ZION NATIONAL PARK AND A REST AT BRYCE CANYON

We head northeast out of Nevada and into Arizona, briefly, then into Utah, a semi arid landscape of rolling rugged hills. We are heading for Zion National Park, highly anticipated. The days are closing early and we have stopped at a gallery that we make more purchases at, not sure how these will pack, so are heading into the park as darkness descends. We head to the first come first serve South Campground to grab a spot and meet the very pleasant camp hosts who help us find one of the few sights left. It is perfectly flat and near to a very nicely kept toilet block, lucky. The sun sets over the mouth of a spectacular canyon of craggy mountains towering above us and the colours are amazing, one of the highlights of this park. We are full of anticipation for the next day.

Let me give you a background on Zion. We have spent a lot of time lately in the parks that showcase the mighty power of earth and all her forces. We have seen effects of the rupturing strength pushing the ancient layers skyward creating spectacular landscapes, some once the floor of huge oceans. We have experienced the power of glacial ice carving, cracking the earth apart. Now we are in a landscape that was essentially huge sand dunes deposited and then compressed into rock over the ages, through which a river system has carved a spectacular landscape.

In Zion one is at ground level with the mountain cliffs sheering upward, a vision of rocks, some smooth and rounded by the power of water and others craggy massive blocks that defy gravity. The Virgin River constantly flows through this landscape continuing to sculpt a wonderful world for all visitors to see, over 3 million a year, all craning their necks upward to experience this stupendous landscape.

This is an area largely developed by the Mormons who came west and populated and broke the land into viable fertile farms that provided a harsh but special life out west. The area surrounding the park is still ‘ranching’ land that we have loved driving through to get this far, with livestock roaming the huge expanse of acres. It is an area full of various gems and rocks of beauty which are displayed for sale at numerous outlets along our journey, rocks we would love to be able to return home with but alas this would be impossible.

We awake early but don’t rush to jump up, it is freezing. Eventually we walk down to the visitor’s center to start our explorations. The majority of this park runs off a road that snakes its way for 18 miles up the canyon. Because it is one way in and the same way out the park has devised a shuttle bus system to try to decongest the area. At this time of year the buses only run on the weekends, and it being Sunday we are obliged to take the shuttle. We spend the day jumping on and off and taking the small hikes to see the sights, along with many others.

It has all been gorgeous, but on reflection that evening we feel we have not done this park justice. There is a highly recommended 4/5 hour hike called Angels Landing, a switchback climb that takes you 1500 feet up the mountain at which point a challenging climb begins out to the top of a huge rocky buttress. We decide this is what we need to do and, after a good nights rest and securing our site for yet another night, we set off to greater heights.

We have spent our coldest night yet in Jetson, how do we know that, the ice on the inside of the car is a good guide. We are soon warming up though as the steep climb unfolds. We eventually reach the challenging part. It is time to get over the fact that it is a very long way down and grab onto a seemingly well attached substantial chain that is a small comfort as one edges their way over smooth sandstone sloping cliff edges traversing around the side of the cliff, eventually coming to a large flat area. This is the spot that decisions need to be made. Some say anyone who gets this far has done really well but from here one can see the real challenge. Angels Landing is actually a huge buttress across a narrow saddle that actually heads down from our present position and then ascends seemingly straight up for quite a climb. We take our time to decide along with many other hikers, taking advice from those on their way down on how tough it actually is. It seems it is more than doable, the general advice being just do it at your own pace. It is decided to head on to complete the challenge.

The chains once again aid the short distance downward and I decide if I can get back up this part I can probably do it all. Guess what, I could, so we continue. At first the edges seem very close and we move with trepidation but eventually it is all about the climb and not about the view, which comes later as a reward.

We eventually reach the top, about 3 hours from our starting point at the car. The view is amazing on the rocky outcrop, not the highest point in the canyon, but definitely one of the most scenic. We meet a very lovely local couple, he has been a wild beach bum Californian traveler in his early years and she is a woman apparently scared of heights, though you certainly wouldn’t guess that, who has completed her second climb to this point. They tell us about the pros and cons of other hikes in the park and yet more history of the area and are really interesting to talk to. We grab a bite to eat and take some amazing photos in glorious sunshine. After about an hour we decide it is time to take the challenge of the decent, something that is in the back of your mind all the way up, how the hell am I going to get down?

In 50 minutes we are back at the decision point, I have spent quite a lot of time on my backside feeling much more connected to earth this way. It has actually not been that bad and we are now the ones encouraging others to keep on going. The biggest trouble was the wind that sprung up just as we were starting our decent, a major danger as you can actually be blown off the mountain. Did I mention there is a sign reminding people to do this at their own risk, 6 having died trying. We have been so lucky again with the weather.

We return to the valley floor 5 hours from beginning and are pleased with our efforts and make our way to the general store just outside the park, ravenous. We have discovered their home made treats and their free to use microwave for campers like us, haha. We devour our hot treats back at our campsite as the sun sets again. We reluctantly endure our cold water washes to clean away the days dust before slipping into our comfortable PJ’s. Not going to be any trouble getting to sleep tonight, though we have rented a DVD, Cast Away, and enjoy watching Tom Hanks and Wilson battle the elements before we call it a night.

Not quite as cold, but still ice on the inside of the windscreen, when we wake to start a day moving on to yet another famous National Park, Bryce Canyon. It is with regret that we move on from Zion knowing now about some other lovely hikes we could have done. This is one of our favorite parks so far and think we should make another visit one day.

Sadly the cold I have started is taking it’s toll, picked up in Vegas somewhere, and energy levels are low. It is a beautiful 60 mile drive to Bryce, so close and yet we are in for a quite different landscape. There will be no long hikes today but we are very lucky in our destination. Bryce is a park that takes in the view from the rim of the Colorado Plateau, spectacular vistas laid before you over this dominantly orange world of hoodoos and windows and other wondrous sculptures. Once again this is a world carved by the elements of wind and water into the sandy stone that has been pushed skyward and is the Plateau. We are treated to easy walks to amazing views, just the trick for our failing energy levels. We are back in snow-covered landscape on the high plateau and it is pretty chilly, though sunny.

More motel time needed is the decision made and we leave the park and the touristy villages and find a very small, almost non-existent in fact, town that has a 3-story hotel with a vacancy sign, The Grand Staircase Inn in Cannonville. We book a very reasonable night and settle in and it is so good that we end up staying 3 nights and not even walking further than the front desk for all this time. Our last day is actually Thanksgiving and we are really thankful to have found this gem in the desert. The family run business is just fantastic. I think the thing that made it so good was the room having a very high vaulted ceiling and king size beds. This probably sounds really strange but it created so much space that we have obviously been missing in our subconscious. Thanks to the Grand Staircase Inn, we will recommend a stay to as many as possible.

The other bonus of downtime is that this blog sees us completely caught up to real time, WOW. We are very pleased with our efforts as we venture on, hopefully with renewed energy. We are sadly running very low on time now and still lots to see. This area is full of National Parks and we will try to see as many as possible with some that are a priority.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album NATIONAL PARKS OF UTAH.

LAS VEGAS MADNESS

As we have spoken to people along the way we have mentioned Las Vegas as one of our destinations and in general the comment has been “do not hold that against us”, haha. As our day of splendor in Death Valley ends we head out of the hills and before us lies a mass of light, out in the middle of nowhere, that sparkles and twinkles on the horizon. As we sink into its midst we are amazed at the brightness and grandeur of this unique city. We settle into our hotel that is very cheap, just off ‘the strip’, and crash, excited about what is to come over the next few days. Vegas is known as a pit of gambling and sin, bright lights and recreations of world icons, a must see that many will tell you to avoid.

Our first day we decide to go out to Hoover Dam. This is quite a feat of human excellence. It was built between 1931 and 1936 giving employment to 21,000 people during the Great Depression. Sadly it cost the lives of 100 men during this time. It is built in the Black Canyon on the Colorado River on the border, literally, of Arizona and Nevada. During our visit we lost an hour crossing the dam wall into Arizona and gained it back on our return to Nevada. The surrounding ground is made up of rock of volcanic origin making it hard and very durable. The structure of the dam is like a whole lot of concrete Lego blocks varying in size that are reinforced and joined together and grouted to give its smooth appearance. It is said that there is enough concrete within the structure to pave a road from San Francisco to New York, now that’s a lot of concrete.

In creating this dam and the hydroelectric power plant, still one of the largest in the country but once the largest in the world, a massive body of water was created, now known as the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. It provides over 9 million visitors a year with all sorts of water based sports and activities. All in all this is a tourist destination of National pride, being the largest dam of it’s time and still considered to be one of Americas’ Seven Civil Engineering Wonders. Needless to say we enjoyed our visit and also very much enjoyed just heading back to a motel to refresh before we made our first visit to ‘the strip’.

Bright lights and crazy images of grandeur and also some crazy people. This has to be the most interesting city we have been to, not in an architectural way or a learned way but in an out there kind of way. There are many shows you can go to from show girls to Cirque du Soleil to Santana and Rod Stewart, love him but saw him back in Perth only a couple of years ago, and many, many more but we have decided to save our pennies and just take in the show that is Las Vegas. The streets are lined with buskers of varying talents, singers, artists, show girls and musicians, some fantastic and others just bazaar. There are the homeless people down on their luck just begging, but not too many. There are some people just dressed up as movie characters or stars that have their photos taken. Then there are others that seem rather sad as they are dressed to attract attention baring all, their costumes grubby and lurid and their demeanor affected by substances. These people we feel sad for, is this what life intended for them, though they seem happy enough?

There are hundreds of hawkers selling tickets, women and bars. The general atmosphere is party town and the lights and grandeur of the many casinos show a world of fun and excitement. It is a town of stretch limousine’s, never seen so many in one street before. There seems to be loads of tourists just taking it all in like us. Lots of families out and about clutching many bags from the M&M store and other themed outlets, girls in higher than high heals that are more often than not in their hands. Young and old mix together to create a fantastic world for people watching.

We venture into quite a few of the casinos and hotels to just take a look at this colourful world and are amazed that Mikayla is allowed to walk through, at 16. The casinos are huge and all have quite a large clientele. We think about the one casino we have in Perth in comparison to the hundreds here and boggle at the thought of how many people are in this city of lights in the middle of the desert. How do they all make enough to survive?

Hotels range from the average to the spectacular, from a New York City skyline, Paris and the Eiffel Tower to the land of Fantasia to Hooters and Super 8, but there are some special spots you just have to see, one of them being the Bellagio. First we head inside to soak up the gorgeous richly decorated spacious interior, probably just a little more expensive than the motel we stay in just around the corner. This is a fantasy world decorated for fall with talking trees, a waterwheel, unicorns, pumpkins and flowers galore, just gorgeous. But all that spectacular extravagance is nothing compared to the water show that is played to music every half an hour at the front entrance. WOW. This is the best show we have seen anywhere, thousands of gallons of water pumped by the second into the air in time to all sorts of music from Singing in the Rain to Top 40 hits. Our first show is to a song that talks of footprints on the world, what could be more apt for us. We are amazed and liken it to fireworks but agree it is perhaps even better. We take in three full shows over our time on the first night before we decide our feet and minds have had enough for one day and crash back into our beds.

We decide we would like to stay yet another night and pop out to get in supplies for lunch, taking our time to just enjoy our own little space and then we head into the movies, this day being the first release of Mockingjay Part One, third movie in The Hunger Games series. Being huge movie fans we are excited to see this follow on and love it. We have timed our visit to end in darkness so we can begin our next night on the strip, heading for the other end of the strip to explore new territory. We stop in at the famous shopping complex, Fashion Show, and spend some time trying on clothes, each finding something nice at a bargain price to add to the ever stretching suitcase, in Macy’s.

We then set off back into the bright lights and head for the other absolute must see hotel of The Venetian and its gondolas. Outside there is yet another spectacular show to see, this time fire. Out of this world burning red hot orange plumes of fire and sparks dance into the night skies every half-hour, amazing. Fatigue is starting to set in again but we must have another couple of Bellagio water shows before we call it a night, our last night here having had our fill of the wondrous, many faced city that is Las Vegas.

It’s not all fantastic but it is unique. Some will visit over and over and some will just see it once because you just have to see it to believe it. Some will lose a fortune and decline to the streets, sadly, and others will just take in the sights and shows and wonder who on earth came up with the idea of this entertainment mecca. You can do it on a budget or go all out. It is a place for everyone yet is probably one of the most transient places in the country. Our time has been fantastic fun but we are now ready to head back to nature where the only lights are the stars in the sky and the spectacular sunset/sunrise vistas provided in this amazing neck of the woods, oh I forgot, we have left the trees behind, its all rocks now.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album LAS VEGAS AND HOOVER DAM – NEVADA.

CRATER LAKE OREGON

Flashback to the stunning blue Crater Lake, Oregon, where we visited about two weeks ago. Hope the weather is still as perfect for those visiting now as it was for us! You can check it here.

From Vancouver, Washington, we set ourselves a driving day to finish at Crater Lake. This is a spectacular lake formed after the collapse of an ancient volcano, known as Mountt Mazama, which erupted about 7,700 years ago. The top 5,000ft collapsed and was sealed by lava creating a lake that is the deepest in USA at 1,932ft. The water in the lake is provided only by snow and precipitation and delivers the clearest water you can imagine, in fact its proven to be some of the purest on earth. The lake is 6 miles across and even has its own island, Wizard Island, a volcano within a volcano. The park experiences an average yearly snowfall of 44ft, keeping the lake topped up. The lake is a centrepiece to a magnificent park of mountain peaks and alpine forest, waterfalls, gorges and ravines, cascading rapids and volcanic potholes.

Our driving day sees us reach the lake rim just after sunset, our first glimpses by glowing light of the moon over this stunning water, an eerie stillness as blackness descends. We find what we think is a campground and begin to set up, later to be asked very politely by two police officers to move along with directions given to a campsite back down the hill.

Back to the rim in the early morning we watch the changing colours as the sun rises in the sky. Words cannot describe the steel blueness of this pure water and the light changes of the volcanic lava sides of the crater. There is not a cloud in this perfect blue sky, luck being on our side yet again as at this time of the year the visibility is usually extremely poor, in fact this day it would descend into cloud by 10am.

The rim road is closed due to snow, though it seems that has melted away again. Wizard Island takes on many different hues in the changing light. We take a hike up to one of the highest vantage points of the rim and enjoy a view so majestic and tranquil. On our return to the base we visit the Rim gift shop and find a few additions to the suitcase, whoops.

As we start to leave the weather is turning and we have had the best of the day at the lake. We spend a couple more hours stopping at the waterfalls and rushing cascades of the river carving its way through the volcanic rock. It is interesting to see the natural bridge where the water disappears underground for about 60m through a volcanic tunnel. Whilst walking these vantage points we meet two local ladies and a gentleman also taking advantage of this wonderful day. We enjoy a chat for a while and then set off and choose a seemingly very popular restaurant for lunch, Beckie’s. It is always good to eat where the locals go and this is one that proves this point. Amazingly our new friends decide to stop at the same place, famous for it’s pies. We chat whilst waiting for a table and decide to lunch together. We proceed to spend a couple of lovely hours talking and laughing with Valerie, Trudy and Howard who are all just lovely people. We are told Valerie is 85, and find that hard to believe, as she is so full of energy, reminding us a lot of Nan at that age. We are given valuable advice for our next part of the journey whilst enjoying that amazing pie! Sadly we all must go our separate ways, though they have all invited us to stay with them. Though very tempted by their generous offers we have to make a hard choice to continue on knowing our time is quickly slipping away. We will keep in contact with these gorgeous friends and would love to welcome them to Perth one day.

Pushing on we head for the famous Redwood Trees, slipping quietly into Oregon and find a camping spot at Panther Flats, a gorgeous spot to end a very special day.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album OREGON

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK – A WONDERLAND OF WILDLIFE AND THERMAL GEYSERS

Yellowstone was the first ever National Park established in the United States, and in fact the whole world, in the year 1872. One can understand why it was decided to preserve this area for future generations. It is a geothermal playground of about half the world’s hydrothermal features, over 10,000, in one spot and is truly unique and beautiful.

The park is home to some wonderful wildlife including bison, bear, elk and wolf. It is a subalpine forest dotted with all sorts of eco systems created by the bubbling earth. Couple all this with over 300 geysers and many waterfalls it is a feast of wonder to explore. It is also home to many strange and wonderful microscopic organisms called thermophiles (heat lovers) that live in the acidic boiling waters, a scientific wonderland.

Apart from the obvious hydrothermal wonders this park is also very important to the restoration and conservation of wildlife. This is particularly true of the wolves, extinct in these parts until a restoration program began in 1995, seeing a previous population of about 40 double, not very many is it? There are many research efforts protecting the wonderful creatures living here and it is comforting to know that they and their environment will be here for future generations.

There are some roads closed due to road works so it is a little difficult to decide a plan of attack but our first day we spend working our way around the Yellowstone Lake toward the south of the park and take in our first look at the steaming geysers. We cross over into Grand Teton National Park. This is a smaller park but amazing with large snow capped mountains towering over the magnificent Jackson Lake. We arrive late in the day when the light is spectacular and perfect to view gorgeous reflections in the glass like water of the huge lake. As the sun sinks behind the mountains we are treated to the colour changes of the clouds reflected beneath the mountain. Hope these photos come out well.

This is as far as our journey today can go as we have run out of light so we head back into Yellowstone and set up in the southern camp ground for the night. There is snow on the ground and there are light falls wafting in the air as we set up Jetson. Needless to say it is quite a chilly night to camp but we are quite cosy under our newly purchased sleeping bags. In the morning we wake to explore our surroundings to find evidence of animal tracks of birds, elk and some other small creatures, unfortunately (luckily) no bear prints.

In the morning we have to back track around the lake but this is not a difficult task as it is just beautiful. The colour is a deep slate blue and around the edges in patches the ground shoots steam into the atmosphere and then there are spots where the snow reaches the water edges.

Our morning is off to a wonderful start when we are stopped in our tracks by a passing heard of bison plodding along the road. The early morning snow is sticking to their gorgeous woolly coats. It is a large group with quite a few young, so cute. We are speechless as they almost rub against the car and we whisper quietly to them and tell them how beautiful they are.

We are just coming to terms with our amazing luck and have gone for about an hour when Mikayla realizes she has probably left her retainers (orthodontic) sitting on the bonnet of the car from when we have brushed our teeth. We do a thorough search of the car and sure enough they are not there. The decision is made to return to the spot we had chosen on the lake to have our breakfast. We drive back wondering if we will even be able to see them and if we can could they possibly be in one piece? Not far back along the road we are treated to an elk wandering across the road right in front of us to join it’s companions on the other side, just so elegant and graceful. Our return journey is about complete when we spot the purple case about 50m before our spot. It is in the middle of the road. We park and walk back to it and sure enough the retainer is not inside. Mikayla is on a mission and within another 10m she spots it in the middle of the lane. She picks it up and dusts it off and to our complete amazement it is seemingly in perfect shape. How lucky are we. Not sure how many cars have passed over it without disaster striking!

Off we go again for another look at the lake, not a problem as the sun is higher in the sky and the colours are that little bit different. Oh, and did I mention we encounter the bison crew again so can get another chance to OOH and AAH. Our path then takes us into some of the most amazing sights of geysers and mud pots. Each pond is a different colour due to the minerals that are pumping up from within the earth, how they react with the atmosphere, and also those little thermophiles. Some are just bubbling mud that burps and splutters and others are bubbling clear ponds of varying colours on the spectrum.

It is such an assault on the senses; the colours are vibrant (though the cold weather is making it difficult to experience because of the steam created by the boiling hot water hitting the cool air), the smell of the sulphur is strong and the sounds of the gushing water can be a loud roar or a burp. Touch is one sense that can’t be filled as to get into these acidic pools can cause serious burns and in some cases death, it is said that the acid will burn through boots. We enter into a part of the park that is a gorge with a couple of gorgeous waterfalls. The snow is heavy on the ground everywhere we go but here we decide to have a snowball fight, such fun.

Eventually we get to Old Faithful after being assured that we will be able to fill up with petrol. This geyser is so named because without fail it erupts every 90 odd mins, give or take 5, sending a huge plume of water skyward. It is not the largest geyser in the park, that would be Steamboat that we had seen earlier in the day, but it is very regular. Our visit to Steamboat had only seen about a 10-15m eruption, it’s last large spurt being in September. We are glad to have experienced Old Faithful but it is the tourist side of town and not actually the most pretty part of the park. The trails left more on the wild side are more rewarding. We are heading out of the North of the park so start the journey up again.

More wonderful colours delight us and as the sun is sinking we spot a wolf fleeting cross our path. We are yet to see a bear, Yellowstone is home to both the Grizzly and the Black bears, and so we keep our eyes peeled. It is a conundrum; we would love to see them but not too close and not too far. There are many warnings and education on how to react to a bear encounter, getting too close is not a desired pastime and can end badly. Still it would be lovely to see another, we did manage to see a cub in The Great Smokey Mountains, but today is not our day.

We sadly run out of light to enjoy the most Northern reaches but have had a wonderful time here at Yellowstone. As we descend out to Gardiner we are treated to herds of Elk on the grassy roadside, what magnificent creatures they are with their enormous antlers. This ends our foray into the worlds first ever National Park and it has been truly amazing. We have timed our visit just right as the park will be closed completely in just 3 days. We have learned much but for all the scientists and researches in the world this is a treasure land with so much more to offer. Dare I say it, we have put a revisit on that bucket list. We finally settle for the night in a hotel overlooking the river to relax before our drive towards Glacier National Park.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album WYOMING.

THE BADLANDS AND WALL DRUG

Our journey continues to Badlands National Park and we enter into the park on the West side and are immediately awestruck at every turn.  This is a much anticipated place on our journey and it is a million times better than we ever imagined.  Words can not describe the rugged beauty and incredible diversity of this land.  It is jaw dropping, amazing.

The orange/pink rock formations tower upward in a sea of pinnacles that you just have to see to appreciate.  We set off on a couple of short trails to take in the view, especially enjoying a magnificent sunset over these extraordinary edifices, absolutely gorgeous.  As darkness sets in we find the camp ground and set up in a rather chilly wind.  We are sharing the sight with a small group of boy scouts and also a father and daughter whom we begin to chat with.  They are up from Kansas City to explore the Badlands, pretty much on a revenge trip as the previous journey they were literal blown away and had to leave short of their plans. Tonight is a little windy but nothing in comparison, though they warn us what could happen overnight.  We again love exchanging tales of our adventures but the wind wins in the end and we settle into Jetson to sleep.  Luckily the wind does die down and on a trip to the loo we all enjoy the night sky, reminding us of those wonderful star filled nights back in Gidgegannup.

In the morning  we are treated to a spectacular sunrise as we pack up and head off to do some more trekking over this fantastic landscape, our new Kansas friends doing the same. Our hike takes us through, up and over some spectacular rock formations and the from their tops are stunning, once again we are lucky to get a perfect blue sky day.  Some hours later we have stopped for a drink and who should pop up but the Kansas guys.  We are surprised to realize that we have literally crossed paths by only minutes but still not heard or known of the others presence.  These structures are incredible and would be very easy to lose your way amongst them.  Within seconds you can be lost to sight and hearing of the rest of your party.  You can understand how this area got its name, especially when you read the history of the difficulty to cross this jagged plateau in days gone by.

The other phenomenon we had all noticed was that the rocks sounded hollow, like honeycomb.  The rock is actually similar to a whole lot of Lego blocks and it seems to be loose between the lines, in fact if you try you can actually remove pieces.  It is an ever changing face and eventually the whole thing will wash away to the rivers below.  Lucky we are here right now to enjoy it.

I think it is fantastic that people can still get up close and personal with it all and that it’s not roped off, I guess because the elements are more destructive than anything. I would rename them the Magnificent lands.  We continue through the park in a hunt to see more wildlife and spot a family of Big Horn Sheep, rabbits, and hundreds of cheeky and cute little Prairie dogs in “Prairie Dog Town”.  Still we hunt on for the majestic Bison and, as our luck continues, we come across a small group right on the road.  What a creature this is, their huge heads with those gorgeous eyes and wooly coats, we just want to hug them though that would not be wise. What an end to an extraordinary experience that is the Badlands, it truly is out of this world.

Next stop is a complete contrast as we reach the very much advertised place of Wall Drug, Wall.  This is a town where, in 1931, a young married couple, he a pharmacist and she a high school teacher, decided to purchase the drug store in Wall.  They were a small community of 326 people that called this spot in the wilderness home.  Though many people passed by on the highway very few stopped and business was really bad.  They had set their limit to a five year stay to make a go of it.  Not long before the deadline Dorothy had the idea of offering free iced water. What started with few signs offering free cold water  has grown into a tourist mecca of the wild west.  Look it up and read more of the beginnings of this empire that is Wall. It is fun to see and we end the day with a burger at Wall Drug, where else, then drop into bed at a nearby hotel exhausted.

CAROLINE CLIMBS BEN NEVIS

Another flashback to our time in Scotland, the day Caroline climbed Ben Nevis.

The end of this adventure is to tackle the highest mountain in the UK, Ben Nevis.  We get to the Visitors Center mid afternoon and are a little disappointed to hear the weather forecast for the next day is quite poor, but alas we are too late to do it this day as we would be coming down in the dark, not a desirable for our first attempt.

We camp in the car park and decide on an early start to try to beat the bad weather coming in. It turns out that there are people coming in right into the night as we see a torch or two traverse the car park with a weary climber.  Awake at five and it is already raining quite heavily so we have another hour in the warm and try again when the weather seems to have cleared a little.

We finally decide to head off at 7.15am.  Now, this mountain is divided into three sections and the first is a steep climb over a path of boulders set as steps.  It is hard going and sadly it starts to become apparent that Mikayla is not very well.  She hadn’t wanted to say anything but was progressively worsening and eventually we have to make a decision that she and Georgia would return to Vincent and I would go on as far as I could. They have made it nearly half way and are very disappointed to have to turn back.  I might add that because of the constant drizzle we are already soaked even though we are quite warm.

I continue on and enjoy a break in the weather and the climb as I pass the easiest part of the trail past the Loch, it is so gorgeous.  Then starts the second section of the shale zig zags.  The climb is steep and still I am warm as toast even in just a t-shirt.  As I plod ever upwards I start to meet some climbers coming down and they advise me that it under an hour to the top but that it is freezing up there.  A couple more zigzags and I hit the biting wind and it is time to put on the layers.

The climb turns into a scramble over large boulders, past the ice trap and then a difficult path between the cairns.  Vision is poor as the rain has really set in up here and I am strangely quite alone at this point.  There have been people on the track all the way but for this final accent it is just me and I can only just see the next cairn, the only way to make out the trail.  It is quite an adventure as I imagine what it would be like to get lost in this wilderness and how very cold a night alone would be up here.

No wonder this mountain claims a few lives every year, to be unprepared would be madness and even with everything organized a weather change could be disastrous.  The top seems to be taking a long time to reach, I am now about four hours into my journey and eventually reach the top.  I have a few moments alone to take a photo of myself and the top beacon, and off the cliff edge.  I can only see about three meters down the cliff face before the cloud invades but it is clear it is not the best path down!  A wrong step up here could be quite a big one.

Quite suddenly there is an influx of fellow climbers and we are all congratulating one another for reaching the top, some are first timers like myself but others are repeat offenders, one man on his seventh ascent.  Well done to everyone.  It is not pleasant up here, visibility is next to nothing, there is a howling gale and it is freezing and wet and I decide it is time to head back down.  It has not been about the view since about half way but about the challenge.  Now I face the challenge of getting back to Vincent.

The top stage takes its toll quite quickly and my knees are complaining.  Once I reach the top of the zigzags I am treated to about half an hour of sunshine and a clear view of the world around, I stop to eat my supplies and chat to some climbers on the way up.  They have a while to go and I advise them that it is harder to come down than go up.  Everyone seems to agree on this point.  I have been able to take of a few layers and dry out the gloves and beanie in the constant wind.  I am now thinking the decent would be lovely if it stayed like this.

Sadly I have been too optimistic and as I reach the bottom of the zigzags the weather sets in worse than ever.  I am about half way down and the path is treacherous and slow and my legs are screaming.  The rest of the journey is agony and at times I wonder why I am here.  I am once again drenched to the skin, it is a rain that by-passes the very best waterproofs.  My feet are just puddles but my boots keep me safe on the slippery boulders and muddy track.  There are some young men that run pass me, Oh to have those knees again.

I slosh on at my very steady pace and I wonder about the poor soles that had still been climbing upward.  I am also so very grateful for the week of sunshine we have had previously to enjoy the highlands, the views would not have happened in this,  how lucky we are.  At about 4.15pm I knock on Vincents door and exclaim to the girls that I think I am about to die.  I head off to the loo while they prepare for my recovery treatment.  I also stop in at the visitors center to let the ladies know I did it.  Congratulations are received with thanks and we discuss the various spots on the mountain, it seems everyone finds coming down the hard part and I am glad it is not just me.  I am still able to laugh though and am pleased to have conquered Ben Nevis.

I meet a guide, and very experienced climber, that is taking a group of climbers up at midnight, “why would you do that?” is all I can respond.  He thinks it’s crazy too, what a way to make a living. Back to Vincent and the girls have the hot water ready.  Hair washed and body bathed they guide me under the covers and provide me with hot water bottles (thank you Maggy, I think you saved my life).  We are going to have to stay another night in the car park as I could not drive, and wonder if my legs will ever manage this task again.

While the girls provide me with food they also fill me in on their day.  By the time they got back to the car they were both very ill with a stomach issue, say no more.  It is so lucky they turned back when they did, at least they had managed to make a recovery and get warm and prepare for my return.  I don’t think Vincent would have coped with three drowned rats at once.

When I wake in the morning I am scared to move, wondering if this is indeed even possible.  My need to get to the loo gives me the motivation and I am very relieved to find that it is not as bad as I thought it might be.  No real damage has been done it seems, just some aches and pains to recover from over the next few days.  The girls are relieved when I seem relatively normal, not sure I was making much sense the night before.

We now have to try to sort out Vincent.  He is water logged with wet jackets and clothes and just invaded by the constant water flow outside.  We get on the road and crank up the heater and start to dry him out.  The next day sees the return of some sunshine so by about day three we have everything back to normal.  What would we do without our precious Vincent, our little home away from home.

We continue traveling south back into England and soon reached the Lake District. It had been our intention to complete the three peaks of the UK, Snowdon and Ben Nevis conquered and Scaffle Pyke to go.  Sadly the legs are not recovered enough to go up the last one after only three days so will have to save that for another trip.

We can console ourselves with our meandering through the Lake district enjoying such a beautiful part of England.  The weather holds quite well and the scenery is just gorgeous and we get to visit the part of the world that Beatrix Potter loved so much.  As we are mad BP fans we enjoy soaking up all the information we can. We visit her husbands law office first and are treated to passionate guides that give us a little more insight into her life.  We gaze on lots of her original drawing and sketches. We then head out to Hill Top and experience an eccentric world that she created to work from.  We can just imagine Peter and all his friends popping up in the garden.  It is a magical journey we thoroughly enjoy.  We look across the fields to her marital home and imagine her plodding across to work with her friends in tow.  We are glad to hear that the movie made of her life is almost all accurate, though she did not know her husband as a child.  A small amount of creative license is acceptable.  Our passion for this wonderful writer will continue on and I look forward to reading to my grandchildren the stories their mothers loved so much.

It is time to head south toward Devon and it takes a few more days to drive through the green lanes and on a couple of high ways till we are back with family.  What a great adventure we have had again and we look forward to coming back in the years to come and explore some more.

This brings the England adventure all up to date.  The final days with family have already been posted on Sep 25th if you would like a flash back update.  All posts from now on for a couple of months with be from USA and our adventures in this wonderful country.  Some are already up and will endeavor to be up to date very soon.  Madly adventuring and writing is really hard work you know.

SCOTLAND: INNERLEITHEN, EDINBURGH AND THE HIGHLANDS

We’re taking you back in time to when we said goodbye to Minting and continued North to Scotland during our UK adventures.

After a sad farewell to Minting and Serenity we head on up the UK through the Yorkshire Dales and enter into Scotland through Jedburgh.  We pop into the visitors center to be given fantastic advice by a very helpful and young woman.  We leave with a load of information to help plan our next part of our journey.

On our way up we stop in a little village called Innerleithen where there is a chance take advantage of our National Trust Membership again. An opportunity to visit Robert Smail’s Printing Factory, a fantastic step back in time.  We are greeted by a lovely young woman who is so passionate and proud of this special opportunity to see how a printing works was ran before all the ‘mod cons’ came along.

Mr Smail resisted the evolution in the printing game and also left behind all the original documentation, all the bells and whistles for the future generations to now enjoy.  Our tour moves on to the case room where all the type is set.  Another equally passionate woman takes us through the whole process and even gives us the opportunity to make our own book mark which we are very proud of and will treasure always.

On now to the big machines with a lovely young man who shows us how the old dragons work. The business is still running thanks to the National Trust and along the tour we see some of their splendid work including posters, cards, invitations and calenders etc.  We talk for a very long time to our original guide about our travels and her passion for her work.  Time to move on and we thank everyone for the best tour we have done our whole trip.

The day is still young and we head into Edinburgh, lucky enough to catch the last days of the Fringe Festival.  We spend time wandering the streets taking in the many entertainers and pop into a few free galleries.  It is a very attractive city that we enjoy our short time in. We move on, deciding to head for the North, passing through Perth.

Our decision to spend as much time exploring nature turns out to be the best plan we could have made. We head up the middle through the Grampians and explore magnificent scenery before finding a spectacular spot on a Loch to settle for the night.  Before the sun goes down I head up a hill for a walk.  It is a bit of a climb along animal tracks but the view over the Loch improves with height and Vincent becomes very small behind me.

We wake the next day to the shinning Loch with a low cloud suspended over it and the most magnificent reflections in the mirror like surface.  We move on to see Loch Ness, famous and busy, beautiful no doubt, but we are headed for a more wild experience.  Further North we press and into the highlands.

Lady luck is on our side once again.  Apparently a storm has just passed through with so much rain there have been landslides,  we arrive and spend 5 days exploring the highlands with spectacular sunshine and perfect blue sky.  We pass along the single lane roads winding and weaving our way through some of the most amazing scenery of our entire trip.  You can’t go past Austria and Switzerland for mountains but this comes so close.  Every turn is another spectacular view.  If you have never been try your hardest to come and see some of the most unspoilt beauty in the world.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album UNITED KINGDOM.

You can also find Robert Smail’s Printing Works Facebook page by clicking here.

CASTLES AND MOUNTAINS OF WALES

Powis House and Gardens was a beautiful National Trust property and lucky for us we caught the last tour of the day yet again. Arriving here we went straight for the lovely library and museum where we would have liked to have spent more time had it not been for the fact we had to start the tour to see the house. Entering the house with a guide, again on our own, we started in the amazing entry way and main staircase.

Originally built in the 1200’s, the castle began as a medieval fortress and has grown with the Herbert family as time has gone on. Overall another beautiful castle and furnished as it would have been when lived in. The view from the terrace is spectacular, looking over the immaculate gardens.

Heading back out to the coast we found a camping spot at Rainbow Falls, then spent the next day driving as close to the ocean as we could. We ate lunch next to the water in the very touristy town of Barmouth, before moving along through Porthmadog, Criccieth, Abersoch and back up to Caernarfon on the way to Snowdonia National Park ready to sleep again.

Having found a very nice car park opposite an icy lake we slept peacefully only to wake to a car park filling with cars and walkers setting off on a very lovely sunny day. We were planning to head around to Snowdon but decided to head off on the same walk for an hour or two. The four off us set off but Georgia became ill and had to turn back with Minting.

Mikayla and I decided to plod on and, chatting with some fellow walkers, discovered we were in fact on Snowdon, on a different approach than that which we intended. Having gone at least half way we decided to push on to the top.

As we got higher we entered the clouds, starting to feel the cold. We discovered that it’s not about the view; it’s about the challenge. Fellow walkers were impressed by our shorts, our legs turning blue. We had a quick lunch at the top and headed back down, knowing that we would be in trouble with the girls as they would be worried.

We had started walking at 11.15 and returned to Vincent at 4.30, a very respectable time on the 7.5 km route including the notorious ledge that takes a couple of victims every year. Georgia was at first relieved, then mad and then very congratulatory at our achievement. We decided to eat, get warm and stay put for the night before making an early start the next day.

Plas Newydd came next and it sure didn’t disappoint. Overlooking the Menai Strait amongst beautiful woodlands and an Italianate garden it had amazing views, but the best part of this mansion would have to be the mural in the dining room, painted by Rex Whistler. There’s plenty of optical illusion going on in this clever masterpiece that is a must see.

Later we got some washing done in the nearby town of Bangor, watching the interesting locals go by before finding Penrhyn Castle, unfortunately already closed for the day. We decided to camp in the car park here and caught the first taster tour of the day here.

The taster tour was a complete waste of time, although we did get to see one room that is only open to the public with a guide. Our favourite part of this castle was the staircase with detail to rival that of the Natural History Museum in London, so intricate and pretty. There are also extensive kitchens and servants quarters open here and they are sometimes even more interesting than the main house.

After lunch we moved on to Conwy where we walked across the Conwy Suspension Bridge and came across the quaint and tiny toll keeper’s house. The guide here was full of knowledge and told us all about the family who lived here and kept the bridge open before being sent to see Aberconwy House.

Aberconwy House should be renamed Higgledy-Piggledy House for it’s very uneven floors and add-ons through out time. It’s Tudor in style and from the street looks like it should have been used in the Harry Potter films. It also makes you wonder how it doesn’t just topple over, must have been built pretty sturdy from the get go!

Our time in Wales over we left Conwy and headed back into England towards Liverpool, after spending one more night camped in the country side of Wales.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album UNITED KINGDOM.

FUN AT THE GOLD MINE AND A VISIT TO DEVIL’S BRIDGE

Continuing on from where we left off in our previous post, we spent most of the afternoon at Dolaucothi Gold Mine, yes another National Trust, where we were excited to be taking a tour inside the mine. While we waited to start Minting had her first go at gold panning and we had fun playing old rope toss games, though none of us were very good. Lucky for us we ended up having a private tour and we were kitted out with our helmets, headlamps and super heavy battery packs ready to head into one of the scariest underground places I’ve been.

Our guide was fantastic and we learnt a lot about both Roman and 19^th/20^th century history, valuable welsh gold and the people who mined here. It was then time to turn our headlamps on and enter into the mine. All was good until we had the opportunity to look backwards and realized the only light we had was what we were casting from our headlamps and I started trying to memorize the way out!

The mine was actually really interesting and, unlike in the ice cave in Austria, we were equipped with enough light to see what was around us. At one point we turned our lights off with only a candle aflame and experienced what it would have been like down there for the miners.

The little boys who worked down here were “not worth the light”, as candles were really expensive and taxed, and learned to avoid the candlelight as it marked danger spots. Lucky occupational health and safety has advanced since then, although they say there were hardly any accidents recorded in the mine.

At the end of the tour our wonderful guide gave us a few recommendations for future site seeing in Wales and sent us to a delicious fish and chip shop in Aberaeron, The New Celtic Restaurant, where we bought our fish and chips take away to eat on the beautiful pebble beach while the sun went down. Minting had a great time rock collecting, finding a few unique shapes and colours, and we enjoyed sitting by the ocean before moving on again to camp near our next stop Llanerchaeron.

Llanerchaeron, another National Trust, is still a working farm where you can visit the animals, tour the house and even get involved in a couple of fun activities. We started in the farm area where we were lucky enough to see a cute calf, born a few days before, and piglets, as well as the other farmyard animals. A walk through the vegetable garden and next to the private lake took us to the front garden of the Georgian Mansion where we taught Minting to play croquet, Mikayla coming up trumps with the win!

Crossing the threshold into the house we were confronted with many stuffed animals in glass boxes and more otter heads on the walls than paintings. Getting over that, it was actually a really nice home and restored beautifully. Up the double staircase, under a huge skylight, you emerge onto a stunning landing. Also crowned by a skylight, this time oval, the landing connects to large oval rooms, opposite each other, that even have round doors. Even better was the fact that these lovely rooms were meant for the women of the house, the dressing room and the ladies sitting room. We got talking to a fabulous lady called Peggy here who reminded us so much of Nan and whom we could have talked to all day.

Time for lunch and we had a scrumptious and healthy meal at the NT café, then hit the road. The view driving along the coast was beautiful and, from what we could see through the pouring rain, inland was just as good as we cut in towards Devil’s Bridge.

Reaching our destination the rain seemed to have stopped for the minute and we started an hour’s walk hoping the rain would hold off while we had to be outside. As always we were lucky and only had to deal with our muddy shoes at the end of the walk and the spray of the waterfalls during.

Here there are three bridges built one over the other and legend has it that the lowest and oldest bridge was built by the devil himself. One day an old woman lost a cow to the opposite side of the river and couldn’t get her back across. The devil appeared and said he would build her a bridge overnight if he could claim the soul of the first living thing to cross the bridge. She agreed and in the morning came back to find a sturdy bridge in place. Not wanting to give herself to the devil the old woman decided to send her dog across the bridge first, throwing a stick for him the fetch. Furious the devil left with nothing, leaving the dog, the old woman got her cow back and the bridge has been there ever since.

The walk was lovely, down steps continuously into the valley for the first half and up again for the second. There’s even a Jacob’s Ladder here, way steeper and ladder-like than the one in Perth. The waterfalls are nice and you can also see fossils in the caves, when you look past the heinous graffiti on the cave walls. Mum, Mikayla and I returned to Minting and Vincent, dry and tired and it didn’t take long for us to decide it was time to stop for the night.

We ended up camping in a pull off on the side of the road with a boat on a broken trailer. Later joined by another campervan, the owners of said boat who were having a run of bad luck. They had bought a boat and halfway home a trailer wheel had fallen off so they had come to camp and look after it. In the morning they tried to start their campervan, but it had broken down. Unfortunately we couldn’t give them a jump-start with Vincent; hopefully they found someone who could quickly, poor things.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album UNITED KINGDOM.

FRIENDLY FACES, FACADES AND FREEDOM

We are now in Portugal and this country is stunning. Every road we’ve driven on so far has a beautiful view, whether it’s rocky outcrops, mountains in the distance, valleys with rivers running through the middle or villages built on hills with many green terraces of agriculture below.

We went to Braganca, a large town very close to the border between Portugal and Spain. Here there is another castle and though it was closed while we were there we had a nice walk along the surrounding wall. Portugal is one hour behind Spain so we happily gained an hour and spent the rest of the day driving to the eastern edge of Peneda-Geres National Park where we found a pretty picnic area on the edge of a lake to camp at. We actually stayed here two nights to do some washing and get it dry as well and generally catching up on writing and having some relax time.  Even though we are not going to work every day, just the effort of moving and seeing is tiring and every now and then we need to recharge and do the housework.  We all have our own little jobs to do to work as a team.  Caroline the driver, and doing a pretty good job of nursing our precious Vincent up and down the hills.  Mikayla and Georgia reminding her to stay to the right every now and then.  Georgia is the navigator extraordinaire, without whom we would see nothing.  We all share the chores of living in a van, Mikayla often sweeping the floor and very good at clothes washing, all cooking and doing the dishes, packing the back and the bed in and out night and morning, helping each other in any way possible to make the cramped quarters work for us.  There is one thing mum must always do, the cleaning of the funnel! Got it down to a fine art. Teamwork.

Along our drive we saw many little villages and have found the people to be very happy and friendly. When driving through places in Vincent most of the people outside on the street stare as we pass by. Usually they don’t smile until we do and wave but the Portuguese are always smiling. Must be because they live in such a beautiful area.  There are some things that are universal and cross all language barriers, the smile, the laugh and the wave, lets hope they can keep us all safe along the way.

Peneda-Geres National Park is actually two national parks practically joined they are so close together. We spent our first day here driving through the breathtaking mountains on the east side of the park. Words cannot describe the sublime turquoise water of the dams and rivers, the cascades running down the side if the mountains, and the green oak and pine trees covering the landscape. All this topped off with absolutely perfect weather, blue sky with not a cloud in sight for the whole four days we were here.

It also amazed us how much the landscape can change so quickly as you move along. We go very slowly in Vincent, a good thing as this gives Mum a chance to enjoy the view too, but there is always a subtle difference in landscape here. If you haven’t been here already, make this place a must see, especially if you like hiking.

Our first walk (North from Vila do Geres, before Spain) reminded us of an Australian bushwalk, up hill until the end, most of the way we were following a streambed, lucky it wasn’t raining! We followed the obvious trail as high up as we possible could without having to cut through the vegetation, getting very close to the top of a mountain but not quite. Another stunning view, this time with bush scrub covering the ground and rocky outcrops interspersed on the horizon.

We used the picnic area at the start of this walk to camp the night and it was one of our favourite spots so far. Nestled in the trees with a stream running through we had a swim, more like an ice bath, but after 3 hours of walking we needed it and felt so refreshed afterwards. We’ve been hanging out for weather warm enough to swim because the crystal clear, flowing water is so tempting.

Again we did a lot of driving the next day but had a few more stops along the way this time. First was Santuário de São Bento da Porta Aberta a church and sanctuary built high up on the side of a hill and very open air to make use of the sunlight streaming in. We always visit the church in each place and each time they turn out to be very different, we love picking out the differences in architecture and layout. The outside of this one was covered in intricately patterned tiles and white paint with the murals inside also composed of tiles. This seems to be quite common in Northern Portugal with houses and businesses employing the same decoration. Next was the museum at Campo de Geres where we learnt about the Romanesque buildings and roads throughout the park, about the park flora and fauna and the wares and way of life of the people living in rural Peneda-Geres. The park is the only natural reserve of its kind in Portugal and is divided into rural and environmental conservation areas.

Our next camp spot was at the edge of a cliff overlooking a few small villages and mountainside stretching as far as the eye could see near Parada. We really have been lucky lately!

In the morning we dragged ourselves away from this view to get to the tourist office and find out about a walk to see some prehistoric rock carvings and The Enchanted Rock. We set off armed with a map, up through the small village of Parada and beyond into the forest. Only a short walk, in fifty minutes we were at The Enchanted Rock, trying to decipher the code carved into the rock face many years ago. The oldest local believe that the Moors left their fortune inside this rock before leaving the area and only the one person able to read the inscriptions will be able to open the rock and retrieve the fortune inside. Unfortunately the rock didn’t open for us! On the way back down we came across a cow walking up the other way. They’re so pretty and I love the sound of the bells they wear.

Next stop was Mezio to the museum the tourist office recommended to us, promising information in English and lots to learn about the prehistoric art, Romanesque ruins and monolithic structures scattered throughout the park. Well its not a museum, rather a recreation park. Usually we can find something redeeming about places but this had none and though it only cost us 2 euros each to get in, we grudged the time wasted here.

On the way to Braga we camped just outside the national park, up high and tucked into a man made crevasse in the mountainside. We found a stream and had another freezing swim and then settled down for our usual night time, making dinner, playing Yahtzee, Bananagrams or UNO (keeping a running score tally as we go; Mum is Yahtzee queen, Mikayla is Banangrams queen though I’m doing very well the last few nights and I’m still the UNO champion) and reading or writing.

In Braga we visited a huge monastery at the top of the hill overlooking the city, even looking down through the clouds the view was great. This was a huge church with beautiful tile paintings and magnificent alters of different saints. Even though we are not religious and do not understand the importance of each of these religious persons one can not help but be astonished at the beauty and talent of the architecture and art. The painted ceilings, the wood carvings, the oil paintings, the stone carvings etc etc. Artisans giving their talent to a piece of wood or stone or a blank canvas and creating a thing of beauty.  Above all one can feel the peace of the ages, the age of the peace.  Though most of the religious effergies we have seen are of tortured looks at a tortured time today there is a sense of peace.  It is a bit like the fields of war in France, sacrifice of years gone by, suffering of others for those of us today who enjoy our lives.  Mikayla said one time that all the faces of anguish do not inspire her to become a believer in religion, perhaps there could be some good and happy frescoes to show a new world, or is it still not really peaceful enough, all thought inspiring and life changing. Within the large church on the top of the mountain in Braga we walked with a squeak, they seem to have laid polish on every surface perhaps in preparation for the onslaught of the pilgrimage to come in a few short days, I descended into the crypt to see a tiled wall of particular beauty.  Unbeknown to me the glass wall in front of me was a huge automatic door that noisily grunted into action, surely waking every person within cooey.  The girls motioned quickly for us to exit the area, which we squeakily did with as much dignity as we could.  No secret visits here.  Calmly and quickly we exited into a morning of sunshine and enjoyed the rest of our tour of the gardens and statues.

Another run for Vincent back down the mountain into the old part of Braga to the cathedral.  This was probably one of the most decorated of all we have seen, a ceiling like no other of gold intricate detail and sun shining through a round stained glass window projecting its colour onto the marble steps.  On we move to Guimaraes, about 25 kms along the road to yet another old part of town.  We see the tourist signs yet again but as we follow, as usual they just stop.  This so often happens so we just follow our noses, or should I say we look for a rise in the landscape and look out for anything old sticking up out of the landscape, then try to locate it through the busy streets.  This old quarter of town was one of the most rewarding providing an 11^th century castle ruin, an ancient chapel of simplicity built from ancient rock and a 14^th century restored palace.  This palace was just lovely, not a building of beauty as built with defense in mind, but decorated with lovely furniture and porcelain, tapestry and carpets.  It was a place you could actually enjoy living in.  Within the palace yet another chapel, perhaps my favorite so far in that it was all carved wood with no paint for decoration and just the most amazing stained glass windows.  You the reader, just like us will probably say not another church or castle or palace.  Strangely they are all quite different once you get inside, same theme but a different collection of artists.  Each has something new to show us and we know there are so many more to see.  We continued our day moving South East through Portugal heading toward another National Park, more mountains for Vincent to cope with.  Good on you Vince.  We wound our way up another side road to find a spot for the night, we seem to enjoy the remoteness out of town the most.  This road led to a limestone track heading up the hill.  Can Vince do it I thought, after the bogging incident have kept very much on solid ground, bitumen.  Assessing the chances I put my food down and gave it a go, 4WD Vincent, and guess what, he can go over the rough ridges, just needs something solid under his wheels, good old Vincent.  Won’t push our luck too often though.  He found us a good flat spot miles from anywhere with a view of the valleys below, though hindered by the smog of fire burning somewhere.

This morning we woke up to the most amazing red sun. Peaking out from behind the hills it drew our attention and then as it rose higher into the sky looked like a pink half moon for a few minutes. Then, rising higher still, it turned to a burning red with a distinct outline, it’s not often you can look at the sun, so large and bright, beautiful.  The smoke is thick but providing a sun of fire, what a beginning to yet another day.

Though we have had some very sad news within our family and are devastated, we look on this beautiful world and know these memories we are making will be cherished forever. Thinking of you and love you always Aunty Pam.