Évora, Portugal

The drive from Lagos to our next stop, Évora, took us into the heart of Portugal, the Alentejo region. This is a sprawling, rough and rugged countryside with almost every type of terrain... mountains, hills and plains. Despite that the Alentejo region contains about one-third of Portugal land, it is the least populated at 7.1% of the population. The popular phrase here is, "Alentejo, where even time takes its time."

...and we did spend some time here!!!

Alentejo 3 by Cevron Guy

We were on the most barren stretches of country road that I have ever seen. Not a soul in sight... It was a little disconcerting and der Junge can testify that I was more than a little nervous about the state of our rental car (tire conditions, brake conditions, amount of gas...). Der Junge had his work cut out for him to distract me from all the "worst-case-scenarios" running through my head...

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Despite areas of very inhospitable looking terrain, we saw vast fields of strange stubby looking trees that seemed to be planted in tree-farm formation. 

Alentejo countryside (wikipedia)

We learned later that they are Cork Oak trees. The Alentejo is the world's most important area for growing cork and Portugal has 50% of the world cork harvest. It is illegal to cut down Cork Oaks in Portugal and the trees live about 150-250 years. Cork Farms have been growing cork commercially for the past 300 years. This saves the region's more fertile soil for vineyards, citrus fruits, or olives. The bark of cork-oak is hand-harvested by teams of men using locally made axes.  One mature tree can produce about 4,000 wine bottle corks and this industry employs about 60,000 workers!

The Cork Oak is the only tree that can be stripped of bark regularly without damage. After harvest, a new layer of cork regrows, making it a renewable resource. A tree can be harvested a dozen times in its lifetime. However, cork is a slow-yielding product. Virgin cork (the first cork) is cut from 25-year-old trees and the second harvest must wait 10-12 years later until the bark has re-grown.

Cork Oak Tree (wikipedia)

And then at last, an oasis in the desert... Évora, our stop for the night!

we made it! road weary but still standing... in front of the hotel

Our hotel was inside the old town wall in a really fantastic location and had the best breakfast of the trip! ("Good job" pat on the back to me!)

our hotel, M'ar de Ar (now say it with a pirate accent!)

lovely bed

huge bathroom

1st outdoor patio

2nd outdoor patio!

view from patio to lovely grounds and pool

Évora, a World Unesco Heritage city, is the largest city in the Alentejo region. The city itself, as many in Portugal, has Celtic origins and later was conquered by the Romans who expanded it into a walled town. After the Romans, it was conquered by the Visigoths and then the Moors. Évora flourished in the Middle Ages and a Jesuit University was established in 1559. However, the University was shut down in 1759 as the Jesuits were expelled from Portugal during the Inquisition. Afterwards, Évora went into decline. The University has only been reopened since 1973.

Évora was very authentic and off the beaten tourist path. The buildings have a lovely time-worn patina, yes, some are a little crumbling and weather-beaten but still are poetically beautiful in their old-age. It felt as if we were discovering an ancient city that tourists haven't discovered yet. There were no chintzy souvenir shops, no tourists (besides us!) taking photographs, and definitely no one (besides us!) speaking English!

the wall as it has been restored today

walking through a narrow street

an even more narrow street!

Giraldo Square (Praça do Geraldo), in the centre of Évora.

Roman Temple of Évora

The Temple of Évora was built in the 1st-century by the Roman conquerors. This temple is referred to as the Templo de Diana (after Diana, the ancient Roman goddess of the moon, the hunt, and chastity). It has become Évora's most famous landmark. The temple is located in the central square of Évora, in what would have been the highest elevation of the city's acropolis. It is surrounded by religious buildings associated with the medieval Inquisition in Portugal

The Graca Church

detail of facade of the Graca Church

interesting architecture

and more...

and more. (I love these windows)

Cathedral of Évora, 1280 - 1340

Moorish style church

interior of an old monastery turned into a hotel

enter park...

beautifully landscaped grounds

We were strolling along in this lovely park when to our surprise we came across a peacock. And then another and another and...!!! We must have seen six peacocks just ambling about in this park!  It was so random! Der Junge was nervous to get too close and warned me that they may be aggressive if they felt threatened, but I had to get a picture of course! Well then the peacock fanned it's feathers and shrieked at me -- I went running!

"don't make eye contact"

next stop Caceres, Spain!