Elvas

Elvas is the last castle before Spain. Just over there on the horizon is Badajoz. The Portuguese government likes taking advantage of its proximity to shut hospitals and services in Elvas since in these EU times Portuguese citizens can use the Spanish infrastructure. The people in Elvas don't like that so much since Spain is Spain and Portugal is Portugal, EU or no EU.

The Aqueduto da Amoreira stretches across the landscape to the east of the city

In return the Spanish like coming to Elvas (and Portugal) to pick up the bargains and spring is prime shopping season all the way to Lisbon. But since Spain is the more prosperous country (and there's a few lingering issues there) if there is a way to make visitors pay more then it will be exploited. For the privilege of climbing the ramparts of Elvas Castle to construct this clever photo I had to pay 2 euros."Lingering issues" - yes there's a little of a history between Spain and Portugal. Portugal is the product of a teenage spat by a Spanish prince, who wanted his own kingdom NOW not when his mum was ready to give it to him. Unlike Charles he decided to secede with a province and fight his mum to keep it his own. That independence has made several Spanish provinces jealous even to this day (since Spain is not a country but a collection of kingdoms) but also irked the Spanish kings through the ages. However they could never quite satisfy their frustrations by conquering it - even with though the Portuguese occasionally were better at attacking themselves instead of the enemy.

Is he reading his lines? Learning his arias? Or just inspecting the "prato do dia" before dinner??!!