7th Mar CAMPSITE ALENTEJO – BARRAGEM DE SANTA CLARA

Yesterday we left Central Portugal, we are now driving in the Alentejo region; here the landscape is very open and flat. As well as olive groves and vineyards there are huge fields planted with cereal crops, which have vast watering systems irrigating the drier soil of this area. There are also large fields with free ranging animals – pigs, cattle, sheep and goats.

Now we are parked up at another Barragem; according to the Sat Nav it doesn’t exist! I didn’t use her to navigate – I did it the old fashioned way and used the map, I just used her to confirm that we were driving on the right roads when we turned at junctions. As far as she’s concerned we’ve just driven through fields (she’s completely blank, maybe she’s short circuited?).

It’s very pleasant here, there’s one other camper van parked up and far above us on the hill there’s one house overlooking the water. It’s very quiet no traffic noise just bird song. Which reminds me; yesterday we heard our first cicada – that, to us, is the sound of summer holidays. And alongside the verges wild fennel is growing – one of the smells of summer holidays.

We’re managing to live quite cheaply, this last week we’ve spent less than 100€ on food and campsites (we’re not taking into account diesel). This will probably all change when we get to the Algarve and start eating at tavernas.