July 21 - Awaken to a bright morning, so it’s a good day to do a lot of mountain driving. Head up the valley wall on the west side and wind around small mountain roads for a few hours. Visit some viewpoints first.
Then we park and take a trail to what is touted as a fault line. It is about 20 minutes up a boulder-strewn hill (all granite of course).
From the waterfall it is mostly downhill, on narrow roads with very little traffic, through some tiny towns and into a major river valley at Entre Ambos-os-Rios. Track the valley upstream to another town called Parada. Here, there are some old granaries on the hill (primarily for storing corn). Since Vila Real we had been seeing them in people’s farms, of various ages. Here, there is a whole group of them, called Espigueiros da Eira do Tapado.
It is just as enjoyable to walk through through the small neighborhood nearby. Some streets are covered with grape arbors, and a few old women sit quietly on benches by their homes.
Back down the valley and wind our way up to the east, but along a different road. Stop near the town of Barral to see the Quartz Museum.
By the time we are in the highlands again, the search is on for lunch. Stop at Mixões da Serra where there is a large outdoor restaurant full of locals as it is Sunday. Order a plate that I’m not sure about, and regret it instantly.
The meal was a bust but the atmosphere was great. Everyone was out enjoying their Sunday, drinking beer or coffee. Nearby there were a few sights of interest.
There are signs talking about the history of this town, placed by the church. I learn about a festival here called The Blessing of the Animals. It started in 1916, when a plague killed many of the large, hooved farm animals. The population of the parish appealed to Santo Antonio (protector of animals) for help and apparently he did, so they thanked him by building the church in his honor.
Now, every June 13th, farmers bring their cows, adorned with ribbons, and pray at the church. They pray that their cows give healthy calves, sheep and goats give milk, dogs guard the houses, and ‘cats fight rats’.
Make one more stop before getting back to the hotel, at Passadiços do Rio Homem.
On the way back to the hotel, note that this hot Sunday has brought droves of people to Cavalo Lake. Now things are getting crowded like I would expect during the European summer holidays.