Obidos, 2017

From the Foz we headed inland to Obidos, a town we had visited and much enjoyed in December of 2009. (http://roadeveron.blogspot.pt/2010/01/obidos.html; I know, I know). Not so much in 2017. Although my pix don't show it, the place was over-run with tourists that Saturday. We bought our Obidos Ginja, walked the main street until we could stand no more, and moved on. Sometimes you really can't go back. Especially on weekends as high season approaches.

Vicki walking along the (dry) aqueduct from the RV parking lot

Tour bus #13 was just arriving as we approached the city wall

It's a beautiful little town if you can see past the trinket shoppes
and fellow tourists

Interesting bookstore we did not see in 2009

Still processing this one...

Very old press

We should have left main street and walked the upper town
(number of people varies inversely with the square of the
distance from the parking lot and with the cube of the distance
above the parking lot); but we didn't

Foz Da Sizandro

So after Cabo da Roca we drove further north, stopping in Ericeira, the European Surf City, to see whether there really are two girls for every boy. There weren't, so, after provisioning at the Continente, we drove further north to the beach at Foz da Sizandro and its aire de camping-cars. The beach runs maybe a couple miles between the cliffs, but it's no swimming beach. Even on a very calm late spring day, the surf is pretty impressive here, at least to this land-lubber.

The aire, us on the far right, closer to land in case of tsunami; a big dune
separates the aire from the beach; fortunately

Path along the cliffs to the south of us

Fishing the big waters

Next morning, surfing class arrives (top of dune)

Out for an afternoon walk

Alas, at high tide, which is now, the waves actually breach
the dune; alarmingly; and cover the nice board walk; thus

Thus

These puppies are in the 8-10 foot range, in my humble
estimation

Ever alert for sneaker waves...

Cabo Da Roca

Cabo da Roca ("cape of rock") is mainland Europe's western-most point (not Sagres), and having been to Nordkapp some years ago (see http://roadeveron.blogspot.pt/2009/07/nordkapp-road-definitely-does-not-go.html), I was determined to see its western counterpart. We've probably been to the southern-most, whatever it is, and currently have no interest in going further east than we have already been (Ukraine). Whatever. I was determined, Vicki, looking at the map, was reluctant, but we proceeded on, despite the narrow twisting unimproved roads and Garmina's telling us repeatedly to turn left (or right) onto "unpaved road." A nice Portuguese couple offered us encouragement and direction, and, finally, we got there. On pavement, too.

En route; the Cape is a cliff and up high

Lots of bits have already fallen off

The view, pretty nice

The actual rock

More cliff bits

Neat place

Sintra

Our next destination was Sintra, a 3-star site of royal palaces and gardens, etc., that everyone raves about. Our Sintra experience did not start well, missing a turn and the official RV parking lot. We parked elsewhere and got to experience a 2k hilly trudge to the main palace and environs. The place was overrun with tourists and tour buses and touristical tuk-tuks and trinket shoppes. We peeked in at the palace gift shoppe, and, upon examination and reflection, decided we'd leave royal Sintra for another visit. Maybe another life-time. We nonetheless plodded the crowded alleys and further shoppes, and then had a more or less peaceful walk back, through one of the gardens, to the parking lot and our camper. We proceeded on.

One of the palaces, the one whose gift shoppe we toured

Checking out what we were considering, en video

Ditto

OK, if not jaded, we were a bit tired

Panning around, looking up at the ancient Moorish castle way
up there in the heights

More panning

More castle

Based on Cinderella's castle

 

The town

Would you believe Sintra has not one, 

Not two, but three Byron restaurants? He wrote of the place as
"Eden"; one wonders what he'd make of it now; would he have
liked tapas or queijos? Super Bock?

We stopped of course at Piriquita's for a pastry fix

Obviously wearing Kevlar pants

The park was impressive, and nearly deserted

Royal tennis courts?

Big beauty

Magnolias in bloom