"Why not recover a bus from the 60s and transform it into a comfortable 'home' with everything you need for a vacation or a couple of days off quiet and relaxed ?” was the question asked by the family of Ricardo Marcelino, owner of Camping Bus Alojamento, together with his parents, sisters and brother-in-law. And said and done. Well, rather, seen (in Condeixa) and transferred (by crane) to the town of Arrabal, in central Portugal, where he was subjected to a complete rehabilitation for a year and a half.
There were many hours of work and dedication, weekends without rest and combining their work schedules with the new project, but finally among all –and in a self-taught way– they got this retro camping bus with room for up to four people (reservable through Airbnb) will see the light in 2019: "We did everything, from welders, blacksmiths, carpenters, painters, decorators, gardeners", confesses Ricardo Marcelino.
The bus has two floors.
RETRO CAMPING BUS
The Portuguese recounts that, upon reaching the farm of Casal dos Ferreiros, The first thing that catches your eye is a huge green and white double-decker bus with a fresh look. An English type vehicle –with air conditioning and WIFI– which, on the ground floor, has a small Fully equipped kitchen, a living room and a bathroom and, on the upper floor, with a bedroom for two people and a living room with a sofa that transforms into another room (with capacity for two more people).
As soon as you enter, you can see in the design, as Ricardo explains, that they have done "everything possible to maintain its essence to transport visitors to a quiet place full of magic and memories”. And that the best is yet to come, since outside there is a terrace where one can relax listening to the little birds, reading a good book, preparing a barbecue or having a refreshing swim in the private pool.
Ground floor of the bus.
IN AND OUT
The center of Portugal is characterized by being a region where there are a large number of monuments classified by UNESCO as World Heritage, such as the Mosteiro da Batalha, the Convent of Christ, located in Tomar, the Alcobaça Monastery and the Fátima Sanctuary. “ It is a very rich region culturally, There is currently a candidacy for European City of Culture in 2027. Due to its gastronomic diversity, it is the ideal place to learn a little about the history of Portugal, for its monuments, for its paths that always lead to Fatima and for its landscapes full of green and sea ”, continues Ricardo Marcelino, who also takes the opportunity to remember how close the coast is: "In 35 minutes you are on the north beach of Nazaré."
Although after the reception that they will give you at the farm, you may prefer not to leave the bus at all: “It is a quiet space, full of small details. We leave as a welcome a can with homemade coconut cookies made by us and a small basket with essential goods, such as homemade soaps or hot bread at dawn, comments the co-owner, who invites you to go out and explore the land with total freedom to take everything you need: vegetables from his garden, figs, grapes and even fresh eggs from their hens.
“This project has taught us that the best thing we have is knowing how to receive, being able to share our experiences, our space and this is always noticeable in every comment we receive when someone says goodbye and tells us 'until next time', concludes Ricardo Marcelino.
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