Jo’s Monday walk : Miróbriga

Last week we took a look at the town of Santiago do Cacém and its lovely castelo.  With only a couple of nights away from home there was little time for putting our feet up so, having checked in to our hotel, it was hot foot to the Roman ruins of Miróbriga.

One kilometre north west of the town, it would have been an easy drive, but some people like to do things the hard way.  When we finally arrived the site did not look too imposing, but the Romans seldom got it wrong so, bypassing the small museum, we set off to explore.

Wikipedia tells me that these Roman baths are among the best preserved in Portugal, and I do have a bit of a fondness for baths.  The settlement here appears to date back to the Iron Age, the Romans occupying and extending the site from the second half of the 1st century.

I talked about mood the other day, and how some places affect you more than others.  Although this is a sizeable site, with very visible paved Roman roads and the remnants of many shops and residences, it didn’t whisper to me as these places sometimes do.  It shouldn’t have been hard to picture a toga-less Roman or two lolling at their ablutions, discussing politics and which wench they had an eye for.  But somehow I couldn’t tune in to the gossip, as I might have done at beautiful Ammaia, near Marvão.

Information boards were plentiful and specific, giving details of the hypocaust system which heated the floor of the baths.  To the east of these is a small, single arch bridge which leads to the forum and temples.  It was here, if anywhere, that I felt the weight of history, crumbling in the cracks and uneven surfaces of the crazed paving slabs.

There were not many other visitors this late in the day, and it was easy to slip into the lodging house to examine the remains of ancient wall paintings, and finally to the elevated position of the forum and Imperial temple.

I gazed in vain for the Hippodrome, the only one in Portugal whose entire ground plan is known.  It was left to me to imagine the thunder of chariots, echoing in the silent Alentejo countryside.

Can you believe that in all this long day not a morsel of cake had passed our lips?  Where’s the justice, I hear you cry!  Where’s the cake?

A small café looked across to the ruins and we rested our weary legs there, listening to a couple of locals discuss their day.  Pickings were slim, as we might have been, because it wasn’t easy to find a restaurant to accommodate us that evening.  So, I’m afraid I’m going to have to keep you dangling till next week, when Michael finally gets his chocolate cake.  But I can leave you with a fine windmill and a heap of cork, observed on our walk back to the hotel.

walking logo

Thanks everyone, for keeping me company.  Time to share a few walks.  I shall have one last for you, from the Alentejo, next week.  Feel free to join me there, on Jo’s Monday walk.

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Fishing quotas can have disastrous effects, but they take Eunice on a really interesting walk :

A walk to Fleetwood wrecks

Go adventuring with Alice!

Fort Morris State Historic Site

Janet is home from the Wyoming she loves.  Lots of choices to share :

Monday walk…walk, ride or drive?

Which path will you choose?  Yvette would like to know :

Pathways – Monday Walk with Jo

Wondering how Drake’s feeling this week?

Blue mood

A walk through a very sad period in history, with Denzil :

The Reconstruction of Ypres

Sharing the beauty of this world, with Rupali :

Weekend 103: Trees and Trees

And finally, blow a few cobwebs away as we tramp across the Moors with Margaret :

A Bleak Walk is Just Perfect

Take care, all!  It’s a funny old world out there, isn’t it?

132 comments

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  8. I do love Roman history so thanks for the walk today. I found those last two shots interesting. I wonder what the trend towards non-cork corks in wine is doing to the cork industry or whether it’s in response to not enough cork. And the windmill is indeed a beauty.

    I’m sharing another set of views from Wyoming, only the walking was done by the horses. But it’s still walking! I went out for a walk this morning here in Arizona and before 6 am it was already 88 F. Can’t wait until fall, when things cool off a bit. 🙂

    https://sustainabilitea.wordpress.com/2020/08/24/monday-walk-for-the-horses/

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    1. There are boatloads of cork oaks here, Janet, and in the Alentejo especially they stretch for miles. We have an overload of shops trying to sell cork items in response. The shoes and sandals are lovely but not cheap. Hopefully the tourists won’t mind.
      A slight ease in temps today but rising again from tomorrow. Thanks to the horses! 🤣🤣💕

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    1. It was getting late in the day and I’d ran out of steam, Susan. Yes! It happens 🤣 Much more peaceful this week. Beach, lingering with a book and the odd stroll… Thanks, hon! You too 💕💕

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    1. Yes, it was a bit bland, Cathy, and I was already tired that day. A good friend had mentioned it so I wanted to fit it in but I could have done with relaxing by the pool instead. But then I’d have been wondering what I’d missed. No pleasing some folk 🤣💕

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  14. Mmmm, not one of your most-liked walks I think, and it wasn’t only the lack of cake! But like you, if a place doesn’t speak to me I don’t ‘get’ it’. It doesn’t often happen like this but just sometimes. I’ve been meaning to write about the Roman Baths in Caerleon in Wales for some time now and your post has just reminded me about it. But first, I have to look out the pictures. Hope your week goes well. I’m battening down the hatches here awaiting the next big storm. Last week’s snapped the pole of my garden umbrella in two. It was secured through a wrought-iron table and then into a heavy wrought-iron stand. I found the umbrella part in another part of the garden. Meantime, enjoy your continued lovely Portugal. I’m learning such a lot about that country from you. What a lot I missed on my trips there years ago.

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    1. We were cramming too much into the day, I think, Mari, but we had plans for the following one, which was our actual anniversary. The same friend who recommended Carrasqueira failed to see this site because it was closed the day she was here and I wanted to see it for her, if you know what I mean?
      Seems to be a big variation in the weather depending where you are in the UK. The little un is off to Bridlington this week in a caravan so I’ve got my fingers crossed. 🤗🏖️💕

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  16. You’ve got me on a diet Jo – no cake! 🙂 Not a bad thing though, I’ve eaten far too much of it recently 🙂 Great photos here as usual, I love the blue sky view in the second shot 🙂

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  17. Another interesting walk Jo – always find out so much fascinating history following along on your adventures! I do have a walk of my own to write up – a pretty walking trail we did on our recent trip down south. Hopefully I can get it done this week – I seem to have been playing catch up recently! Hope you have a lovely week 🙂 🙂

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    1. This is your relax week without family responsibilities, so if you feel like writing it, great! If not, I’ll still be around to appreciate it. 🤗💕
      Speaking of family, how’s Dad doing?

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      1. Hopefully will get it written up this week Jo – we thought of your Monday Walks and took a load of photos! Thanks my dad’s doing ok but he does get down with the isolation and monotony. He walks and reads a lot and listens to his music but it does seem rather endless and I know he’s not looking forward to winter. Realistically it will be a long time before I could even contemplate a visit quite possibly not before 2022 who knows? Meanwhile I Skype him twice a week and try to keep his spirits up – we chat for at least an hour and a half each time but he says it helps so that’s something. It’s not easy for any of us with overseas family at present. Hope your family are doing ok too back in the Uk? Take care xx

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      2. I think I’d have been miserable throughout much of this in the UK. It’s so hard when you don’t have family close by. We’re back at Christmas but I’m scheming in the meantime 🤔💕

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      3. Yes it certainly sounds like they’ve had a tough time in the UK. I know friends in Melbourne are finding the current lockdowns hard too. Very unsettling with all the uncertainty. Christmas will be here before we know it too – best wishes with all your plans! xx

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