(Sunset last night in Portugal)

We went to Spain! For twenty minutes. Met a man from Spain. He sold us gas. We are back in Portugal. We have used the gas for showers… our new neighbours are grateful. We are in a town called Castro Marim, a very old town. The lady in the castle told me people have been living here since 3,000 years before Christ. That’s about 5,000 years of people with hopes and dreams.

(We are between Vila Real and Faro)

I have to admit when we were driving into the town and I saw the castle there was a fleeting thought, another castle, as in, more of the same. But almost as soon as we got out of the van I remembered what I had learned at the old mining town, all these places feel different. And Castro Marim does feel different. I like the feeling of this place.

(Entrance to the castle)

There’s a medieval festival in the castle every August and I bet its great fun. On the way up to the castle from our car park there are narrow streets with cobblestones. The houses are mainly single story with little grocery shops and cafes and restaurants. In almost every vacant space flowers are growing. Wild flowers. Like poppies and daisies. A simple decoration but really nice.

(View from the toilets!)

As you already know we consider every toilet opportunity… and we considered the toilets in the castle. They were located in one of the old buildings and were a very nice addition to our experience of history.

(The view north from the castle walls. Can you see Ruby?)

From the castle walls I could see Spain and the sea and man-made lakes for producing sea salt. We will be turning west in the next couple of days, with the Atlantic Ocean on our left as we travel through the Algarve region.

Goodbye for now, Spain. Mairead