“PORTUGAL IS AN EPICENTRE FOR HISTORY, NOT TO MENTION IT IS ONE OF THE OLDEST COUNTRIES IN EUROPE”
There’s a moment that many people experience in life: the realization that you have nothing to compare your current surroundings to, when everything becomes completely new. I recently revelled in that moment when I realized that I may be a bit uncultured. This became apparent as I gazed with new eyes upon the rich mix of history and culture that characterizes Portugal.
On a map, Portugal looks a little like a vertical rectangle, dwarfed between its neighbouring country, Spain, and the Atlantic Ocean. It may be seen as such a small country that you could ride it from top to bottom in a day, and you could, but you’d be missing out. Unlike our vast country of Canada, Portugal has a history and unique culture soaked into every inch. It would be cruel to limit your experience to just a day or two. I was lucky enough to be in Portugal for just over a week and it wasn’t nearly enough time.
Learning New Rules of the Road
First, I met with Miguel, who I would be riding with. I would be on a BMW R1250 GS for the next five days, while Miguel would be on a Honda NC700 from Hertz Ride Rentals. We quickly made our way out of Lisbon through the congested traffic. I soon realized I would have to adapt fast to the driving rules and boundaries in proximity to other vehicles. This trip, I determined, would either make me an exceptional rider or completely deteriorate any and all skill I had come to this country with.
Our first stop was Evora,
