Portugal: Attacked By Crabs

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My adventure last weekend started out on Thursday night when I was watching Bombeiro Sam and out of the window I could hear a rave going on ... it seemed like it was happening on the field out in front. I wanted to be a part of this underground party, so I paint my face and off I go on foot to find it. An hour later walking all over the town looking like a muppet, no joy ... I just followed the music and DJ's voice but it kept moving around ... sad times.

On Friday I found out that it was actually 2 miles away (so loud, even when I'm trying to sleep I hear the event) ... and it's a 3 day celebration for the 'Republic day' holiday. That night i went to te gym, found that it was closed (because of Republic day, I should have guessed) and then went off in my car to find this festival .... eventually I found it, and I'm pretty sure I went through a wormhole back in time to Blackpool in the 90s ... not much excitement tho, ok if ur below 20.

The weather during the week was amazing and the weekend got a lot warmer, we're talking back to 30 celsius, so Saturday's adventure entailed:

- A session in the gym ... pumpin iron ... for some reason I can only chest press 60kg but the declined press I can do 120kg (twice my body weight pretty much, weird)

- A visit to the water tower in Tavira ... this was converted years ago by a dude called Clive who put a large mirror/telescope up top. People pay i think €8 euros to go up a lift and take a live peak all around the Tavira town ... I met Clive 2 yrs back and went there to ask him if his astronomical observatory was still open .... sadly it was shut down 2 yrs ago (sad face). On the way out I got fresh orange juice from a lovely Portuguese chica, then headed back to the car to begin the adventures.

- 1st stop was Cacela Velha, a small fishing village. I've been to a few beaches now on islands and I wanted to spend the day exploring beaches that don't require a boat ride to get to. Cacela Velha has had good reviews, so I drive there, park up, and off I go in search of beach with my rucksack full of goodies.

The thing is, I could see the beach far away but no way to get there, just muddy downhill paths, sandbanks, ponds, rivers, lagoons, you name it, obstacle after obstacle. But I decided to give it a go and went down a crazy route, jumping over seaweed and crossing ponds ... it was Krypton Factor Portugal ... then the mud started getting softer and wetter ... they were filled with big holes all over the place which didn't make sense to me.

Eventually I reach a point where I have to swim in the sea to get to the next bit and I give up ... it just didn't make sense to me, there was even a granny on the beach and Im thinking "how the hell did she make it there?" ... so I decide to forget it and come back .... but now I'm in trouble, the mud has become so bad that I'm sinking into the ground. And then all of a sudden I see a load of movement from the corner of my eye ... I look up and no joke, I see thousands of crabs running around ... aaarrgghhh ... these holes all around me are crab houses and now I can see their legs in the holes ... so I quickly go on trying to get out of the area but with each step Im sinking into the holes and the crabs are running about underneath, and my sandals are getting stuck in the mud and my feet come out of them and I dont think Im going to make it back alive. It was a horrible moment ... but eventually I made it back without damage.

This made me give up on getting to the beach at Cacela Velha, so I go back to the car covered in mud, weed and I smell ... a lot.

- I then go to a village called 'Alto' which has 'Lota Beach' ... this was more like it ... a proper beach. However, yet again, i find myself on a nudist beach, some people just lying there butt naked .... and what shocked me this time was that we were on a public beach ... there were kids running around man, wtf.

- I also wanted to check out a neighbour beach in a town called 'Arturo' ... I actually ended up walking to eat from here which only took 30 minutes strolling by the sea. It was super peaceful.

- The day was getting on and the air was getting cooler, and I still had Monte Gordo to visit ... so I went back to my car (after forgetting where it was and thinking I'll be on the beach forever and ever) and made my way to Monte Gordo. On the way I saw a sign for 'Praia Verde' ... i.e. green beach ... and i thought why not ... my mission is to know as many awesome hidden gems as i can for when my crew come to visit me (and u better come and visit me ... yes u).

Im glad I stopped here, this place was definitely a gem ... a beach by a forest, and a restaurant up in the mountain and 4-poster beds by the beach cafe where there was a wedding going on ... this place I'm visitng again for more than 30 mins. I quickly ate a tuna sandwich here and moved on.

- Next stop, Monte Gordo. I didnt know what to expect here ... except that I was hoping for a casino because my mind kept thinking "Monte Carlo".

This place is quite touristy with a load of seaside restaurants and shops for hoarders. Plenty of tall buildings here ... I only briefly walked around the town and decided that was enough ... but on the way out of town I did see a sign for "Casino -->" ... so defo going back.

- Well, each stop was taking me closer and closer to the spanish border. As I was very close, i thought i might as well check out "Vila Real de Santo Antonio" ... a town right on the border. This was beautiful. There is a river separating portugal and spain, Rio Guardiana, and on the edge of the town is a promenade with lights and chairs and statues, and u can just sit by the rocks and look out over the river far away into Spain ... I could make out Isla Canela which is a paradise island in Spain I will be visiting one day.

I chilled out here for a while, nothing exciting happened (well 1 thing happened but i shouldnt talk about it). So I decide to go home ... only 25 mins from the border back to Tavira.

And then I ade chickpea curry and rice, overate and went to bed with a smile on my face ... that was my Saturday 6th October 2012 😊

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