Valongo, near Porto

After a long day yesterday we made a plan for today. Wanting to visit Porto we read that vans could park overnight in the Intermarche supermarket overnight, and during the day. From nearby you could catch a train which took ten minutes into Porto center. It all sounded perfect.

Before leaving we took a walk out along the boardwalk above the beach and back along passed the seafront shops. We called in at one that appeared to sell everything, and were pleased to see you could purchase refilled camping Gaz 907 bottles at a bargain price. As we needed one, it was perfect. Late morning, our pants that had adorned Margery's wing mirrors now dry, we readied to leave. Just one problem. The automatic barrier on the aire wouldn't rise. John thinking on his feet noticed a couple of the bollards next to us unscrewed, and we were able to maneuver slim Margery through, leaving the larger vans stuck inside.

As we drove towards Porto the traffic was heavy, much heavy than we'd expected. Wanting to stop for lunch, we couldn't find anywhere suitable. Unlike France and Spain, where there are lots of lay-by's and picnic areas, here there are none. Then a familiar beacon of light. The red, yellow and blue of a Lidl supermarket sign. That'll do. We've lunched in many a supermarket car park in the past, it doesn't bother us. Actually it was really quite convenient as we needed shopping. Inside the store we suddenly realized why the roads were so busy. The power outage we'd heard about this morning was obviously more widespread than we thought. As in COVID times, shopping trolleys were piled high with food and bottled water. Shelves were empty. People were panic buying. Suddenly we were a little concerned. Buying only what we needed, plus a little more bottled water than we would normally, we left driving straight into a sea of ​​slow moving traffic. Emergency vehicles with piercing sirens were all around. All businesses were now closed, including fuel stations. Suddenly there seemed something to worry about, we only had just over half a tank of diesel. We also had no mobile phone connection. Fortunately, our route map was still showing on our screen. It was now obvious just how serious the situation was. Arriving at the supermarket, many vans were already there, with no way of gaining information we sat it out. After a while a Polish couple in their fifties, retired and living in their motorhome pulled in next to us. That had no idea there was a problem, they'd just driven down from the mountains. They were however able to still connect to the internet for a while. Obviously, the situation being so surreal, accusations of how and why the incident had occurred circulated.

As darkness fell, the surrounding houses all in darkness, the only light showing, once again outside a nearby Lidl, obviously with German efficiency all Lidl stores have emergency generators. Our mobile phones showed emergency calls only, a short while later we had a very limited internet connection. Being in a foreign country,with a language we could neither speak or understand and no contact with the outside world had been a little unnerving.

Praia da Vagueire, Portugal

Up early this morning, John spotted a Redstart sat on a nest complete with babies  in an abandoned utility meter box on a derelict house.

Some places are special to wake up to, and So Juliao was one of them. Just after seven, local people arrived armed with buckets and tickling sticks. We thought perhaps they were after shellfish or octopus. Across from us two young men stripped off. Here we go again. How many buttocks are too many buttocks? They all start to look the same after a while. As we headed off along the coast road passing the surfing villages. We suddenly encountered an aggressive policeman on a motorbike stopping the traffic. Don't shout at Margery please. Of course we didn't have a clue what he was saying, but his hand gestures suggested it might be 'get out of the bloody way'. All the commotion was caused by a cycle race. We parked at the side of the road, with others whose ears had been abused by the irate policeman and watched peleton after peleton pass by.

There were well over a thousand cyclists. The racers long gone by, of course the police didn't bother to tell us if we could now move on, so tentatively we slowly followed the vehicles in front. The wind from the last twenty four hours had covered Margery evenly, and keen to clean her we were very glad to happen upon a car wash.

Less than two euros, for a six minute wash with soap and water and she was gleaming. Our chosen lunch stop was Nazare. Famed for it's huge rolling waves. Today the sea was calm, the town however not so. After a walk around and a stop at a seafront cafe for drinks we returned to the van, ate lunch and left. The area not to our taste. Much to commercialize. We were en-route to Figveira da Goz where we planned to stop overnight, but arriving at the town it soon became apparent that we probably weren't. Unlike a thousand cyclists this morning, here there were tens of thousands of motorcyclists. The noise of their revving engines abusive to our ears. By now we were both hot and tired. We'd really wanted to stay in this town as tomorrow we'd plan to drive a little inland to Coimbra. Looking at our blog from our 1999 visit we found we'd stayed further up the coast then at a beach side aire, so we began driving. Before arriving weary from a long day of traveling, we drove along a long straight road through a barren landscape. It had to be one of the most boring drives we'd ever done. At the end of it we found ourselves in a town where local people were outside the front of their homes selling produce from their gardens.

All of them selling potatoes. How could you choose who to buy from? Although it was late when we arrived at the aire, we sorted out Margery, ate a quick meal, and walked out to watch the sun set, and a maniac pilot flew up and down the beach.

We think it was our best sunset this trip. As the orange glow burst across the sky we sat and watched from the beach bar where we decided we'd earned a glass of wine and a beer. What a day it had been. Tomorrow we were hoping for a more relaxed drive.

So Juliao, Portugal

This morning as the sun rose, we thanked the German for forcing us to move, as we think we may have ended up with the best view on the park up.

From our raised roof a clear view of the beach, cleansed overnight by the pounding Atlantic waves. Beside us were two vans from Finland. A man from one returned from an early morning surf. Removed his wetsuit and wrapped a towel around himself. Angela glanced across at him just as he raised his right leg to dry himself. Not sure who was more shocked. Him or Angela.

A first for us today, using a toll road. We've always avoided them, but wanting to travel a little faster we decided to use the one to Lisbon. Along the way we observed many white storks nesting on pylons supporting power lines.

We love seeing these birds, and seeing them in group like this was fascinating. On the approach to Lisbon the road crosses the Targus river estuary.

The bridge you drive over it on is sixteen miles long. Of course it was windy. No fun in the drive otherwise! By lunchtime we'd arrived at the beach car park at Sao Juliao.

Our arrival brought back happy memories from six years ago when we spent two nights here. The sea, with a strong westerly wind behind it, still in its winter state rolled, swirled, foamed and roared as it pounded the shore line. At times we had to beat a hasty retreat as we walked on the sand.

The beach car park is busy tonight with vans. There are quite a few younger people here and everyone is friendly.

A real plus for us, pizza available to take out from the beach restaurant. Yes please.

As lovely as they were, another walk was required this evening, and why not when there's another stunning sunset to witness. We watched it until the big gold sun hung over the horizon before finally slipping away.

Sines, Portugal

The English couple on the aire with us last night we think were living in another world to us. Staying on the aire they considered it to be wild camping. Yeh, right. With public toilets and showers nearby in the village. Talking of the showers. The doors were half covered louvre doors. In the ladies some of the wooden slats were missing. And there was no lock. That aside, a hot shower is a hot shower, and a free one at that. It was only half seven in the morning, in a tiny village in the Portuguese hills, so the chance of anyone walking in was minimal. After a very quick wash, Angela stepped back outside into the cobbled street. 'Bom dia', an elderly man in the traditional checked shirt, sleeveless cardigan and flat cap greeted her. Was he the culprit who'd adjusted the louvre doors? Back to the English couple. They've owned their van a year, and wondered where the waste water went when they drained their sink. Might want to empty your black water waste tank! After yesterday's long drive we decided it was time for Margery to take it a little easier.

So we took a slow drive over the hills back towards the coast to Sines where we've stayed before. Sines is on the edge of the South West Alentejo and Vincentine National Park. Stopping overnight in a van in the natural park isn't allowed, and the only available park up is by the power station on the edge of the park.

 We arrived at lunchtime, and now the place is full, with lots of vans having to move on. Where to, we don't know. Today is a bank holiday in Portugal, and every man, woman and their van is on the road. We thought Margery had bagged a great spot.

But the German who was parked opposite us in a very large motorhome covered in solar panels didn't seem to like us being across from him. He was a real poser. Moving his camp chair around to follow the sun. Behind his mirrored sunglasses we couldn't tell if he was watching us or not. And then the drum and base music started up. We really are a magnet to these people! To add to our frustrations our gas bottle ran out just as we were about to cook dinner. And to add to our stresses, Angela noticed our registration for Portuguese toll roads had the wrong vehicle registration number on it. That's now sorted after a phone call. What would happen next! As luck would have it a couple of the vans left around eight, and we were able to move.

Now we're on the front line of the parking area with a 20 mph wind due tonight. We're passed caring, tired from our early alarm from last night's cockerel, and our walk on the white sand beach opposite with beautiful flora and fauna amongst the dunes.

A beautiful sunset tonight over the port though helped to calm us. Tomorrow we are heading for an early start in the hope of securing a spot at another place we visited last time we were here. No doubt it will be busy on this bank holiday weekend.