Telephone Road

4th Dec

Fisherman's Blues

Today we took a stroll into town to the Vodaphone shop. We walked along the beach to let Max have a run  or two when we got there no queue, straight in no luck? The shop is just an agent for Vodaphone and don't do PAYG sims also he had no data sim cards "having a delivery tomorrow", but he was able to give us an address of a Vodaphone "main" shop in a town between here and Lisbon so we will drive there tomorrow
We headed to the pier, and found a street full of fish restaurants everyone had all kinds of fish on ice in their front windows. We keep finding more to Peniche the longer we are here ?
We walked to the end of the pier where the lighthouse was, and had a breather and then went in search of some fresh fish

 Restaurant near the pier

The end of the pier, it was a fair walk to the end

 

 Marina

Peniche in the distance

So we found a place selling fresh fish and returned to Base camp

 

 It was such a nice day we decided to stop on-route for a frosty and catch up with emails etc. The old Currant Bun was doing it's best to make me drink more

 

 

 Swordfish steaks

Sardines

 Later I cooked up the fish with a side salad, delicious albeit a bit fiddly with the bones

 

 

5th Dec

The Journey

Woke up this morning and thought lets do some baking, a traditional Portuguese cake and a few hours later

Bolo Rainha

It's a bit like a Lardy cake and a hot cross bun

By popular demand I was asked to make a curry again "so good was the last one"

 

So later that day we moved the van for the first time in over a week, filled up with water and emptied the grey waste as we drove past the service area. We then drove to Torres Vedras about 22 miles away to sort out our phones and Internet

Along the way we stopped at a place called Capelas, We were cooking on thin air in the gas department on both bottles were on zilch, we found the garage and filled both tanks up

€17.05 cheaper than the UK €0.72c = 57p a litre. Considering we have used the gas everyday for cooking and heating and the fridge when not on EHU in France and Northern Spain not bad!! and cooking whilst here.

We arrived at Torres Vedras about an hour later found a place to park up and went in search of the shop, found it with ease! only to discover that they could supply us with new phone sims but we would have new numbers!! "not a bit of good and not what we were told in the UK by their trusty sales staff "as we were told once we go PAYG back in the UK, we would have to use the phone once in the first month to retain our numbers, the sims are on their way to us in the UK we are in Portugal.. so the phone fiasco continues. We were able to buy a data sim though so I bought 2? another cracker from good old Vodaphone they sell 4gb sim cards for 7 days whichever the soonest or 1gb for 30 days another legal scam on their behalf.. When we get back we will change providers, and tell em where to shove their data sims too

The town itself was quite nice and in all we managed to do a few things so it was not a total waste of a journey and also I was able to stock up with two 5L boxes of wine €4.99 about 0.59p a bottle, cheapest yet and a good drop to boot

 

 

 Orange tree lined streets

 

They must have known we were coming, they had laid out the Red carpet for us

So it was back to the van and a quiet evening, after happy hour of course to devour the Goan Pork and Mushroom Vindaloo

 

6th Dec

A Little Good News

Sam had emailed her Dad "Neil" last night to enquire if we had any post from good old Vodaphone! he replied quickly back, that there were two envelopes there for us. So this morning after making enquires at the front desk and getting the address, we forwarded the Information over to Neil and he mailed back later, that both sim's are on their way to us. Many thanks Neil, hopefully this will sort us out and put an end to this fiasco..
I got talking to a French chap this morning on site, he asked me where we were heading and I told him down to the Algarve and Morocco in January! He shook his head and said dangerous he then went on to tell me that all French nationals have been advised by their President not to go to Morocco? I later googled and found this info, also I had read that Morocco has just had severe floods down the south, and that it had washed away many of the roads and bridges, killing several people! I am still intent on travelling to Morocco, there will be more room for the Brits now without the 20,000 odd French not there..

It's Saturday! football day so I make one of my specialities an Omelette with some fresh bread, Sam had picked up at the café earlier today, unfortunately for you no pics ! we scoffed it down before realising by then to late.

I'm not expecting to many shocks this weekend, there all pretty straight forward games, a few draws to the strugglers and wins for the top teams. The Big game is tomorrow !!

So we just moped about, and then went down to the bar unfortunately there were a couple of people sitting outside and one had an Alsatian! Max does not get on too well with larger dogs, he was there first "I didn't want a commotion" so we headed back to the van and took it easy.

There was some Vindaloo left so we had that with some side salad "Christ was it hot" always better the next day I say, but this had taken on something more sinister than yesterdays!! We finished it, but we were both wiping our brows neither one willing to give in.

Later on we get an unsuspected call on Skype from our friends, at our local back home. It was so nice to see everyone and have a quick chat. Thanks Charlotte  

 

6th Dec

Let's Go Fly A Kite

There were a few shocks yesterday? A few of the big boys (Chelsea & Arsenal) got turned over. I am hoping those fluke results don't carry onto today!

Into town first thing, get the shopping done quickly! the match kicks off early.We take the beach route it's gorgeous out.

I notice Billy Bridgend had been here with his bag of pens

 

 

Shopping done we head back, not long till kick off I want to watch the stream on the net.

On the way back there are several Kitesurfers out, amazing to watch

 

 

Max chased up and down the beach barking and generally making a nuisance of himself and then it was back home for the footy.

Re-edited

I have had time to reflect, so writing this with a clearer head albeit not happy! Sam set his team up well, We played well for 20mins scored and lost our shape, route one went out of the door for the Irons, and they were the better team. Two Set pieces and they have gone ahead. We loose our keeper "we always get a player sent off against them" bad ref decision "Sakho  handball" he then goes onto score, a bad day at the office we weren't good move on.

It is times like today I don't miss my phone service! I can get no texts, thank god unless by IPhone or Whatssapp and I only get one from my protagonists "I'd have done the same" We have Spurs next Sunday another game I got something riding on..

So down the pub for a few swifty's to cheer me up, but Alsatian man is there again "I wish Max would learnt to socialise" so back to the van it was, and a night in.

For supper tonight, out came the BBQ. Pork Chops and fantastic spicy Portuguese Sausages with a Potato salad and side salad "beautiful"  

 

 

8th Dec

Making Plans for Nigel

I feel a bit better today yesterday gone, today is today..

I got chatting on Whatsapp this morning with a good friend and was able to pin down why the hit's on the blog were half of what they were last week ?   Don't get me wrong I don't suppose anyone is reading this to be honest "you have better things to do" but I had noticed quite a drop in figures ? Then I was told it was being serialised and read in paperback at our local, it's nice to know people are following our trip.

We have also been wondering why there were so many people on the site over the weekend? Also why there was not much hot water in the showers brrr

It so happens that it is a Bank Holiday here today " The Feast of Immaculate Conception" and a lot of the locals had been here for the weekend using their caravans, lots of BBQ's going, people eating alfresco and lots of people at the bar dining and enjoying themselves, so we relaxed also its nice to have a day off.
By the way Portugal get 10 bank holidays. they did have 14 till last year and after public outcry the government will re introduce the four they stole by 2018 compared to our measly 8

This morning we went to the other beach opposite us. Praia do Forte dos Cabanas

It is basically 3 beaches joined, it made a nice change.

 

Max liked it, he soon scattered the seagulls

Then it was into town do a shop, and grab a coffee on the way back. I took some photo's on route

 A canine toilet. Max refused to use it "the last dog had not cleaned up"

I always wondered what happened to Nigel the World Cup predicting Octopus

Our jaunts into town are keeping us fit. They are usually about 3hrs and we are quite tired when we get back and don't really do much. Once again Alsatian man is there at the bar!! So once again we trudge back to the van "hopefully he be gone tomorrow after the bank holiday"

 

9th Dec

 

Tuesday Afternoon

We had a late night last night. We are on a grape diet?

 

It does say on the box it is ideal for everyday consumption

So this morning we woke much later than usual! It's cold today about 14 and cloudy. We decide to chill!!

Sam is doing a roast dinner, it will be the first roast we have had since we hit the road. We will use this as a dress rehearsal for Xmas day. I have also been saving all our off pieces of stale bread from France, Spain and Portugal and decide to make another of my specialties a Bread Pudding. we have had some of these pieces of bread for a few weeks they are rock hard and you need an hammer to break it up, but unlike the bread in the UK it is not mouldy after a few days. Must be something different about their bread? I add lashings of Brandy and leave it to soak overnight

 

Later on the Sunday roast on a Tuesday afternoon is ready (well done Sam) and we sit down and enjoy "I must admit it was the best meal we have had to date"

 

We can hear the power of the ocean it is quite windy, but it is a nice sound.

We stay indoors it's snug and settle down and play some cards.

 

10th Dec

 

Bread and Butter

This morning I got up and put the bread pudding into the oven, and an hour and fifteen minutes later it's done

Lashings of more Brandy on top, and leave to cool

We take a stroll into town , stopping at the office to see if the mail has arrived "not today, maybe because of the Bank holiday" we need to go to the hole in the wall for cash and stop by at Lidl for odds n sods. It's warmer today the beach is deserted apart for the lone Kitesurfer. I watch him for awhile , he is pretty good the way he harness's the wind. 

Back to the camp and stop by at the bar and watch the sun go down

 

We have been talking, everyone has a name for their van? Sam has read two books by fellow travellers and I am reading several blogs. So we decide to call ours Dylan

So we return to Dylan, we have chicken new potatoes and salad! I have also bought a domino set, it will make a change from cards. Hopefully tomorrow if the mail arrives, we will drive to Cabo da Roca the most westerly point of Europe and spend a night there, then onto the Chicken Run in the western Algarve, we have received an email back, they have space for us. So we will probably spend Xmas there and then move back into southern Spain, and onto Algeciras to catch the ferry over to Tangier Med, January 8th 

Note: The bread pudding is fantastic, one of the best I have done.