Vila Nova de Cerveira

As forecast, the rain arrived during the night, and this morning, propelled by the wind, it lashed against the van from all sides.

We decided not to travel too far today, so headed for the aire just across the border at Vila Nova de Cerveira. At twelve fifteen, a little later than expected, as we'd been held up in stationery traffic due to a fallen tree, we crossed into Portugal. "Ben Vindo a Portugal Marge". Yes, "welcome to Portugal Marge".

As we approached the town of Vila Nova de Cerveira, we saw about ten storks sat in a field, (as you do), right next to an industrial area. It seemed quite a bizarre sight given where we were. We were glad to arrive at the aire, we'd come all this way for the sun, and it was raining heavily! So we made coffee, had our lunch and read for a few hours, until late afternoon, when we were suffering from cabin fever so badly, we decided to put on our waterproof jackets, grab an umbrella each, and head out in to the rain, which promptly stopped a few minutes after we left Marge, and then the sun came out.

So we took a walk around the town, the buildings a totally different architecture from Spain.

Visited the church, as usual, which was very ornate inside. Then walked up to the old castle, the church bell struck five o' clock in the tone of Big Ben, and then a medley of bell tunes ricocheted around the town. It was like 'drive time' at five on the radio, real toe tapping stuff. It was then we realised that we were in yet a different time zone, Portugal time is the same as England, so turned our watches back an hour.

Whilst we ate our evening meal, a cacophony of sound came from some nearby bushes, emitted by a colony of sparrows. Then an evening walk alongside the river Minho, which runs from Galicia in Spain, just over the border into Portugal, to settle our meal of pasta. The hydrangea shrubs that lined the path, their flowers once vibrant with colour, now faded and crisp. The Portuguese have a very distinctive look, and as they passed by, it was obvious to them, we were not of their country.

In the morning, we must decide on our route. The weather looks to be unsettled in the north for the next five days, so we will probably head south down the coast.