Arrived in Tavira, Portugal

With heat warnings in place throughout our area, we want to thank all of our family and friends who contacted us, expressing their concern for our welfare.....well it was (and still is) hot, as we made our way from Jerez, Spain to Tavira, Portugal - via Seville.....and truthfully - the air-conditioners on the buses were really not up to the task! ** A quick travellers note here - when booking a bus on-line in Spain, credit cards issued in any other country cannot be used - PayPal is the only method allowed....it’s not always possible to buy a ticket at the bus station when crossing from one country into another - especially if connecting buses will be used. Additionally - when boarding the bus to another country, the driver may ask to see an actual printed ticket - sometimes showing him the ticket on your mobile phone is not enough.....be warned - and prepared!**
With all of our booking problems behind us, we left our apartment in Jerez and found a taxi parked just a few steps from our door for the quick ride to the bus station - with the required printed tickets in hand! The bus station in Jerez is “basic” - but with the train-station right next door, we had plenty of time to sit outside and enjoy a morning coffee at their great café, before boarding the bus for Seville. Although the bus only stopped once during the 90 minute journey - to allow a very old gentleman to get off in the middle of his village - it did not take the direct route, but traveled along some small two-lane roads, winding through vineyards and other small villages before reaching the bus-station in Seville - not the one we were expecting, but it was the correct one...whew! We thankfully took “shelter” in the air-conditioned waiting room and after just over an hour we again boarded a bus....this one bound for Lisbon, with scheduled stops along the way. After about 90 minutes, we crossed over the Rio Guadiana and into Portugal - arriving in Tavira about 20 minutes later - and - 1/2 hour ahead of schedule! We’d stopped only once along the way (again for just 1 man) and we were the only 2 people that left the bus in Tavira.....apparently none of the scheduled stops are made if no-one has “booked” them.....just another quirk for intrepid travellers to remember! In less than 2 hours after leaving Seville the temperature had dropped from a blazing 42 to a tolerable 34 in Tavira - and we were grateful.....the bus ride was certainly a hot one, and the wi-fi and toilets mentioned on the booking site did not exist on this particular trip!
After a few wrong turns we found our new home - which is a little less than a 10 minute walk from the bus station and is right in town, just a couple of small blocks from the river. A large 1-bedroom on the 3rd floor, it shares the building with only 3 others, while the ground floor houses a couple of offices. After a quick trip to a local shop for supplies, we pulled out some fresh clothes and walked down to the river-front for a stroll. After consuming only home-made sandwiches and water since our morning coffee at the station café in Jerez, we were more than ready for something better - happily we managed to snag a table at one of the many restaurants close to the water, where we enjoyed a tasty dinner of grilled Sea Bass and Cuttlefish....a great start to our month long stay here!
The first days have been spent getting to know, and re-acquainted with this lovely little town in the Eastern Algarve, where we’d already spent a few hours on two separate “day-trips.” Often overlooked for the more well known resort-areas, we can see that in the 3 years since we first visited, its popularity is growing. Admittedly It’s high-season, but the streets, shops, cafés and restaurants are busier - and the signs of development and refurbishing of buildings is everywhere......fingers crossed that the town doesn’t get spoiled.....but so far, so good! Even when the crowds return from the beach and everyone takes to the streets for the evening, voices are low and moderated - there’s no sign of any boisterous or loud behaviour. Popular with families and couples of all ages, it’s a quieter alternative for those who love to spend time in the Algarve.
The town of Tavira extends along the banks of the river Giläo, with architecture that is traditionally Portuguese, with a Moorish influence. It’s a place of decorative churches and historic buildings - all set around attractive plazas and charming cobbled streets. It’s also a beach destination - although it takes a ferry ride to reach the pristine beaches of the Ilha de Tavira, which are among the least developed in the Algarve. This whole area consists of barrier islands that are protected by the Ria Formosa Nature Park.
After “dashing around” and “sightseeing” during our stay in both Seville & Jerez, we’ve now entered the lazier part of our travels - allowing the heat to slow us down as we drift through the days, doing not too much of anything! Showing a little more respect for the heat warnings, we unpacked slowly....we’ve even turned on the air-conditioning a couple of times during daytime hours - something we usually do only during sleep-time! We do, however, still manage to get in plenty of “steps” - most days averaging around 16 or 17 thousand (approximately 10km) ....and quite often we do a few thousand more!.....and so during our first week in Tavira.....
.....we’ve located and visited the local grocery stores and also purchased a new “bluey” to help carry the load. Readers of my previous blogs may remember the original shopping-cart (“bluey”), which we purchased in Albufeira after noticing that the more sensible locals used them for their shopping - it really beats struggling along under the weight of heavy items - just the daily bottles of water weigh a lot! This year’s model is a jaunty shade of purple!
The river Giliäo is a focal point of the town, along with the 2 small pedestrian bridges that cross over it..... and it draws everyone towards it.....a place for numerous strolls - day and night. The bridge that is closest to us, Ponte des Forças Armarda, is the least attractive - walking over it in anything less than “sensible” shoes is a challenge. Although both do the same job of giving pedestrians access to either side of the river, the much more attractive, and more famous Ponte Romana, is lovely. Built in 1667 on the foundations of a Roman Bridge, it has seven arches, wrought iron railings and a cobbled surface. Just crossing the bridge is romantic, offering views of the town’s buildings and palm trees along its banks......it also attracts artists and performers, especially at night. During Medieval times Ponte Romana had fortified towers at each end, and was said to have had a wooden floor which could be removed as a defensive measure when needed. In more recent times the bridge was used by cars, until a flood in 1989 caused too much damage - now only bicycles and pedestrians are allowed.....no complaints from us!
Each side of the river is lined with beautiful old buildings, many are now cafés and restaurants - at this time of year, a welcome place to catch a breeze, eat, drink and watch other people making a choice of where they’ll take a break. Many of the old houses are still vacant and badly in need of work, but this only adds to the sense of the history in Tavira.
Between the 2 bridges, on the “town” side, is a park with a bandstand, which is surrounded by a metal railing, a fish pond and attractive greenery. Painted a light silver, this lovely focal point was made in a foundry in Porto and brought to Tavira in 1890. The stretch of riverside between the old market building and the Roman Bridge is a perfect place for this public park area which has benches and leafy trees to provide shade.....it’s a popular meeting place for the older gentleman of the town. A line of small, attractive canvas “tents” stand on the riverside edge of this park - during the evening it’s an interesting and lively place to browse and do a little shopping. The Vendors and the items for sale change regularly.....at the beginning of our first week it was all book-sellers, but it’s now changed to various artists who sell their wares + some stalls selling baked goods, etc. On summer weekends, entertainment is regularly provided in Praça de República, the town’s main square, where a makeshift stage and seating is set up.....extra seating can always be found on surrounding steps, benches, and of course, in a selection of cafés and restaurants that surround the area.
Also this week, we’ve rediscovered our love for Pasteis de Nata - a flaky pastry tart filled with egg custard.....at the moment our favourite ones were bought at a very busy café at the “new market,” which is located only a 5 minute walk from our apartment. This market is a great place to buy fruits and vegetables from local stall owners. Open 6 days a week until 4pm, it’s early morning fish-market is where many restauranteurs go to buy the fishing fleets’ daily catch. Although we haven’t yet bought fish or meat there, the produce that we’ve bought so far has always been fresh and tasty. The building itself is unattractive, but the stalls, shops and cafés inside it provide tourists with an authentic slice of Portuguese daily life.....with the added bonus of cheaper prices!
One large building that we noticed close to the market and overlooking the salt-flats on the edge of town, is a large convent. One side of it is covered with vibrant bougainvillaea which cascades down over the stone terraces. This historic landmark, founded in 1509, was the largest religious order in the Algarve, providing shelter for nuns from Tavira and the surrounding area for over 300 years. The sisters were “famous” for their traditional egg-based sweets and caramels. Badly damaged during the huge earthquake of 1755, a doorway on one of its sides still survives, despite extensive rebuilding. In 1834, after religious orders ended in Portugal, the building was sold by auction and used as a “steamed-dough” factory. After gradual deterioration, it was abandoned, until a redevelopment project was started in 2010. Designed by the world-famous Portuguese architect Edward Souta Moura, it was restored and adapted into a luxury apartment and villa complex - keeping as many of the original features as possible. Many of the Phoenician, Moorish and Medieval finds that were excavated from the site were placed in a small museum and integrated into the Convento das Bernardas complex, which is said to be stunning. With 2 salt-water pools and all modern conveniences, some units are available for holiday rentals....although.....word “on the street” is that the one major drawback of the complex is the lack of any private outdoor space.
We’ve quickly settled into own “digs” and although far less luxurious than “the convent,” they’re more than adequate for us. Although this time there’s no “penthouse roof-top” terrace - we do have 4 “Juliette” balconies, that allow air to flow through the whole place. The main balcony is off the living area - so any time that we spend in the apartment, we sit at a small table, with both French doors open, and we’re almost outdoors! It’s also a perfect spot for drying laundry while we’re out.....which leads me into the last story of this blog.....
Travelling has certainly taught us to be a lot more flexible - already this year I’ve “conquered” different stoves - from the very basic small gas ones (which do, however, boil the traditional coffee percolator very quickly), to a modern induction stove (fast, but can be tricky) and one that was a chef’s dream - with a huge double oven and 6-burners - definitely a top of the line model! Laundry can also be a challenge....on one of our first days of “hanging it out” in Tavira, I dropped a pair of socks, which along with the attached peg landed on the balcony directly below us. When we returned a few hours later we noticed that the socks were properly attached and drying on the neighbour’s balcony....a knock on the door the next day brought them home - including the peg! What a great way to meet our neighbour!