WE REACHED PORTUGAL VIA SPAIN

By Bob Van Leer

   (SETUBAL, PORTUGAL, July 6, 1992) - Tonight we stayed in a 16th century castle overlooking the Rio Sado estuary 50 kilometers south of Lisbon.

  It was a long, arduous day of travel and after 8 p.m. when we arrived here at the castle on a hill strategically overlooking the harbor entrance.

  We started out at Gibraltar, that bastion of Britain at the entrance to the Mediterranean.

  Gibraltar boasts direct flights to London, but that was not our destination. We had a rented van and it would have been simple to drive from Gibraltar to Setubal, a distance of perhaps 300 miles. But this was not possible because of restrictions on rented cars. 

  Instead, we drove back to Malaga, Spain, returned the rented van, took one flight to Madrid, Spain, a second to Lisbon, Portugal, rented another van and drove to Setubal, a distance of more than 700 miles.
Driving through Lisbon was a nightmare. There was road construction all over, badly needed. Signing was almost non-existent, and we drove through in the rush hour.

  We wanted to cross the 25th of April Bridge over the Tagus River but had a difficult time trying to get on it. We were lost a couple of times.

  We could see the bridge, eventually from both sides, but couldn't get on it. We finally found the right way but this meant creeping along in stop-and-go traffic for miles to get on and across the bridge.

The Castle

  Finally we made our way to our stop for the night, the Castle Sao Filipe. Phillip II of Spain ordered construction of the castle in 1590 when Portugal was under Spanish rule.

  In 1766 the fortress-castle was converted to use as a prison and continued in this use until 1965 when it was converted into a pousada.

  This is one of a number of government-run inns scattered through Portugal. They are converted from other uses and include castles, convents and other buildings.

View Over Harbor

  The view from the castle is magnificent. Far below is the Rio Sado harbor, a deep-water estuary and several cargo ships are anchored in the harbor. The castle itself has been built and rebuilt over the centuries.

  Our wing of rooms is set in the middle of 16th century fortifications. The dining room, a tuxedo clad maitre-d' and his staff offer impeccable service to a handful of diners.

  As an economic unit the whole operation wouldn't make it in Gold Beach. There are only 16 rooms and all are not filled.

  Portugal is a small country, not as large as Oregon, with a population of about 10 million. It is not wealthy, but far ahead of Morocco. Gross Domestic Product (1989) was $4363.

  Tomorrow we will drive to the Algarve, the part of Portugal along the south coast, and will stay at Sao Bras, just a few miles from Portugal's Mediterranean coast.