BLOG: Our daily adventures,
Week 9: Past San Bartolome de la Torre to Vaiqueros
March 5th-March 11th
- Day 57: March 5th : Somewhere on la Ruta del Pan y Aceite to Just before Villanueva de Los Castillejos - 17 km
The bee is caught yellow-handed!
Cistus ladanifer: an art piece made of natural crepe paper.
Casey is showcasing his clementines! The harvest has already been done here so we pick and eat the remaining/forgotten ones...eating loads of them to extract their delectable juice and avoid depleting our own reserve of water.
At last an area where water is still flowing freely...the reason: no plantations, natural reserve, private properties where wild plants and flowers are left to grow freely.
Picnic break under the shade of a pine tree. We are spoiling ourselves today with luxury sandwiches: salmon, saucisson, iberico ham, guacamole and fresh cheese mixed with garlic and herbs, tomatoes...and for dessert, a rare find here in Spain, lindt chocolate. Happy stomach, happy people!
Second burnt leftovers of a car we've seen in Spain...How to get rid of your old vehicle the spanish way.
La ruta del Pan and Aceite leads us through hilly landscapes, forests, private properties and preserved natural areas. Barely any cars, just the sound of birds and buzzing bees.
At the top of a hill, this mansion, beautifully renovated and its private property spread over miles and miles and enclosing the rivera del Muleto behind its fences.
The only public access to the river was a few minutes ago where our trail turned into a small bridge over its water, then, on both side of the road, 2 private properties protected by km-long fences are sharing the stream uphill and downhill.
Camping right next to the trail.
17 km done for a total of 633 + 17 km = 650 km
- Day 58: March 6th: Just before Villanueva de Los Castillejos to Torreta La Gama - 20 km
Long path between the private properties of Don Simon gigantic orange plantation.
Simple trick used by oranges thieves to slide underneath the metallic fence: lining it with a plastic bag to avoid scratching themselves or their clothes...These improvised sneaking points are scattered all along the path.
No need to slide under fences for us, right on the side of the road, we find a dozen of oranges which probably fell out of the big trucks below.
Fresh orange juice for breakfast!
We fill up our backpacks.
Fresh orange juice for breakfast!
We fill up our backpacks.
Tonnes of oranges accumulated there in this truck which brings back the harvest to Don Simon juice factory.
Km over km of orange trees and they are harvested by hand...how is this even possible!?
A wink to my canadian friends!
Villanueva de Los Castillejos' dried-out river canal..again a scene illustrating the scarcity of water.
Taberna el Puchero de Pastora...On sundays, everything is closed except from a few restaurants...so our new modus operandi is to treat ourselves with a few tapas and prepare sandwiches with the leftovers.
Peculiar old fashioned way of ordering your drinks from the street on top of your horse.
Our Campsite past Villanueva de Los Castillejos on the property of an isolated pig farm.
20 km done for a total of 650 + 20 km = 670 km
- Day 59: March 7th: Torreta La Gama (SPAIN) to Alcoutim (PORTUGAL) - 18 km
Early morning exercise today: jumping over a fence to reach the hiking trail on the other side in Parque natural Torreta La Gama. In this protected area, we see at last little rivers and lakes which have survived the drought.
The poor deer died getting his horns stuck in barb wires. An illustration of the horrific consequences of creating borders and territories...the wisdom of nature in one symbolic scene.
Spain is offering us its last beauty show..
Second mini adventure today, after jumping over fences, let's cross rivers: hiking boots off and sandals on.
But before, little lunch break, feet in the refreshing water.
We reach the last Spanish village on our itinerary before crossing over the Portuguese border: Sanlucar de Guadiana. On the other side of the river Guadiana, just a swim away, Alcoutim stands at the beginning of the long distance trail "via Algarviana", our next path.
There on the pavement in front of Sanlucar's church...a dove..symbol of peace..I hope I could send a whole fleet of them flying over Ukraine's sky.
Casey's waiting for the little ferry to cross over to Portugal.."Have you whistled?" asked a familiar of the process when we inquire on how to reach the other side.
The rules here are quite funny indeed: to cross the river, you have to stand on the green area on Sanlucar little peer and whistle for the ferry driver, living on his sailing boat on Alcoutim's side, to come over with the little ferry he operates. Had we known, we'd have whistled earlier!
The rules here are quite funny indeed: to cross the river, you have to stand on the green area on Sanlucar little peer and whistle for the ferry driver, living on his sailing boat on Alcoutim's side, to come over with the little ferry he operates. Had we known, we'd have whistled earlier!
A few minutes later, here we are: in Portugal! Both Casey and the statue are looking over to the Spanish river banks...we've walked our way so far already..And are now leaving Spain behind us. Good bye tapas, hello Porto wines!
"The river has both the calmness and rage of the serpent, which it resembles, not only in its shape, but in the art of breaking the unwary who challenges it."
"The day was made for sleeping, the night was made for walking."
Our little treat in Alcoutim: one night in a bedroom with a swimming pool view.
18 km done for a total of 670 + 18 km = 688 km
- Day 60: March 8th: Alcoutim to somewhere north of Alcoutim on the top of a hill - 7 km
Here in Alcoutim starts our next adventure..hiking the Algarviana trail !
This sculpture sitting in Alcoutim and made of rubbish/garbage won a prize in 2021
Alcoutim's school is sending its peace doves to Ukraine!
We walked out of Alcoutim and into its neighbouring hills.From here you can slide from Portugal to Spain via a "Tyrolienne"
7 km done for a total of 688 + 7 km = 695 km
- Day 61: March 9th: Somewhere north of Alcoutim on the top of a hill to Torneiro - 22 km
At the little coffee place in Cortes Pereiras, we meet a French speaking local, Carlos Luz, who came down here to retire, he is an artist and further down in the village, we discover some of his creations carved/engraved walls.
A little van honks then stops at the cafe, it is a mobile grocery store, we buy ourselves some chorizo and some fruits.
A little van honks then stops at the cafe, it is a mobile grocery store, we buy ourselves some chorizo and some fruits.
Old water pumping system, still working: You have to turn the wheel for the water to flow.. our thirsty self is quenched.
Our food supplies was empty and there were no grocery shop on our way. Luckily, we find an open restaurant a few km away from the trail...We arrive quite late with our head lamp to guide us. What a relief, though, they also sell food that we can use the next day. All is well.
22 km done for a total of 695 + 22 km = 717 km
- Day 62: March 10th: Torneiro to Corte de Sao Tome - 18 km
We cross little villages on our way with derelicted houses like this one: seems like someone must have played a giant mikado.
The first river we have to cross without bridge on our path..The Algarviana trail website calls this a "healthy adventure"...Casey is looking for the best spot to slide our way through..Again here: sandals on, hiking boots off.
The via Algarviana is a succession of steep hills to climb up and down...this is one of many to come.
18 km done for a total of 717+ 18 km = 735km
- Day 63: March 11th: Corte de Sao Tome - Vaiqueros - 30 km
A well, one orange tree and enough grapes vine to produce your own wine. A Little dreamland.
A common sight on our path, the little villages all have a bread oven that their inhabitants are sharing...The tradition is kept alive in some, in others the oven is used to dump everyone's garbage.
Anecdote of the day: in the past, the popular belief of the villagers said that, to get a better bread, a woman should draw a cross on the bread mass and another woman should imagine one in the oven...if the bread ended up not properly baked..the two women will be considered to be witches and banned from the village...so much pressure for the poor women!
Anecdote of the day: in the past, the popular belief of the villagers said that, to get a better bread, a woman should draw a cross on the bread mass and another woman should imagine one in the oven...if the bread ended up not properly baked..the two women will be considered to be witches and banned from the village...so much pressure for the poor women!
Iberian milk-vetch: I love its small precisely drawn leaves. Nature's attention to details.
Not so reassuring to find the corps of a snake...its colours suggest it might have been a venomous one.
Today's hike requires us to walk a piece of the trail by night...A small fire salamander was about to be crushed under Casey's shoes...He is "hangry"..nothing should stand between him and his empty stomach.
We walk with a faster pace towards Vaiqueros where we might find food: we have to get there before everything close. Again we did not so well estimate our needs when buying food the previous day and we now need to reach the village. We end up finding one restaurant open "Caso de pasto Teixeria" but a bit too late to order a meal. We feast then on snack: mars, bounty, lion, twix, chips..a cocktail of junk food.
We walk with a faster pace towards Vaiqueros where we might find food: we have to get there before everything close. Again we did not so well estimate our needs when buying food the previous day and we now need to reach the village. We end up finding one restaurant open "Caso de pasto Teixeria" but a bit too late to order a meal. We feast then on snack: mars, bounty, lion, twix, chips..a cocktail of junk food.
30 km done for a total of 735+ 30 km = 765km