Elvis in Elvas

The motorway east of Evora climbs gently through a rolling landscape dotted with cork oaks and beige fallow fields. It is a season of transition, plumes of smoke from olive farmers burning cuttings, plumes of dust trailing behind tractors harrowing the bare earth in readiness for planting next Spring's wheat. The broad plain of the Tagus and its tributaries is the least mountainous terrain between Spain and the Portuguese capital. Consequently the towns cling to hills, heavily fortified with walls of grey granite and topped by a stern fortress. Evoramonte, Estremoz, Borba, Elvas each variants of the ancient citadel theme, but with unique characteristics - Estremoz famous for granite quarries, Borba developing the northern Alentejo's 'country wines' into something more sophisticated and special.

Another time we may have lingered, but now the Bilbao ferry deadline in ten days time is beginning to weigh on our minds. We drove straight past heading for the camperstop at Elvas and its Intermarché. We reduced our supply of fresh food to leave the van unattended in Lisbon. Now we needed to restock. 

What are the chances of the next thing happening and is there any kind of rational explanation? We were half way through our grocery shopping, trundling our jolly little red long-handled basket behind us, when the soulful Portuguese bossa nova muzak faded out to be replaced by The King himself singing 'All Shook Up'. I cannot recall ever being serenaded by Elvis in a supermarket before, I would remember, because I think he is ridiculous and most of his music dreadful. So, what are the chances of hearing Elvis in Intermarché Elvas when I have not heard him before anywhere else? The probability must be infinitesimal, unless the Portuguese have a weird sense of irony like the British, and in fact it is a regular occurrence here.

More seriously, Elvas is famous for two things, firstly, an enormous aqueduct which looks Roman but in fact was built in the 16th century; secondly, the town boasts the most extensive dry moated fortifications on the planet, a fact which is enough for an otherwise unremarkable place to be granted World Heritage status.

If you use the town's free camperstop then you have plenty of opportunity to admire the aqueduct as the place situated in a big car park more or less underneath the arches.

From here it is a kilometre or so walk into the historical centre up a steep hill and through a maze-like gate in the Vauban style fortifications. The reason why the town is protected by a series of linked bastions is because it is only ten kilometres from the Spanish border. For centuries it was a major garrison town guarding the border; it was besieged many times, but never breached. There is a British connection too, Arthur Wellesley, later made the Duke of Wellington, commanded forces here during the Peninsular War, attacking Bonaparte's forces based in Badejoz just over the border.

As well as the fortifications there is an attractive central square, a number of impressive Baroque churches and the usual tangle of cobbled alleys and white walled ancient houses. There is still a small military presence in the town. They administrator the military museum which houses a collection of twentieth century weapons as well as exhibits about the fortifications.

Here and at Evora we noticed an irritating development. The local tourist board seem to think that plonking a big installation in the central square with the town's name in metre high letters next to a giant heart will result in Twitter and Instagram aficionados posting selfies of themselves and the town, thus producing free global promotional opportunities. I hope the wheeze does not become a trend, it's somewhat dispiriting.

One final word of caution regarding Elvas. The free camperstop beside the arches suffers from traffic noise less than you might anticipate given its proximity to the ring road. It is however plagued by barking dogs from nearby houses. They howled, yapped and whined most of the night. It was two slightly grumpy travellers who headed for Spain the next morning. If we ever return here, I think we would use the car park for a day visit, but sleep elsewhere. A number of nearby towns have stopping places noted on 'Park for Night'. They cannot all be plagued by neglected dogs