Rainy Portugal

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Lagos, as I discovered Sunday, is a dreadful tourist-trap. The restaurants are chocked with elderly Brits and Germans and the shops are filled with touristy kitsch. It´s the kind of place I was actually embaressed to be walking around in. The beaches were nice, but the weather was overcast the whole time.
At night it was a different story. I went out well after midnight on Saturday and Sunday with different groups of Aussis and Kiwis and even a couple locals and had a wonderful time both nights.
Yesterday I woke up to drizzling rain (the first in 6 months in the region I´m told) and decided to leave. I took the travin here to Tavira, a nice little fishing town further east down the coast. I had read about a campsite on a island off the coast that was supposed to be a good time so I walked through the rain 2 km to the port. The fisherman there were all hudled around a TV in a snackbar and seemed rather surprised to see me, and even more surprised when I told them I wanted to go to the island. The babbled a bunch of stuff to me in Portuguese and made wild gestures about the rain and about the campsite being closed, but decided to take me anyway when it was apparent that I at least had a tent, food and the 1 euro boat fee.
Arriving on the island, I was greeted by Linas, an Angolan refugee, who was the islands caretaker and sole inhabitant at the time. The campground and restaurants were all closed so I pitched my tent under a pine tree and found some shelter where Linas and I shared the bread, cheese, salami and beer I brought from the mainland. I tried to ask him about Angola but his English was limited and I discovered only that he had left during the war, many years ago, and that his life here was ´sheeet´ because he didn´t even have enough money to buy cigarettes. I retired to my sleeping bag and read all night and was delighted to discover that my tent (28$)did a relatively good job of keeping the water out.
I want deperately to be in Morocco, mostly because I´m reading a wonderful book by Paul Bowles that takes place in Tangier and is easily the best bit of fiction I´ve read since my last trip abroad. I´m back in Tavira waiting for my 4:50 bus to Sevilla (Spain).
I had planned ot spend more time in Portugal, but it´s cold and rainy and I´m itching for Africa. Besides, I´m spending too much money here. This is a great country though, the people are nice (though the old men stare at me with suspicion) and the food is incredable.

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Comments

[anonymous]

Dumb ass brits
That place is a tourist trap and sucks for that. I am glad you had fun at night though...they do no how to throw down. I hope sevilla is not as hot as it was when I was there. You are going to have to find an air conditioning place trust me...if it is that hot. Grub on some papya before you leave and you might get lucky if a bull fight is town. I hope you get to africa and out of europe hell soon. I want to hear bout that shiiizal. PEace J

[anonymous]

U 2 are idiots
lagos is the best place in Portugal. dont be fooled by what these two idiots said about Lagos, they dont know how to enjoy themselves, boring sods!!!!There is everything there for a great holiday, great beaches,good food and restaurants, amazing nightlife, people are great, good climate( unfortunately it decided to rain when that dumbass was there) and what is so wrong with the brits and Europeans????