Nov. 3, Bone Chapel, Estoi, and Cerro de S. Miguel

November 3rd
We decided to go back to Faro because we discovered that the Bone Chapel we visited was a small one and not far away was one with the bones of 1245 monks. The first gypsies I had seen were sitting in the entrance to the Igraja do Carmo. We entered through the church and I took pictures of the altar and the organ. We went out into the walled garden and found the chapel (s) as there were two of them. One large with bones in the walls and ceilings and one small with only one wall facing you and the bones inserted in it. This is a way to respect the dead and preserve the bones that are found in unmarked, ancient or mass graves. The tombstones of some of the bodies have been preserved as paving stones.
Outside the church was a carob tree and strewn on the ground were carob pods. I knew people substituted carob for chocolate but I had never seen carob before.
We headed for the little town of Estoi. There is a castle there that is more modern than the ones we have been looking at. It is probably more like a rich estate than a castle. It is a heritage building but it is now also a hotel. E hotel has to preserve the outside and integrity of the building but they have turned the inside into hotel rooms. We walked all around it and I took pictures of the gates and towers. The last picture is of a room off to the side at the back. It appears to be a public laundry area. The blue tile portrays a woman with her laundry and there is still water in the various pools.
We now headed to Cerra de S. Miguel which is a height of land in the area. On the way I took a picture of cork trees. We found better ones a few days later but these were the first I got pictures of. Paulo drove up the hill and it was quite steep and windy. On top there were aerials and phone and TV towers. We parked and walked around and took some pictures of the valleys and of sunset. While we were there, Ana and Paulo did a Geocache which I signed onto as well. Will report it when I get back to Canada.
We drove back down the hill just as the sun was setting on another wonderful day. Off home to send a few postcards and then to bed.