Another lovely holiday at Rocha Brava

Photos and more to follow

The leaves and acorns are falling, the temperatures dipping and it's a perfect time to escape to HPBs Rocha Brava resort near Carvoeiro in the Algarve.  After our recent river cruise on the Rhone it was time to switch off and relax and basically do nothing for a week or two.  We turned off the alarm clock, put down our phones  and stopped worrying about what we will do next.  To truly switch off you need to let go of itineraries and allow yourself to enjoy doing nothing at all.

It's easy when you are staying in a lovely apartment. #aptpics #RB445B

 

Come on in:- 

Washing machine but no dishwasher.

The balcony overlooks the workmens' work shop, which can sound rather industrial at times, e.g. cutting tiles.

Parking is about 100 steps away, providing there is a space.  If not it's rather a long walk especially if you are carrying shopping and cases.

Talking of shopping - en route to Rocha Brava you will pass three supermarkets in Lagoa.  Apolonia has a wide selection of groceries, both local and tailored to an international shopper.  There is also beer, wine and prepared foods.  An excellent chemist and cash point machine.  Open to 8pm.  And located right next to Apolonia is ALDI making it easy to hit both at once.  I understand you can also do an online shop from Apolonia.  And there is also Intermarche a little further down the road.

We purchased a lovely light rose wine called Sexy from Apolonia and some wine from Douro in Aldi.  Both very drinkable.

'Nothing' doesn't mean lying in bed all day.  A typical day of doing nothing for us involves a lie-in, sporadic dips in the pool or sea, slow meals, meandering walks and time spent reading our books by the pool or on the beach.  

Vale de Centeanes Beach is close  and this beach is lovely but check tide times as not a lot of beach when fully in.  We have spent some wonderful hours at this beach.  The sea was a bit cold, 19 degrees, and if the surf is up it can be challenging getting out of the water but I loved watching the children running in and out of the surf.  Seaweed can be gone one day and back the next.  All depends on the weather....warmer waters, strong winds, rough seas all increase the chances of seaweed being washed up.

O Stop is a fish restaurant right on this beach.  It gets very busy at lunchtimes so we always book a table for one p.m.  on our way to the beach.  What's not to like.  Fish of the day, dorado, was excellent at 19 euros, as was the Sangria.

In the evening the Sky Bar at the Tivoli Hotel is a fantastic location to enjoy a cocktail with a beautiful view.

Carvoeiro Boardwalk is the best place to watch the amazing sunsets in the Atlantic ocean.  Great for a pre-dinner stroll.   The raised boardwalk runs along the coast and is about a third of a mile long with stunning views.  We parked near Algar Seco.  What a lovely walk into Carvoeiro where we ate at the Restaurante Oasis.  The chicken satay was very good at a reasonable price.

We also enjoyed a couple of great evenings at the Cafe in Rocha Brava.  Mondays and Fridays there was fantastic live music when the band played our favourite tunes including Dire Straits.

Near by the Rocha Brava resort are a couple of lovely restaurants.

Pashmina Indian Restaurant.  So lucky to have this close to Rocha Brave, only a short walk.  We went twice on our holiday as we enjoyed it so much.  The waiters are so polite and meet old fashioned etiquettte, constantly making sure you are happy.  The king tandoori dish is large enough for two!  A large menu to choose from.  If you love Indian food you will love this place.

Restaurante Jardim do Farol serves excellent authentic Portuguese food.  Well located next to Rocha Brava.  The service is excellent and the food.....amazing.  This is a family run business and the brothers make the atmosphere, lots of football scarves!  We often eat here - large portions.

The second week of our holiday we decided to venture further afield.

Silves Castle - the Algarve's best preserved castle.  These days, the city of Silves is an attractively sleepy place, all cobbled streets and historic buildings, dotted with souvenir shops and umbrella-ed cafe tables.  Jump back a millennium or so and it was a mighty Moorish capital known as Xelb, rivalling Lisbon in influence.  Set on the Rio Arade, the beginning of the end came in 1189 when Portugal's Sancho I laid siege to the castle, eventually winning control after three months.  (Then losing it a couple of years later.  And so on).  But as the river started to silt up, its position as a strategic port was also lost, and it wasn't until the 19th century that local cork and dried fruit trades revitalised the town's prospects once again.

All chunky red battlements, the sandstone structure of Silves Castle dates from between the 8th and 13th centuries, mixing Islamic and Christian influences.

Today, you're greeted by a towering bronze statue of Sancho I, while inside you can walk the walls around the open courtyard.  Don't expect audio guides or detailed signs, just let your imagination run wild.

From the battlements, you can also look down on to the cathedral, or Se, a relatively unadorned but striking church with some interesting Crusader tombs.

Just across the street from the Cathedral is the Misericordia Church dating from the 16th century.  The Mannerist altarpiece in the interior, which contains eight canvases that represent the visitation and the seven works of mercy, is a peculiarity worth seeing.  Today this church functions as an art gallery.  But it is worth a visit.

Silves Town Hall is a grand building which overlooks the main square.  If it's open, do take a peek inside to check out it's stunning interior.

There is also an archaeology museum where you can see prehistoric, Roman and Moorish antiquities.

We parked, free of charge by the river and the large SILVES sign and then walked up to the castle.  As we walked a party of nursery school children happened by.  All of them were wearing painters' smocks for some reason, and each child held the tail of smock in front with one hand, and the hand of the child next to them with the other.  It made for a very tight and efficient crocodile....They all looked very happy.

It was too early for lunch so we decided to drive to an excellent piri-piri  restaurant on the Estrada do Foia (or N-266), the road leading from the village of Monchique to the top of the mountain.  A Rampa.  But sadly it was closed.  Not sure if this is permanent!

So we tried a new restaurant.  Luir da Foia.  Wonderful views and setting with a warm welcome.  Prices above average but well cooked food and plenty of it.

After a day of sight-seeing we decided another day on a beach was called for.  Praia Grande in Ferragudo.  This is a great beach, plenty of sun loungers, good parking (large overflow car park nearby).  Couple of beach bars/restaurants on the beach, plus the fact it has a breakwater means minimal waves so makes swimming a lot easier.  Excellent for children and a long stretch of sand to stroll on.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch at Praia Grande Panoramic Restaurant.  Excellent service, food and a fabulous view overlooking the sea....sooo chilled.

After a restful day we were ready to start exploring again.  One of the things the western Algarve  is proud of is its abundance of storks.  Unlike much of Europe, most of the storks here are no longer migratory.  We were heading for the suspension bridge at Alferce and drove past what we call Stork City.  It is on the left side of the N266 about 2 kms after the Silves turnoff.  If you reach the village of Rasmalho you  have gone too far.  There is a garage opposite a small area where you can pull over to snap some photos.  The storks were on their nests at 10.30 am.

We continued for our walk in suspension.  In between the gorges of the Serra de Monchique, you can find an exciting wooden walkway perfect for an autumn day out in pure nature.  The suspension Bridge on Barranco do Demo trail. We drove to Alferce in the hinterland of Serra de Monchique and parked by the small cemetery.  Then its downhill on a normal forest path for approximately 1 km to the start of the boardwalk.  About 220 steps lead down into the gorge, then comes the suspension bridge and on the other side it goes up about 360 steps.  A wide plank staircase path runs along both sides of the gorge.  This looks worse than it is.  The staircase is divided into steps of 10 to 12 steps which makes walking relatively convenient.  There is a massive railing on both sides.  Crossing the gorge is easy.  The suspension bridge  is not very high.  It hardly fluctuates and is completely safe to walk on.  The floorboards are close to each other.  The two-sided handrail provides additional security.  Spectacular views.  The hike can be extended to the ruin of Castelo d'Alferce - 7 km.

Time to explore the wild western coast of the Algarve.  This is a surfer's paradise.  We drove to Aljezur and on to Praia da Arrifana and stopped for lunch at O Sargo.  An incredible location with excellent service and delicious inventive food that is reasonably priced.  What else could you want in a restaurant?

After lunch we drove to Ponta Branca in the next bay and stopped for coffee and a delicious fresh pastel de nata, sitting on the terrace with a fabulous view watching the surfers.  I love the Portuguese tarts, the flaky custard tarts that have come to represent Portuguese cuisine.  Bom apetite!

The following day we awoke to drizzle so decided to visit Bar Bacchus in Porches.  Porches is the pottery capital of the Algarve and is well worth a visit just to see the potters and painters at work on their colourful creations.  Go for the ceramics and stay for a soup and salad in their Bar.

Next day the beautiful Portuguese sun was out again so we enjoyed a lovely walk on Alvor's boardwalk.  Took us about two hours, at an amble, stopping to admire the views.  The way out hugs the Laguna.  The way back is by the beach, a lovely stretch of untouched sand. 

Perfect timing gets you into town for lunch.  Our favourite is sardines at Ze Moradinho. 

And all good things must come to an end.  Our last night here.  We are going to miss this place.

  

 

Rhone River cruise from Lyon to Avignon on MS Thomas Hardy

Never thought that I was a Cruise person but this was our second river cruise with Riviera Travel and we have thoroughly enjoyed both.  We exited the plane at Lyon and found our rep pretty quickly.  Our boat was only 30 mins away but it took over an hour because of strikes and demonstrations in France.  We didn't see any trouble but the police kept blocking our route.  How our driver kept his temper I'm not sure.  We could see the boat only yards away and he had to re-route for a couple of miles.  This year we boarded the MS Thomas Hardy at Quai Claude Bernard in Lyon and finished in Avignon.  The on-board food and wine were magnificent.  All the staff were friendly and efficient and we met and enjoyed the company of some wonderful fellow travellers.  Everything was well organised from the minute we boarded until the day we sadly left for home.

Our very comfortable cabin 306:-

There are some low bridges on the Rhone river and it was a shame the sun canopies were only  put up on the day of arrival in Lyon and put down for the rest of the holiday until the ship reached its destination in Avignon. The reason for this is due to the low bridges and perfectly understandable when cruising but it is surprising and disappointing that they remain down even when in port for several hours or sometimes for the whole day.  We noticed that other ships did put their canopies up whilst in port and so it was even more disappointing.  Without the canopies it was impossible to find shade and after a couple of hours we had to resort to going inside to escape the intense heat.

Planning for travel and reflecting on travel are some of my absolute favourite things to do!  I try to blog as soon as I get home when the memories are most fresh.  They take awhile, but I'm glad to have them later!

What I loved about this river is that it combined the beauty of the river with the charm of Provence.  The Rhone starts up in the Swiss Alps, it's 550 miles long and it dumps into the Mediterranean  Sea.  It has quite a history.  You had Celtic tribes who settled along the banks.  You had Greeks.  You had the Romans.  You still see vestiges of all of that on this river.  You also have some of the essence of Provence; you have the beautiful Burgundy countryside and in Lyon it joins the Saone River so the confluence is there.  We did a little bit of the Saone River and cruised a whole lot of the Rhone river.  There are also a lot of locks between Lyon and Arles.

We moored overnight in Lyon.

On Day 2 we had a guided tour of  Lyon on coach and foot.  Lyon, often hailed as the gastronomic capital of France.

This UNESCO-listed old town, with its winding cobblestone streets and hidden traboules (traditional passageways), is a delight to explore.  We began with a drive to the top of Fourviere hill to view the Basilica of Notre Dame and the spectacular view of the entire city.

The Basilica is definitely worth a visit.  This 19th century Basilica is nicknamed "the fallen elephant" (imagine it upside down),  Superb interior with its colourful mosaics.

Then a walking tour through the cobblestone streets of the old city.  We learned from a local expert about the 2000 years of history visible within its architecture from the Roman Forums to the Renaissance architecture of the old town.  Our guide made the history of the silk trade come to life explaining the background to the mysterious traboules or passage ways that the silk workers used to deliver their products to the silk traders. We were taken through doorways that led to secret houses and tiny courtyards.  We learnt a lot! 

We were lucky to see the L'horloge Charvet  clock at noon.  It's a treasured gift from the past.  In a display case leaning against the pink wall of the Gadagne museum.  Every hour, a loud ringing is brought to life by the trumpet of the Tompette soldier, who, like the Black Forest Cuckoos, comes out of his niche.  Then the two puppets from Lyon, Guignol and Gnafron strike the largest bell, while the two Italians, Harlequin and Punchinelle from the commendia dell'aarte ring the other bells every quarter of an hour. 

We decided to walk back to the boat via Place Bellecour.  Europeans are good at building all sorts of different kinds of squares in their urban environment.  We don't know how many we've passed through during our travels on the continent, but most of them are always interesting to visit for several reasons.  This particular square is enormously large(!) and centrally located in the middle of the large island between the Rhone and Saone rivers.  The square, like most others in Europe, has a large statue of an important king (Louis XIV) on a horse - it's part of the whole concept and has also become a popular photo object.    There is also a beautiful view of the Basilica at the top of the hill and by walking towards the river you can see this lovely floral sculpture.

We then departed Lyon for an afternoon and evening sail along the Saone.

Can you see the "Fallen Elephant"?

One of the wonderful things about  river cruising is waking up in a different place every morning.  On day 3 we woke up in Chalon-sur-Saone.  It's actually on the Saone, not the Rhone.

After a delicious breakfast we drove through beautiful wine country to Beaune.

Beaune is such a lovely and fascinating little town.  It was market day, a perfect chance to stroll through the lively stalls and enjoy the local flavours.  

We also checked out some wine shops!!

The most famous part was the Hotel-Dieu.  This was the hospital for the poor.  The roof is iconic.  They took in everyone, except those with leprosy or the plague. 

Back on the coach.  Oh, the narrow TINY roads in the villages.  GOODNESS!  Sometimes only mere centimetres between the coach and the walls. It was equal parts fascinating and unnerving!

Dinner was another exercise in gluttony before we retired to our comfortable cabin for another nightcap while sailing back on the Rhone.  Oh what a LOVELY day.

When we opened the curtains at Vienne on Day 4, we looked out at swans.  I can definitely see why the impressionists spent so much time in the French countryside.

The ship was moored within easy walking distance of the town so armed with a map we set off.  We walked to the Cathedral St. Maurice then climbed Le Belvedere de Pipet.  Uphill all the way!  Quite a walk from the river, through the Roman remains and past the amphitheatre, then a long steep hill.  The view at the top was worth it.  The whole of Vienne could be seen, and was remarkable.  Coming down, while much easier was still a challenge on the knees. 

We stopped at the Roman Amphitheatre on the way down from Pipet.  We visited on a Heritage Day when venues open their doors to all for free - a great idea.  Again quite a climb to the highest seats.  Looking to the left you can see the Odeon built in II.  The theatre was built in the first century AD and was one of the largest in the ancient Roman world with a capacity of 11,000 spectators - remarkable.  Take a bow on the stage and feel the history around you.

It started to rain so we headed back to the boat which departed at 11 am.  Unfortunately, it rained quite heavily all afternoon so I booked a massage, which was excellent and Phil took a visit to the Captain's Wheelhouse.  The scenery was still very beautiful in the rain.

We arrived in Tain L'Hermitage at 17.30 hours and enjoyed wine tasting in the Lounge at 18.00 hours.

On Day 5 we set sail for  Le Pouzin at 07.45 hrs. Still pouring  with rain.  Fortunately, the rain stopped in time  for our excursion to the Ardeche Gorges.  Our first stop was Grotte de la Madeleine with panoramic viewpoints of the Gorges de l'Ardeche.  Nature at its best.

Followed by spectacular scenery as we drove through the gorge, especially "Pont D'Arc" - a huge rock "bridge" which the river Ardeche has cut through the hill.  Apparently in summer the river is full of canoeists and very busy.  We only saw three canoes and not many tourists.  We had the viewpoints on the road practically all to ourselves.  Our guide "hilarious Pierre" called it "The Grand Canyon of Europe" and deservedly so.  We also encountered some friendly goats.

 

We then visited Maison de la Lavande.  The setting is beautiful and I imagine it would be amazing when the lavender is in bloom.  Sadly only uninteresting grey plants when we had the small train ride but Pierre entertained us with his humour. 

 Then on to a film for an interesting look at the history of lavender production followed by a visit to the still areas where they show how lavender oil and water is produced.  Multiple retail opportunities await in the shop.

We returned to MS Thomas Hardy which was now moored in Viviers.

After dinner Hilarious Pierre and his lovely wife Nicole performed for us their superb "French Ballroom Dance Show".

 At 22.00 hours we set sail for Arles and at 23.30 hrs  passed through the Bollene Lock.  This is the deepest lock in France at 23m deep.

Day Five had been wonderful and we couldn't wait to wake up in Arles.

Day 6.  At 9.00 hrs we met our guides for a walking tour of Arles.  Given that I am a big Van Gogh fan, this walk was on my must-do list.  But I have to say that we were very disappointed.

Arles has changed so much since Van Gogh's time, and it was pretty hard trying to conjure up what Van Gogh saw in his time and from his eyes.  Le Cafe is no more aside perhaps from the yellow paint and his house was destroyed by Allied bombing.

So we left our tour and joined the Roman history tour which was excellent.

Just like the Colosseum in Rome the Amphitheatre built in 90AD, sits in the centre of town and is an impressive structure and in good condition considering its age.   Just a wonder of architecture!  The guide provided lots of interesting information.  They still use the arena for events such as bullfighting.

We climbed the steps to the tower to admire the views of the charming medieval city.

After lunch on the boat we departed by coach to Pont du Gard.

2000 years of existence and it is still standing without mortar!  The three story aqueduct was built to transport clean water down to Nimes.  We walked across the middle tier to see it from both sides of the river and climbed an overlook to see the top of it up close.  Beautiful.

We arrived back on the MS Thomas Hardy to set sail for Avignon.  We were invited by Captain Quentin and his crew to a Farewell Cocktail in the Lounge followed by the Chef's Signature Dinner.  The food was exquisitely prepared and presented.

MS Thomas Hardy set sail for Avignon where we remain moored overnight.

On our last Day - Day 6 we met our guides on the dockside for a walking tour of Avignon.

When I sang "Sur le Pont d'Avignon" at school I never dreamt I would stand on the 15th century Saint-Benezet one day!!

A legend on the Rhone.  The Saint-Benezet Bridge is one of the most fascinating symbols of Avignon.  Today only four arches remain, but walking above it gives the impression of going back in time.

According to legend, it was built by a young shepherd named Benezet, who in 1177 claimed to have had a divine vision.  At first no-one believed him, but it is said that he managed to lift a huge stone on his own, thus convincing the population to help him.  The bridge was destroyed several times by floods of the Rhone and eventually abandoned in the 17th century.  Since then it has become famous also thanks to the popular song "Sur le Pont d'Avignon", which children still learn at school today.

According to our guide  though this well-known song is a little misleading as the lyrics suggest they used to dance on the bridge.  "On the bridge of Avignon people dance in a ring".  However, the bridge was in fact quite narrow, wide enough only for a cart to pass and there was certainly not enough space for dancing in a ring.  Today it is believed that people used to dance on the islands in the Rhone under the arches but perhaps changing the words to "sous le pont" or "under the bridge" wouldn't be quite so romantic!

You cannot visit Avignon without looking round the Popes Palace.  This marvellous medieval building is full of history and dominates the skyline especially from the bridge and the river, however the best part is the exterior.  The stunning architecture and size makes it one of the largest medieval castles in the world.  Inside is a different story, consisting of mainly unadorned rooms.

Rome and the Catholic Church.  Two things so inextricably linked that it appears almost impossible to think of one without the other.  And yet, for a brief period in the 14th century, these two entities, so intertwined in many a mind, came undone.

For nearly 100 years, the pope found a new home, and Avignon was given a palace.

Drawn to this small not-yet-French town over fear for his safety, it was Pope Clement V in 1309 that made the bold decision to transfer papal power from the Vatican.  However, it was not until 1335, under the reign of Benedict XII that construction on the palais began.  It grew over twenty years to become a 15,000 square metre masterpiece, and a true symbol of Western Christianity in the 14th Century.

Beautifully restored, the large vaulted walls and vast arch ceilings belie little of the grandeur that would once have existed within the palace, many of the exquisite frescoes long since destroyed  (the palace served as a garrison up until 1906).  From popes and antipopes to the French revolutionaries which took up residence and looted the heads of statues, the sieges and massacres which occurred within its walls, and the prisoners and the military both called it home.

The Vatican may never give up its Pope again, but Avignon will forever remain an incredibly important part of Catholic history.  Now one of France's most popular cultural attractions, the history and controversy may lie silent, but when you find a corner to yourself and close your eyes, you can still hear it whispering in the darkness.  Thank you so much  to our incredible guide for opening our eyes to its history and not just seeing empty rooms.  

And so back to the ship to pack.

If you love France, if you love the joie de vivre and that sort of thing, if you love rose/red wine, good food, beautiful nature and history you would love this cruise.  We did.