Friday, May 9th, 2014, 2014
Route Map and Garmin Ride Statistics
We were virtually the last to leave our very enjoyable overnight accommodation. Mainly because this wasn't going to be a particularly long day, and partially because it takes a while to get the "peloton" together.
After a fairly comfortable and quick 30 km we arrived at out morning coffee stop. Too bad the coffee was even weaker than yesterday's and virtually just hot milk - did I say "hot"?! Anyway, almost everyone on the ride eventually arrived here so the bar owner had a good day.
Only another 20 km further on we arrived at our designated lunch stop, complete with hill top fortifications and what looked like a church inside. We weren't tempted to investigate, especially after a very satisfying lunch.
The lunch stop is called Arraiolos, and the view on the way up was typical of the scenery for the past few days - sparsely planted olive, cork and pine trees in various combinations. Perhaps it's because forest fires are as common in Portugal in the summer as they are in Australia.
In the middle of Arraiolos is a really nice square with a couple of restaurant/bars in the middle.
It turned out that the tables were divided by a rope and we chose one side and some of our riding companions chose the other. Somehow they always found a better place to eat than us, but on this occasion I think we won out. I wonder whether it was the food, or our particularly attractive waitress?!
If this isn't a scene that inspires you to visit Portugal, what is? That's Naomi, Peter, Helen, Helen, David and Nick enjoying lunch on the other side of the rope.
At our destination, Evola, everyone was "promised" a room by the pool. I must have dipped out because I got a view of the cathedral, and the bust station (dextrously edited out). At least the windows were triple glazed.
That's my view above, and the Tony's view below.
And just to prove it, they even invited me over for a beer.
Up in the old part of town, we just had to visit the Chapel of the Bones. Over the entrance is the ironic text "we bones who are here are waiting for yours". The walls, ceiling and columns are constructed from human bones taken from a cemetery many hundreds of years ago. That's what I like about Catholicism.
And so onwards and upwards towards the cathedral and the top of the old town. Along the way, another square, another bar, and another view of Steve and Neil asleep in the sun with a beer in their hands.
Unfortunately, the cathedral was closed, but looked impressive nevertheless. There were a couple of horse drawn coaches outside, and no customers, as well as a guy playing typical "old town musac" on a guitar accompanied by a (out of shot).
Strangely perhaps, there are Roman ruins in Evora, proving that the Romans were everywhere, and yet another open air bar and another beer (overpriced because of the location).
And finally to eat, again. We had bookmarked this restaurant on the way up and returned to it on the way down. What attracted us was the location, the tablecloths, and the sardines and snails on the menu. After a Rose, a red wine, some octopus entrees and the sardines we all went back to our hotel for an early night, or to write a blog.
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