30th May. Costa Nova.
We are very pleased to find this site as we appreciate the open spaces and particularly since the manageress gave us a special price for storage of the two vehicles for two months, but it is still very expensive. Including the Taxi ride to the Airport we will be out of pocket by approximately 1100 Euros. A bit different from last year when we left Bergerac for home, 200 Euros including flights was our total costs. Now we have a safe place to leave the MH, we can relax and enjoy the remaining days of our holiday. That doesn't mean that we won’t keep a lookout for another site that may be more competitive?
There are lots of camp sites just south of Porto so we decided to have a look the next day. They are very much of the same standard as Barra, and have a feel of UK’s east coast caravan sites of the sixty’s.
On the way we stopped at a village for lunch and Mary asked at a cafe if there was a restaurant nearby, she’s fluent in Portuguese signing? No more to do, the guy shut shop and walked us both to the other end of the high street to a local restaurant where we had a surprise lunch. We ordered, with help, two different salads to start, can’t go wrong with that? They manifested themselves as chicken feet, (their toenails had been trimmed), thank goodness! They were half submerged in a watery soup with bits of tripe buzzing around, this was Marys starter! Mine on the other hand was quite palatable, a potato soup with shredded seaweed, not bad at all, I had two spoonfuls and blinked, when I opened my eyes Mary had swapped dishes!! The sirloin steaks were chosen because you know what you are getting? Grilled ribs without the bone is what we got, still, quiet tasty. We don’t take any reasonability for the choice from the menu as our shoulder rubbing co-dinners helped, the husband insisting that I tried his wine, after that I didn’t care! Another guy joined in with his wife and elderly mother from the other side of the dinning room, you couldn't ignore them and as a result by the time we picked up our knifes and forks the meal was cold. Two old ladies who were leaving stopped behind me, patting my back in sympathy, (they obviously thought I was backward as I hadn’t join in the chatter). We finished with cake which was quite nice. The bill was 12 Euros which included water, a coke, and the entertainment, which, by the end of the meal involved a dozen diners. They obviously were all acquainted with one another and seemed determined to send us to some caves to purchase local Port? There must have been at least a dozen ways to get there as each seem determined to send us their way, didn’t have the heart or the time to tell them,”we don’t like Port”. It was nice to be the centre of attention as they gathered around us waving there arms and thoroughly enjoying themselves, shouting one another down. Wished we knew for sure, what was going on? One opinion is immerging as we travel in Portugal, its the friendliness of its people.
We met an English couple on site who joined us for a drink and nibbles, Lesley & Poney, yes spelt with a “P”. They have let their home in the UK and are travelling the continent in their MH.
Pictured here in their Autotrail we discuss the mysteries of satellite TV. Emails & Blogs were exchanged as we said our goodbye’s, shame they had to leave as we are not seeing many Englanders about.
The dreaded shopping day had arrived! I took my medicine with good humour as we debated which oranges to buy! but consolation was around the corner as we firstly stumbled upon a Brick-o –something, B&Q to you and me, and then the largest sports shop I have ever seen.
They sold everything, from sky diving equipment to frogman's flippers and all things in-between. Mary is looking hard at Jet Ski suits? I on the other hand fancied an orienteering compass to help set up TV Oyster. I wondered, If I purchased would orienteering be compulsory? I decided not to buy!
This campsite benefits from having two types of sea side, being situated on a spit of land jutting out from the main peninsula, one side offers a sandy beach to the Atlantic,
the other side offering a promenade with a marina and then a collection of assorted fishing vessels. They obviously provide daily catches to a popular fish market which is on the promenade.
The eels are still alive
We supported them one day when we purchased fruit and six good sized sardines and two huge slices of fresh sea trout, which finished their days on the BBQ.
Fine villas look out over the promenade and the whole area is very pleasant. If we are to be critical of the campsite it would have to be the size of the pitched which are 45 Sq Metres for MH’s. We were lucky as we got a corner plot which gave us room to assemble Safari. There is some site accommodation in triangle shaped buildings, shown below.
Drive on past the campsite for a few miles and you finish in a nature reserve. We did drive there but didn’t see anywhere that could claim that distinction. Perhaps we are not tuned in!
However, we did see a camp site in the making, proper roads were being constructed which is unusual, an impressive office is open for enquiries and a huge on site supermarket and restaurant is completed although not operating yet. The area is a pine forest offering dappled shade for it’s visitors. I saw at least six toilet blocks completed. The development is a departure from the norm as the standard will be 5* hotel standard, new tennis courts and other sport facilities are under construction. Small for rent bungalows in groups of six and eight are scattered around the site. We'll save up for another time!
It's now the 3rd June and with the exception of Aveiro we seem to have been to most places locally and are beginning to run out of Interesting things to do. I suddenly had the idea of flying to Madeira for a seven day package holiday which would bring our holiday to a memorable end. No wifi here but you can use their browser for a couple of Euros an Hour. So I checked flights from Porto to Funchal. I had to get the boss to help with the hotel side of the booking as the browser had hiccups, he also had problems so he telephoned an agent in Aveiro for a price. 450 Euros for 7days for both in a 2* hotel with pool. wow!! We were at the agents in two shakes only to be told that the price was 800 Euros for 6 nights and the flight out left Porto at half past midnight and was one of the nights. About the bosses telephone call? “me know understand”. Disappointed we had a superb meal went back to the MH and drowned our sorrows in Liptons cold tea. We did realise however, that Aveiro had a lot more to offer than anticipated as it is a large town with a chequered history. We shall revisit.
