Central Portugal VIA the highest peak

Foros do Queimado to Avis - 94 km
We stopped at Evoramonte and Estremoz on the way to see the castles and view, luckily they were the only strenuous climbs for the day and arrived at the campground in Avis about 5 pm. We chatted to a dutch couple while having a beer so it was 7 before we decided to put the tent up. Then I noticed I had a puncture. It took ages to fix as we (Trevor) could not find the hole in the tube. We got the tent sorted then Trevor cut his finger while opening a can. While I was finding the bandaid he called out he didn't feel so good and promptly fainted!! (The sight of blood??) So not such a great end to what had been a good day.  
Avis to Abrantes - 71 km
Slow start to the day and took it easy. Way too much speedy traffic on very narrow roads but we should be on quieter roads soon. Another municipal campground, brand new,  charging just 5 euro, one third of what we paid in Spain. 80 p beers at a cafe or 1 litre bottles for 1 euro. Seems so cheap to us coming from NZ but minimum wage here is only about 600 euro per month. That is  equivalent to $225 NZ per week and unemployment is still high. Standard of living does not look as high as NZ. But such an easy country to cycle in and what I love is it is so unpretentious. Coffee, with or without milk, that's it, no latte, cappuccino, mochoccino... Wine comes in any type of glass and the glass is full, beer comes in a wine glass or a tumbler, anything goes, its great!
Abrantes to recreational area near Serta - 52 km
Quieter roads, getting greener, hills and slightly cooler, smaller villages, less people. We were directed to a camping area by a helpful shop owner.  8 km later, a gorgeous spot, lovely place to swim, toilets open, running water but no one around. We stayed anyway. Very peaceful and the lights even came on at night...
Serta to Figueiro dos Vinos - 49 km
Not a great day, we both just felt really flat with no zip. Probably the 4 huge up and downs to the river had something to do with it so called it a day at a hotel and enjoyed the luxury.
Figueiro dos Vinos to Serpins - 63 km
Much cooler this morning and climbed up and up into the clouds. We could hear the noise from the  wind turbines but could hardly see them. Nice bush with ferns near the top. Jacket and arm warmers on for the awesome descent, wow it is nice to feel cold,  through villages of houses built with schist rock and into Lousa and lunch near a small castle. It showed a camping site on the map but as we have found out they can be in a 50 km radius! It was not in Lousa but 10 km further on by a river. As we were looking at the map an elderly gentleman came along and chatted in Portuguese to us. We managed to communicate and he insisted on escorting us on his scooter. He had to buy petrol first then 3 km up the road he stopped for a drink and a pastry and brought us a beer. It may have been his local, he was enjoying telling everyone what he was up to. He looked so chuffed as he delivered us to the campground, I think it made his day and we appreciated it as well. The village church and clock tower was very close, it chimed very loudly every hour during the night, the only one I slept through was the 3 am one. Not sure why everyone needs to know the time 24 hours a day...
Serpins to Vide -  49km
Another lovely campground near a river. We took a wrong road in the afternoon and went up a big hill along a busy road then back down to the river when we should have been by the river all day. Looking on the bright side there was a lady selling cherries on the side of the road for just 3 euro per kg. Yum.
Vide to Torre - 54 km. INSANITY
The big day had arrived. 10000km on the speedo and to make it memorable we decided to ride to Portugal's highest point. At 1995 metres is a ski field in a park with spectacular scenery. But getting there was not easy. We had a cruisy 12km along the river then 29km of up. Gradients of 10, 12 and 14% in low chain ring all the way. Pesky flies hovering around all day driving me nuts. At the 21 km point the road we were on intersected with a more major road coming up from a different place. I was very tempted to call it a day and wizz down that road but my partner in crime was having none of that and was like "why, we are nearly there, only 8 km to go..." 8 km up after 21 still took a very long time. But we made it, then whizzed down a few kms and found a closed campground. A Portuguese cyclist was there as well. So many sandflies! Quick wash and dinner then we had to hide in the tent but it was almost dark by then. An insane day.
Valhelhas -35 km
We were so tired we just ambled slowly down through an old, spectacular, glacial valley and on to a campground by a river where we stopped at 2 pm, relaxed, had a dip in the river and enjoyed doing nothing. 
Valhelhas to Guida - 54 km
On and up to Guarda where we found a bike shop to get some more brake pads for my bike, I had issues coming down the big hill! To celebrate our 10000 km I got some new hand grips and Trevor bought a real pillow...
Guarda to Figueiro de Castelo Rodrigo - 65km
Very rural area near the Spanish border, we stayed in a small hotel and on Sunday morning as we were leaving we saw the flower displays (photos)  that went for over a km all around the streets and up to the church. The locals had been up hours getting it done. It was an annual religious celebration and we saw it at other churches that day but not that elaborate, it was quite amazing to see.

Portugal - The Best Pastries, The Cheapest Coffee

Portugal, May 22 2015.
48 km We crossed over from Spain into South Eastern Portugal at Barrancos, first day impressions were:
- A lot more people speak English
- There is more life in the villages
- The people are more open and friendly
- The bread is much nicer
- The coffee is mainly a short black but even with milk is very cheap at 70 - 90 p

We headed into a natural parque for the night. It looked green with trees and a river in the brochure, in reality it was stinking hot, a dusty bumpy gravel road for 10 km to a crumbling castle then another 4 back to the only accommodation, which thankfully was really good, we had a huge backpacker type wing to ourselves. Huge thick stone walls keeping it cool. So hot outside and we were told it gets to 50 degrees plus in the summer.
Barrancos to Luz - 74 km
Long straight roads across a plain to the largest man made lake/reservoir in Portugal. Landscape of grape vines and olive trees. Very open and hot. Not a lot of traffic but what there was went by scarily fast. Not liking that one bit! We wild camped the night at Luz by the lake, we had to wait till the goat herder went home and it was nearly dark before we put the tent up as there were no trees to hide amongst. (Photo)
Luz to Evora - 77 km
We were joined in the night by hundreds of dandy long leg spiders, our entire tent and vestibule area was covered in them. At least it wasn't tarrantulas! We were up and gone early and joined the locals for coffee and pastries just 10 km up the rd.
More straight flat roads but a bit of a shoulder to ride in so was okay. Eucalyptus trees as well as cork oaks and more grape vines. A large campground in Evora filled with massive camper vans and caravans driven by mainly retired European tourists on vacation. This must be the place to visit. Our little tent looked a bit out of place and I did look wistfully at the van next to us with the bikes on the back. It looked so easy!!
We took a day to look around Evora, a great old Roman city,  leaving the bikes in the square and walking to the sights. (Photos)Looking at a palace and wondering how it could possibly be designed using parchment and a quill! The most memorable place was the bone chapel, completely filled with human bones and skulls. Quite unusual with an inscription over the door saying "We bones that are here, we are waiting for yours"  I just put in one photo - hope it does not freak anyone out.
An enjoyable day spent eating, drinking and walking - tired feet for a change.
We headed  just 30 km north the next day and stayed with Johanna and Nuno, longtime cyclists, their latest trip took 2 years cycling from New Zealand back to Portugal. We stayed 2 nights just relaxing and enjoying their company and chatting. They live in a  traditional Portuguese house in a very small village happily growing a large vege garden and looking after their dog.  A lovely place to relax. But oh so hot, we will head inland next to the greener area and mountains.

Huelva province - our last week in Southern Spain - Bull fighting and Castles

Cazalla to El Real de La Jara - 46 km
Up the hill in the heat then down to a dam where we stopped for a couple of hours, had lunch and a dip. The first photo is me looking warily at the green snake swimming by. It is simply not relaxing to swim when you are concerned about snakes but I am told  they are not poisonous. We soaked our shirts before the 12 km climb, they were dry in 10 minutes.
We were directed to an Alburge to stay which is a cheap place mainly for walkers to stay. This village is on the punishing 1000km Seville to Santiago de Compostala camino, pilgrimage route. After 5pm spare beds can be given to cyclists. We were lucky and got a downstairs room to ourselves not an upstairs bunkroom. We walked up to the castle then had a beer and tapas at the sports bar where we discovered bull fighting is still the national sport. A crowded bar, all the older men were there watching it on TV. Three bull fights, oh my goodness how gruesome, I could hardly watch and did not realise the poor bull has to die. It was very interesting watching the locals and they left as soon as it was over. So many towns have bull rings and it is very popular, ahead of football we are told. Everyone was well asleep when we got back.
El Real de La Jara to Aracena - 53 km
The walkers were gone early, we were the last away at 9 and headed into Huelva province through farmland with lots of cattle, passed old mines and up to another dam. On up into areas with large chestnut groves, holm oaks, cork trees and lovely streams. Cute little villages with cobbled streets, chuches, bells ringing every quarter hour and storks nesting atop. The storks also make huge nests on the powerlines and all the baby birds are around now. A nice campground on the outskirts of Aracena, an area known for walking and bird watching.
Aracena to Cortegana - 43 km
We enjoyed a nice morning looking around Aracena, a gorgeous village with another castle, famous caves and a larger supermarket then meandered through the cutest places having lunch at one,  coffee at another, then ice cream and finally to Cortegana and stayed at a small municipal campground. We biked up to the imposing castle high on the hill the next morning only to find it closed. Castles are always on the hill at the top of the steepest streets, I am starting to think I will appreciate them from a distance!
We have seen loads of little black pigs over the last few weeks. Very well looked after, free range with their own little house each, no pig sty... and fed on things like acorns. Cured pork is what they do here and most deli's and supermarkets have them all hanging up drying/curing. They look like they have mould all over them and take a long time to cure. I find them quite smelly and cannot stay in the smaller shops, it is too overpowering. Apparently some people (pork tasters??) can tell which areas the pigs are grown in and even what they have been fed on. Quite a process. It is all about the pig.
Cortegana to La Contienda - 30 km
A short trail to Aroche but long enough to lose the trail and no accommodation at all so continued towards Portugal and camped in a pine forest near a stream.
That is the end of the Transandulus mountain bike trail for us, we covered over 1500 km over six weeks, a whole adventure on its own and well worth the effort. Unpopulated areas, minimal traffic, a huge variety of landscapes, wilderness and wildlife.  Not one drop of rain in six weeks. Just one full day off the bike, we are looking forward to a rest soon.  We will be in Portugal tomorrow.