We seemed to be across the border in minutes this morning – hadn’t realised we were that close.
First up, a toll booth on the main road. Put the card in, got a ticket, and I think it’s now registered us for using the automatic toll roads.
Last time we were here, we never did work it out and I read that the system was so complicated even the locals ignored it!
Drove to the outskirts of Tavira and parked up a little nervously outside a shopping centre. I say nervously, as the ‘Park4Night’ app that we use is full of tales of trouble and theft, so I made sure to read all the reviews first.
I think we took Rufus into Tavira in 2017, but I don’t think we could have seen all of it as the town is much, much,bigger than I remember. Think it could be described as shabby chic, with its beautifully tiled, but crumbling buildings. There’s a river through the middle of it with a couple of nice bridges and a ruined castle. What we did notice was all the colourful flowers that seemed to have suddenly bloomed everywhere and loads of people about of all nationalities.
This afternoon, we made our way to Olhão, a little further along the coast. Guy needed to call at a camera shop for another absolutely vital piece of equipment 🙄…a cover for the repaired lens. The shop didn’t open until 3pm so we had a coffee in the little cafe opposite. The owner told us that they’d only had ten days of rain in the area out of the last 365! I’ll get some washing done – that always brings on a downpour. 🤣
Walked around the harbour, past the twin market halls and into the pedestrianised old town. Again, lots of fancy tiled buildings and narrow streets with little shops and cafes. All this was overlooked by several storks balancing on their huge nests high above the ground. Quite funny watching them doing their housework, throwing out the bits of sticks not needed.
Parked on the port with a few others – it was really quiet but now there seems to be a few Ron Haslams around!
