Wednesday February 7, 2007: Évora
We walked up the hill and checked out one of the churches that had been closed on Monday. There was a taxi stand there and we got a taxi to take us back to the apartment to pick up the luggage and then on to the airport E8. At the airport we couldn’t find a Thrifty representative (they don’t have a stand) and had to ring the office. It turned out the employee had picked up another client and we had to wait till he was finished with them. So we got a coffee and Andrew read the FT. About 10:40 Thrifty arrived and took us to their office about 5 minutes away from the airport. Our car is a Ford Fiesta and the handover was relatively easy.
Leaving Lisbon was relatively easy and only had to do one double round of the roundabout to get on the correct road. The highway south included the Vasca da Gama bridge which is 17.2km long. Filled the car at highway service station. E1.28 per litre.
Driving was easy and we could see cork trees with their ringed bark along the route. .
- Bark cannot be harvested until the tree is about 25 years old
- Cork is harvested every 9 years and the trees are numbered by the year of harvest i.e. 5 = 2005
- Cork quality has improved to reduce product faults that affect wine
- There are about 600 cork producers in Portugal and the industry employees 60,000 out of the national population of 10.6 million
- The first two harvests are used for floor tiles, footwear and gaskets and then after cork from the base of the trees are not used for stoppers.
The country itself was rolling and at one point magically changed from looking dry and rocky to green and rolling. There was no apparent irrigation to cause this. We passed over a number of bridges but more often than not there was no water in these gullies. We stopped in a little town called Montemor-o-novo for lunch. We went in to a bakery and purchased a local specialty (though we didn’t know it at the time – we just thought they looked good) chicken empanadas – little chicken pies. We went for a trip up the hill to see the castle on the hill but it was an odd set-up and not particularly notable. We drove the remaining 30km to Évora and parked in a car park outside the old town walls.
Over 3km of these walls date from the 14th century though some on the southern side are 17th century.
In the centre there are some remains of Roman walls from the 1st century. We located the tourist office on the Parça do Giraldo where we got an excellent town map and some accommodation options. In the end we decided on the IBIS hotel just outside the city walls which was on special for E39. After checking in we put on our coats as it was just beginning to rain lightly. We had a brief wander around and checked out restaurants for dinner and bought a bottle of local wine. Came back to the hotel then went out for dinner.
At this stage it was bucketing down, we had parkas, but no umbrella. We went to our desired restaurant O Antão, just off the Parça. It was 19:30 and there was just one other couple, who turned out to be Spanish tourists. We had a nice pork starter (cold pork strips in olive oil with garlic and parsley) followed by lovely Lamb Chops accompanied by thin rounds of potato fried in oil. Dinner was followed by Chocolate Mousse and a glass of Port for AJ, E61. The wine was recommended by the young waiter who was very helpful and spoke good English. The wine 2005 Convento da Tomina, DOC Alentejo, 14.5% pleasant young wine blend characteristics of Grenache. When we finished the rain was still pouring and we almost ran back to the hotel – except for a short detour for someone to relieve his bladder on a side-street.
Thursday February 8, 2007: Évora
Relaxed start to the morning as it was still raining. Our first purchase for the day was an umbrella each. After stopping for a coffee we made our way to the Cathedral, where we were charged a E1 entrance fee. The church was started about 1186 and was the place where Vasco da Gama’s flags were blessed. It was leaking in the rain and there were people washing the paintings on the walls. From here we went to the Templo Romano, supposed to be the best preserved Roman monument in Portugal. There are Corinthian columns that have survived 18 centuries mainly because the temple was boarded up in the Middle Ages and was only really rediscovered in the 19th century. We walked past some of the university buildings.
We stopped at the Porta de Moura (the Moors Gate) where there was an unusual renaissance fountain. From there were located the Church Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Graça where the outside is topped by 4 stone giants. Then on to the church Igreja de São Francisco – a Manueline-Gothic from about 1510. There was no rose window, but two ornate chapels on either side. More famous however is the chapel of the bones. Capela dos Ossos. It was the solution in the 17th century when the graveyards were overflowing. The walls are lined with the bones and skulls of some 5000 people, arranged in careful patterns, with a couple of desiccated corpses. The inscription above the chapel translates as “We bones await yours” Interesting little room.
We stopped for a drink and lunch in a tiny café and by the time we emerged the sun was out and it was warm. We decided to walk to the start of the ancient Aqueduct which is in excellent condition. From there we wandered through the town to the gardens on the out rim of the town. In the evening we walked to town to find a restaurant and as it was bucketing down chose one relatively quickly. Mr. Pickwicks, just off the main square. We were again the only people there as the other person sitting was the owner. The waiter was excellent and Paula had local cod and Andrew a beef Tournedo. www.evora.net/mrpickwick-mrsnob