Meeting friends and castle ruins
Trip Start
Jun 12, 2007
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237
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Trip End
Ongoing
Tavira, Algarve, Portugal
Thursday, November 24, 2011
The next day we were heading to Tavira, to meet up with Pam and Glenn Woz. We hadn't seen them since Cambodia and we were really looking forward to seeing them again. En-route we stopped off at Sao Lourenco Chapel and it was open this time, so we were able to go inside and take a wander round. The chapel itself, where there is a small fee to enter, was stunning inside, really, really tiny, but still worth a look. That done we continued on our trip to Tavira.
We found Pam and Glenn’s hotel and went inside as we were a little early and they were downstairs in the lobby. Hugs and smiles abound we headed into town to get a coffee and have a catch up. Tavira was very quiet, hardly anyone around again, but we spent a lovely afternoon here, ambling round the old streets and the 13th century castle ruins. It’s a beautiful historic town with some amazing architecture, a number of old cobbled streets and plenty of squares with cafes to sit and reflect on the world and peoples ways of life. I don’t know where the afternoon went, but before we knew it, evening was drawing in. It was wonderful to share time with such warm, friendly, positive people again. After a final drink in a rooftop bar, time had once again got the better of us, so goodbyes were said and we headed off home.
We had one more day in Portugal, where we went and found a dam that we were going to find the other day before the storm set in. After visiting a couple of small places on the map that we hadn’t been to before we ended up at Cabo de Sao Vicente, somewhere we have been many times now, but still holds an attraction for me. After taking in the fresh air and gazing out at the Atlantic for while we went and found somewhere to have a late lunch. It was gloriously sunny and hot today, so we just sat outside taking our time and watching the world go by. Once we finally decided to move on we headed to Silves – also a place we’ve been before. Last time we came here parts of the castle were roped off and archaeologists were busy digging out and revealing more of the structure, so we thought it’d be interesting to go and see what kind of progress had been made over the last few years and whether there had been any interesting finds. Upon entering the castle remains we were stunned to find that most of what they had previously been digging around when we were last there had actually been concreted over and a café/toilet block had been erected on top of it!! Big shame!
Someone gave me some birthday money in Euros the month before we came here, so I thought it would be nice to have a meal with it this evening. We drove to Carvoeiro in the hope of finding one of the Portuguese restaurants open – alas there was only one open and he was fully booked all evening. Not much was open at all again, but there is a nice Italian restaurant there which we have been in before that was open, so Italian it was.
10th February 2012
I would like to have written more about those last few days in Portugal, but in a 'clearout’ of our house, my travel notes seem to have gone missing, so this is from my ‘shaky at best’ memory!!!
In other news, we do currently have a buyer for our house, so things are progressing forward on that front. A move to Prague was on the cards at one point, which is now no longer going ahead; however, we had just got to the point of accepting that the house wouldn’t sell till summer time came again when our buyers came along. Various things we had previously thought of and discussed are now no longer relevant to our current circumstances, for numerous reasons ……. so, the drawing board is back out. The main thing though is that the house has sold (fingers crossed that it all goes through okay) and that for us is fantastic news :-)
Comments
Nice photos, I'm impressed with them
I wondered where you had got too, now I know, been reading the past blog from here, seeing a lot arent you ?
nice :-)
I cant wait to read about Cuba and see the pictures you will be posting
Congrats on flogging your house, that has to be a relief for you, saves you hanging about till spring/summmer time
Thanks Derrick, selling the house is a big relief and definitely trying to see as much as possible :-)
Busy trying to get our 'possessions' down to a minimum. It's amazing how much stuff you accumulate over the years. We wanted to get to a position where we are able to transport all our stuff in two car loads initially (maybe even less later), which is quite some going for a sizeable 3 bed detached house with garage and gardens - but we're slowly getting there!
Congrats on selling the house! Looking forward to reading about Cuba too, you're going to love it!
Thanks Kathryn! Only a couple more days till we go!!! xx