This yacht race today was interesting to watch. On the hill at the back is a hotel and amusement park to which we ventured on Friday. The land on the left is a small island on which you can see a building. Boat trips go to the island each day, and visitors can explore it for themselves.

Overturned bins in the centre of the road which have been set alight, abandoned car at right angles, and riot police in the background behind the car.

San Sebastian
Just after we posted the last entry, there was a flurry with much shouting in the street and the internet staff hastily closed and locked the door. When we were able to get out, there were riot police with shields and batons and paddy waggons everywhere (earlier in the day we had seen the police helicopter hovering overhead near the main square for several hours). The streets were full of broken bottles, smashed shop windows, and the very large recycle bins (about 6 times the size of our blue bins) overturned and set alight in the middle of the roads. There was smoke everywhere, and people running to avoid capture. We did not see any arrests, since the demonstrators were masked and able to escape by running through the narrow laneways in the old quarter. Apparently Friday was a significant day in the Spain calendar, and as far as we could gather the demonstration was political with the left v the right rallying in protest (probably students or at least young people)
We have walked this city from end to end, covering many km. Today is very busy because it is a long weekend, and the promenade, beaches, and streets are crowded with holidaymakers and locals. It is a beautiful day, clear blue sky, 26 degrees, and the beach alive with ball games, sunbakers, dogs playing, prams with babies, joggers, and walkers. There was a competition run along the promenade this morning, with many hundreds of competitors. The promenade stretches for about 6 km around all three beaches, and it seemed that the run was from end to end. We have walked this distance twice and it is still an enthralling experience.
Tomorrow morning we sadly drive to Bilbao for the long trek home (total time at least 38 hours from door to door). Whilst we are sad to be heading home, it will be good to see everyone again, sleep in our own bed, and eat our own food with lots of vegetables and fruit. The washing machine will be a very welcome piece of equipment!
This is likely to be our last entry, although we may be able to post something in either London or Singapore when we are in transit.

View from our window at the last place we stayed before San Sebastian. Note how close the beach is to the hotel, with a croquet lawn, bar, and outdoor furniture awaiting the return of summer weather.

The travellers, with the bay and island in the background. At the very top is the peak which we visited today. A few days of R and R are required to prepare for the 32 hour journey home! This is just the place to do it.

The fernicular in which we travelled up to and down from the peak to have a spectacular view over San Sebastian and the bay. There was actually a children´s fun park at the top as well as an expensive hotel.

View of the main beach at San Sebastian, taken from the top of the point on one side of the bay. City of San Sebastian behind the beach and the hills in the background. Our hotel is right next to the sandy beach to the left of the centre point of the photograph.

One view of the outside of the Guggenheim Museum at Bilbao. As you can see it defies all the usual construction and design principles.

San Sebastian (continued)
Not sure what happened, but the screen froze. The little vehicle was basically a one-seater, smaller than a "smart car" and could only travel at a maximum of 80km per hour. The car was registered in Copenhagen, and the driver was from the Netherlands on a one-month holiday. Brave man to take that old, tiny car on motorways where the trucks and cars travel at high speed (cars up to 160 km/hr), must be unnerving at times.

San Sebastian
We have not been able to access internet for two days. We are now here at our last stop after spending two nights at hotels on the beach away from the main roads and most of the tourists. This is a particularly nice place, with a wide long curved beach (in fact there are three beaches all together) of clean sand, with a promenade running around the main beach about 2km long. Next to the promenade is a well-marked cycle track which is used by both joggers and bicycles. It is a particularly pretty and restful place to spend the last few days - we intended to take a drive into France, and also to Pamplona and Gernika, but have decided to rest up here instead. There is much "people peeping" to be done and coffee to be drunk, and walks in and around the old city and along the beach.
On the way here, we stopped at Bilbao to visit the Guggenheim Museum, which is world-renowned as a fascinating building containing art exhibitions. This month the exhibition is of the history and art of USA. Well worth the stop.
Today we walked around to the point, and took the funicular to the top of the hill where we had an amazing view over the bay, the beach, and San Sebastian, as well as out to sea.
There are many more observations to mention. Dried codfish is a major part of the diet here, and we have seen it in the dried state and also eaten it after the mandatory 4-day soaking in water to reduce the salt level.
The beer and wine are good, and we have tried a mug of Sangria which was surprisingly excellent. The port in Porto was to die for - neither sweet nor heavy!
Still impossible to find somewhere to eat dinner before 8.30 pm or even 9.00 pm, so today we gave in to the local customs and played "if you can´t beat them, join them" - breakfast at 11.30 am, lunch at 4.30 pm, and dinner probably about 9.00 pm tonight.
There is a particular style which women seem to have, as we also observed in Paris. Clothing is chosen so that the whole outfit makes a statement - eg red shoes with a scarf tied ¨just so¨ containing a splash of red, with the remainder of the outfit being neutral or black and white. Gold handbags and matching high heels parading along the promenade is a common sight, and men wearing suits and leather shoes, where the walkers appear to be intent on "being seen". There is definitely a talent in co-ordinating the garments so that the whole effect is particularly chic.
We continue to be amazed at the standard of the major roads and motorways. In Australia we would make a cutting around a hill, but here a tunnel is simply cut through the hill, and where there is a deep valley a long bridge is constructed from one side to another. Some of these are as high as 200m and up to 1 km long. There are few traffic lights - most intersections are controlled by well-marked roundabouts, and the traffic flows extremely well.
We saw an amazing little vehicle with registration 45KM

Candas
Wonderful drive through very green forests and pastures, with many dairy cattle, sheep and goats. When we woke this morning, the harbour was dense with fog, and the fog continued for most of the journey today. The place we had chosen to stay turned out to be a bit scruffy and very steep, so we continued along the coastline and found this place which is rather pretty although also in fog. It is on a river where it enters the sea, so perhaps in the morning the fog will clear and we will have a good view of the surroundings. Will stay here one night, then another stop tomorrow night on our way to San Sebastian. We are really enjoying cruising through the countryside, particularly now that most of the tourists have gone home. Not much English spoken away from the larger cities, but this is not a problem if you are resourceful. Temperatures are now cooler in the north, today being 17 degrees.

Another view of the harbour, as the fog rolls in from the Atlantic whilst the sun is still shining brightly. A very peaceful, quiet and serene little village which was well worth choosing to stay for a night.

View across the small harbour at Pontedeume in the late afternoon sun. Tranquil.

Pontedeume
This is a small village (population 4,730) on the NW tip of Spain, which we reached today after departing Porto and sadly saying goodbye to Portugal. Took the autobahns all the way back into Spain which were fantastic - Australia could learn much from the design and maintenance of the roadways. Seemed like every few km we needed to pay a toll, but they are not particularly expensive. There was very little traffic on the road, and the scenery all the way was of rolling green hills with many eucalyptus plantations. Also have seen many wind generators throughout Portugal and parts of Spain.
We had no booking here, so went to a hotel and found that there were plenty of rooms. An interesting event then occurred. We have room number 209 with a great view over the river mouth, and had only just entered when a man let himself into our room with a key and rushed into our bathroom toilet! It turned out that he was in room 309 (immediately above) but had entered the wrong floor from the lift. His key fitted our door. After some sign language with the receptionist and checking the key to 309, it was established that the 309 key was actually a master key which fits every door in the hotel! We will be using the latch lock overnight.
Took a long walk along the promenade watching the fishermen mending their nets and the small boats bobbing in the harbour. Fog is rolling in from the nearby hills and the late afternoon sunlight is golden, so it is a very pretty little town indeed.

Common scene - washing hanging out to dry next to TV satellite dishes.

The roadway built out into the river to alleviate traffic problems is an interesting solution.

This amazing bridge is attractive from all angles - the Pont de Louis I. The train line runs on the top and also pedestrians, and the lowest level is a pedestrian crossing along with vehicles.

Porto
Have managed to make it through today without consuming any ham or cheese!!
Porto has a romantic reputation and history. The city is planted with multitudes of camellias which give a colourful and festive air throughout the colder winter months.
It is also renowned for its bridges which are particularly attractive, one of which was designed by Gustav Eiffel.
The city folk celebrate St John´s festival on June 23, when they stay up all night feasting, lighting fireworks, and hitting each other over the head with a squeaky plastic hammer. One must stay up long enough to collect the early morning dew, which is believed to bring good fortune for the coming year.
Porto´s early population was primarily fishermen and boat-builders. It has also developed to service the surrounding countryside (river Duoro valley) which produces major grape harvests which are transported to Porto to be matured, blended and bottled.
Porto has not always been a tranquil and romantic tourist spot. It has a history of rebelliousness and dissent - in 1628 even the ladies attacked a minister for introducing a tax on linen!
The earliest recorded origins are that Don Joao I (king John the 1st) married Philippa from England here in 1111, and their son Henry the Navigator was born here. There are many statues and monuments in recognition of Henry, who followed after Vasco da Gama in explorations to the East.
Interestingly, throughout Portugal which is primarily a Catholic country, there seems to be no evidence of religious statues other than on and in churches. Statues/monuments around the squares are a myriad of poets, writers, kings, explorers, and other famous people from the past.
The city bus tour today was particularly good - almost two hours, through both the old and newer parts of the city on both sides of the river, and along a portion of the Atlantic ocean and the river. The buildings and streets are rather austere and imposing, against which a McDonald store provided a gaudy contrast. There are many gardens and open squares sprinkled throughout the city, and some of the old buildings and churches are coated with the unique painted blue and white tiles (often depicting a scene using 12cm tiles which have been hand painted and fired).
In the morning we walked down to the river from the main cathedral through tiny alleyways
and footpaths past small domestic residences - great photographic opportunity.
The city is also known for "tripe", cooked into a stew. This began in 1415 when Henry the Navigator left to sail for Morocco, Porto´s loyal citizens donated their best meat to the sailors and kept the offal for themselves (earning the nickname "tripe-eaters").
Porto is a beautiful city on the banks of the Douro river and a traveller´s delight with wall to wall restaurants along the river bank and loads of historical sights.

Porto
Just arrived after a fairly short trip from Coimbra through countless little villages which seem to be continuous. Fast flowing river, great bridges, and of course an "old town" like everywhere else. Our hotel is large, very nice room, but a bit out of town so we need to take a cab to the city centre. Has a buzz about it down by the riverside, and there seem to be lots of tourists. This is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. We will take the tourist bus and explore more tomorrow.

p.s. Bob. He was told so should know that the cracks in the office area do not need to be touched, that the beams in the kitchen must be painted, and also the pantry doors.

Coimbra
A few observations first. In Obidos, two church bells rang one minute apart on the hour. Behind our hotel were two dogs in the same property, who stood together and sang loudly in accompaniment with the bells! Most entertaining.
It is apparently an insult to ask for salt or pepper with a meal, because the chef believes that the dish has been cooked to perfection!
Breakfast is usually ham and cheese with a bread roll, bread, croissant, or a sticky bun. Lunch is also usually a sandwich or baguette with ham and cheese. The menu for a baguette for lunch today was for cheese, ham, ham and cheese, ham cheese and lettuce, or smoked ham. I ordered the ham cheese and lettuce, which came with just ham and toasted!
It was a pretty drive from Obidos to here, although we were sad to leave. Gladys did an excellent job of helping us to follow a red road away from the freeway, but brought us to the back of a building under construction with no access through to our hotel. Eventually we were given a drawing by a truck driver which brought us safely to the hotel only 100m away but a 1k drive!
This is a "university" town, holding the oldest university in Portugal and one of the largest in Europe. It began in the 13th century and was moved here from Lisbon in 1537, and is located on the highest hill overlooking the town and the river. The clock tower at the highest point is nicknamed "a cabra" (the goat) because when it chimed to mark the end of studies, the first year undergrads would be humiliated by senior students until they leapt and jumped their way home like mountain goats! The University is the dominant component of the town, renowned world-wide, with a huge student population.
We then took the one-hour boat cruise up the Rio Mondego (river) which was very pleasant. This river is the only main river to flow entirely within Portugal.
Later, we took the town bus tour, which always gives a very good overview in English of the entire city via headphones.
We have covered a great distance on foot today, and are now a little weary.
Both red and white wines are light, but quite good and very cheap. eg a bottle is about AUD$6.00 in a restaurant, and $4.00 at the supermarket.
Today was a public holiday (bank holiday) all over Portugal, with most shops closed apart from the newsagency and the tourist office. We are thus using the hotel computer, which does not have a USB port so no photos today! More soon.

Taken from the top of the Wall, looking outside. Foreground is the cemetery, with the aqueduct dating from the 16th Century through the centre of the photograph. Aqueduct is 3 km and was used to bring water to the town in ancient times.

Our hotel is just beside the wall, and our room is the third window from the left in the photo. Fantastic location, service, restaurant, and friendly staff. Note the balcony outside the window/french doors which has outdoor table and chairs and flowering potplants. Very Portugese!

View over Obidos from the top of the Wall. Castle is in the background, part of which has now been converted to a high class hotel run by the Government. As you can see, the town is on a hill and overlooks the countryside in all directions. Obidos overlooked the sea until 15th century, but the bay gradually silted up and the town is now inland about 6 km.

Obidos
Dom Dinis´wife Dona Isabel fell in love with Obidos when she visited in 1222, so her husband gave the village to her as a wedding gift. The town has lost none of its charm. The rooms in our hotel are named after queens of previous generations.
There is a parapet on the city wall around which you can walk (carefully, because there is no handrail and a sheer drop on one side), giving great views of the surrounding countryside.
Both Spain and Portugal have many old castles converted to hotels, and run by the Government. They are called "pousadas" in Portugal and "Paradors" in Spain, and are quite expensive. We have not booked any for accommodation.
We have seen many donkeys on the farms and around the countryside, as well as in the villages.
Today is our last day in Obidos, which we decided to enjoy in the tranquility of the town. Drinking excellent coffee in a courtyard near the ancient church, and stooging around the little shops after lunch, was a great way to spend the day rather than rushing into Lisbon as we had originally planned. In any case, rain still seemed imminent.
Sadly we say adios to Obidos tomorrow, to drive to Coimbra (pronounced Queembra) through villages and towns and "red" roads ie not on the autobahn. The day will include a stop at Batalha where we hope to see Battle Abbey (where the guards are changed on the hour) and the tomb of the unknown soldier.

A view from the coast road we travelled today. Note how close to the ocean the hotels and other buildings have been constructed.

The Palace at Sintra. Note the two large chimneys which rise from the kitchen, which were so large and high apparently to minimise the risk of fire from the large cooking ovens.

A very bleak day, when we came across a flock of sheep on the road. Driving through the countryside was certainly interesting.

Hope you can see the sheep through the rain !

Obidos
Thanks for the comments 3WG and also Anne T. Good to know that all is well and that you are enjoying our entries. Also happy to hear that Lyla is receiving the news and she is ok.
Last night´s dinner at our hotel was to die for - lamb rack and VEGETABLES for Judy and duck and VEGETABLES for Brian, preceded by home-made warm bread rolls and a special melted mixture of herbs with goat, cow, and sheep cheeses. Fabulous - can´t wait for tonight to choose another two dishes! We did not want dessert, but the chef/waiter George brought us a special rich chocolate dessert with toffee which was difficult to resist.
Today we set out on an adventure with our trusty FIAT and Gladys. Drove south about 1 hour to Sintra, where we FINALLY found a parking space and walked to the Sintra National Palace where we inspected the various rooms which date from early 13th Century. One ceiling is covered with repetitive paintings of swans. Another was painted with magpies, which is supposedly a cheeky decoration to represent the court gossip about the king´s advances towards one of the ladies in waiting! When the queen caught him red-handed, he responded "por bem", which means "for good", and these words are painted on the scroll held in the beak of each magpie painted on the ceiling. Sintra was a very pretty city, with great views of some fairytale type castles and steeples. Lonely Planet describes the city as "icing sugar palaces where Lord of the Rings meets Sleeping Beauty".
From Sintra, we took a much less travelled "green road", following the coastline north towards Peniche. Some of the route was even on a "white road", with narrow winding streets. The route seemed to be comprised of one village joining another, although occasionally there was open countryside viewed through the very heavy thunderstorms which arrived this afternoon. Roads were very wet, with deep gutters filled with water running across the road. At one stage, we were held up by a car in front, and were puzzled until a very large flock of sheep was herded across the road by a man and followed up by a woman (presumably husband and wife) The sheep were very wet indeed. Later, we saw the same scene with a herd of sleek black goats being shepherded home. It was great to see the real countryside of Portugal, and we are liking the country more and more each day.

This is one of the Gates into the walled city of Obidos. Note the four old guys on the right having a sip of some local port and watching the world go by.

The arched doorway on the left is the entry to the main street

The policemen in Obidos sure have a great environment in which to work. The safety and security everywhere appears to be well managed.

At Obidos, just arrived, sitting on our private balcony enjoying the flowers and the view. This is a lovely town, and we will have fun exploring the streets, museums, castle, and the Wall.

As mentioned earlier on the Blog, a cork tree cannot be stripped of bark until it is 25 years old, and then only every 9 years. This is a recently stripped tree, showing the very bright red ochre colour after the bark has been removed.

Obidos
Today we left in very heavy rain to drive to Obidos. The further we travelled, the clearer it became, and now the sun is shining brightly from a blue sky. We have chosen to avoid the freeways so we can savour the countryside, travelling more slowly and passing through countless pretty little towns. The surroundings have become greener as we moved further north, with wonderful views of rolling countryside and plantations of cork trees, eucalypts, maize, apples, pears, and olives. There were also countless very large Plane Trees along the roadside which are very tall and impressive, forming a shady arch over the roadway.
The leaves of deciduous plants are beginning to change colour for autumn, particularly the elms and grape vines, and other trees such as silver birch are beginning to lose their leaves already.
Have not yet mentioned the large range of objects made from cork (presumably for the tourists). There are the usual place mats and bottle corks, but also handbags, purses, sugar bowls with lids, mens´ hats, slippers, drink holders, toys, etc. It is surprising how the cork can be moulded into shapes to create 3D objects.
A Ham and Cheese sandwich or roll seems to be all one can find for breakfast and lunch when on the road (as today), so we are looking forward to a real meal this evening. Our hotel here in Obidos is probably going to be the best of the trip - the people are really friendly, the room and bathroom are lovely with a private balcony overlooking the outside restaurant and across to the high City Wall. The "main" street is as to be expected only a footpath with pedestrians, although vehicles are allowed if "carrying animals" (at least that is our best attempt at translation) . It has been very easy to access an Internet Cafe in every city so far - not expensive and located only a short walk from each hotel. Hopefully this will continue for the remainder of the trip. Today the Internet is free as a promotion of IT throughout Portugal because the local people find it too expensive. Strange, because at least the tourists should pay to help cover the costs.
This place has a special feel about it, and will let you know more in due course.