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The TV promised rain today for our journey south to Albufeira in the Algarve, and kept it! Swathes of rain, sometimes almost torrential, accompanied our navigation of the non-toll route. The open plains we drove across made the huge black clouds look very threatening and at one point we looked for a place to stop and wait for the downpour to ease a bit. At the entrance to a cemetery we sat off the road while the water poured downhill around us and minor flooding on the road deepened. Before this the weather had cleared for long enough to allow us to stop for lunch and a wander around Evora, an old fortified town with Roman temple ruins at the top of the hill. The postcards we bought here show how the town looks in the bright sunshine, which must be much more common than today’s rather dreary grey scene.
As we approached the Algarve region and the coast, blue sky appeared and we were able to see and even walk by the sea when we arrived at Albufeira, a tourist mecca for British holiday makers and our stop for tonight. Even though it’s early in the season, English seemed more
common than Portuguese on the street and in the restaurant where we ate golden bream tonight. Down at the beach the boardwalk was laid out across the sand marking the route to the deckchairs set out in regimented lines, some with sun umbrellas as well. Several hardy folk were enjoying the last rays of the sun in their holiday swimwear even though the temperature was around 18 degrees. We seemed to have stumbled into a kind of upmarket holiday camp by the beach and imagine it would be packed when the season really gets going.
We’ll resist the urge to have a dip before we leave in the morning as more rain is forecast to be heading this way, probably with cool temperatures. Tomorrow’s drive will take us back into Spain so it will be ‘gracias’ again instead of ‘obrigado’. We have enjoyed Portugal and are glad we decided to include it in our itinerary, but we’re now looking forward to seeing much more of Spain over the rest of this month.
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Allan Hodgert
non-member comment
Where to stay in Faro?
I'm going to be in Faro, Portugal August 2 thru 5. Should I stay in Faro near their beaches, or 15 miles east in Tavira and hang at their beaches. I really need to hear from someone that's been there. I have a feeling if you want the resort life, stay in Tavira, but if you want some city life at night, stay in Faro. Help me please.