Exploring Tavira

September 23, 2022

Tavira

Breakfast at the hotel was delicious and had us well fuelled for what would turn out to be a fairly sedentary day by our standards. We seem to be moving into full on vacation mode which isn’t bothering either of us one bit. We are really enjoying this slower travel. I think part of it is the wonderful warm weather that seems to put us in slow mode.

The breakfast terrace. We simply love being able to eat every meal outside.

We retrieved the bikes from the garage and rolled into town unloaded. It was a great ride into town. Tavira itself turned out to be relatively bike unfriendly in the touristy area. There wasn’t the large pedestrian area we have become accustomed to, and what there was was a maze of stage, power cords and busy people rushing around. More on that later. Everything was narrow cobbled streets and the town was busy! We finally resorted to walking the bikes, and trying to find a safe space to lock them up.

Looking down from the ancient castle. Keith went up first. I followed later. We took turns watching the bikes as we were still looking for a suitable place to lock them.

One of the eighteen churches in the background.

We decided we were trying to do the town by braille, and looked to tourist information for help. It was helpful, except for the part about not locking your bikes to lampposts, which happened to be where ours were. Fortunately we found a sympathetic and friendly restauranteur who showed us where to lock them and kept an eye on them. We had a good laugh when he teased Keith that as soon as our backs were turned he was going to sell them.

Unencumbered by the bikes it was much easier to negotiate the old town. We visited two of the historic churches (two out of eighteen) and were headed for number three when we decided we had seen enough churches for the day. We had checked out the castle earlier and took another quick look together. Then we stopped for a drink and to watch the world go by. That is when the sound checks started at the giant stage. We were forced to go inside. We didn’t want our mature hearing exposed to that! It was the loudest sound check I have heard in my life. Really, it was. I am pretty sure we will hear the music tonight from the hotel. I am so sorry we didn’t get a picture of the speakers. They were seriously HUGE.

Church of Misericórdia, from the first half of the 18th century.

The walls were blue tile panels dating from 1760.

Church of Santa Maria do Castelo. It was undergoing extensive renovations and watching the artisans at work was fascinating. It was founded in the 13th century on the site of a former mosque. It had to be rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake.

There was a great deal of restoration work that needs to be done. It did give us a chance to see some of the artifacts up close.

We circled this a few times, it was to be church number three, but never did find the entrance and that was the end of the cultural part of our day.

Then we strolled down the waterfront to check on the ferries to the island. They ran hourly and we had just missed one so it was a perfect time for lunch, waterside, at the restaurant with the helpful owner.

The best poached pear and blue cheese salad I have had in my life. Those pears were drunken pears and delicious. It was all delicious.

Over lunch we decided to forget the ferry to the island. Instead we rode down a long causeway almost to the island. This was a fantastic ride. We saw a flock of flamingos. I was thrilled. They were further away than ideal, but they were the real deal, and not in a zoo.

This looked like the perfect thing to be doing today.

Looking back towards Tavira from the breakwater.

Flamingoes. They were pinker in person than the photo shows.

This was a terrific part of the day, riding along the waterfront.

It was time for gelato. The sound checks resumed and it was, for us, intolerable. As we were beating a hasty retreat over the Roman Bridge there was one blast that just about sent me into the stratosphere. I am amazed it didn’t blow the gigantic speakers. We are getting old. It is some kind of a youth festival, we were told. The kids will love it. They may be deaf by 30 but will have a fine time tonight. I am not so old that I have forgotten.

I am writing this poolside. We are feeling so delighted with this spot we may stay another night. We may do a hike on the island to the anchor graveyard. Or we may lounge by the pool all day. Or we may move on. We will see!

Much to my amusement I can hear the concert starting. We are four and a half kilometres away!

Today's ride: 20 km (12 miles)
Total: 651 km (404 miles)

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