In Marvao you can see the birds from behind

 Pretty sure this is a bad translation but this is what was on the menu at the restaurant - In Marvao you can see the birds from behind.  Certain it meant from above!

So Kirk is still fighting a cold so we decided to stay up here just in Marvao, walk around and see the castle.  And of course eat and drink.  Woke up about 5 am to see the sunrise over Spain in all its glorious red and orange but promptly fell back to sleep!  We had our window open all night and it was divine! Lovely, simple Portuguese breakfast here at the hotel with fruit, cheese, fresh on, eggs, cheese, meet and of course croissant and butter. Mmmmmmmmm.  Then off to the castle.

It is quite big and was built in the 800’s by Islamic knights then taken by Christians in the 1100’s and eventually recaptured by the Portuguese in the 1200’s and expanded and taken and taken…by the 1800’s it was in Portuguese hands and designated as a monument in 1922.  I think this is all correct -ish!  The views are amazing and really I could have sat and stared out for ours at the small towns and landscape.  

Great lunch at Ninho, which come to find out is owned by the owner of the hotel as is the Veranda where we ate last night. Jorge also picked us up outside the gates last night, took our luggage up to our room and greeted us at breakfast this morning.  We had no idea until we went to visit the museum attached to our hotel which has a collection from his friend in Albuquerque.  This hotel has only been open since April.  it does smell new.  Back to lunch - Kirk had gazpacho with fresh onion, pepper and duck on the rim to put in and I had a tomato soup with fresh chucks on tomato, not puréed. Giant grilled shrimp filleted open omg and then he had octopus salad and I had seabass with cabbage (very light sauerkraut flavor), over mashed potatoes. Plus a local white wine.  Man are we eating like kings.  I hate to think of eating back home honestly. We have only had one chicken dish - it was mine - yesterday.  Chicken seems blah right now!

I wonder about the small towns and their schools.  We saw a large, kind of commercial tour bus dropping kids off yesterday. I have to look up if small towns share schools.

Another luxury of our travel is we are now resting in the hotel room.  Originally we were going to do some exploring of nature trails and parks off the hill but deciding we are going to miss some things is ok.  Tonight we have dinner in the hotel.  Beautiful 73 degree day. 

We headed to have a bottle of wine and enjoy the view and sunset before dinner. It was chilly but oh so beautiful! We feel so lucky to be here. Then off to dinner and it was just fantastic! Nice to just walk downstairs and sit and be served.  It was a fixed menu and we had pork, gnocchi, cod, langostino all small bites and grilled bread all paired with local(ish) wines. I was stuffed and had enough wine and Kirk even got to drink some of mine.  Fell into bed and zonked out but Kirk was up for a while.