08/07/18 – 09/07/18 – Barragen do Pego do Altar, Alentejo
We were very glad to arrive at this beautiful reservoir/dam at Barragen do Pego do Altar, as it was so much cooler than Evora where we’d just come from. There was hardly anyone around which seemed odd given it was very pretty and free to stayover.
The only two other travellers that were there, were very welcoming on arrival. An enthusiastic lone German with his caravan who was happy to share some helpful tips, especially as he’d been there for some time. The other was Annemieke from Holland. She’d been there a week and is travelling with her partner, but at the time he’d returned home for a few days. They both had dogs, so Marley was in his element. We were so impressed with Annemieke’s converted Dutch Fire truck. She’d painted a gorgeous colourful mandala on the side and was just starting another on the other side. She obviously picked up on my keen interest in her van, as she invited me in to have a nosy around. Wow, it was so spacious and homely. Dan couldn’t resist following me in shortly after, and there began the discussions about doing our own conversion some day.
After a little walk around the reservoir alone, and then later with Marley and Dan, I went off to have my free hot shower…one of the perks of this wild camping site. The excitement of the prospect was short lived when I found two Portuguese teens playing their stereo at full volume and singing at the top of their voices! They’d wedged the door closed, but did I let that stop me entering! Nope! OMG I don’t know what got into me, as on reflection it feels like I just kinda barged my way in, but it did feel like they were going to be in there forever, and I wasn’t prepared to stand for that ha ha!
They left quite quickly after that. It was then that I saw what I assumed they’d done to the toilet block…the shower tray was completely full to the brim with murky water. I considered leaving but I’d come this far, and decided it was too late to turn back now, so I hopped in! Halfway through my disappointing ‘luke’ warm shower (yep…they’d used all the hot water gggrr) I notice a bloody tampon in the corner of the room and a bunch of long dark hair (not mine) half clinging to my leg and half underwater……eeew this was like The Grudge meets True Blood!
After my nightmare, I reported back to Dan and we then went for some beer and nibbles in the nearby restaurant (nope it didn’t put me off food). For some reason Marley just went mad barking at the lady next door, who bless her just came out to water her plants. If I’d not seen her first, I’d have thought she was a cat, as that’s the only time he turns all devil like. Maybe she had been one in a past life. Anyway, we tried to calm him, but he wouldn’t so we downed our beers, munched our cheese, olives and bread, and quickly left. On a positive note, 4 x beers and nibbles cost only €8.
We stayed up until 12ish that night to watch the stars on a tip of the German guy. The non light polluted sky was absolutely stunning…it was as though you could see every star possible. We had doubted his declaration that you could see the Milky Way but sure enough, for the first time ever, we could actually just make it out. Amazing!
After about a half an hour’s battle with the mosquito’s, we were able to drift off peacefully to noddie land. If you ever come here, which I would definitely recommend, don’t forget to bring some form of repellent/protection. Hopefully you won’t have the same kind of shower experience as I did. Dan’s experience was good…..girls are vile sometimes!
Next morning, after another walk around the reservoir with a stop off for Marley and I to watch Dan skimming stones, we headed off to Lisbon where we knew we could finally see a repair centre regarding the gas issue. If it wasn’t for this, we’d have stayed at Barragen do Pego do Altar for longer, but it really needed to be sorted. In preparation for this, it was almost empty bar some margarine so we desperately also needed to address Dan’s lack of food anxiety!
The place looks gorgeous. The shower sounds horrific 😣
It takes a lot to put Lorraine off a shower!