We woke to our regular call to Charlie. That is always a great start to the day for us. Then we had breakfast in the hotel restaurant that lead out to a big terrace. The longer we stayed at this hotel, the more we liked it. This terrace gave us a completely different view of the hotel as there was a wider street at the back and at least a place where cars could pull in to load or unload luggage. If only we had known.
We enjoyed the usual hotel breakfast, full of variety and then set off to get the car. Rested and satiated by a good breakfast we saw Evora through more appreciative eyes. We took a path through the roman ruins, and the Gardens of Diana. The sun was shining gloriously and the tour groups were out. Evora was busy and bustling. As we worked our way down to the main square, the shops were open and the footpaths filling with tanned tourists. Evora had woken up and was shining. There must have been big Freedom Day celebrations yesterday as a massive stage had been erected in the main square. We also popped into the church at the end of the square and it did not disappoint.
We got the car and headed for Monsaraz. This was noted as a medieval town totally encircled by a fortified wall. It was reputed to be in well preserved condition, but we tempered our expectations after Obidos, which to our mind had sold its soul for the tourist dollar.
Monsaraz was wonderful. It peered down on us from its high perch as we arrived through vast vineyards and orange groves. There were occasional olive groves but other agriculture was king in this area of undulating plains. We caught sight of three eagles on this journey, circling and spiralling, waiting to pounce on prey. It was a great idea to forgo speed and the freeway and instead take the slower and more picturesque secondary roads.
We parked at Monsaraz just outside the ancient walls of the town and within minutes were walking the streets of this pretty and picturesque slice of history. Of course the street were lined with stones, but here it was hunks of elongated schist, which to my mind made it easier to walk on. Monsaraz was still a living community with homes in the traditional Portuguese village style crammed within the walls of an ancient historical edifice.
Monsaraz lay within sight of the Spanish border. and its origins were as a fortification in case of attack. First the fort was built, then the residences within. Over time, it was not needed as a military installation and the fortifications fell into disrepair. The canny locals, took the stone from these and built features of the town like the bull ring. The terraces for the audience and the gates through which the bulls were herded were still there. Johnny walked the walls for a way while i sat happilly at grond level watching him. The town square led to a huge church that was undergoing extensive repairs but in its heyday it must have fitted the whole Monsaraz community within it. Little laneways draped over the spine of the main street and opened up glorious views of the surrounding countryside.
We decided on lunch in a lovely shaded restaurant with fabulous views over the plains and farms below. It was about 30 degrees and this place offered us a haven from the heat. We say under vines, with bougainvillea, jasmine and ivy tumbling down the walls around us. We had a tapas style lunch of bruschetta with ham and a tasty cheese.
After lunch we continued our rambles down the side streets but really we had seen the best of Monsaraz and it was time to drive on. From the summit we had noticed a bridge that crossed the lake below and would take us to Mourao. It was only a short distance away so off we went. Almost immediately we noticed the change in the streetscape The houses had taken on a Spanish flavour and the streets were lined with those glorious orange trees we remembered from our time in Seville. We tried to find the lake beach but ended up having to reverse up a hill and return to the town. There was a castle there bur we were happy just to view it from afar.
It had been a lovely drive out and we thought it best to return to the hotel for a rest before dinner. there was also the possibility of being early enough to snag one of the few parking spots at the hotel, and potentially save a 15 minute walk to get the car the next morning. Yes there was one spot left, but it was right next to a wall and at a perilous angle. Another issue was that a thoughtless person had parked in a no parking area and made access impossible. After a few tries we gave up the attempt and headed for our original parking spot.
It was late when we went out for dinner and with a better idea of the lie of the land, we went down towards the main square to what we have been calling "food street". We chanced upon a restaurant called Dona Ines 11 that billed itself as "authentic food" .We read the menu just out of interest, but a lovely young woman came out to explain the menu to us. I don't know what it was but we instantly warmed to her. What the hell, lets give it a go was our attitude and we had a fabulous meal. We ordered "Land and Sea" for two. It was a mixed plate of black pig sausage, veal and the most extraordinary and large tiger prawns that had been halved and barbequed with herbs. When I first saw them I though they were small lobsters. We had the potato chips, house wines and then berry cheesecake. It was a great meal and great service. A bonus was that while we waited for our food to come I read to Johnny the history of Dona Ines, the first posthumous Queen of Portugal. A very sad Romeo and Juliet style of love story with a lot of blood and gore thrown in.
From here we took a short walk in the last of the day's heat to the main square, still full of diners and being entertained by a group of young Fado buskers. A perfect end to a lovely day. Goodnight.
