Our first house-sit in Spain

We were really quite excited about this trip. For a few reasons too. Firstly Annette really loves pigmy goats, and we were going to be caring for some on this sit. Secondly we had not been into Spain for years, other than to traverse it to reach the ferry at Santander. Also, because it was so close to the Portuguese border it would allow us to discover the area in more depth. We had visited the towns of Castelo de Vide and Marvao before with friends, but this sit would give us the opportunity to explore it wider and over a longer period as well as discovering what Spain had to offer too.

We arrived to be welcomed by our host Helen. We were supposed to meet her husband Steve also, but would you believe it, he had broken his arm in a very similar manner to Annette, and was in hospital recovering from almost the identical surgery Annette had undergone all those weeks before. However, the plan was she would pick him up from hospital the following day and proceed with their holiday plans, so we would have to wait to meet him until their return.

Helen was so welcoming and had even prepared a hearty meal for us! We had plenty of time to get shown around the property and the animals and go over all the things we might encounter during our stay there. it was all pretty standard and now quite familiar to us. We are now becoming quite adept at picking up the routines needed to look after someone else’s house and pets. But this was going to be a bit different…

As it turns out, looking after the animals (they are not considered pets here), was going to be so easy. They almost look after themselves. But now knowing about Steve’s injury and that Helen herself had some ongoing health issues, we resolved to do a bit of extra work around the farm to make life a bit easier for them on their return. Hopefully to allow them some time to relax from some of the manual tasks that needed doing. The largest of these being to clear the long grass that was taking over the garden since Steve had been incapacitated. Annette concentrated on tidying up some weeds and watering plants as well as most of the housework.

But first it was time to meet the animals…

There were two dogs, seven goats (of which two were only days old), and one affectionate cat.

This must have been one of the easiest sits (in terms of animal care) that we have done. They are all outdoor animals and definitely not thought of as “furry friends”. Having said that, they all had their endearing qualities. The two dogs, Wilma & Betty were very friendly and just loved human attention. However, they are livestock guardian dogs, and share a field with some sheep owned by a local farmer. The goats were super easy and just needed feeding, and only a little more attention being given to the two newborns and their mother who were kept in a barn (we don’t know the Spanish terms?)

for protection against predators (at least during our stay). The cat did what most cats did and just followed us around until a mouse or lizards took her attention away. The rest of the time was ours to use to explore the local area and help out around the farm as we mentioned above. We did a little bit of exploring between looking after the animals and tidying the garden. Some in Spain, and some in Portugal.

Spain

Valencia de Alcantara

This is where we made our first rookie error. We decided to explore during the afternoon and completely forgot the Spanish tradition of the siesta. Everything was shut, but the castle was open to roam around, so we had a stroll around the old town and up to the castle. It was worth it just for the views.

Badajoz

Apart from Valencia de Alcantara, the only other Spanish town we actually walked around was Badajoz. We drove through a couple of others, but never stopped to explore. We certainly want to explore further, but the distances are pretty vast and we would have preferred a bit more time. However, we also stopped here during the siesta and were expecting most things to be closed. We did find a supermarket that was open in the town which was needed as it was scorching hot that day. The town was much bigger than we expected too, and to get a full feel for the place could probably do with a couple of days there really.

Portugal

Portagem

This village is just across the border into Portugal and coming from Spain the road splits to head for Portalegre and Castelo da Vide, or up to Marvao. But we found it charming and quaint. This little village on the river and with a lovely outdoor pool area as well as a river beach was a lovely place to come off the road and explore. There are lots of cafes and places to eat, so we could imagine it being quite busy in the holiday season. Along the river from where the road heads over the modern bridge to Spain, there is the remains of a Roman bridge looking up in the distance to the hill fort village of Marvao. Quite a spectacular viewpoint and a lovely riverside walk.

Ammaia (Roman city)

Just down the road from Portagem is the remains (largely unexcavated) of a full Roman city. We just had to take a look!. We were surprised at just how little has been uncovered. The Museum was really interesting with a very interesting video about the site that was actually in English with Portuguese subtitles.

Marvao

We had already visited Marvao in the past, but every time is just as awe inspiring. This time we decided to stick to walking the walls around the medieval village, and concentrate on the village side, as we had seen the castle before.

Portalegre

This was our go-to place for shopping. It has all the modern conveniences. All the supermarkets, all the fast food outlets etc. But the old town is well worth a visit. Although a map is a good idea, as it’s easy to get lost in the maze of narrow lanes. Plus it was a wee bit warm!

Elvas

We popped across to Elvas from Badajoz in Spain, as we had gone during the siesta and found most things closed (again!). So we hopped across the border and everything was open, yay! And surprisingly a lot of Spanish people were visiting as well. Making the most of their siesta, no doubt. It was a very interesting town and well worth a visit. Steeped in history and still bearing the fortified surroundings from during the peninsular wars and earlier. We made our way up to the top to visit the castle on a hot day and vowed never to visit any more castles unless it was cooler!

Castelo da Vide

We actually only visited here when we left the sit. We had a spot of breakfast here, then noticed a small road bypassing the main route up into the hills above the town. We were so glad we took it too, the views are to die for!

There was also lots to keep us busy on the farm too, and we enjoyed the peace and tranquility that was so nice about the location. We even got to meet a couple that lived nearby. Chris had popped around to see how we were settling in and introduce himself. He invited us round to a dinner later during the sit which we accepted with thanks. It’s alway nice to meet such lovely people during these sits. (Hi Chris and Gill XX). Chris cooked the most amazing Indian meal we had eaten in a very long time and we had such a great time, finally staggering back by the light of our mobiles at about 3:00 am.

Overall the sit was super enjoyable and it was good to finally meet Steve on their return. We spent the night chatting and getting a fantastic music masterclass from Steve while allowing Helen to get some well earned shut-eye, as she had done all the driving due to Steve’s arm. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, but there is certainly more to be explored over the border and we do hope we can see our new friends again very soon.

So, it was back to the house build project…

And because we were told the windows would be there by the time we returned, and that work on the pool should have started, we have no further bookings to go and sit, but will concentrate on the finishes to our house. So stay tuned to what we found when we got back.