Lisboa - day 4

.Hello once again - day 4.

Well, since in this very packed vacation there is no mercy for the guests, we woke up at 900 although we went to bed at 0300. R and S picked A and I in their car and we headed East!!!

We drove to Monsaraz. We got to Monte do Limpo and met Simao, Su's brother. Monte do Limpo is a vineyard and a ranch, and Simao and Claudia, his wife run it. I think it's originally owned by Claudia's family but I am not sure. We met there Su's niece, Carolina, what a gorgeous baby! and so smiley and friendly!!! We also met more family of Su. First Simao took us to eat lunch since we were starving. We went to a gorgoues reataurant in Tilheiro the nearby town where the houses are painted white and blue and everything is filled with serenity. Oh, the countryside is just marvelous. The restaurant is in this place they used to make oil in, there is a lot of art hung and it is absolutely an amazing place to eat. We had a very big 4 course lunch there and we were very very very happy.

We got back to the ranch and hung out there for a few ours again having some coffee and drinks. Simao gave a a tour of the wine factory which is ultra interesting. The process of making wine is fascinating. We saw where you make the wine, where it is stored to age, in barrels where it is later brought and where it is bottled. Of course we tasted different wines from the harvest that is still not even bottled. You can imagine this is quite a unique experience. So after being fed and getting drunk and resting and meeting family and talking and buying bottles for family and friends we drove up to the castle of Monsaraz which has another beautiful town in it and there are ruins from the Roman times I guess, the ancient walls protecting this town. We climbed on the wall and saw the amazing view of Alentejo - just vast vast open space of green and fields and an artificial lake that was formed when they build a dam 60 kms from there 5 years ago. So the views are amazing the atmoshpere peaceful, oh what a day what a day!!!

We drove from there to Evora a small town where Simao lives. We walked in the very well kept clean and beatiful city. Saw Diana's temple. A temple from the 2C for probably Diana, walked the streets, saw the Castle that dates to the 12-13c. saw the chapel of bones and went to a wonderful garden to rest. of course we had some coffee and eaten... Oh, all this was done also with Ana the friend of the gang who I met the day before in Bairro Alto.

We went to the new beautiful apartment of Simao and had dinner with them... Simao is quite a Chef.... From there we drove home and got home around 0130. What a long and exciting day!!!!

That's day 4!