The McKenzie's Official world tour site
# Friday, 17 October 2008
Portugese Times.........................

Sorry for the delay in writing - time flies around here!!

Our next trek was to be the longest until we get to the United States! We travelled into Portugal and rested at Orbitur Camp in Evora (approximately 100 miles from Lisbon). Here the staff were obliging and the sun shone on us once more. I even tried out that fig oil concoction I was sold in Croatia! The children used the swimming pool (as they were getting withdrawal symptoms!) and Jemma, in particular, practiced many different swimming strokes and her diving!

After clearing up some dodgy stomach bug  (thank-you to those fellow English travellers who kindly revamped our medicine cupboard for us!) -we continued our travels towards Lisbon and found Camping Forte do Cavalo at Sesimbra, about 20 miles away from Setubal (2nd October 2008). We took what might be referred to as the direct route – right through the town centre! As the roads continued to narrow and the porches and balconies overhung the cobbled street - we found  ourselves zigzagging along and thought that maybe we shouldn’t be there....until a very helpful local stopped us and said “do you need some information about the camping site?!”  Yes please and thank-you very much! We took a walk down those roads later and couldn’t believe that Nessie had been there!

The camping site was at the top of the hill overlooking the harbour and beach and the views were beautiful.  The harbour area has a very rugged and scenic coastline. As the name suggests it has an ancient Forte just next door.  The play area has provided many big trees which just have to be climbed by Jemma and Ben! They have spent many a happy hour looking across at the views from a height!

 With just a short journey to the bottom of the hill a perfect beach was to be found – much quieter now as it is out of the summer season but still blessed with glorious weather. We have visited on many occasions so far – and enjoyed creating sand castles with bridges and moats that hold water through to sand sculptures of kayaks! I was even enjoying a quiet time reading my book one day when I was very rudely disturbed by a most peculiar looking dog –wagging its tail at me – very scary – bless it! (take a look at the photo added soon - and everything will become clear!)

We drove along to see Setubal -to get a sense of direction around the town. We understand that the American shipping company that we have been in contact with over the last few months, sail freight from Setubal to Baltimore...........more on this to follow.......(we did find an Indian takeaway although we have all agreed  that it wasn’t a patch on the Bay of Bengal!)

Sesimbra is a quaint and picturesque traditional fishing town –in the heart of the Costa Azul. It is increasingly making its mark as a tourist resort with everything you need and a few luxuries too – all within easy reach. Each day we leave the camp to explore something new and at the bottom of the hill there are always many fishermen sorting out there lines across the road! We pass through the harbour with a row of fish huts......Ben calls this row his sweet shop and we have barbequed a wide range of fish (and a rabbit!) in the last couple of weeks, including Red Snappers, Dorado, sardines, and horse mackerel . There are many wild/stray cats everywhere and they have been extra interested in what we are cooking! We have eaten at a restaurant in the town and tried monk fish in a fish stew, and lemon sole, also Paella and pizza at the camping restaurant.

The children are busy with more maps and routings. Ben is still planning the world trip that he would like to do when he is a grown up (his own words!) and Jemma is reading an animal tracks and signs book and planning how to track animals when we reach the USA!

We have visited the castle in Sesimbra which was in very good condition considering that it is dated back to 1040 . We assume that this preservation has much to do with the climate – compared to that of a UK building!

More news of Sesimbra and our adventures to follow shortly...............

 


Friday, 17 October 2008 20:55:19 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Comments [0]  Portugal

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