The day dawns bright and with a delicious warmth. Today starts our seven days doing the top half of the N2 which was recommended to us by Carl ‘the voice of Expats Portugal’ Munson. Carl’s daily podcasts got me through Covid lockdown the third and his voice is one that I listened to everyday. This guy really loves Portugal and if he gives a recommendation, then it is worth taking note.
After doing all the boring but necessary Monday stuff like visiting the launderette and loading TUT the campervan up with provisions, we finally set off down the N2. After about 5km I have to pull over, then at 6km and again at 8km. By now all the camera gear is out. The Nikon, the GoPro and the iPhone and herein lay a fundamental problem for Kimberley. Three devices but only two hands. The key for me is to drive steadily and spot viewing points as far up the road as possible. Also, to warn of bridges and sweeping vistas. Maybe most important of all is to keep the van on the road and to fully concentrate on driving whilst in the middle of the whirring and beeping and buzzing and the cries of ‘Look at that,’ and ‘Oh my word.’
We continue like this and we reach a kilometre marker. Actually, we reach the 30 km marker, and it is very big and in the middle of a village called Pedras Salgadas. Kimberley wants the shot, so I turn off the main road and try and park, and try and park, and try and park, and then just as I am about to give up having reached the other end of the village, we find a parking space. There in front of us are the most wonderful ornate gates of the Parque de Pedras Salgadas which have beautiful gardens that are open to the public and it is also a resort and spa. We had no idea it was there, but the universe knew we needed to walk through it and breathe and hug some trees, so we did.
Tree hugging over we set off for Vila Real which is set above a wonderful ravine. Unfortunately, there was a whole raft of municipal work going on and the main square was pretty much unfriendly to pedestrians, so after getting some magnificent photos,we cut our losses and get out of town. You can’t rejoice that things are wonderfully preserved in Portugal and then complain when that preservation is going on. We continue on the N2 which is doing its best to slow me to a crawl with breathtaking views and hairpin bends and the road is just narrow enough for me to become truly circumspect with my driving style. The traffic is light but the driving demanding, so I am truly relieved when we approach our car park for the night. The universe wanted to throw us one last card though and had placed barriers across the entrance and closed the brand new car park. So, phone out and Park4Night app on and 12km down the road, we come across option two. It is right by the Douro River in the shadow of three enormous bridges.
We park up and it is only then as I look across the Douro and up the hills on the opposite bank that I see the giant statue of the Sandeman Port logo. I’ve not seen that logo for many years but always associate it with my grandfather who had a Sandeman Port ashtray. I feel warm and at home here as though we are being watched over by people who really care about us. Lucky the first car park was shut. Thank you universe.
