At 9am this morning 19 of us climbed into 3 specially arranged taxis to take us to the nearby medieval town of Obidos.

We walked through the arched gate to be met with narrow cobbled streets. The first one was full of tempting shops. We resisted the temptation until after lunch as we wanted to see the castle, churches, thick stone walls and ramparts. 

It was not a good idea to climb up and walk along the steep ramparts we had been told by Helen, our tour manager. But some of us were a bit naughty and we were rewarded by stunning views. Can you see the ocean in the distance? That is where we are staying.

A coffee stop on a terrace was chosen, shaded as the sun is hot, and with more lovely views.

A plate of freshly grilled sardines and salad with half a litre of cold beer was just the thing to refresh us after a delightful wander around this ancient town.
Next we hit the shops. A favourite was the bags, belts, shoes etc made with cork fabric. Portugal produces 50% of the world’s cork and we have found this fabric really interesting as it is durable, waterproof and unbreakable. Below are a few of the items purchased by the group.

We had to taste the famous cherry liqueur served in a small chocolate cup with a tiny spout for just one euro.

As you can see we do know how to enjoy ourselves on these well organised quilting retreats. Thank you Stitchtopia!

Written by Karin with input from Jennie, Carol and Mary.

!