What the hell is Burel?

We were to find out...We visited an old factory, still in operation.  As soon as we walked in I was overcome by the smell of oil.  I was a child again, burrowing my head into my father's overalls as he came home from work.  I loved it!

All the looms and machinery were original and the fabric made in the traditional way.  The material is made from 100% wool and was originally used by shepherds and so is very weatherproof.  I was surprised that the majority of their fabrics went to Japan.  Being a bit of a bag lady I loved the "Hooded Backpack"  I also loved the concept that a group of women get together at the back of the factory and decide what they want to design and make!

Finally though I decided to keep my backpack lighter and my wallet heavier and we went off to sample the local fare!

Fantastic cheeses, wines, oils, jams ... all there for the tasting!  We were surprised that this still felt like a village for the locals.   We had the place to ourselves, not many tourists at all.  

There was a magnificent church in the centre of the village. Incredible roof... but the best part was how everyone got together and socialised.   

They all piled out of church, young and old chatting away.  Well not so many young.  Portugal has a declining birth rate and low immigration and so many houses are left to ruin.   Very sad.

Marvellous Manteigas

We were met by Maria who showed us to our tiny cottage by a shallow stream, full of wild flowers, mint, oregano, AND rubbish!  Three storeys high with one room one each level which you reached by treacherous stairs just wide enough for us to pass.  A tiny kitchen and bathroom led off to the side. What was remarkable about the cottage was the windows.... seven of them, also tiny and set at different angles giving views of the mountains, river and village.

Mateigas is set in the middle of a network of walking trails.  The weather was still cool and so we set off out of the town up the mountain tracks, passing deserted farms where  cherries and blueberries weighed down the branches of the trees.   We couldn't resist and filled our hats!

As we dropped down the hill we came across a very swish hotel... which had stunning views along the valley.  Unusual name we thought but it wasn't until later that we learnt about its history.

This was the original location of the Burel factory, now transformed into an ultra modern hotel which used Burel  and the old machinery for decoration.

I must admit we rather liked the older more rustic accommodation!

On the road to Manteigas

So we had a bit of a longing for mountains and wilderness and so we set off to Natural Park Da Serra Da Estrella ..  a bit of a drive but oh my goodness what a drive.  Constantly changing countryside with stunning views.

Lush grasslands

Rocky outcrops that reminded me of Derbyshire...

Lush green trees

Burnt out Eucalypts... I wonder where they came from?

Cinfães

So we arrive at this sleepy town of 3000 people to find... yes, of course they are celebrating Festa de São João.  Bands, streamers, fireworks and parades!

We head down the road to Maria and Joaquim's place.  Oh my goodness the view is spectacular.   

We settle ourselves in and then Maria and Joaquim bring us baskets of fruit from their garden. 

I couldn't bear to let all that fruit go to waste and so poached and bottled them ... Breakfasts sorted for the next week or so!

Each evening after dinner Maria and Joaquin would bring down a bottle of local port and we would share our stories over a glass or two.

We spent our days getting lost and walking the Camino... fab!

Bravo Braga

We decided a change of pace was needed and so headed North to Braga.  It's known as the city of churches and gardens and so we thought it would be more peaceful than Porto.  But no, June 24 is the day that Braga celebrates... yes you have it Festa de São João.  

Bands, parades, food and festivities...Time to move on!

Getting hammered in Porto

So the festa of São João do Porto is a midsummer festival happening on 23 June.  Pagan in origin, it was a courtship ritual where people would hit each other on the head with garlic flowers... some still do but most people (including us!) buy plastic hammers.  Unfortunately for me I was JUST the right height for everyone to hit me on the head with a hammer!

One of the most beautiful sights were the hundreds of paper balloons powered by a candle that people let float in the sky.   A precarious journey as some founder and set alight anything they land on!

Thousands of people pour into the city to listen to the music and to wack each other on the head! The evening ends with spectacular fireworks... and for some a humungous headaches!  

Harry Potter meets São João do Porto

Our travelling has more than an air of serendipity about it.   We sort of vaguely travel and stumble onto whatever is happening.  That was the case in Porto.  Naively we booked into our modern apartment, hosted by Fabio a Brazilian who owned the local Vietnamese Restaurant and asked if anything was happening during our stay in Porto.

He just about fell over.  Anything happening?  Only the biggest festival in Portugal!  In broken english he explained about garlic flowers, hammers and fireworks and that it was all going to happen tomorrow... We still didn't get it.  We smiled and ate our Pork and Prawn spring rolls, Not your usual Portuguese experience!

Oh and he kindly advised us that we had parked our car in the Police only section and that even though it was the festa of São João we would still get booked... ho hum.

The next day we wandered aimlessly through Porto checking on the sights until we saw a huge queue winding down the street.  I ask inside and they tell me it is a bookshop.  5 Euros to enter but you get it back if you buy a book.  Wow things are looking up for booksellers.  What I didn't know was that this was the place that inspired J K Rowling when she lived in Porto....J K Rowling lived in Porto?  I always imagined her penniless scribbling away so to speak on her laptop in Starbucks!

Check it out on Google an incredible place.

As the day progressed we could feel the city coming alive with excitement.

Sardinahs, peppers and pigs and shellfish !  BBQ's glowed and smoked in every corner.  

We left the crowded river front to climb the Luiz I bridge.  What is so different about this bridge is that you can walk it on two levels.  It links bot levels of the city as well as downtown Porto and Gaia.   Eiffel (of the tower fame) lost the competition to build the bridge to his colleague Théophile Seyrig.