Portugal....Part 2.. The dream continues.

Fresh and with spare parts (the package arrived with UPS after 20 hours) and freshly showered, we leave Pedrogao after 4 days. In Nazare we make a short stop to check the waves, which are the biggest in all of Europe here...sometimes...unfortunately not today! So we continue driving.

In Foz da Arelho, we park (along with many other campers) at a campsite right by the sea. The small town is protected by a lagoon from the open sea and the water gently splashes against the shore. The lagoon of Obidos. Not only the dogs love it and happily jump into the water. Two hundred meters away, we see and hear huge waves crashing onto a beautiful sandy beach. We watch the spectacle up close with our eyes and ears and are glad to return to our quiet parking spot in the evening. The loud crashing of the waves can be quite exhausting in the long run. With a glass of wine and the quiet murmuring of the sea, we watch the sun set fiery red into the sea. The next morning is low tide and the whole lagoon looks completely different. Sandbanks blink everywhere, you can almost walk to the other shore. Many fishermen are fishing for fish and crabs in the shallow water with their colorful boats. Kite surfers use the calm lagoon for surfing. The sky is cloudless and the water glistens in the sun. We decide to stay.

A desert-like landscape with cacti and vibrant succulents, interspersed with reeds (from the river that brings fresh water here) and palm trees lining the streets, invites us to take a walk. Both humans and dogs are captivated by the landscape, the lagoon, and the peaceful atmosphere. The dogs bathe in the semi-fresh water/semi-saltwater as much as they can and fall exhausted into bed in the evening. We also enjoy the place very much. It's a great change after weeks of wild Atlantic Ocean to enjoy this calm and dreamy large lagoon.

We make an overnight stop in Sao Pedro de Cadeiro and meet Swiss expatriate Robert, marvel at the great beach with a small lagoon behind the dune, and enjoy a spectacular sunset at the lookout tower on the cliffs. Many other campers from all over the world are here and the atmosphere is simply amazing.

In Lisbon, we drive over the famous 25th of April Bridge. The 3rd longest suspension bridge in the world, connecting North and South Lisbon and crossing the huge Tejo River. It is low tide and countless fishermen stand waist-deep in the river collecting mussels. We agree that we will leave the city to itself and continue driving.

In Pedo do Altar inland, we find a quiet spot by the reservoir with a breathtaking view of the lake. We also like the inland very much. Huge cacti, eucalyptus trees, and a desert-like landscape dominate the scenery. The people are friendly and open. We are often approached in Portuguese, we understand nothing and try to convey that as well. The people keep talking anyway and we have learned that friendly nodding is enough...and everyone is satisfied. We spend a wonderfully quiet night here. There are many birds and we fall asleep to their chirping.

On our way through the inland, we find another great spot at Sao Bartholomew with Dutch expatriates in the middle of nowhere. They have lovingly created a campsite here for 7.50 euros. We stay for two nights, do a thorough cleaning, Kilian bakes an onion bread, and explore the area. We discover 'peeled' trees everywhere and learn that these are cork trees. Their bark is taken off every ten years...the result is our cork floors. To avoid peeling too often, the trees are marked with numbers on their trunks.

The place is run by Dutch long-term campers who stay here for many months. They are very friendly and talkative and of course, we also have to tell them everything about our honeybee.

Then we arrive at the Algarve, the southernmost part of Portugal. Since we urgently need to do laundry, we check into the campsite in Armacao near Albufeira. Immediately we feel comfortable on the huge, only halfway full site. On a large area, you can park wherever you want. We discover a great old 'Steir' truck with a German license plate and get to know the expatriates Sascha and Andrea from northern Germany. They have been on the road for two years already, the sympathy is mutual, and we settle in. There are many Germans here and we discover an FN (Friedrichshafen) license plate and an RV (Ravensburg) license plate. Everyone here is either spending the winter or has completely dropped out. The beach is fantastic and the adjacent nature reserve behind the dunes as well. A river brings fresh water and the dogs are delighted. I wash as much as I can, we explore the beautiful white town, and relax together with other like-minded people for a few days.

Unfortunately, it is strictly forbidden to wild camp on the beautiful Algarve and we have heard several stories where the police chased away people late at night. That is very unfortunate for us, as we prefer to wild camp. But now it is high season here and there are too many campers in the country. The parking areas are packed. That's why we decide to continue driving to southern Spain (which is just a stone's throw away). Our friends are spending the winter there...and we really want to see them again.

So for now, goodbye wonderful Portugal. We had a great time in this incredible country. The wild Atlantic, the dreamy sandy beaches, and the Mediterranean landscape have completely captivated us. Since we are staying in the south all winter anyway, it may very well be that we will come back again. So we set our clocks forward one hour again, fill up with diesel for 1.80 euros, and cross into Spain again on November 19th at 20 degrees.

Buenos dias Andalusia, here we come...