Menhir at equinox

We will surely have to return to Evora... we've not done half of what we intended and that's ten percent of what we've found to do here. We left the magnificent AirBnB we are staying in and drove out into 4x4 country... 

I'm so glad we got "no excess" cover with the hire. However the Citroen C4 we're abusing has managed womanfully (she's a car, and therefore cannot manage manfully) with heavily rutted dry mud tracks and apart from needing a damned good wash she's untouched by her adventure...

The main is of the Almendres Menhir. It is placed so as to show its narrow edge to the summer solstice dawn. It has a flat edge you can make out on its northern side, and upon that there are carvings that the bright sun made hard to see.

The Almendres Cromlech in the extra was closed, and being honourable types we did not follow the rabble through the vandalised barbed wire fence and into the cromlech, but captured this shot from the fence, which shows why the cromlech is currently shut...

Heavy tourist footfall has reduced the level of the soil to the point that the stones are becoming dislodged and wobbly. You could call view it analogous to dental gum recession. 

If you look at the extra, you can see the two to three feet of additional soil that is being introduced around the stones to secure them in place, and it is this still unsecured and loose soil that those for whom signs been nothing are already scattering.

I'm annoyed by the casual way the intruders (whom I did not photograph) stood on the stones. It's like the faux pagans who leave aluminium tea light shells and candle scorches in longbarrows... a personal gripe.

Anyway. It's the autumn equinox, even though it feels like summertime here still. Blessings of balance and happiness to you all.  /|\