We had a wonderfully peaceful night with just the sound of a Scops Owl hunting in the olive grove next to the site and we were there at the door on the dot of 09:00. The door was closed and there was no sign of life. We waited for 15 minutes and then gave up, it looked as though it wasn't going to open.
Still, we had another Roman site lined up for the afternoon and we set off Olhao, near Faro but we decided to call in at Cuba on the way. We couldn't resist posing for a photograph by the Cuba sign just a few kilometres down the road from our overnight stop. I wonder if there was any connection between the village and the island?
Lots more storks today including a flock (if that is the right word, a dozen anyway) flying over us and another group walking in line across a field. Nests on telegraph poles, chimneys and derelict windmills amongst others. I will stop mentioning storks from now on – they are far too common! However, as I was calmly driving along there was a great exclamation, a mixture of excitement and disbelief, from Jane - “Ostrich”. “Nonsense”, I thought, “You don't get ostriches in Portugal” but, sure enough, running along beside a fence on the other side of the road was an ostrich. It was obviously a farm animal but there was no sign of any others in the field. Strange but true!
After stopping for lunch at a super viewpoint on the Serra do Caldeirao hills, we arrived at the Ruinas de Milreu near Estoi just north of Faro. The good news was the site had just reopened for the afternoon. The site was very well presented with good information boards in Portuguese and English and, together with a very reasonably priced guidebook, this made the visit much more interesting. The site was a large and very wealthy villa that was occupied for a very long time, from 1st century AD to the 7th century AD, probably due to a plentiful supply of water and good agricultural land. There are many mosaics in position although most have been badly damaged since they were uncovered in the 18th century. The cold bath mosaics were particularly impressive, even covering the steps down into the bath. The working side of the villa has also been found with a area for wine production and storage and also five olive presses with the pipes used to transfer the oil to 36 storage vessels in the cool, dry cellars. The area was famous for its almonds, olives and figs, all trees that survive well in dry conditions but these have been largely replaced by other crops that can be grown with modern irrigation methods. Even so there was plenty of evidence of very pretty pink almond blossom all around the site and for much of our journey today.
Arriving in the late afternoon at the campsite in Olhao, we got a bit of a shock – it was seething! We were advised to drive round the site to see if we could find a pitch before we registered - “there may be a few” said the receptionist. The vans were parked everywhere – in the car park, all along the sides of the access roads, in all sorts of places not designed as pitches. We had problems finding a pitch where there was also a free socket on the electricity supply but eventually we found a very small pitch with awkward access and decided that we better take it. After struggling to get on to the pitch, we walked to reception and discovered that there were quite a few pitches hidden in the centre. So we moved the van into a shady pitch and decided that all of the vans on unsuitable pitches were simply there to be in the sun.
The weather has been excellent for the last week, getting steadily warmer as we have moved south. It is really warm here today and short sleeves are definitely required – you never know, it may have to be shorts tomorrow, a frightening thought for you all!
Photos: Henrietta enjoying the view at lunchtime on the Serro do Caldeirao; The cold bath mosaics at Milreu; The huge Milreu Sea Santury temple – this is only the 'cella' (the holy part of the temple), it was 10m high and surrounded by a pillar-lined gallery – an amazing size for a villa and incorrectly identified as a 'cathedral' when first excavated – note the sea-themed mosiac on the walls of the podium; My favourite mosaic at Milreu – the squid with fantatic eyes!
Still, we had another Roman site lined up for the afternoon and we set off Olhao, near Faro but we decided to call in at Cuba on the way. We couldn't resist posing for a photograph by the Cuba sign just a few kilometres down the road from our overnight stop. I wonder if there was any connection between the village and the island?
Lots more storks today including a flock (if that is the right word, a dozen anyway) flying over us and another group walking in line across a field. Nests on telegraph poles, chimneys and derelict windmills amongst others. I will stop mentioning storks from now on – they are far too common! However, as I was calmly driving along there was a great exclamation, a mixture of excitement and disbelief, from Jane - “Ostrich”. “Nonsense”, I thought, “You don't get ostriches in Portugal” but, sure enough, running along beside a fence on the other side of the road was an ostrich. It was obviously a farm animal but there was no sign of any others in the field. Strange but true!
After stopping for lunch at a super viewpoint on the Serra do Caldeirao hills, we arrived at the Ruinas de Milreu near Estoi just north of Faro. The good news was the site had just reopened for the afternoon. The site was very well presented with good information boards in Portuguese and English and, together with a very reasonably priced guidebook, this made the visit much more interesting. The site was a large and very wealthy villa that was occupied for a very long time, from 1st century AD to the 7th century AD, probably due to a plentiful supply of water and good agricultural land. There are many mosaics in position although most have been badly damaged since they were uncovered in the 18th century. The cold bath mosaics were particularly impressive, even covering the steps down into the bath. The working side of the villa has also been found with a area for wine production and storage and also five olive presses with the pipes used to transfer the oil to 36 storage vessels in the cool, dry cellars. The area was famous for its almonds, olives and figs, all trees that survive well in dry conditions but these have been largely replaced by other crops that can be grown with modern irrigation methods. Even so there was plenty of evidence of very pretty pink almond blossom all around the site and for much of our journey today.
Arriving in the late afternoon at the campsite in Olhao, we got a bit of a shock – it was seething! We were advised to drive round the site to see if we could find a pitch before we registered - “there may be a few” said the receptionist. The vans were parked everywhere – in the car park, all along the sides of the access roads, in all sorts of places not designed as pitches. We had problems finding a pitch where there was also a free socket on the electricity supply but eventually we found a very small pitch with awkward access and decided that we better take it. After struggling to get on to the pitch, we walked to reception and discovered that there were quite a few pitches hidden in the centre. So we moved the van into a shady pitch and decided that all of the vans on unsuitable pitches were simply there to be in the sun.
The weather has been excellent for the last week, getting steadily warmer as we have moved south. It is really warm here today and short sleeves are definitely required – you never know, it may have to be shorts tomorrow, a frightening thought for you all!
Photos: Henrietta enjoying the view at lunchtime on the Serro do Caldeirao; The cold bath mosaics at Milreu; The huge Milreu Sea Santury temple – this is only the 'cella' (the holy part of the temple), it was 10m high and surrounded by a pillar-lined gallery – an amazing size for a villa and incorrectly identified as a 'cathedral' when first excavated – note the sea-themed mosiac on the walls of the podium; My favourite mosaic at Milreu – the squid with fantatic eyes!
No comments:
Post a Comment