I knew from the second I saw it on the horizon that I had to check out the local beach. From some points in Vejer de la Frontera there were sweeping views down the coast, but the nearest beach to us was at El Palmar, just 12kms distant. The Costa de la Luz is a windy place and surfing the waves is a popular activity. For my part, I was content just to look, and to walk on the smooth ribbon of sand.
Few people were around, just a couple of dog walkers, but the water looked beautiful. We parked the car and walked the length of the narrow resort, a mix of surf shops and restaurants with a distinctly end of season feeling.
The focal point of El Palmar appeared to be a solid stone tower, highly popular with the pigeon population.
We turned to walk back along the beach, inspecting rocks as we went. The lady with her little dog had disappeared, replaced by a cyclist, pedalling for home. The waves were gentle but compelling.
Places like this snooze through the winter months and buzz in the summer. I was happy to enjoy the peace and quiet, gently buffeted by the breeze. You may not have heard but Becky is chasing November Shadows this month, and would love you all to join in. But don’t forget to square at least one pic.
We had arrived and settled in on Tuesday afternoon. My birthday was on the Wednesday and I had no real plan for the day, other than to explore a little more of charming Vejer de la Frontera. First we needed to find breakfast. Not so easy out of season, but Caminito, a tiny cafe halfway up a hill, gave us a friendly reception and torrada with tomato, avocado and boiled egg. Fortified with strong coffee, my husband had a plan up his sleeve. ‘What about a windmill walk?’ Alarm bells should have rung, but I acquiesced, delighted that the skies remained clear, in spite of a damp forecast.
Up the hill we went, in search of our first windmill, spotting a few November Shadows on the crisp white walls. It has to be said that the first windmill was pretty decrepit, propped up by a graceless pole. I looked for its best angle, not entirely sure that it had one.
It wasn’t immediately obvious where the path was and I was dubious about plunging into the vegetation, but the intrepid one of us had already set off. Nothing to do but follow. It wasn’t reassuring that there were tree trunks lying askew, and they looked to have been there for some considerable time.
It wasn’t what you could call a scenic route, as we teetered around the rim of the hill, but I daren’t take my eyes off my feet for a second. The drop was substantial, uneven ground all the way to the valley far below. I was trying to put a brave face on and enjoy myself, but I couldn’t wait to get down off that hill, preferably all in one piece. Some birthday treat this was turning out to be! But, slowly and carefully, I inched my way through the overgrown shrubs. Himself was not exactly skipping ahead, but kept pausing to make sure I’d seen a tree root or thorny branch. As we neared the end of the descent, we could hear voices and two cheerful young men emerged from behind and skimmed past us. Not such an unknown route, then!
Still, it was a huge relief to get back down to ground level. I couldn’t help but notice the hordes of tiny snails that clung to every available fence or wisp of grass. The day was warming nicely and soon we were following a gently rolling path between bamboo and fields of corn. This part of Andalucia is quite breezy and wind farms topped many of the hills.
I was happy to see the map, but it soon became apparent that we had missed a turn off. Michael assured me that we’d end up in the right place, and we could actually see some windmills, high up, in the distance. We had to leap onto the grass verge occasionally to avoid a tractor, but otherwise the lanes were quiet. At a junction we joined the road back towards Vejer, and soon came upon our next windmill. A converted family home which had lovely views towards the sea.
Did you spot the ladybird on the primrose? Mick’s eagle eye did. By then I was wishing we were back in Vejer, but we still had a bit of trekking to do. Just one more windmill to see, and it looked like it was being turned into a viable restaurant. Vejer is settled on two hilltops, and you had to go all the way down and back up the other side to get to the older part of town. To distract myself, I did try for a bench for Jude, but it wasn’t madly successful.
We trudged on through the town. I had a particular very nice bar in mind, just inside Puerto Cerrado (the closed gate) in the Jewish quarter. In the event, it was worth the effort. We were her first customers and the young lady had a very strong sales pitch. On the coming Saturday night there was to be a free flamenco show in the restaurant. We were taken inside to view the cavernous space, and agreed that it would be fabulous to watch a show there. Unfortunately, we would be gone by Saturday, and all we really wanted to do at that point was to collapse with tapas and wine. And very nice they were, too.
Around 3.00 it started to cloud up and it was time to move on. I had a reservation for the evening meal at El Jardin del Califa, which came highly recommended by walking friends. As the name indicates, it has a fabulous garden and terrace and I thought I might fancy coffee and cake to round off my day. It takes pride of place on the Plaza de Espana, but the way in is a bit of a mystery. A few spots of rain made us determined to enter. What a surprise we had! On entering the grand front door we were in an exotic space leading to the hotel. Beyond a twisted column, stairs led steeply down through a narrow space, where you had to duck your head to avoid colliding with the low ceiling. We emerged in a passage full of beautiful plants and flowers. I’ve never known an entrance quite like it. After admiring the array of potted plants we realised that there was a way out to the narrow streets behind the hotel, but it was starting to drizzle and we found our way up to the bar for a quiet hour or so. A strong coffee and a Pedro Jiminez.
Then it was into the glad rags and out for supper. The passage was beautifully lit on a night and the indoors dining room quietly impressive. There was also an enclosed courtyard dining area. I know that you’ll be disappointed to hear that, after hallumi with figs and a delicious chicken tagine, I didn’t have space for dessert. I can be such a disappointment sometimes.
What a lovely experience it was. I hope you enjoyed sharing it with me.
Time for a walk or two:
Let’s start with an easy one. Pretty, too! Many thanks, Helen :
During the week I’ll be taking you to the seaside. It’s only about 12km away from Vejer. Take good care till then, and don’t forget to keep spotting November Shadows.
Funny how a song title comes to mind, sometimes, isn’t it? I was preparing next Monday’s walk and found that I had some interesting, evening November Shadows. I thought this deserved a post of its own, because I loved the atmosphere. I was looking down from our apartment window in Vejer, as the spotlights on the town walls changed colour. And I loved The Four Tops, back in the day.
You knew I wouldn’t be able to resist combining a few doors and November Shadows, didn’t you? The doors in Vejer de la Frontera weren’t really special but I liked quite a few. Doors aren’t so easy to square though.
Nice shadows but it wouldn’t square
What lies beyond these shadows?
Castle walls and a motor bike
‘Juderia’ is a restaurant in the Jewish Quarter
A familiar Hand of Fatima doorknob
Pale but interesting
A horse door knocker’s a bit unusual
Nicely decorated
Trip to the hairdresser, anybody?
Our apartment door in Vejer
I hope you can see the gallery. The squares are fairly obvious. Have a good day, all!
What to do for the birthday? The forecast here was for rain and I decided not to put it to the test. If I was going to be rained on, on my birthday, I might as well be somewhere new and take my chances. Heading south seemed like a reasonable option and I had a couple of hill villages in mind. Pueblos Blancos, in Spain. It’s a pleasant 3 hour drive from the Algarve, if you don’t count the bit around Sevilla, which is fraught with too many lane choices. My other half was agreeable and off we went. Vejer de la Frontera called to me, and it’s not hard to see why. This was the view from our apartment roof.
Of course, all that looking down meant just one thing- climbing up! But there was generous parking at the bottom of town and the perfect little bar to start our adventure with tapas. And then, slowly upwards, revelling in the views across the valley.
The Iglesia de la Merced posed something of a mystery, with its firmly closed doors and carved image of a shrouded lady, but we were to find out more later. The statue of the young man is rather poignant. Juan Relinque went cap in hand to the court in Granada to appeal the taxation on his land. This had been granted freely in the 1200s, when the area was constantly embattled by Moors and Christians, and the land was dangerous to work. In the 1500s the Duke of Medina Sidonia and other nobles started to raise taxes. For his opposition to the wealthy family, Juan was imprisoned and subsequently died there. But a movement had been started and 11 years later the courts ruled in favour of the people of Vejer. The lands are still owned by them and farmed and rented . Every 4 years this rent is paid to the citizens of Vejer through a system similar to a lottery.
And then you arrive to the loveliest little plaza, de Espana, with a beautiful fountain at its heart. The frogs don’t croak, but gurgle jets of water. Unofficially the square is known as Plaza de los Pescaitos (the square of the little fish). In spite of a stormy forecast, it was 26C and sunny, but we determined to see as much as we could, just in case… The paths lead in every direction from Plaza de Espana. There’s an air of quiet affluence to Vejer and every second door is a tourist accommodation but, out of season, it’s very charming and seems relieved to be simply itself again. We paused outside a former convent, now an ethnographic museum. It didn’t look big and we thought we’d take a peep inside. Opening hours can be quite random so, if it’s open, go in is the advice!
Who should greet me at the door but a very stylish sculpture of the lady with covered head? Beyond her, a great dome of a building filled with all kinds of objects, large and small. A visual history of life in the town. Then I spotted an opportunity for a few Squares for Becky, among the costumes and tools. And in a glass cabinet, a collection of figures woven from straw. They were quite enchanting.
It’s a beguiling town, numerous arches enticing you into whitewashed passages, a tumble of bougainvillea cascading merrily from its protective walls. Wandering the Juderia, or Jewish Quarter, I looked up at the finely wrought iron balconies and out at the beautiful views across the valley. Each corner delivered more enchantment.
Inevitably you’ll come to the Mirador de la Cobijada. It’s that lady again, enclosed in her blanket with just one eye visible. This traditional form of dress dates from the 16th century, but was banned in 1936, as it could be worn to conceal weapons. Since 1976 it has been revived and is now seen at the annual festivals in Vejer. A cloak of privacy.
As we watched, birds filled the evening sky, dipping and swirling around the belfry of the mother church, calling to each other raucously. We were not yet done with Vejer de la Frontera, but it was time to make our way back to the apartment, delighted with all that we’d seen and the promise of more tomorrow.
It was cool that evening, but we found ourselves cosy in a Moroccan bar, Simla, the curved walls flickering with tealights and wonderful food on the mosaic tables. It had been a fantastical day.
Not many walks to share this week. People are busy seeking NovemberShadows. Me too!
The beauty of Banff is unrivalled, isn’t it? Jim goes looking for a quiet spot :
‘oh yesterday, came suddenly…’ Lennon and McCartney, one of my favourites of Paul’s. The image was captured in Tavira’s Islamic Museum, where we were treated to a free performance of Contemporary Dance.
There are a few shadows hanging over us at present. Did you see Chris’ beautiful remembrance of Cee this morning? Thanks, Becky!
So many beauties to choose from. I hope Cee would like this. Thanks for a lovely thought, Dan and Marsha. Happy birthday to both of you, and best wishes to Chris xxx
Today’s walk reminded me of a very special one. Back in December 2019 me and Michael had the privilege of walking with a Faro based choir called Ossónoba (the Roman name for Faro). It was our first with the choir and we didn’t know what to expect, but it was the start of a beautiful liaison. It all ended, of course, with Covid, but I’d like to share my memory of Benafim to Alte here.
Circumstances were very different when we walked at Benafim a week or two ago, in a small group. It was a day of bright sunshine and strong shadows, and a circular route, starting and ending in the village. I have to admit that I was mindful of Becky’s upcoming NovemberShadows, and I did manage to square a few. Hopefully you can spot them.
I had my walking pole around my wrist, if you’re wondering, and was trying to angle my body out of the camera’s range. Not very successfully! Benafim lies along the Via Algarviana, a long distance walking trail of 300km, running from Alcoutim on the Guadiana river to Cabo de Sao Vicente in the west. I’ve walked many sections of the route, but never completed it in its entirety. Benafim is a lovely village and offers lodgings if you need an overnight stay. The trail is divided into 14 sections, taking account of the terrain, and provides accommodation at each of these, but it’s up to the individual how much ground you cover.
Some of the houses are very grand, others more modest, but the overall impression is very pleasing. Of course, there are ramshackle corners, but it’s all part of the charm. Ceramic benches seem popular, shrubs colonise empty corners and chimney pots hold their shadowy secrets. Letterboxes are even allowed their own personality, occasionally. It’s that kind of village.
Bougainvillea and lanterna seemed to flourish everywhere, a great support act for the tiled fonte.
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Out in the countryside acorns decorated the trees, and an abundance of olives invite admiration of the survival skills of their hosts. Many of these are wizened and bent with age, but still they yield fruit. Aromatic and medicinal plants thrive in the hedgerows and cork oaks wait their turn to be stripped of their bark. The limestone harbours the wisdom of ages in its crinkles and crags.
The tree roots had my imagination working overtime. A pig emerging from the woods? The landscape rolled around me in subtle shades of umber and olive. A symbol on the path had us puzzling for a while. A directional arrow of some kind?
We headed back to Benafim through a narrow path between stone walls, shrouded in trees and dappled shade. All was quiet by the Nossa Senhora da Gloria church when we paused to pay our respects.
And there you have it. We came full circle and said our goodbyes. I counted 7 squares, but lots more shadows.
A pretty bench, for Jude
A special word for Jude today. She won’t be very interested in Benches right now, but maybe they’ll give her a little distraction later. Losing your partner in life is something we all dread. Sending hugs xx
Some walks to share. Many thanks, everybody!
Margaret leads us off with some beautiful Alsatian hiking :
Not fair, I know, because half of this square is a shadow. And you probably don’t speak Portuguese! But Becky does, and I thought she might find it fun. Squares starts today and we’re all chasing shadows for the month of November. The tag is NovemberShadows and today’s post is spectacular. Don’t forget, your shadow must be square! Are you joining in? I know Debbie will.
It’s a bit of a come down returning from a holiday like this one, but flying into Faro is always a dazzling sight. It was a Monday and back to school or work as normal, so we watched Adam and family eat their way through an enormous quantity of eggs and then it was time for the airport. Kraków is increasingly busy these days but we were soon efficiently through and homeward bound, tired but happy.
It’s walking season here again and we had several jaunts into the countryside, and caught up with friends, but there was a memorable day when we took ourselves off to explore Ameixial. The main attraction was an open air pool that I had read about. This late in the season, we weren’t sure if it would be open, but the temperatures were still in the high 20s. This was the serene scene that greeted us.
Presumably when school finished for the day the neighbourhood kids would arrive, but it’s a small community so we were surprised to find the bar and restaurant open. After a lovely relax by the pool we set off to explore the village.
Several interesting events took place locally, including a contemporary dance performance in the Islamic Museum, and the opening of a new theatre in Tavira. It’s taken months for the theatre to open to the public and, externally, the ugly black box adds nothing to the city’s lovely skyline. But, it opened with a free live show which I really enjoyed, and the atmosphere was electric. Bookings are flying in for the programme up to Christmas. Elsewhere in town a fabulous restoration project has been completed and we now have a beautiful new hotel, Palacio de Tavira. Formerly a palace, built by the Tavares family between the 18th and 19th centuries, it had long since fallen into disrepair and loomed sadly, hoping for a sympathetic new owner. Friends Ann and Bill had secured a deluxe attic room and we were very interested to have a look around, sharing a meal with them in Mirsal, the hotel restaurant, on their last night.
We played tourist a little bit, with Ann and Bill, riding out to Armona on the ferry and drinking an extravagance of white sangria. My excuse, it was too hot to walk much and it was full of healthy berries. I love the island!
We did our share of walking after they’d gone home, in the hills north of Loule, where life follows a simple pattern.
You never know quite what you’ll find in the villages. Decorative pots behind a mysterious gateway or beautifully executed mosaics.
And street art turns up in all kinds of places! The wall with the oriental ladies has had several reincarnations in recent years.
I’m going to end with a phenomenal building in the village of Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo, 20 minutes by car north of Tavira. Museu ZerO has been created in the grain silos and warehouses of the former cooperative, and claims to be the first exclusively Digital Art Centre in Europe. Quite an achievement for a pocket-sized village. I found it to be an amazing use of the space.
As well as an exhibition space, the centre will be a learning resource with state of the art equipment, available for use by the public. It already works with schools, and is open Wednesday – Sunday, from 10.00 till 18.00. I highly recommend it.
And that’s it for this month. Hope you enjoyed it.
A few walks to share. Thanks a lot, everyone :
The weather doesn’t always behave but it’s a beautiful part of the world. Let Anabel show you :
What comes next? I have no idea. The forecast this week has a heavy threat of rain, but we’re long overdue and I’ll still get out and about in good company. Many thanks for yours! Take care till next time xx
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