I know it’s been a long while since we’ve posted, but we were completely caught up in our Portugal van travels. It’s a good place to be swept up by; the people, the landscapes and the adventuring all kept us busy. This will probably be a long post, so get a cup of Joe or a cuppa and enjoy. Grin.

Tourism Problems in Portugal

It was our second visit to one of our all-time favorite places in Europe. In just a few years, it had changed a lot. One of the more remarkable things we noticed was the plethora of vans and RVs. Supermarket parking lots were seriously wall-to-wall; surf areas like Arrifana didn’t have a naked street; and the further south we got in the Algarve, the thicker it got.

 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as if Portugal’s a well-kept secret as a winter destination. But our first visit we’d get excited at seeing another campervan and would wave in passing. We found ourselves, in a pretty short time, feeling frustrated at the visitors. Not because they were there; because they had no respect for where they were visiting.

I lost count of how many places we parked and cleaned up the slovenly detritus left behind. Or how many beautiful areas were covered in toilet paper, which was the more ‘polite’ of the leavings.

 

Watch the Video: Does Vanlife Etiquette Exist?

 

Unsurprisingly, the locals aren’t amused. Yes, tourism is really important to Portugal. But when tourists come, live in parking lots and using the surroundings as a public toilet, don’t bother to buy anything local and generally snub the Portuguese culture – it becomes a problem. It’s a simple matter of: how would you feel if someone disrespected your home, without apology?

It just takes a listening and eager ear to hear – not a bold, boisterous proclamation of what you intend for them to think. Listening. Heeding. Treating their words as truthful treasures. Ssh. Smile. Nod. Engage. And hear all of the integral in-betweens.

The local discontent (which is valid) has encouraged several things. In the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, the forestry service regularly moves campers at night. Fines are a possibility. Police are pedantic about any amount of driving or vehicle laws, some of which are pretty minor.

We had a fine because our back license plate wasn’t completely visible, for example. And laws are being passed to limit RVs and vans to small areas or campgrounds.

It’s a natural reaction to the increase in the traffic and the seeming disregard for Portugal by the tourists. The same tourists who go there for the ‘pristine beauty.’ We totally get it. We felt pretty grrr, too.

Old Friends and New: Portugal Van Travels & Meetups

One of our first stops was to visit our adopted* family, Filipe and Isabela in Costa da Caparica. Filipe was Armando’s surf teacher (he’s a shaper at Y-Surfboards) and an energetic man, full of laughter and wisdom. Isabela is a beautiful, calm presence with a dry wit (and a fantastic cook).

We had to visit Bulgaria to try to sort out some papers for me – still unsorted – but Filipe didn’t just drive us to the airport. He stored our pricey stuffs, like Armando’s drone, and let Mork park in their drive for the week we were gone.

We also got to see Nick and Noah again; Nick’s a building contractor in Vila do Bispo and in a few short years has really established himself. Vila do Bispo kind of became our unofficial go-to place for food (Lidl) and water from the local wash house. It was also nearby one of our favorite places, near the ‘End of the World’ (Cabo de San Vicente).

 

We met so many cool, generous and funny ‘van’ people. I can’t possibly list them all here, but I will down at the bottom, so you can discover them for yourselves.

For example, over the Christmas holidays we decided to try something different: a vanlife meetup with strangers. And we had a blast. New Year’s, we met up with old friends again – and met many more.

I’d have to say our time on our Portugal van travels for the past few months was possibly the most social we’ve ever been on our travels. It was refreshing. Though I do have to admit, I did embrace the quiet times a little bit tighter. There’s nothing like the serenity of alone time, memorizing waves.

The Wilderness and the Weather of Portugal

I think one of the reasons we like Portugal so much isn’t just a temperate climate (usually temperate, I should say), but the landscape extremes. The rabidly rising red cliffs to virtuous white sands massaged by sea-foam blue waters; the untidy and unbridled forests to groomed, eye-blinking green hills; and the fractious, frisky weather.

The sea wind blows its woes over all heads, around all legs, clad and unclad. It seems a bit spiteful, yet spritely. It’s the way we all might imagine we’ll be at a certain stage of age.

We went through two ‘mini-canes’ during our stay. Miniature hurricanes. They didn’t feel so mini at the time. When the van was swaying back and forth to some skewed tango in the middle of the night or the winds were etching raindrops into our faces as we attempted to take Ziggy for a walk, it was a little hairy.

We actually saw an RV that had been toppled, along with many cars with broken windshields from broken off branches. Sad little saplings, uprooted and homeless, scattered across streets. It certainly made us more thoughtful about not just where we parked, but how we parked – trying to ensure we were the least wind-resistant.

Portuguese People and Culture

We did a Fun Facts about Portugal post after our last visit. On this tour, we mingled more with the locals and tried to find more local things to do. We went to fresh food markets; a monthly flea market; and even (finally!) got to go to the Loulé Carnival. We were also lucky enough to catch a lot of the Easter celebrations the week before Easter Sunday, and each place has its own unique approach.

 

We decided to ‘tag team,’ meaning one of us stays in the van while the other goes exploring, throughout the day. The energy was manic. It was loud. And it was contagiously joyful. There were complex street floats, dance groups, bands – everything you’d expect. One of my favorite parts, though, was people watching in the side streets. Imagine everyone dressed in some sort of costume and dancing or singing in any space available. Beautiful chaos. If you ever have the chance, go.

The people are closed initially, but when you ask, when you interact, they shed layers and bloom. Each one has not just a story, but a book to tell. Not just of their own lives, but the histories and meanings of the villagers before them. A meadow of ancestry.

I have many more reflections and I’ve left out quite a bit. It’s not easy trying to compress months of experiences into just a few paragraphs. Grin. As promised, I’m listing people and links below. Be sure to check them out! Safe travels, all. –Mel, Armando, Ziggy and Mork

 

Special Thanks:

Dade and Clara, for a lovely dinner and convo

Alberto, Marina and Bahnhof, for being travel buddies

Claudio, for being brilliant

Peter, for meeting us in Lisbon

Rodrigo (our mechanic in Portugal), Old School Garage

Tom, for taking us out for a pint and a great chat, Digital Nomad Jobs

 

Vanlifers (I’m sure we’ve forgotten a few-!):

Janice and Gregor, Live.Travel.Play.

Madeleine and Anthony, Going Hobos

Saira and Simon, Euro Advantures **

Theo and Bee, The Indie Projects

Martin, Houseless Not Homeless

Michal, Czech Geek on the Way

Rasti the Barefoot