how the rest of the world roll

[rugbyken]

we are parked up at the designated parking at pomarao lovely spot but we were told about the forthcoming river festival and asked if we would mind parking further back next week so they could set up for the festival , would have loved to be here even with my aversion to poisson , it’s on the weekend 5-7th april if anyone else is around here’s the blurb
Home Events > River Fish Festival | pomarão

Pomarão, Mértola
GPS:
37.555507462205384, -7.524306715869102
Email:
turismo@cm-mertola.pt
Runs annually in the riverside village of Pomarão. It is a distinctly gastronomy oriented event to promote the potential of the Guadiana river, the traditional fishing activity and the cuisine of the region. The different “taberns” delight the guests with delicacies such as fried mullet, catfish or eel stew, among many others. In the event there is an exhibition of local products, sports fishing events, boat trips on the Guadiana, musical entertainment and lectures around the themes associated with the river.

 

[Pauljenny]

Nice idea, Ken. It's in the diary for next year .
We can't make it, as our chauffeurse flies back on the Saturday. We'll be involved in the second party of our Golden Wedding Anniversary Tour.

 

[Trotter]

Hi Ken, pretty sure I’ll be able to get to this. Would you send me parking advice, if you know anything, either on here or a PM. Meanwhile I’ll try to sort something myself.

 

[Linda]

You could stay Ken, then do a 5 days sprint to Netherlands, knowing how much you like fish ?

 

[rugbyken]

Hi Ken, pretty sure I’ll be able to get to this. Would you send me parking advice, if you know anything, either on here or a PM. Meanwhile I’ll try to sort something myself.

hi you can see where we are parked the blue dot but this is the area the festival is scheduled to take part in i have no idea how much of it they will use, to the left of the photo you will see vans parked up room for 20 or so and there are numerous parking areas all the way around the track that continues on for a mile or so,
the only drivable entrance to the village is a rather steep sharp turn by the bridge it is onto a narrow street that opens up after 60/80mtrs it’s ok there is a concorde down here at the moment just making you aware,

 

[Trotter]

Cheers Ken, according to google maps, I’m a little over 3 hours away. And if I leave tomorrow, I’ll be 10 days to early. At Rota, near Jerez de la Frontera atm. I’m only 3 weeks into a 3 month trip and halfway around already . If you could suggest somewhere for me to go, and get to Pomarão in plenty of time I’d be a happy bunny. The South Coast is a little tedious. Inland is chilly.
I need to be warm and entertained. Don’t ask for much! Lol.
Is it unseasonably cool? I don’t remember it being this windy. Yes I know I’m on the Costa del Luz now. But it’s not been brilliant since I left Torreveija. It’s a conspiracy init.

 

[Trotter]

Hi Ken,because of the wind I decided to leave Rota and come inland. I’m now in Portugal. Looking on Google maps, it looks like I’m a little over an hour from Pomarão by road, or about 10 minutes by river. Purely by coincidence I’m one town further downstream from you. There’s clearly preparations going on here to , stalls ,marquees and the like.
If I was to come over to Pomarão, when would you suggest. I’ve got a lovely little spot here and I’ve been telling myself to slow down . Would early next week be okay.? Derek

 

[rugbyken]

hi derek where you are they are having a festival of contraband this weekend the smugglers fete obviously alcoutim portugese side of the border and sanlucar on the spanish side made easy access , as you say unfortunately you can’t get across with a motorhome there and have to go the long way round i should enjoy the festival and come up midweek but apparently you do need to come early and will need to park well out of the way but there is plenty of space i would think beyond the long white building just to the left of the screenshot above it’s a cultural centre would be fine , the marquee is progressing well will total 1008 sq mts of floor space with 5 bars inside and apparently a stunning firework display there are only 23 people that live in the village so they are expecting lots of visitors, can highly recommend both bars maria’s on the corner a large bottle of super bock is 90cents and although we have eaten well 3 times at cafe docais the lower bar was, maria’s is supposedly better

 

[Trotter]

Aha! Information is king. Took the bike down into the village, and yes rode it both down the hill and then back up again. Either getting fitter, or have worked out how to use the gears.
River festival in Alcoutim is this weekend,29 - 31st March. Pomarão’s is the weekend after. If I work it right, I’ll get two festivals. Deep joy. Init
Just received your post, as I was typing the previous bit. I’ll come over midday Monday, so try to keep an eye out for me.
White Adria pvc

 

[Pauljenny]

Careful, Ken .
We don't want Del to be led astray, do we.
Careful, Del.. .. Just say no. ..( not that it'll work.)
Enjoy yourselves, I'm jealous.

 

[Trotter]

Do I need to be nervous ? I’ve never been to Stray, is it nice? Somewhere in Portugal is it?

 

[rugbyken]

unfortunately derek i’ll be long gone starting home tomorrow if i could we would have come down to sanlucar for this weekends festivities but jan wants a couple of days in badajoz before we trail up to the netherlands for the meet looks as though this will be a great do the marquee is enormous

 

[Trotter]

Was it something I said? Looks like I’m down to just one festival.

 

[rugbyken]

i would definitely try & make this one derek i’m totally pissed that i won’t be able to join in on this one we have a couple of drinking buddies one lives on a boat here and they assure me that it punches so far above its weight in terms of attendance fireworks etc that i should abandon jan & plans for holland but i’m a coward at heart

 

[Trotter]

You have to know which side your butters on*. Loving it here.

* Well known phrase, I think. Looks completely wrong in print

 

[rugbyken]

glad you’ve started enjoying your trip now must admit once you get away from the costas it’s a different world

 

[Trotter]

Tbh . It wasn’t the Costa’s so much, it was the wind. Great if you were a windsurfer, or even an exwindsurfer. I don’t enjoy walking in wind at home. Here it was unrelenting. Night time was a challenge as well.Getting to the shops on the bike, as I’ve already said was, interesting. Coming back was fun. But there were shops. In rural Portugal a local minimarket is the best you can expect. Leite fresco? No, UHT. Makes almost drinkable tea. On corn flakes? Maybe toast!.
Visited day one of the festival, saw all the local dignitaries cross the river, into Spain, no they didn’t walk on water, a pontoon has been erected. No sign of any smuggling, which is what the festival is celebrating. Baca bear is sporting a rakish new scarf. Very dapper he looks too.

 

[rugbyken]

most of these dos the competing local authorities hand out t shirts etc