Goodbye Portugal 💕

We are traveling alone for a short time and are heading back to Figuaira da Foz. The small town has captivated us as we can park right at the beach and at the edge of the city. Here, both dog and human are happy because there is something for everyone. The beachfront promenade is lined with high-rises and skyscrapers. The beach is kilometers long and wide, offering many sports and swimming opportunities. We enjoy visiting here as always and stroll along with countless other people along the magnificent promenade, sipping a beer for 1.50 euros and letting our souls unwind. Figueira da Foz is definitely worth a stop.

After spending a night in the middle of nowhere, we unexpectedly end up in Vieira de Leiria. Here we park with hundreds of other campers (exclusively Portuguese) right by the river. We really enjoy this beautiful tourist town that is directly by the sea. Together with hundreds of other people, we watch the fishermen at work. Traditional colorful boats are used for fishing, and it is a spectacle when they come ashore through the huge waves. Hundreds of people, children, and seagulls are part of the spectacle, and we eagerly dive into the crowd, curious about what comes out of the nets. Tractors pull the boats out of the surf. The waves are high, and it's truly exciting to watch. Mainly mackerel are caught, but there are also swordfish, dorado, and other large fish. Our friends Karin and Nicole join us again, and the joy is great for both dog and human.

Unfortunately, it is getting cooler along the Atlantic, and already in the mornings and evenings, a sweater is needed (in August!). Therefore, we decide to take a detour through the hinterland on our way to Andalusia. We learn from locals that this summer has been extremely cool for Portuguese standards along the Atlantic.

In Vila Nova de Barquinha, we make an overnight stop by the Tajo River. There is an art park where dogs are prohibited, and otherwise, not much is offered. We continue towards the Spanish border and end up in a barren region of the Guadiana National Park. The area is sparsely populated, and the road leads us straight for ages. We pass a steppe-like landscape where large herds of cows and bulls are raised. The fenced pastures stretch to the horizon. We spend the night in Arronches by the river and are glad to have found a shaded spot. It is still summer in the interior of the country, and the temperature difference to the Atlantic is enormous.

In Mouraou, we again find a beautiful reservoir where we can camp right by the water with other campers. In the evening, we swim in the pleasantly warm water. Simply delightful given the temperatures.

The last day in Portugal demands everything from us. For hours, we drive in scorching heat over poor roads through the wilderness in Extremadura near the Spanish border. The area is desert-like, sparsely populated, and a yellow steppe stretches to the horizon. Not only the dogs but everyone is eventually completely exasperated by the rough ride. Eventually, we see the sign for Espania and are very happy. Andalusia... we are back 😊.

Now we are back in Spain and look back on the last six months. Portugal impresses with its magnificent landscape. The Atlantic coast is endless, beautiful, and there are many parking options by the sea and also inland. Prices are higher than in Spain, and the mentality is more reserved. Spaniards are friendly, spirited, and open; the Portuguese are more reserved and slightly grumpy. Nevertheless, we never had any problems, and we also met very friendly and talkative Portuguese people. However, after being on the road in Spain for so long, you definitely notice the difference. Of our six months in Portugal, nearly three months were spent with sick dogs. We saw many veterinary clinics in Portugal and were treated kindly everywhere, although the Portuguese tend to be a bit rougher in their treatment of dogs compared to Germany. At least now both are healthy and lively again, and it didn't cost us a fortune even though Lucy needed a major surgery.

Portugal is a scenic dream both at the sea and inland. Palm trees, eucalyptus forests, and cacti are part of the everyday scenery. Even during the holiday season, which lasts 12 weeks in these countries, we always found a spot, and even on the Atlantic, it rarely exceeds 30°C in the high summer. Of course, the beaches are crowded, and dogs are prohibited there during this time, but we always found a swimming opportunity for our furry noses.

Portugal is full of French people, and we were quite surprised not to see a single German for many weeks. When we encountered campers, they were either Portuguese or French. Almost everywhere, English is sufficient, which was great because, even though I am learning Spanish and they say the languages are related, we didn’t understand a word from the Portuguese people.

Now we are back in Spain and are looking forward to seeing many familiar faces again soon in Motril.

Hello Espana 😎🥳