1 year, 179 days since the start of the 1st lock down in March 2020
Today was the day we move on from Evora to our final stop in Mértola. It was the most amazing thunderstorms and heavy rain last night which continued into the morning. We had worked out the plan to get the car close to our apartment without having to drive the entire way around the city but it involved driving the wrong way up a no entry road. We had discussed how to do this and as it is actually only a short distance, I walked ahead and once there was no sign of cars, I waved Colin on and he drove very quickly before anyone came the opposite way. It worked perfectly even if it was a little stressful - not as bad as when we arrived!
It was not that long a journey to Mértola but I knew in advance that the parking would be a challenge! It is another hilltop town and to approach our side of the town involved a steep single track road made of cobbles before a 180 degree turn at the top. The single parking bay was narrow and Colin wanted to trust he car around to prevent it rolling away even with the handbrake on. The smell of the clutch was awful as he tried to balance the gears on the steep hill. Eventually we parked and had to rush to meet the mother of the owner who did not speak English. The house is very nice although unusually arranged over three floors. With the assistance of Google Translate we managed to check in, get the wifi code and discover some offerings left in the fridge.
Once we had calmed down (well one of us did), we walked to the pharmacy where I had booked two LFTs for us both which are needed before we fly back home. We had them booked for Saturday but managed to change this to Friday morning which is much more convenient and enables us to do more exploring of the area.
We had a great meal in a restaurant we discovered and which was recommended on Trip Advisor - we have already booked our return visit tomorrow.
