Spain/Portugal where are you?

[mygrassisblue]

Hi all, Don....we are going the other way round so up through west/north Spain when we leave Porto on 27th. However, depending on your route others may advise...but we have been told that roads/sites north of Porto have been badly affected by the rains lately...all may improve by the time you set off. If you head diagonally down we can recommend Burgos cathedral as arguably the best in the world. We did it last year when heading to Bilbao. We will be doing Salamanca for the first time on our way north. Have heard good reports...any more gladly received.

On the take away beer front, yes, can be cheap as mentioned previously but you struggle to find a weak beer which is swillable LOL !! Solution, we buy the Argus as previously mentioned but also the blue tins of alcohol-free (also from Lidl) and mix em !! Brings it to a nice 2.5 to 3% drink...I can hear some of you howling in derision.....but works for us. Spigot, does that make me more of a P... A....... than you LOL !!

Maja

Thanks for the heads up on the road conditions.
We will probably be heading diagonally and come in from the east side of Portugal.
I will probably stick with Sagres beer as only need a chaser - I have at least 4 bottles of single malt in the van - in case it is cold of course..

 

[n brown]

i like to drink, but found the beer too strong,especially super bock, so i used to mix Sagres 50/50 with water in pint glasses. but now they sell Imperial,which is about 4%,so that's my tipple

 

[Wully]

i like to drink, but found the beer too strong,especially super bock, so i used to mix Sagres 50/50 with water in pint glasses. but now they sell Imperial,which is about 4%,so that's my tipple

Think the best beer I've ever had was in Portugal on draft it was Tagus or tagoos never seen it in cans or bottles here would love to try again just to see if it was as good as I remember it was like drinking cream soda for the first time when you're a kid

 

[Deleted member 58274]

i like to drink, but found the beer too strong,especially super bock, so i used to mix Sagres 50/50 with water in pint glasses. but now they sell Imperial,which is about 4%,so that's my tipple

Hi, with this "Imperial" are you talking about a takeaway beer from a shop, if so which one...and in Spain or Portugal or both ? All draugh beers in bars/cafes are fine as around 4% it's buying beer to drink in/around van that I was on about. ( Carrefour's in Spain do a 4.2% in a tin...none in Portugal hence my method above) Maja

 

[n brown]

bought in shops in Portugal, don't know about Spain it's 4,5 % bit more than i thought but still ok to drink all evening View attachment 50891

 

[carol]

I'm currently parked up in Lagos after reluctantly leaving Alvor. The guide book says it's a lovely walled town. Went out yesterday to look round and no sign of loveliness apart from the Marina! Anyone been here?

 

[n brown]

there's the gold church up the west end opp the copshop,has a little museum attached. then there's a statue in the main square which is only interesting if someone's put a fag in its mouth, which the bored youth of the town often does. there's 3 million bars and restaurants selling fish , and 2 million tatty pottery/gift shops. the beach, Praia Meia is just dull. ''lovely'' isn't a word that comes to mind.[ i gather the club scene isn't too bad]
i would rather walk round Portimao,eat at Ferragudo, and spend a night in the carpark at Armacao de Pera, then get up and take a selfie in the boat on the roundabout

 

[Clunegapyears]

Agree - prettier towns than Lagos

there's the gold church up the west end opp the copshop,has a little museum attached. then there's a statue in the main square which is only interesting if someone's put a fag in its mouth, which the bored youth of the town often does. there's 3 million bars and restaurants selling fish , and 2 million tatty pottery/gift shops. the beach, Praia Meia is just dull. ''lovely'' isn't a word that comes to mind.[ i gather the club scene isn't too bad]
i would rather walk round Portimao,eat at Ferragudo, and spend a night in the carpark at Armacao de Pera, then get up and take a selfie in the boat on the roundabout

On the plus, it is big enough to have specialist shops like wool and computer repairs. A decent ice cream shop. On the marina side, not the new restaurant development, but at one end of the fishing huts, is a really good fish restaurant. A local told me about it.
Much prettier villages along the coast.

 

[Clunegapyears]

Heading to Porto

Hi all, Don....we are going the other way round so up through west/north Spain when we leave Porto on 27th. However, depending on your route others may advise...but we have been told that roads/sites north of Porto have been badly affected by the rains lately...all may improve by the time you set off. If you head diagonally down we can recommend Burgos cathedral as arguably the best in the world. We did it last year when heading to Bilbao. We will be doing Salamanca for the first time on our way north. Have heard good reports...any more gladly received.

Maja[/]

Heading to Porto in next few days. Need a campsite for a night to do some serious cleaning - us and motorhome, as collecting a friend from the airport on 21st. Will then do some wilding in and around Porto. Can you suggest a site and are you using the wild POIs for the town? Cheers

 

[wints]

In a restaurant in Cullera...wondering where the wildcampers have gone??

Allen

 

[Stanski]

HUELVA- Mazatlan Beach

Actually outside the tourist office, in Mazatlan, lovely 20 reg, sun and blue sky.
Agencies have work for me though, should I stay or should I go?
Staying at mo.
Marazone (blxxdy text editor)

 

[Byronic]

Lagos. I used to spend a couple or 3 winter weeks there most years, and some time ago, I think the slave market was still functioning Anyway enough time to get to know and really like the place. In truth though it was as much to do with the reprobates (characters) that frequented and lived in Camping Trinidad (town site) in those days.

 

[carol]

There did seem more young hippies sitting around playing guitars, and people with obvious mental health issues than I've seen in one place for a while!

 

[somejest]

Meet

We get in at about 12.30.
Have not planned that far ahead yet but may drive for an hour or 2 after ferry before stopping for the night.
I will have a look at the site with the elephants, that would keep my dogs amused for hours.
Not sure how the friends thing works but we will be in an R reg Hymer Merc S510 with 2 Border terriers and a confused looking driver.

We are travelling with 4 borders !!! Have you got the aires book for Spain and Portugal ?

 

[carol]

The young hippy you referred too, is quite a nice bloke.
He collects stones, then proceeds to polish them and makes them into pendants.
He showed me the process he uses.
Sells them from a stall in front of his motorhome.
This allows him to travel.
Always have time for folk who are happy to work for what they want.
In holland he's a lorry driver, so no room to be creative.
Every morning he and the other camper jam and sing along.
As for people with mental health issues on the site yes there was a few!
Those who would not pay the three euros to stay ( proceeds to the local sports clue whose land we are staying on)
Also the folk who every evening who got there water from the loo wash out point thus costing the club extra in water meter charges , and saved these selfish barstwarts 2 euros.

Hi Jays, you've misunderstood. I was talking about the people in the town, not the Aire. Have talked to the guy who polishes the stones. Nice lad. When I used the term "mental health issues" I wasn't being facetious but merely commenting on the obvious, sadly.

 

[Byronic]

The most colourful campsite in my experience was Camping Bahia in Algeciras. Last stop before the Morocco bound ferries Juan Carlos Guitterez he the Maroc ticketer of choice sold most of his tickets on Bahia. Dope dealers, rooms to rent by the hour, The trans Africa outfits Top Deck travel, Dragoman, Gullivers all used to call in as would African wildlife and travel film crews. Great times and not a few frightening ones. And then 15 years ago a distant relative of mine who along with her husbands' 6 lawyer brothers sold the site to a developer. Now just flats and houses.
Such a shame he said selfishly!

 

[mygrassisblue]

We are travelling with 4 borders !!! Have you got the aires book for Spain and Portugal ?

4 Borders must be fun - 2 are a handful when they get a scent of something and mine are untrainable although it is probably my own fault.
Owning a border is worse than community service I imagine.
Don't have the aires book but plenty other resources, ********** app looks quite good and campingcar Portugal website.
We will wing it a bit and check on here as well.
How long are you away for?
Don

 

[Canalsman]

Parked 20 metres away from MykCamper in Tarifa.

Funnily he has odd glasses for wine too! (For the benefit of LeeLinda ...)

 

[carol]

Parked 20 metres away from MykCamper in Tarifa.

Funnily he has odd glasses for wine too! (For the benefit of LeeLinda ...)

Hi Chris, are you on the pig field, or whatever it's called? Wasn't sure it still existed?

 

[rugbyken]

when we were parked at Tarifa i said to jan Mike would love it here!