Castles and Cathedrals

The medieval town of Evora is about 300 km east of Lisboa. Known for its long history dating back to the early 1400's, it boasts of having over 200 convents and monasteries. Today there remains one convent. Christian, Muslims and Jews lived in harmony and cooperated in the construction of the local cathedral. Our guide rhymes off reems of information with dates and details of Celts, Moors, Romans, Visigoths, Islamists and who knows who else and my head is spinning with dizzying facts and figures. History is great but I get lost prior to the mid 1800's, let alone trying to remember what I had for breakfast. This UNESCO world heritage site was fed by a Roman aqueduct which transported water from 17km away. The walled city centre with it’s narrow streets and two-story residences give a feeling of claustrophobia. Condo living, castle style, is not for me. A trip to Evora and the local winery by the name of Esporao was a real treat. We would have had lunch there but after plying us full of wine at a tasting and a chacuterie platter, the sun and a trip to Monseratz was next on the menu. Another castle but this time with a twist. The center ring of the parade grounds, double as a bull ring. No matadors today but I put on my best bull imitation, snort and snarl, scrape my feet, lower my arms and charge. Applause from a couple of tourists watching above. Jennifer now says I should have been an actor rather than a lounge singer. The town of Ovidos impresses with its castle sitting high above the hills. The white painted houses and shops which surround the castle give a sense of civilization as it existed centuries ago. Very pretty and thankfully it is overcast otherwise the blazing sun would have made it a sauna. That concludes the self-drive portion of the trip. Its back to Lisboa and onto the Duroro Valley. We’ve completed 1250 km and thankfully the car got returned unscathed. They are relaxing the COVID rules here now with over 85% fully vaccinated. You no longer have to wear masks in hotels or restaurants. Time to get back on the road. VIAGENS FELIZES!!