As we steered our rented hatchback up the narrow gravel road behind the walled city of Obidos in Portugal, we had the sinking feeling that Google Maps’ idea of the best route to the popular tourist destination wasn’t the standard way there, and certainly not the most direct.
The dusty, tan path was wending past apple, pear and sour cherry orchards, which then transformed into vineyards, then back again to orchards as we climbed. The gap-toothed ramparts loomed in the distance to our right and ahead, a stereotype of a castle that a child would draw: vertical rectangle, horizontal line, vertical rectangle, horizontal line.
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