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A van named Frank

April - October 2021
Road tripping with our campervan Frank, from Zurich, Switzerland to Esposende, Portugal! Later up to Bilbao and over on the Ferry to Ireland! Returning on a ferry to France and slowly back to Switzerland.
Let’s see how it plays out. Read more
  • 112footprints
  • 7countries
  • 203days
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  • 55videos
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  • A van named Frank
    1
    Day 20

    Féile na Bealtaine - happy May Day!

    May 1, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    1st of May. Summer is truly on the in.

    We hope the sun is shining down wherever you are.....

    We woke as fog was slowly rising of the sea under the morning sun...that mystic mist, what legends and stories are made of!

    Molly has kept up ancient celtic pagan Bealtaine tradition, washing her face (bathing in) the 1st of May morning dew.....and where better to carry out such a ritual then here in Galicia, with its many cultural ties to the celtic Irish (not to mention the west of Ireland-esque landscapes).

    For dinner we dined locally, not 50meters from the sea and but 5 mins walk from camp, on a Mero fish caught but hours before...mmmmmm tasty!

    A delicious last meal in Spain as tomorrow we hope to cross into Portugal because borders are officially open once more!!

    We will return to Northern Spain once things open up a bit more and we can truly experience their rich lively culture!    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 21

    Bem vindo a Portugal

    May 2, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    We made it to Portugal!!!!!We can hardly believe it, the smoothest border crossing yet! And this country already has our minds blown with the beautiful nature....spending the 1st night in Lamas de Mouro camping at the entrance to Peneda-Gerês National Park with a bottle of their locally made Alvarinho...a little fizz and chilled perfectly in the babbling brook.
    We weaved the winding roads in and around the granite hills covered in yellow gorse and lilac heather, meeting on occasion wild cattle with huge horns (almost gazelle like) and wild horses and cute foals....some Northern Portugal safari...amazing!    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 22

    Mata-Atlantica

    May 3, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    The days will be spent between here and there from now on as we arrive at destination Mata-Atlantica....And my, it’s a wild and wonderful plot of land.

    Updates will trickle in from here, but sit tight. There’s much more to share and show...

    Love from Portugal 💚🚌    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    1
    Day 29

    Oh my Porto

    May 10, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    Monday; it was forecast to rain all day, and so we made a city excursion to Porto and it’s beauty did not disappoint.

    In actuality it was a day of sunshine and showers as we wandered up and down cobbled streets, finding cute spots to eat, and enjoy chats with a few Swiss friends who were in town!

    Just loved the variety of building facades, all unique tiles and colours and then the red tiled roofs...all popping or appearing a different levels...gorgeous!

    Looking forward to another visit soon.....    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 35

    Feliz Aniversário Tobias 🥳

    May 16, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Happy birthday to youuuuuuuuu......

    🥳🥳🥳

    Tobi turned 36, and what better way to celebrate then on the land at Mata-Atlantica!

    The day was spent between sipping on cervejas 🍻 with a small crew of friends and playing at the 1st disc golf open 🥏🥏

    Then in true birthday style we had a cake with candles and singing in chorus....the lemon-drizzle cake was homebaked (in Franks omnia oven - 1st time trying and a success)!🎂

    Oh and not to forget a surprise concert on the accordion 🪗 by the friendly neighbour who happened to drive by! .....

    All in all, a proper celebration in the sunny forest, kept cool by the atlantic breeze equals a birthday fit for the nature boy himself! 🤴

    For he's a jolly good fellow, and so say all of us!

    Happy birthday Tobi!    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 46

    Go go chasing waterfalls

    May 27, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    So it’s been a while between footprints. But not because we haven’t been taking some big steps...

    This last week was a week off Mata Atlantica and a week of exploring northern Portugal once more.

    We spent our first 3 nights outside of Frank since we began.... (SHOCK!) at a Quinta and some wine with lovely views....but suddenly the next days became more magical as we got to camp again (as the happy campers we are)! Franks back and in the Gerês National park. It’s breathtaking here....we arrived after a mission of a journey!! We are no 4x4 but we surely tested the limits on some roads that turned out not to be roads as we reversed the way back out. Well done Tobi!!
    And these roads are narrow! My gosh. It was an adventure...

    And finally hours later and many detours/desvios we arrived at camping Ermina and it’s all we could have hoped for....
    A friendly welcome and a hand drawn map to the nearest waterfall, who were we to say no ;)

    It didn’t disappoint as we swam below our private waterfall...in crystal clear waters, fresh but not glacial !

    Hand picked a fresh bouquet of wild flowers as we wove through the cobbled streets up and around and between the local village and into the forest. MAGIC.

    And home for the best nights sleep. Peaceful surrounds, fresh air, lush landscape and some waterfalls can do a lot for a person!    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    21
    Day 47

    Gerês

    May 28, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    And so we wanted to do a bigger hike today, but also to enjoy the stops on the way.

    From the landscape in this rocky highland, whose huge boulders of granite, so shapely, could almost seem like sculpted art... and the wild flowers in all colours and textures... and then the olive oak cork birch and all the trees, such old trees up on top of these hills, growing in over and around these massive boulders, some with fountains coming out...fit for faeries!

    But of course every magic adventure needs some magic pools of wisdom and water....so there were also many a waterfall. Waterfalls and streams and clear water! Drinking water, that flows as though from nowhere to there now where you walk and the fountains that pop up here there and everywhere. Are we in Switzerland? .....well, maybe because there were also cows, oh the cows some as big as buffalos... Beautiful rusty brown colouring with big horns and soft fur, dingling bells and a happy demeanour (but who wouldn’t if this was your home/place of work right?)

    This is Northern Portugal, and their one National Park and from this first short impression this place is magic. We’ll be back. Oh we will!    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 61

    Esposende

    June 11, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Even as the Atlantic seas batter the shore, the charming seaside town of Esposende is captivating. It’s been our home spot of recent, due to the free camper site nearby with all our emptying and filling facilities at hand…because as of January this year Portugal put a ban on wild camping with heavy fines….
    Still, it’s pretty nice to return to our “flat” that is Frank, under the oaks of the camper area, with an Aldi across the field for any snack needs, watching the Portuguese families come and go on their mini holidays, or the bunnies (so far we’ve counted a family of 4) sit in a field of daisies admiring the setting sun!

    Esposende has lots of restaurants and cafes, which at some we’ve become regulars….plenty of green spaces and a beautiful board walk across the Cavado river mouth (which leads into the Atlantic)…beaches and shady spots under the trees…and now it’s June, oh the sun it shines and all the blue waters turn ever bluer!

    We’ve taken out a monthly pass for the local swimming pool, cause some days that Atlantic is so wild even a mermaid would struggle to swim…and the piscina is lovely altogether. Salty outdoor pool which looks over the river. Sure it’s something out of a resort, but it’s actually just the local town pool! And we can shower - vanlife hack 😏

    Sometimes we also park up by the boardwalk, open the window to the river and dunes, login to the free wifi and do a bit of home officing....find penguins uploads- another vanlife hack 🚌

    Esposende - their slogan: privilege of nature.    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 65

    Sunsets before the storm

    June 15, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    It’s was another evening of Euros football, easily forgotten while watching the sunset over the river Cavado as it meets the sea. A storm was brewing….winds were blowing….the camera couldn’t resist capturing ;)Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 66

    Parque Natural do Litoral Norte

    June 16, 2021 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Day trip within Esposende to the beautiful empty beach of Praia de Ofir in the natural park here….

    A lovely big sand bank where on the one side you can jump in and be tossed around by the Atlantic, and the other, where you can sit with the fishermen as they do their magic at the mouth of the Cavado river!

    A wooden boardwalk leads you back in through the dunes and sand flowers…and one can gawk at a few lucky souls who have houses here (future goals!)

    A sure spot to have some peace on the beach in summer as it seems the majority of people don’t stray out too far from main entry to the beaches in Portugal. A win for us wandering few…

    Of course, a beach day like this can then only end with fresh summer rolls!    Read more

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