Tavira

So I felt like I finally got here today.  Those of you that travel a lot know what I mean.  You spend several days in a haze of new sights, different foods, unknown languages, and strange customs.  Typically you sleep poorly,have a minor headache, your back is “crunchy" from different beds, and you have slight but not significant gastrointestinal issues.  Then it stops.  You’ve arrived.  So I’m in Portugal now.  Carolyn showed up a few days before me.  

Tivera is a resort town.  The weekend was dead but today the town sort of came to life.  Here are some shots of the city.

 

The town is on an estuary.  At low tide this isn’t much more than a pile of rocks but when full it’s beautiful.

Lot’s of old world charm and the associated decay.  You simply can’t maintain a city for 500 years without some bricks falling off buildings but for the most part the city is clean and friendly.

 

Left = Old world charm, Right = Decay,  As I said still a pretty town.

The clock tower in the center of a lot of towns.  Attached to, what else, the church.

Not the church the clock tower is attached to but the first church in Tavira.

This isn’t a regional wine (well it is but it’s from Douro way in the north) but it capped a pretty nice day of sight seeing and walking. 

I fear I’ve become addicted to Octopus salads.  There are more varieties than Sangria.  This one, at a tiny no-name place on the main street into the square was one of the more memorable ones.

Clams and Sea Bream from a restaurant called Brisa do Rio (Breeze on the River).  Carolyn had sea bass with shrimp (we’d call them prawns) in an orange butter sauce. The food was excellent.  The restaurant 1) Required reservations 2) Has no pretense (e.g. water is served in the plastic jug) so if you’re looking for something “special” don’t go here 3) is close to the river - if you get there at the right time or know someone (Carolyn became friends with the woman at the desk in our Pasada) you just might get the best seat in the house (we did).  Get seafood - you’ll rapidly  tire of pork

Overall the town has been fun (we leave tomorrow).  There are plenty of restaurants (lots more than Portuguese if you are so inclined - gotta be 10 Indian places) and things to do for a day.  Honestly two days was probably a bit much for us but today, as I mention above, was sort of a day to regain my equilibrium.  If you just want to chill by a beach and eat great food stay as long as you like - but you’ll exhaust the sites by noon of your first day.  Worth it but when you have limited travel days you feel guilty about just sitting around.  Would I come again?  Maybe - but bring shorts and t-shirts!