Chi's Travel Log - Celavisa, Portugal 15-12-2008

Portraits of some people I met on tour

adventure@chi11.co.uk

20081215 = Week 3 = Celavisa, Portugal

Week 3

20081215 Arose 9 found the van was all iced up and our first minus night -1 started the van up and made good everything before joining Patrick for breakfast could not get into one of the holds from the outside because it was iced up. The sun was really warm this morning so it soon melted away the night ice. We went to see Jerry and Maureen, then on to the Vets to see Sophia, she kept us chatting for a good hour then we met Dougy in Lidl and returned to Patrick's we a few beers and some lunch, added some meet to the chili for another meal with some fresh crusty bread for dinner. Now chilling and writing up notes with a few glasses of wine.

20081216 Arose 7:30 bright and early showered and ready to drive to Coimbra in Patrick's motor it was a lovely day, sun was shining bright in Celevisa but took a little longer to break through as we made our way to Coimbra. We parked by the river and walked into the old cobbled street centre where we chilled in a cafe bar with a coffee. It was warm in the sun but still had a chill in the shade. We wandered round taking lots of pics and window shopping en-route. We had lunch in an Indian Restaurant which was really nice. More wandering then another coffee down by the river before collecting Maureen from the Hospital, we gave her a lift home then back to Celavisa for dinner of chorizo chili, relaxing by the wood burner for the evening with a few wines etc.

20081217 Arose 8 got organized quite early reviewed more of the pics we took in Coimbra, drove to Gois to get some spare BP light gas which again proved unsuccessful, had a coffee and a wander round then bumped into Nick in a bar this was noon ended up back at the bar in Celavisa until I left at 9 to make the dinner and light the fire at Patrick's, fell asleep after that, it had been a glorious sunny day ideal for sitting in the sun with a few beers. Retired about 11.

20081218 Arose 7:30 showered and sorted quite early a little morning hovered over the hills for a while, then bright blue skies prevailed, so Patrick and I decided to go for a ride on the bicycles in the afternoon, we rode on the back roads down to Bordeiro where we lazed in the sun with a couple of beers before returning to Celavisa, it was a lovely sunny afternoon. We viewed the maps later in the afternoon to plan the route to visit the highest mountain in Portugal, hopefully before xmas. Just chilling by the log fire this evening and watching a little TV with a few mulled wines etc.

20081219 Arose 8 lit the fire and breakfast before Martin arrived to fix the electrics at Patrick's house. All finished and sorted by lunch time so we popped into Arganil for lunch, soup, fresh salmon and vegetables sweet, half bottle of red then coffee all for €6 which was lovely sat outside in the sun. After a lazy lunch we drove onto Coja for a gas bottle for me, this time butane gas light with a new regulator, I hope to exchange the other next time. Got back to Celavisa and fitted the new gas, then had dinner, shower and out for a few beers at the Paderia, followed by a few more in the local bar breaking out the malt whiskey which we polished off, ending up in the motor home drinking coffee till 3am.

20081220 Arose 9 had a lazy breakfast then a walk round town and a coffee, decided to do a bit of off roading over the mountain passes then dropped down into Pracerias where we had an espresso turned out to be another glorious day of sunshine. Back to Celavisa where we had a late lunch on the terrace in the sun. Took some nice pics. then chilled the rest of the day viewed the strictly dancing final then Benny Hill before an early night, going to the mountains Sunday.

20081221 Arose 8 then a quick breakfast so we had an early start for our trip to the Serra de Astralla (mountain range of the stars) which includes the highest mountain in Portugal, had a great day really sunny and warm lots of skiers, boarders and lots of children sledging on the high slopes, had lunch on the summit and afternoon coffee at a picturesque village on the way down, got some lovely pictures en route and had a wonderful day out. Chilled in the evening with a few wines before retiring.

adventure@chi11.co.uk