Let the Festivities Begin!
We’re off
Our tour leaders, Carla and Andre, checked the mettle of their 13 charges on a city tour of Lisbon that included a walk up to the castle through medieval serpentine lanes.
On Monday we departed for Salvaterra do Extremo, a small village near the Spanish border.
Interesting trivia — The World’s shortest international bridge connects the village of Várzea Grande with the Spanish village of El Marco. The wooden bridge is 10’ long. There is also a zip line spanning the two countries.
The border was initially established in 1297 and may be the oldest existing border in the world. The Guadiana River defines the bulk of the border.
We embarked on a 7.5 mi hike through terrain that was eerily similar to the eastern Colorado foothills. Part of the hike followed an old Roman road.
Along the way, we learned about cork harvesting. Despite an “eco” wine bottling trend, the use of synthetic cork or a metal twist top, the Portuguese are insistent on the superiority of natural cork.
A cork tree is typically 25 years before the first harvest. Stripping cork is a well paid skilled job. After the cork is stripped the last digit of the calendar year is marked on the tree. The next harvest will take place in 9 years. A Cork oak can live 150 to 200 years. Cork suitable for wine stoppers, is available once the tree is about 40 years old. Portugal provides 50% of the world supply.
We arrived at the small village of Salvaterra do Extremo in the late afternoon. I was surprised at the quantity of stone – stone homes, stone roads and stone fences. The village has a pelourinho, a stone pillar, signifying a city charter. The pillar was granted by the king to municipalities and was the symbol of authority for local self governance.
This pelourinho authorized local rule, courts and law enforcement. Individuals found guilty of crimes would be stoned, pilloried or whipped at the pillar.
Our hotel for the next two nights had a lovely, bucolic setting with a pleasant swimming pool. It felt wonderful after a long, hot hike.
The food was plentiful and interesting. My only complaint is dinner never starts before 8 pm. Most meals start with an “amuse bouche”, a very petite appetizer meant to awaken your taste buds.
Then there’s another appetizer or salad and frequently a third course of soup before the main dish.
Copious amounts of wine and a dessert course complete the dining experience. The Portuguese love food and enjoy a leisurely meal.
The next morning we were off at 9 AM for a more challenging 8 mile hike. The starting point was an old Roman village, Idanha-a-Velha, established in 16 AD. The balcony on the window below is carved out of stone.
The route took us through fields and up a rather steep climb. Along the way we sampled ripe figs, pomegranates, pears and apples. The cactus tree produces a very sweet, but difficult to eat prickly pear.
By lunch, we had reached Monsanto. Spoiler alert, the Game of Thrones prequel will be filmed in this area in the near future.
The picture to the right shows our lunchtime destination. There were some large boulders and steep sections on the trail. Our guides were always close at hand to assist with the more treacherous sections of the path.
The picture below is the view as we approached Monsanto.
After lunch, we continued on to the castle ruins.
There was a sense of accomplishment when I stood by the escarpment and peered down into the valley where the last leg of the climb had started.
The castle ruins will make an excellent back drop for the Game of Thrones prequel.
Back to the hotel for another substantial meal and a good nights rest.
