Expat in Portugal: Campismo 2013, Part 1

Day 1, Thursday 4th
After an uneventful journey we arrived and set up the tent. The kids played football and then we all went to the town of Vila Nova de Milfontes to explore and eat. Having found our way to the seafront there, it seemed that I was suffering from a distinct feeling of deja vu. When we left we drove to the end of the peninsula to see what I suspected was a statue of a man constructed from metal, and upon seeing the ten feet tall iron sculpted angel holding a globe had my deja vu confirmed! I had indeed been there before, and remembered that it was a few years ago, when I stayed with my good friend and his family who now have a Quinta in the Alentejo.

The beach at Vila Nova de Milfontes

The Castle at Vila Nova de Milfontes

Day 2, Friday 5th
We woke early and after breakfast headed out of the campsite's back gate towards the beach, some 600 metres along a dusty sandy path across the dunes. The beach was quiet and the sea rough. The children paddled and built sandcastles. In the afternoon the children played on the park at the campsite and after I took the eldest two for a swim in the pool. We talked over tea of a trip to the nearest major town tomorrow, Odemira. I spent the late evening sitting in the laundry block drinking beer, doing sudoku puzzles and reading whilst I very sneakily recharged both my Kindle and my wife's mobile.

The dunes leading down to the beach near the campsite, the Praia do Malhão

Praia do Malhão

Day 3, Saturday 6th
We decided not to head out for Odemira, but instead go to Sines where we had a fabulous day out learning all about Vasco de Gama, discoverer of India, in the castle museum. On the way out we visited the Spar (!) for a spot of grocery shopping before eventually heading back to camp and making use of the campsite pool once again in the afternoon. Tomorrow? Maybe a beach? We agreed to talk about it more over breakfast the following day.

Praia Vasco de Gama, at Sines

Vasco de Gama, discoverer of India

Day 4, Sunday 7th
Decided to go for a day out in Milfontes. Spent the morning paddling in the rock pools and then browsing the tat shops. Discovered a fabulous pizza restaurant for lunch. Back to camp and spent the afternoon in the pool once again. It's so nice to be able to escape the afternoon heat in the cool of the water! As the sun began to set we discovered that the tent lights had broken and also the lantern, leaving us with only the light from my Kindle's screen and a wind up torch for light. Tomorrow we need to find somewhere to go that we can easily replenish our lighting problems.

Day 5, Monday 8th
Odemira today, and quite glad that we decided to go, because it is a very beautiful town. We explored a little and then found the tourist information shop, where we acquired a map of the town. The nice man told us about all the best places in Odemira to see including the chocolate factory, which, much to my children's disappointment, we discovered was closed on Sundays and Mondays. Once back at camp we hit the pool yet again and then back to the tent for a much needed plate of pasta. Spent the last minute of daylight playing pontoon with the kids. Still no lantern so once again we're working with a wind up torch for our only source of light. The camp shop had a few cheap looking plastic torches, but at 4,95 euro plus batteries you can forget it! Discussion after the kids went to bed about what to do with our final full day, but no decision as yet.

A church in Odemira

Random but beautiful building in Odemira

Curved bridge over the river Mira

Day 6, Tuesday 9th
By the time that I had brushed my teeth and acquired a cup of coffee my wife had decided that we were going out to Santiago do Cacém, about 45 minutes drive from the campsite. We followed SatNav Kate's directions to the historical centre which seemed to be up a hill leading to the castle and an important church. Unfortunately, because it was Tuesday, the church was closed but we did get to walk around the castle and enjoy the fabulous views out over the landscape including Sines in the distance. We then headed into town where we stumbled across the market and bought some cherries. While eating our cherries we noticed a sign towards the tourist information office, which we duly followed. (We had already found a tourist information office up the hill but contradictory to its advertised opening hours, it was closed.) The lady at the tourist information office was more than willing to give us a map and point out a few interesting features of the town on it. We decided to make steps towards the municipal museum, then get back in the car to find the windmill and finish with what turned out to be the enormously impressive Roman ruins.