought that life always finds a way back and that Earth was, is and will be able to survive the greatest catastrophes - even us...
At some point I left the sign-posted path and just climbed straight up the hill - completely covered in black smut by the time I reached the castle
... but the views were well worth it
The Romanesque Capela de São Miguel
... and the impressive fortress it belongs to
The strategic position was even better than Monsanto's
One of the town's quieter neighbourhoods
There was the obelisk...
... that you may remember from the previous day
Even at the risk of boring you again, here are a few more sights from the top of the hill
St Michael's Chapel from above - and the highly controversial telephone mast
Spot the archway from earlier...
And another one
On the way down I used the more popular route
Past the restaurant we had dined in the evening before...
... the historic tavern...
... and suddenly I realised it was already siesta o'clock and high time to leave Monsanto if I wanted to see the boys again that day (and some more of Portugal, obviously)
So I vacated our beautiful room, bought some local art from the gallery, said 'adeus' to the two lovely Estelas and hit the road north towards Almeida.
To be continued...
Small back roads took me to Penamacor again
... where I filled up with fuel and then employed the assistance of a friendly quad driver to adjust my chain. The fact that I couldn't move the rear axle at all and that the young man had to organise a hammer to shift the chain adjuster by two notches, should have rang the alarm bells that something wasn't quite right here...
But in my ignorance of the art of motorcycle maintenance, I was just grateful for the help I'd received and happily carried on towards the town of Almeida
Arriving at our destination for the day, I almost immediately spotted Famous who had already found and sorted accommodation in the Residencial Morgada
He paid for all our rooms upfront to make it easier for the elderly lady who ran the B&B and I ensured that all chambers (apart from Possu's and mine, of course) had twin and not double beds - that's very important for English men I've learnt on my travels with them. Soon said Englishmen arrived from their day on the lanes
Possu demonstrated what you should do to your bike after a hard day's trail riding on a regular basis - why didn't I pay more attention?
Estacionamento seguro in the basement of our Residencial
This photo is for Timpolino...
... who has the same model in one of his many garages...
... and promptly struck up a conversation with its owner
The boys probably hadn't been allowed a break the whole day long; so after getting showered and changed they headed straight for the next bar. Although it felt a bit antisocial, I was more interested in exploring the historic town of
As you can see, Almeida is a thoroughly fortified citadel with broad moats, extremely thick walls and relatively small gates
Wide stairs lead up to the fortifications allowing for a maximum of troups and their mobility...
... in order to defend the town...
... and the citizens inside
Corpo da Guarda Principal - Main Guard Corps building by night
I walked to the other side of Almeida and another gate in the surrounding wall - you can see how well-considered the defence features are laid out
It was a bit spooky passing the churchyard in the dark - but I always think: what is there to be afraid of? Who in their right mind would wander around the town at this time of the night - apart from me?
Still, I was glad when I reached the more illuminated part of Almeida again
Then it was high time to join the lads for dinner - and guess what: dead animals were on the menu once more! At least accompanied by some vitamins this time...
Food and drinks were delicious, the service exceptional and Matt's recollection of the day's shenanigans highly amusing...
... and now is the time, dear Reader, to reveal the main ingredients of the famous 'Book of Truth'
Rumour has it that plenty of those were still served after Possu and I had left the party, but we wanted to be well-rested to face the adventures that lay ahead. As if we both had a premonition of what would happen the next day...
To be continued
... where I filled up with fuel and then employed the assistance of a friendly quad driver to adjust my chain. The fact that I couldn't move the rear axle at all and that the young man had to organise a hammer to shift the chain adjuster by two notches, should have rang the alarm bells that something wasn't quite right here...
But in my ignorance of the art of motorcycle maintenance, I was just grateful for the help I'd received and happily carried on towards the town of Almeida
Arriving at our destination for the day, I almost immediately spotted Famous who had already found and sorted accommodation in the Residencial Morgada
He paid for all our rooms upfront to make it easier for the elderly lady who ran the B&B and I ensured that all chambers (apart from Possu's and mine, of course) had twin and not double beds - that's very important for English men I've learnt on my travels with them. Soon said Englishmen arrived from their day on the lanes
Possu demonstrated what you should do to your bike after a hard day's trail riding on a regular basis - why didn't I pay more attention?
Estacionamento seguro in the basement of our Residencial
This photo is for Timpolino...
... who has the same model in one of his many garages...
... and promptly struck up a conversation with its owner
The boys probably hadn't been allowed a break the whole day long; so after getting showered and changed they headed straight for the next bar. Although it felt a bit antisocial, I was more interested in exploring the historic town of
As you can see, Almeida is a thoroughly fortified citadel with broad moats, extremely thick walls and relatively small gates
Wide stairs lead up to the fortifications allowing for a maximum of troups and their mobility...
... in order to defend the town...
... and the citizens inside
Corpo da Guarda Principal - Main Guard Corps building by night
I walked to the other side of Almeida and another gate in the surrounding wall - you can see how well-considered the defence features are laid out
It was a bit spooky passing the churchyard in the dark - but I always think: what is there to be afraid of? Who in their right mind would wander around the town at this time of the night - apart from me?
Still, I was glad when I reached the more illuminated part of Almeida again
Then it was high time to join the lads for dinner - and guess what: dead animals were on the menu once more! At least accompanied by some vitamins this time...
Food and drinks were delicious, the service exceptional and Matt's recollection of the day's shenanigans highly amusing...
... and now is the time, dear Reader, to reveal the main ingredients of the famous 'Book of Truth'
Rumour has it that plenty of those were still served after Possu and I had left the party, but we wanted to be well-rested to face the adventures that lay ahead. As if we both had a premonition of what would happen the next day...
To be continued
Patiently waiting 
Monday 7th October
The settlement of Almeida can be traced back to Palaeolithic times. The town is one of the 12 Aldeias Históricas (historic villages) in Portugal and all the usual suspects - Celts, Romans, Visigoths and Arabs - have left their mark. Due to its strategic position on an important cross-border road from Spain, Almeida is has a remarkable layout - like a town inside a fortress
The town was sieged and captured several times during its history, with the siege of 1810 (during the Peninsular War) ending spectacularly when a chance shell ignited the main gunpowder magazine, which exploded, killing 500 defenders and destroying most of the town. Today Almeida has been restored to its former glory and is well worth a visit.
I certainly wanted to see more of this town, so the next morning I tore myself away from my lovely Possu's side even before sunrise and went onto another sight-seeing tour
The restaurant where we had enjoyed the previous evening
If you remember the citadel's footprint, there were two sets of walls
With deep, wide moats between them
And two sets of gates as well
Just when I entered the second entrance the sun came over the horizon and bathed every feature in the most beautiful light
On top of the gateway
The impressive 'barracks'
... with the town they guard behind
Almeida's coat of arms
View of the town wall from the market square
Easy access to the defensive structures - at least two soldiers abreast could run up and down here; and the ramp was wide enough for horses and equipment, too
I went around the whole town
... enjoying the views from different angles
These must have been the quarters of the footsoldiers (today the military museum)
Can you imagine taking care of your personal hygiene having just this trough alone - waiting your turn in line with all your comrades and in all weathers?1 Tough guys they must have been...
Slightly modernised gateway on the other side of town
I could have taken lots of photos more...
... but I didn't want to bore you again. Let's turn towards the centre
... approaching the churchyard
... which looked, of course, considerably less spooky in broad daylight
How many cats are in this picture?
What a beautiful place!
... and I had it all to myself
Main Guard Corps building by day
Attention to detail...
Charity has a long history in Almeida
I wonder where this gate leads to...
Mmm, where is my torch when I need it?
For once I listened to the voice of reason and turned back to the surface...
These cannons must have seen their fair share of battle
They were obviously aimed at the enemy who's made it over the first wall...
... but not through this gate yet!
I could have spent a lot longer in this fascinating town, but the agreed time for breakfast was approaching and I hurried back. If you want further information about Almeida, please feel free to zoom in
When I returned to our Residencial, the boys were enjoying the morning sun and asked me if I had been jogging - Kulturbanausen...
To be continued
The settlement of Almeida can be traced back to Palaeolithic times. The town is one of the 12 Aldeias Históricas (historic villages) in Portugal and all the usual suspects - Celts, Romans, Visigoths and Arabs - have left their mark. Due to its strategic position on an important cross-border road from Spain, Almeida is has a remarkable layout - like a town inside a fortress
The town was sieged and captured several times during its history, with the siege of 1810 (during the Peninsular War) ending spectacularly when a chance shell ignited the main gunpowder magazine, which exploded, killing 500 defenders and destroying most of the town. Today Almeida has been restored to its former glory and is well worth a visit.
I certainly wanted to see more of this town, so the next morning I tore myself away from my lovely Possu's side even before sunrise and went onto another sight-seeing tour
The restaurant where we had enjoyed the previous evening
If you remember the citadel's footprint, there were two sets of walls
With deep, wide moats between them
And two sets of gates as well
Just when I entered the second entrance the sun came over the horizon and bathed every feature in the most beautiful light
On top of the gateway
The impressive 'barracks'
... with the town they guard behind
Almeida's coat of arms
View of the town wall from the market square
Easy access to the defensive structures - at least two soldiers abreast could run up and down here; and the ramp was wide enough for horses and equipment, too
I went around the whole town
... enjoying the views from different angles
These must have been the quarters of the footsoldiers (today the military museum)
Can you imagine taking care of your personal hygiene having just this trough alone - waiting your turn in line with all your comrades and in all weathers?
1 Tough guys they must have been...
Slightly modernised gateway on the other side of town
I could have taken lots of photos more...
... but I didn't want to bore you again. Let's turn towards the centre
... approaching the churchyard
... which looked, of course, considerably less spooky in broad daylight
How many cats are in this picture?
What a beautiful place!
... and I had it all to myself
Main Guard Corps building by day
Attention to detail...
Charity has a long history in Almeida
I wonder where this gate leads to...
Mmm, where is my torch when I need it?
For once I listened to the voice of reason and turned back to the surface...
These cannons must have seen their fair share of battle
They were obviously aimed at the enemy who's made it over the first wall...
... but not through this gate yet!
I could have spent a lot longer in this fascinating town, but the agreed time for breakfast was approaching and I hurried back. If you want further information about Almeida, please feel free to zoom in
When I returned to our Residencial, the boys were enjoying the morning sun and asked me if I had been jogging - Kulturbanausen...
To be continued
Wonderful
Thank you both very much - I wasn't quite sure about the last post, because there is not a single bike in it... 
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