Nothing, really, but I have to say that, so far, the food I have had in Portugal leaves me cold. Yesterday, for lunch, I ordered grilled sardines (four large ones) served with new potatoes, red pepper and what the restaurant called corn bread (not the cornbread we know). It wasn’t bad (at all) and the potatoes were excellent, but I don’t think I will order sardines again. Michelle had salted cod with scrambled eggs – I tried them, but no thanks. My fish stew the night before had two kinds of fish in it – one quite good and one not at all. After some research, I decided the second one was monkfish. I don’t have much experience with monkfish.

I tried a pastel de nata, the famous Portuguese custard pastry. Again, not bad, but not necessary. And I bought an almond pastry to have for breakfast and didn’t think it was nearly as good as it looked. We did carryout last night from a casual beach restaurant. I had a chicken Caesar salad. It, in fact, was quite good, but not very Portuguese.

I am not complaining, just reporting, and we have miles to go. On the other hand, you have to like the prices. The sardines were 11€ and the carryout for 10 people cost 110€, and included 5 Caesar salads, 2 burgers, 2 quesadillas and an assortment of potato and sweet potato fries and chips and guacamole.

Putting food aside, the non-highway route between here and Obidos (20 minutes or so) is exquisite. Fruit farms with innumerable mature apple, pear and peach orchards ready for picking. Picturesque farm homes, some large and old and two evocative villages.

Walled Obidos on a Sunday during a Renaissance Festival was crowded and a lot of fun. At the main gate through the wall, there was a fado singer/accordionist. There were two nights engaged in swordplay (clearly just play) and many costumed wanderers. Craft booths set up selling jewelry and textiles and who knows what. A lot of different foods. Flower crowns being woven on the spot.

It’s a beautiful old town, plenty of streets to walk, castle walls to walk on top of (no railing), sights to see. Hills and cobblestones.

And the mad dog of Obidos ? Not to be seen. Many dogs attending the festival but they were all Pomeranians and Yorkies and the like. And all seemed quite sane.

Oh, and the missing luggage? Still missing, and this does cast a shadow on things, to be sure. And a house with ten independent minded people, including people who are 15, 11, 8 and 2 and 80 does pose its own challenges, though all being met satisfactorily so far. And for a while yesterday we were 14 people, including a 6 year old and a baby, as Andrew’s cousins who live in Portugal spent the afternoon here