Entries about history

Um, it's been over a month since I've updated this, and some of the memories of what I've done are no longer as fresh as previous chapters! At least I still remember where I've been though!

Anyway, my last post would have ended with me leaving Makarska, which was a lovely but crowded little town on the Croatian riviera. I spent an entire week there chilling out, which I certainly needed having barely rested since leaving the UK.

The drive from Makarska to Kotor was a breeze. Passing the border was simple, though it was the first time a border guard did ask for more than just my passport, having to show him registration and insurance details, though the process was over very quickly. The road from the border to Kotor circled the bay, and the scenery already on display was, at times, spectacular. I'll probably use that word a lot going forward.

My accommodation was a little Airbnb no more than ten minutes walk from Kotor old town. It wasn't huge, and I'll be honest, I thought it might have been a little bigger. No harm though, as I just wandered the streets on my first full day, taking plenty of photos, and definitely enjoying a beer or two as the heat was still beating down. For the afternoon, I booked a boat tour to nearby Perast and Our Lady of the Rock, the latter a man-made island in the middle of the bay. There were only a few of us on the speedboat and it's always alarming when the pilot spends more time on his phone than watching the horizon, but we got everywhere and back in one piece, and the breeze crossing the water certainly helped cool everyone down. Perast was a gorgeous little village while the church on the Rock was utterly stunning inside.

For day two, I organised a tour of Montenegro. (I've had to go check my Get Your Guide app to remember everywhere we visited!) We had a mini-bus, choc full of people, and the first event was climbing the mountain road, which I was originally planning on driving myself, though glad I didn't. Again, the views provided were breath-taking in their beauty, particularly when stopping at the 25th Serpentine, giving us views of the entire bay far below. I'll try and upload a picture later.

After that was a stop for breakfast at a traditional village, named Njegusi, where I got to know some of my fellow travellers, and I may have enjoyed a breakfast beer too. After that was the drive to Lovcen National Park, where we climbed the steps to the Mausoleum of Petar II Petrovic-Njegos, from where you can nearly see all of Montenegro from one spot. From there, we headed to Crnojevic, enjoying a spot of lunch, before enjoying a boat road up and down the river, one or two enjoying a swim in the water as well. The rest of us may have enjoyed some local wine or rakia.

A stop in Cetinje, the old capital, was next up, visiting the local monastery, which includes the remain of St. Peter and other holy relics, including what is purported to be particles of the True Cross. I've been told that more than once visiting churches and monasteries around Europe, but if it's what people want to believe, fair enough. We also did a little walking tour around the town, but it had been a long, hot day, so the guide cut it short and we headed to our last stop, Sveti Stefan, for a quick photo of the now private island, before returning to Kotor.

Nothing to report of my third day there. It bucketed down nearly all day, so apart from heading out for some drinks and snacks, I stayed indoors where it was at least dry.

My drive to Podgorica sucked for most of the trip, as I was caught in either heavy traffic along the coast, or the rain was still heaving down, and driving conditions were horrible. It was only getting close to the capital that the rain finally abated, and finding my hotel was simple.

I had organised three days for Podgorica, as my original intention was for one day there, then do some tours to the north and west. Those plans fell apart quickly. Tour groups don't operate from the capital, generally only doing so from Kotor, and perhaps Budva. And I'll admit, the stories about Podgorica are mostly true. I think there's enough there to see and do for a day, but nothing more than that. There are Roman ruins outside of town, but at the moment, it's not very interesting, and many of the artefacts have been moved away.

One thing you should check out is Ostrog Monastery. The drive from Podgorica eventually followed a road cut into the mountain, providing some... you guessed the word, spectacular views of the valley below. The monastery itself is a marvel of design, cut right into the side of the cliff, and is definitely a pilgrimage site for those of the Orthodox faith. It was well worth the drive there and back, stopping on the way back to my hotel at a waterfall that's also called Niagara. Nothing like those in the US/Canada, but the rock formations were interesting at least.

After the capital, I headed back to the coast and Budva. The town has a reputation more for nightlife, its beach and the partying, and my three days there pretty much back that up. The old town is even smaller than Kotor, and can easily be explored in a couple of hours. There's nothing else really of note there, so I treated it much like Makarska, a place to just sit and unwind in the sun. Prices were reasonable at least, even by the beach, so I spent two and a half days just relaxing.

My crossing of the border into Albania proved interesting. Before leaving the UK, I managed to insure my car for everywhere except Albania, though I knew I could buy car insurance just after crossing the border. €50 for two weeks. However, once I arrived, I was told I couldn't pay by card, only cash. That meant I had to cross the border back to Montenegro and drive back to Ulcinj, the nearest town, to get money. When crossing the border again, that raised plenty of questions, though the border guards were nice, letting me explain the issue. They performed a quick search of my car then let me go. Car insurance bought, I drove the rest of the way to Shkoder.

Lovely town on first appearances, more European than expected, and my hostel was great. First hostel stay of the trip. The owner even let me park my car at his house, which was a bonus. For my first day, I participated in a walking tour, the first one I'd done in quite a while, being shown all the sites offered, before doing a cycling tour that evening, where we rode through the rather horrendous traffic towards the nearby fortress, where the sunset provided a magnificent backdrop to the views of the city.

My second day in Shkoder was rather peaceful, as the heat and humidity prevented me from doing too much more than just more wandering, taking in the few sites I hadn't visited the previous day. The nightlife was good, though, the main pedestrian street full of cafes and restaurants where I could sit, eat, drink and people watch.

Next stop was Durres. I had organised another Airbnb, which was only a short walk from the main promenade, but I'll admit I thought it would have been a little busier than what it was. The walk to the actual centre of Durres was long, so for my first full day, I left my Airbnb early to avoid the worst of the heat. Durres has plenty of Roman ruins on offer, and enough other sites available to fill a day. I was tempted to travel to Tirana on either of my other days, but to be honest, I wasn't particularly interested in visiting the capital. Instead, I spent the other two days by the promenade, either sitting on or near the beach, enjoying the cheap food and drink available. My Airbnb hosts were fantastic, offering to help with laundry that I hadn't been able to do since Slovenia!

Berat is a beautiful inland city but was sweltering as it was away from the coast. My little hotel was fantastic and only a short walk away from the city. Again, I had a couple of days to wander, and did nearly everything the first day as usual. The best site is the fortress on the hill, again leaving early so I climbed that before the heat really started to beat down. Once again, though, it was the nightlife on the promenade that gave the city character, in addition to the architecture of all the buildings. Once the sun started to disappear, everyone seemed to head out and walk around, either sitting in the park or one of the cafes. And the prices of drinks were even cheaper than Durres, finding a place where I could get a Jack Daniels and coke for only a couple of quid. Let's just say I spent my three nights at the same place, enough the waiter recognised me by the third night and didn't even have to ask what I wanted!

The drive from Berat to Sarande was rather long, and involved crossing the mountain from near Gjirokaster to the coast. Probably the worst bit of road I'd driven along in quite a while, not helped by the usual Albanian lunatics, who drive like they're the only car on the road. By I got there in one piece, at least, my Airbnb a fifth floor apartment where, if it wasn't for other apartment blocks blocking the view, I'd have seen the nearby beaches and coast for miles.

There were two reasons for visiting Sarande. One, it's reputation as a tourist destination. But, two, the nearly Butrint National Park, which contains some of the best preserved Roman ruins in the region, if not Europe. I definitely spent a few hours there, glad that trees provided plenty of shade as I took numerous photos. The only shame was that some of the floor mosaics were covered up by sand, done so to protect them from the elements. It was definitely worth the visit, though.

Sarande itself isn't for browsing museums or full of monuments. It's for relaxation during the day and partying at night. As usual, once the sun started to set, everyone headed for the beachside promenade. Some of the restaurants were full to bursting, others were completely empty. The bars generally filled up quickly, and if you wanted to eat somewhere popular, get in quick otherwise you won't be eating.

My last stop in Albania was a town called Elbasan, chosen simply as it was close to the Albanian/North Macedonian border, and I'd heard stories about how long it might take to cross. Elbasan itself was worth a few hours visit. For the drive from Sarande, I followed the coast road. The weather was glorious, some of the views outstanding, though the road at times was awful, the traffic rather busy as I had to make my way through numerous coastal towns and villages. Elbasan itself was rather quiet, my hotel on a hill overlooking the town, and I think I was the only guest that night! Once again, there was a main street full of pubs and cafes, again finding one where I could drink for cheap, though after a long day behind the wheel, I had to pull up stumps earlier than normal.

The next morning, it was time to pack up my car again and head to the border, as I would be visiting North Macedonia, three cities within, before driving south to Greece and the ancient city of Athens...

After Morocco, I'll admit that I was happy to be back in Europe. To get to Granada, it was a long drive towards Granada. About three, maybe another half hour to Granada, but it was a decent drive, with plenty of scenery to appreciate from my window, and as I admitted, I was glad to be back in Europe.

I spent three nights (two days) in Granada, and I enjoyed both entirely. Before leaving the UK, I'd booked a few things I knew might prove troublesome during my trip, and one was the Alhambra. So I purchased the Granada card, which gave me entry to many sites around the city. My apartment I'd booked was a distance from the town centre (taking a bus was the best idea) but I was left with an enormous apartment, so no complaints.

First full day in Granada was filled with most things to see except the Alhambra itself. The cathedral was stunning, and I must have spent an hour and more wandering around, but out of all the sites I visited, the one that lives long in the memory is the San Jeronimo Monastery. I've seen quite a few churches and cathedrals on my trip so far, and I think this was the first to make me stop and say 'Wow!' Trust me, if you're ever in Granada, please visit this place and make sure you see the adjoining church. That alone is worth the price of admission.

Day two in Granada was dedicated to the Alhambra. Let's get to the major question. Was it all that's it cracked up to be? Yes. It's an enormous fortress overlooking the city, and if explored correctly, you'll easily spend a few hours exploring. There are numerous regions of the old fortress to explore. The Palacios Nazaries was beautiful, at times, but the gardens of the Generalife were almost as impressive, though the buildings themselves were not comparable.

Granada isn't a huge city, but there are many monuments and historical artefacts to see if you're interested. The Granada card allowed access to the major sites while I bought a ticket to Moorish sites that might not be so popular. But don't take this as a criticism. There is so much to see in Granada, you'll probably need more than the two days I had to visit.

My next stop was Salamanca. Now, if you're wondering, when I first put my itinerary together, I did include a stop in Toledo to break up the trip. Unfortunately, this author can admit he messed up regarding Schengen, so Granada to Salamanca was a near six hour / 400 mile drive. And the suggested '2 hour, stop, revive, survive' is not for everyone. I did nearly the entire drive in one go, only needing fuel around fifty or so miles from Salamanca. I find stopping worse for my concentration than not...

Though I'd read about Salamanca before arriving, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Well, I eventually spent two of my three days wandering the old streets of the city and I was never bored. An absolute load of things to see, most you have to pay to see, but it was what I'd come to expect. Even better, though, was the fact I was there while a festival was taking place, so for my first night at least, I could take in a Spanish hard rock band. Never spoke or sang English, but after a few beers, it didn't really matter.

My second day in Salamanca included a train journey to Avila. I'll say right now, the walls in Avila were better, much much better, than those in Lugo. In fact, Avila was... Well, it certainly lives long in the memory. Plenty of things to see while I was there, most of them free. The cathedral was one of the best I'd been to in Spain, and I paid to walk the city walls, which couldn't be walked in entirety, but was well worth the admission price for that I could see.

I'll admit, the third day I had originally planned for Segovia long before. But it was either a four hour drive round trip (including fuel) or €50 on a train ticket. To be honest, both are obscene amounts of money for someone on a budget, so my last day in Salamanca was just me wandering around, taking in anything I'd missed during my first day. The climb to the top of the cathedral provided some spectacular views, for example.

Granada to Salamanca was a long drive, but Salamanca to Zaragoza wasn't easy either, particularly as, during to parking issues, I chose to park at the airport .as I'd read parking in Zaragoza was difficult at best. It was also my first stay in a proper hotel since Oviedo, and though a little quirky, it was in the heart of the city and well worth the price.

I had some company for my first night as a friend from London was in the city as he'd been in Madrid for the Champions League final. We enjoyed a few drinks together, and as he'd spent time wandering around himself, he had plenty of good ideas. I spent two days in Zaragoza just taking in nearly every sight possible. There are a tonne of Roman ruins to see, including a theatre and baths. The cathedral and basilica are also worth checking out, and you'll definitely spend some time wandering those. Other than that, simply wandering the streets of the old town will reveal some secrets. I visited in 2004 and noticed quite the change, particularly in the amount of English spoken!

I knew it was almost my last night in Spain, having enjoyed the relatively cheap prices compared to France (and upcoming with Italy) so spent a last night in a bar, watching England v Netherlands with a few English guys who were doing their own European trip.

My overall thoughts of Spain:

Beautiful country. Friendly people. More English spoken than I expected. Plenty of free motorways, and all roads are in pretty good condition. Every city I visited had plenty on offer, and more Roman ruins than I thought there would be. Don't like paying for cathedral entry, though when you compare the state of those in Spain to France, I guess that explains why (though then there was the French revolution...) I'll never tire of eating tapas, and barely ate a proper meal while I was there. Beer is ridiculously cheap at times.

Andorra is a tiny country nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains. The only country whose official language is Catalan. And it is absolutely gorgeous.

The drive from Zaragoza was simple and provided an absolute tonne of scenic views. Entering Andorra was rather amusing, having read I could be stopped on the way, but the guy at the gate barely looked at me as he waved me on. I would have thought driving a UK car would have provoked at least some sort of reaction!

I'd booked a hotel for my two nights in Andorra, a village called Santa Coloma, which is a brisk walk away from Andorra la Vella. And, as I only had one full day in the country, I decided to book myself a tour. My first night of two was spent enjoying a couple of beers in the very tiny old town, but having read one or two horror stories, I was pleased to see the price of beer was roughly the same as Spain.

The tour I booked took our group north of Andorra la Vella into the mountains. Given the country is tiny, it wasn't a long bus ride to the first stop, a museum dedicated to Russian dolls! Rather amusing, but apparently it's a private collection, unrivalled outside of Russia. Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but it was impressive even if unexpected. But the tour was mostly about hiking the wilderness, and though we did take in an old church or some other sight here and there, most of our tour was spent hiking. The one sound I remember is of running water, and the water in Andorra is some of the best I've had to drink...

Also made a friend during the tour, and she proved rather helpful translating, given our group spoke Catalan, Spanish, French and I was the lone English speaker. After the tour, I met up for a few drinks with my new friend at the same bar I'd been before, and we must have spent a good few hours chatting away, sharing life stories, mostly about our travelling, and I was left impressed by her breadth of knowledge. She was quickly added to Facebook so we could keep in touch.

And that was the end of my trip to Iberia. Plenty of good memories made during the few weeks I spent travelling Spain and Portugal. Not sure I want to pick a favourite sight or city out of all those I did visit. Let's just say I wasn't left disappointed by most sights, and any disappointment felt was minor compared to the excitement of so many new cities to visit. It's little wonder so many people head to Spain, particularly at this time of year. Great weather. Beautiful cities. Friendly people. And, compared to some parts of Europe, relatively inexpensive. As for Andorra, if you love the outdoors, whether during summer or winter, just go. You'll love it.

But it was time to return to France. First stop, Toulouse.

Crap, I haven't spoken French since Bordeaux. Bet I end up speaking my meagre Spanish by accident...

I've taken a week to get my thoughts into order, as if I'd written this immediately after leaving Morocco, I'll admit this post probably wouldn't have been completely objective regarding certain elements of my two weeks in the country.

I guess things didn't help the day we were meant to depart when our ferry was delayed. Leaving Gibraltar was a breeze, and the drive from there to Tarifa barely took half an hour. I'd already organised parking, so after leaving my car, my friend and I wandered down to the docks, already aware we might be in for a delay. Upon arriving, we were told there was no news, and just to wait, so we headed for a nearby cafe for breakfast, then another bar for a beer, waiting until noon before returning. With still no news, we walked to a nearby ticket seller, and they told us there would be no sailings for two days!

With accommodation already organised, my friend and I agreed we would be getting to Tangier, one way or another. So we walked to the bus station, eventually boarding one for Algeciras. Upon arriving there, our day was made even better when, trying to change our tickets, we were informed that the dock at Tarifa was now open, and that a bus would arrive soon to take us back. Argh!

We eventually boarded at around 17:30. The sea across to Tangier was rough, and I'm glad I don't suffer from sea-sickness. But we made it to Tangier without a problem, and the docking and immigration process was a breeze.

First impressions were, admittedly, pretty good. Sure, the roads were absolute chaos, but the people appeared friendly, and our riad (Kasbah Rose) had organised a taxi to pick us up. I learned something very quickly when, enquiring about the price, he simply said, "Whatever you like, just include a tip." We made it to the riad in one piece, having driven through the utter chaos that was the medina. Again, first impressions were great. We were offered mint tea, which my friend and I soon grew to absolutely love, our room was pretty damned good, and our host, Mohammed, had plenty of good advice about where to eat, and also organised a tour for us the next day. We ate at the Rif Kebdani, which had some terrific reviews on TripAdvisor. I tried a tagine, which is a staple of Moroccan cuisine (apparently) and some kebabs. We were stuffed by the end.

Our one and only day in Tangier had my friend and I taken by private drive on a tour around Tangier and the local region, taking in plenty of the sights. The highlight was probably the Grottes d'Hercules (Hercules Caves). We were taken to numerous other spots, including the exact point where the Atlantic and Mediterranean apparently meet, but the caves were the highlight. Once that tour was over, we wandered the medina and the city itself, particularly the main road skirting the beach.

The next stop on our itinerary was Chefchaouen. I can say, hand on heart, this was my favourite stop on our tour. Firstly, because it was just utterly gorgeous. Secondly, the people are genuinely friendly and helpful. After only a couple of days in Tangier, I knew I was already wary of certain folks. I organised a guide for us the one day we were in town, and he was fantastic, taking us through all the districts, explaining the history, while also taking us to the Spanish Mosque, which gave us the most spectacular views of the blue city. Things like that live long in the memory...

I will be honest. We knew that travelling during Ramadan would make certain things awkward, like finding a place that sells beer. But Chefchaouen was practically dry, only one hotel selling, and it was a dreary old place, not a particularly appealing place to sink a bottle or two. Not making a complaint at all, two weeks sober would do anyone good, just an observation! Being honest even further, if everywhere else had been like Chefchaouen, as the only annoying people were those continually trying to sell hash, then memories of our time there would be fonder...

The third stop of our Moroccan adventure was Fez. Straight off the bat, I will state that our riad, Dar Hafsa, was absolutely fantastic, the owner, Abdul, went out of his way to help us and his house mouse, Mohammed, was nothing but friendly. A definite highlight. Abdul organised a tour of Fez for our first day, and then a tour to Volulibis and Meknes for our second. Volulibis was superb, some of the best Roman ruins I've seen, and I can only recommend the place to visit if you're ever in Morocco. Meknes... eh, it wasn't as bad as Fez...

But it was in Fez that my opinion of our adventure started to change. I like to think I'm a generally open minded person and take people at face value. Probably makes me a sucker at times, but hey, that's life. But Jesus wept, Fez almost had me ready to head back to Europe after just a couple of nights. Let's list the annoying people:

False guides - the amount of men wanting to guide us to a riad, hotel, hostel, or some sight or other beggared belief. And saying 'No' didn't always work. And, unfortunately, using certain colourful language to tell them to go away would only escalate the situation.

Bulls*** artists - here's an example. My friend and I were returning from dinner, just about to turn down the street towards our riad, when a young men told us the medina was closed. This was despite that all the lights were on, shops were open, and our street was well lit with people coming in the other direction. The amount of times we were told certain things were closed meant we just ignored everyone (and once or twice they were not lying!)

Con artists - the number of scams being run, not just in Fez, would make your eyes water. Don't get me wrong, most Moroccans are honest, friendly, hard-working people, just like everywhere else. But, strewth, there were plenty we met who saw us as nothing but walking ATMs. If you want to know what wandering the Fez medina is like, take a look at some of the horror stories on TripAdvisor. I honestly think my friend and I were lucky, particularly our first day when we had a guide. If not, I'm sure we'd have been ripped off more than once.

After Fez, my friend and I were rather distrustful of nearly everyone. We were catching a train to our next destination, Rabat, and being ripped off by the taxi driver didn't help our moods. As I said at the time, it's not the amount, no more than a few quid, it's the principle of the matter, particularly when you know you're already being charged 5x more than a local to begin with.

Travelling first class to Rabat was interesting, and it was certainly far cheaper than doing so in Europe or the UK. We'd been asked more than once 'Why Rabat?' but, after visiting the city, I'm glad we did, as there was certainly enough to keep us entertained. Unfortunately, while my stomach has coped with everything up to then, as I'd been generally cautious what I ate and drank, I was hit hard during our second day, which meant I didn't really leave our room. Lesson learned, and it took a day or two until I felt well again. I had entertained the though of heading to Casablanca, but from what I'd read, it was even less interesting than Rabat. To be honest, the only reason I wanted to go was because of the movie. There is a 'Rick's Cafe', nothing but a tourist trap offering overpriced food and drink. Best avoided...

It was another train, again first class, to our final stop, Marrakech. Our train ride there was great as we were joined by fellow travellers, and a couple of locals, the three or so hours flying by as we shared stories, mostly about travelling, while the locals shared their knowledge of the country and also of our final stop.

I still wasn't feeling great during our first full of three days, so that was a write off. Our second day was taking in most of the sights... except most of the medina and souks. There are a couple of reasons. One, neither my friend or I were interested in shopping. I was carrying a backpack and small bag, and both were heavy enough without adding worthless junk. Two, my friend loved reading TripAdvisor reviews and admittedly the horror stories really put him off. After our experiences in Fez, even I wasn't particularly bothered about heading in and getting lost. It's known that traders in Marrakech are even more aggressive than Fez, and if the horror stories are true, I knew one of us would have probably blown our tops by the end.

So, as a relaxing break, for the third day, I booked us a tour to the coastal town of Essaouira. Fantastic decision, even if I say so myself. Laid back, quiet, peaceful, gorgeous. Didn't take many photos, I didn't have my phone out too often in Morocco as a whole, but it was nice to wander the old town and not be harassed constantly. We had a guide take us around for around an hour, then had a couple of hours to wander ourselves, grab a bite to eat, then got back on the bus back to Marrakech.

My friend was flying back to England from Marrakech. As my car was still in Spain, I had to take two trains. I grabbed an early train that returned me to Casablanca, and after a ninety minute wait, I took one of the new Al-Barouk TGV trains to Tangier. I'll put it like this. It took longer for the train to go from Casablanca to Kenitra, than from Kenitra to Tangier, the train hitting 320km/h in sections. (Morocco has high-speed rail. What are you doing, UK????)

I had a final night in Tangier, and after two weeks, I'll admit I'd enjoyed most of my time, but I was ready to head back to Europe. I was tired of what I would call subtle harassment. People always trying to sell you things. From men standing outside restaurants. You couldn't walk along the street without taxi's constantly beeping, offering rides at 5x the cost. I'd grown so distrustful that people being genuine trying to help I virtually dismissed out of hand. Am I to blame for that? I guess it's for others to decide, but until you've experienced some of what goes on, I will say that you cannot judge.

So, I'll happily admit, my final day in Morocco, I purchased a ferry ticket for the first one leaving, and stayed by myself in the hotel I'd booked, only a stones throw away from the docks, until the next morning. I'd enjoyed more of Morocco than I hadn't. Some of the sights I'd seen were unforgettable. Every single riad was great, most of the owners or those who worked within them being fantastic, nothing but helpful or just genuinely friendly. I'm also glad we were there during Ramadan, as it provided a look into a culture so completely different to our own.

I don't miss the Adhan, no matter how beautiful it can sound... And I most definitely don't miss haggling over everything. Just name a price, and if it's reasonable, I'll pay it.

Overall, my impressions of Morocco are a mixed bag. Our first few days were fantastic. Tangier was a welcoming eye-opener into a new culture, and Chefchaouen will live long in the memory. And Rabat was a pleasant surprise after hearing so much negativity. Fez is the first city in all those I've travelled to which I know I will never visit again, not even with a gun to my head. Marrakech wasn't as bad, simply because we avoided the medina and probably the worst aspects. The only reason I'd return there is to see what's it like outside Ramadan. And if I did visit Morocco again, I certainly wouldn't stay anywhere near a medina!

Anyway, the ferry back to Spain left nearly on time, and I was back in Europe around noon, ready to restart my European adventure.

I'm not sure if it's just me, or if many have had the same luck, but all of my Airbnb hosts, even those I didn't get the chance to meet, have been nothing short of fantastic.

My drive to Porto from Santiago was fairly straight forward, though I did worry when entering Portugal and the motorway. Through France and Spain, my little tags would beep to state payment would be taken. It doesn't beep in Portugal, so I wasn't sure if it worked or not. (I'd only find out leaving Porto for Sintra that it was all okay.)

Motorways in Portugal, outside of the main cities, are practically empty. But the drivers? Well, they are... pretty bad. Didn't come close to an accident, but watching some of the antics on display was amusing. Entering Porto wasn't particularly difficult, though I had to ignore the sat-nav more than once due to never ending roadworks on the approach to my Airbnb. Managed to snag a parking spot close by and unload my stuff.

Most of my communication prior to arriving was with Lurdes, but it was Aderito who sat me down and went through everything with me. Utterly fantastic, as basically gave me a two-day itinerary with the map he had. The little cottage I had was perfectly suitable for my needs, so I headed straight out into town, as I had arrived rather early. All I wanted was a beer or two, avoiding most of the tourist sites as I would spend the next two days wandering. I found a sports bar, conveniently located close to my Airbnb, and admittedly I spent a couple of hours there each night as they were playing the Champions League semi-finals, and I can't remember the last time I watched any Champions League!

I spent two days walking around Porto, the first day covering 28 kms, the second day a paltry 17.7 kms. The first day I took the tram out to the very west of the city by the coastline. It was rather misty to start with and I was worried I'd be in for disappointment. But after sitting down for a coffee, I waited until it cleared, turning into a gorgeous, sunny and warm day. I followed the coastline for a good few kilometres before turning inland, wandering here, there and everywhere, mostly following the guidance of Aderito, who didn't disappoint. Visited another contemporary art museum, but could also wander the parks and gardens. I spent hours walking that first day, so was absolutely knackered upon returning to my Airbnb, though after a shower, headed out for at least a couple of drinks.

Day two was more of the same, though sticking to the inner city and I guess more 'touristy' parts. I had lunch at Cafe Santiago, where I feasted on a Francesinha Santiago. Basically a sandwich full of meat, covered in cheese, with a fried egg on top. Calorific, but utterly delicious and I managed to polish off the whole thing. Other than that, it was just another day of wandering. I could list every monument I saw and photographed... But I can only say that you should definitely visit Porto. It's beautiful when the sun is out, particularly if you're by the river. If you cross the river and head to towards another museum, you get some breathtaking views of the old town.

I would have loved to have spent another couple of days in Porto, wandering the narrow streets and simply kicking back and relaxing. I left early on my last day there, and had a mini heart attack when I found the garage I had parked my car in closed. Thankfully the man responsible, who didn't speak any English, turned up, mimicking that he was just eating breakfast.

During the drive to Sintra, I figured I'd stop off by the coast, eventually stopping at a town called Nazaré. For those who don't know, it's where some of the biggest waves in the world have been surfed. There were no enormous waves on the day of my visit, but I spent a couple of hours walking the promenade before taking the funicular up to the nearby hill, the town basically split in two. Again, some stunning views on display, and if I ever return to Portugal, I'll spent a couple of weeks slowly working my way north to south, or vice versa, and would definitely spend a couple of days lazing on the beach.

I'd heard Sintra could be very expensive, and although I spent €30 paying for entry into parks and palaces, everything else was as reasonable as Porto. My host, Filipe, was again fantastic, full of advice, particularly about where to have dinner, which I chose to visit on my second night. I only had one full day in Sintra, so had to make the most of it. Standing in line for the bus, I started talking to a Dutch family, and as we were well to the back of the line, they asked if I'd like to join them on a tuk-tuk. I'm on holiday, so why not? The driver was a bloody mad-man, spending half his time turning around to talk to us, but it was bloody good fun too, though I prayed to all the gods that we arrived in one piece.

The Palacio de Pena was beautiful, and I'm glad we got there as early as we did, as the line I noticed upon leaving was horrific. The park surrounding the palace was stunning, glad I'd taken my hayfever tablet, and I climbed to the highest point in the park, where the High Cross is located. The Moorish Castle was also good fun to walk around, climbing to the very top, where more views could be taken in. And finally, I walked all the way back to the historical centre to visit Sintra Palace. I didn't walk as far as Bilbao or Porto, but I certainly did a lot more climbing!

My last night in Sintra was spent at a local restaurant, partaking in a dish of Portuguese food, before heading out to enjoy a couple of beers before heading back to my Airbnb. The last place I was in had a guy with a guitar, and he was a rather good singer, so I ended up staying for a couple, just to listen. The football on TV in the background was also a good reason to stay.

And that was it. I know I could have done so much more in Portugal, but as I've said time and again, I'm just limited by what I can see and do. However, there is always the chance of another trip in the future, so perhaps I can visit a few places I've had to miss this time around.

Should probably write more often but... *shrugs*

After having a great time in Bordeaux, it was time to say 'au revoir' to France, at least for the time being, and head into country number two of this epic trip, Spain. I'd read a number of good things about Bilbao prior to arriving so wondered if not hoped expectations would meet reality. I hit my first minor problem upon entering Spain when my signal dropped out completely. Stupid old me didn't think about just restarting my phone until day two...

Anyway, my Airbnb was in a suburb of Bilbao called Sondika. A nice place though with no Wi-Fi! First time I've had that happen. My own fault, I obviously didn't check prior to booking, but it wasn't a major problem as I was only there to sleep. Sondika was only a short ten minute train trip into the centre itself, the only problem being I was in Bilbao during Easter Weekend, so for all three days I was there, it was a weekend timetable, meaning a train only ever half hour.

My first impressions of Bilbao, and of the Basque people, is one of a fiercely independent people, more than aware of the history between the Basque and central Spanish government over the decades. I had arrived not only over Easter but during an event called Basque Fest, basically a celebration of their culture, history and basically their nation. And there was not a Spanish flag in sight. Plus everything is in Basque first, then Spanish, and even English in the touristy parts. And that makes you think 'Some of these people would speak at the very least three languages!'

What do I remember most about my time in Bilbao? Two things. One, the Guggenheim Museum. Great building, full of interesting things. But I just don't get modern or contemporary art. Probably too stupid to understand it! Two, pintxos! (Tapas to the rest of Spain.) Any tavern, cafe or bar I walked into, the bar was lined with little snacks ready to be eaten. I didn't eat a meal the entire time I was in Bilbao, I survived on pintxos. And my Airbnb host, Gerard, informed me of a local drink called kalimotxo, which is a mix of red wine and cola. Tastes good and drank plenty of that too.

My first day, I walked 24km. My second day, not as much. I spent a lot of time in Casco Viejo, the old part of the city, in addition to wandering the banks of the estuary and basically checking out as much as I could. I thought Sunday would be a damp squib being Easter Sunday, but many things were still open. I did head to the main cathedral to watch the procession regarding the resurrection and I think there were more tourists there watching than natives. I also had the chance to ride my first funicular of the trip. If your city has one, I will find out about it, I will travel there, and I will ride it. Gave some stunning views of Bilbao, particularly as it was a bright sunny day.

I left Bilbao on Easter Monday, ready to head further east. My next port of call was a small city by the name of Oviedo, in Asturias. I'll be honest, there are only two reasons I picked Oviedo as a place to stay. One, it was about halfway between Bilbao and Santiago de Compestela, so a good place to take a break. And, two, I knew Fernando Alonso was from nearby.

I only spent two nights in Oviedo, so had treated myself to a bit of luxury in a four star hotel. It was a nice place, though I embarrassed myself upon arriving by forgetting everything is on the opposite side to my driving position, so missed the intercom and was stuck trying to enter the garage until someone arrived behind me to open the doors!

Oviedo is tiny so I didn't need more than a day anyway. The cathedral is definitely worth checking out, though as usual, the audioguide could drag on a bit at times. There were some other nice buildings around definitely worth checking out, but I'm delaying what I really want to talk about.

Sidra!

It's not just the sidra itself, which is an utter joy to drink. No, it's the way they pour it. Never seen anything so entertaining, but apparently there is a good reason for the way they do it, as it releases all the flavour. Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but I enjoyed a few bottles while I was there. And it was cheap! A 700ml bottle never cost me more then €3. In fact, Spain in general has proven much cheaper than France. Expected, of course, but not to the difference I've noticed so far. I had lunch during my only full day there, including a local dish, Fabada Asturiana, which is a bean soup with some pork and chorizo, some tapas and a beer for only €12!

I'm glad I did stay in Oviedo, though didn't need more than a day. However, while I was there, I signed up on an app called blablacar. Basically I place an ad saying I'm driving from place to place and if anyone wants a lift, they can send me a message. From Oviedo to Santiago, I had a passenger, Portuguese guy named Rui. We must have talked nearly the entire way and it certainly helped pass the time. I won't do it all the time, particularly as I'm aware it's not popular all over Europe, but it's something I'll definitely offer from time to time.

Anyway, next stop was four nights in Santiago de Compostela. After dropping Rui at the bus station, my Airbnb was literally a two minute drive away. But I noticed immediately that parking would be difficult. No chance of finding a spot outside the apartment. Eventually found one a couple of streets away, and I knew then and there that I wouldn't be using my car again until I left. The host's contact, Esther, was very friendly and helpful, and we managed to communicate through my lack of any real Spanish. It had been a long old grind since leaving Calais so, I'll admit, that night, I grabbed some Domino's from a shop barely a few metres away and took it easy.

I had three full days to fill. The first day was Santiago itself. Unfortunately, though I've had a few overcast or cold days, this was the first day where it rained. And it pretty much drizzled all day. The tourist office was helpful as always, giving me plenty of tips on what to see and do. Despite being small, I found myself doing quite a lot of walking. The cathedral was my first real disappointment as it was undergoing a lot of refurbishment, so nearly everything was covered up. But I found a couple of other churches that more than made up for it. But the one thing any visitor would notice would be all the pilgrims completing the Camino. Dozens and dozens of people enter the centre of the city with their backpacks and walking sticks. I talked with a few people who'd done it and they gave me plenty of advice if I ever thought of doing it myself. With all the walking I'm currently doing, I could see myself doing it in a few years... maybe...

Anyway, my second day was my first organised, or guided tour of my holiday. I don't plan on doing many of them, but my original plan was to drive to Fisterra. I'm glad I didn't, as the tour I participated in was fantastic. I'd met an Italian guy, Andrea, in a pub the previous evening, and he was on the same tour, finding myself chatting away with a few South Africans too, who had also completed the Camino. The tour took in some of the major sights of Galicia. We visited a Sanctuary in Muxia, St. Mary of the Boats, and the church was right on the shores of the Atlantic. Next was Fisterra, and I'm glad I didn't do it alone, otherwise I'd have just driven there, taken a few photos', grabbed a magnet, and headed back to Santiago. After that was a waterfall in Dumbria, though we couldn't get too close due to construction. before stopping for lunch in Muros. Andrea and I shared a massive portion of monkfish and clams. Never had either before, and it was clear the food was fresh. Very tasty. Last stop was Ponte Maceira, a stones throw away from Santiago, where we took a few photos and walked across a 12th century bridge. It was quite an enjoyable day and well worth the price.

My third day was a bus trip to Lugo. I paid less than €15 for a return ticket, though it did require me rising bloody early. At least the bus trip to and from was uneventful, though I wouldn't call it scenic, as the bus mostly followed the motorways, though we did go through A Coruna. The Roman walls surrounding Lugo old town were nearly as good as I expected. I'll admit, I was expecting a bit more sandstone or something, but I walked along their entire length, getting some nice shots of the walls and the old town. I then spent a couple of hours walking along nearly every street within the walls, having a spot of lunch in the early afternoon, before enjoying a couple of beers in the afternoon sun waiting for my bus. I had my first instance of being served by someone who didn't know any English at all. Thank Odin for Google translate!

And as quickly as it began, my trip in Spain was over, albeit only temporarily. Next stop, country number three, Portugal!