March 26 – April 1 – Portugal
Sunday (3/26). Sleep! Twelve glorious, uninterrupted hours of sleep! Those who know me know that twelve hours is unheard of! But, we both have been jet lagged since arrival. We both have been nursing colds, so the lengthy sack time was unbelievably welcome! We did manage to get on the road…eventually. On our way south, we came across three friends from Toronto on their very first bike tour. It looked it. Mountains of gear were precariously strapped on their bikes. They were studying in Germany and simply had used whatever gear was at hand. Good for them! Better to go than to wait until they had all the “right” gear.
The riding south of Lisbon was pleasant enough, but it was also .. unremarkable. At times we were only a few hundred yards from the ocean, yet it remained out of sight. While we appreciate the fact that they haven’t built roads or condos right on the shore – it would have been nice to get a peek at the coast once in a while.
We had a brief moment of panic when our hoped for stopping place turned out to be a “members only” campground. Oops! They graciously gave us special permission to stay the night. Thank you! The steamy hot shower (so often taken for granted) was delightful. Later that evening as we waited to drift off to sleep, we were serenaded by thundrous booming from the crashing waves still a half mile away. We’ve already decided to head there for breakfast spot tomorrow.
Monday (3/27).
The day started well with breakfast on a beautiful stretch of beach. The riding and the views just kept improving as the day wore on. South of Sines, the road followed a jaw-dropping coastline. It culminated at an area of cliffs and sea stacks near Porto Covo. We were fortunate to find an amazing spot to spend the night near all that beauty. Well played Portugal. Well played.
Tuesday (3/28). Camping next to the ocean is incredible. There is nothing like sleeping with the sound of the sea as background music. Downside? Massive condensation. The fly could not have been more soaked if we had submerged it in a sink! We would have to deal with that later.
A fifteen mile ride brought us to Vila Nova de Milfontes. It was not hard riding…mostly flat through an agricultural area. Our plan had been to have some lighter days of cycling early on. Fifteen miles was a really light day. From the last few hectic days in Flag, the flight, taking Lisbon by storm, the last fewdays of biking, we haven’t had a down day in some time. We both relished the idea of stopping early so we could wash clothes, sort gear and – just do nothing for a few hours. Milfontes turned out to be an excellent place to spend some down time. Walking was pleasant. The town was set in a beautiful location. And, whilst strolling about, we came across a buffet restaurant. Yes, it was totally a tourist trap. And yes, it was probably over-priced. But for two very hungry cycling tourists – it was perfect. And, the food was very good.
Obviously, most days we can’t indulge like that. And many days we’ll need to do more miles. On this particular day, however, we were quite content knowing that this was not one of those days!
Wednesday (3/29). A few miles south of Milfontes we took a detour out to the coast. It is truly awe inspiring.
As we retraced our route and prepared to turn south, we crossed paths with William. He had flown from his home near Paris and was on a one month bike tour of Portugal and Spain. We chatted over coffee and juice. Later we met for lunch and spent the rest of the day enjoying the company. It was fun to learn about his life in France. As always, it was fascinating to see the world and world events from a different perspective. The day passed quickly as we rode through interesting scenery and shared stories from life on the road. Eventually though, we parted ways. We chose to camp near Odeceixe, and William continued on to keep to his schedule. Thanks William for a great day.
Thursday 3/30. When riding south in this country, geography requires you to make a left turn at some point. We chose not to ride out and back to the southernmost point of Portugal, and instead turned inland just south of Aljezur. Almost immediately we began what became a few hours of climbing. We eventually crested the ridge and for a while rode in the company of giant wind turbines. I’ve often seen them from a distance, and usually from a car. It’s something else to ride beneath them as the massive blades “whooosh” overhead.
The downhill was glorious and brought us close to the southern coast. This area is known as the “Algarve” region of Portugal. While touted for its beautiful beaches, one article referred to it as “the Florida of Europe.” The final miles to our campground confirmed that observation. Condos, golf courses, ads everywhere hawking tourist traps…not the best look. We were quite happy to get off the road and find peace and quiet – and a hot shower – at our campground.
Looking ahead, we were not enchanted by what we had seen, and what we had heard and read about what lay ahead. From the comfort of our bed we made the bold decision to fast forward through this section of the Algarve to the town of Tavira…60+ miles. We may regret that decision. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
Friday (3/31). We were both ready for the challenge of a long day…and more than a little nervous. With all stops included, we typically average 6-8 miles an hour over the course of a day. Depending on the variables of wind, hills, and traffic, that could mean upwards of ten hours in the saddle. Ugh. That could be a very long day. We chose N125 as the shortest (and definitely least scenic) route to Tavira. The hills were rolling with long, flat stretches. The traffic was heavy at times, but we were given a broad shoulder most of the day. But the wind! Dare I say it? We enjoyed that rare and most coveted of cycling gifts…a brisk tailwind. All things considered, we arrived in Tavira in good shape and spirits.
During our time together in Lisbon, Jim and Karen raved about Tavira. Good suggestion. It has a charm unlike many of the other communities we’d passed through. We took in just a small part of town in our search for food. After chores tomorrow we’ll check it out in more detail.
Saturday (4/1). Tavira was first settled in the 8th century B.C. The Phoenicians apparently had a fortified settlement on the banks of the Gilao River. As with many ancient cities, its fortunes rose and fell depending on the needs of whatever government controlled the area. Roman’s, Moors and pirates all took their turns using Tavira is some fashion. Today it seems to be a regular city with a healthy influx of tourists taking advantage of the miles of pristine beaches nearby.
We found it a comfortable place to wander, watch people, and just relax. As with any time we make use of a hotel, we also did a full load of laundry in the bath tub. Made sure all devices were fully charged. Used a good internet connection to work on the blog and plan our future travels. Kudos to the Al Muhara Hotel. The staff has been friendly and incredibly helpful. The breakfast was lovely. The facilities are comfortable. The location – perfect. If time and money were not considerations, I think we would happily make Tavira home for several more days.
Final thoughts. We’ve now been in Portugal for eleven days. We covered almost 250 miles since leaving Lisbon a week ago. In the next day or two we will cross into Spain. Honestly, we haven’t been overly fond of the country. Some of the country has been stunning – many areas have been unremarkable. Last year in Turkey and the Balkan countries we made connections with the people almost every day. Here, apart from financial transactions, we feel as though we ate invisible. Our “Ola” and “Bom Dia” get luke-warm responses. No doubt there are many possible reasons and we can’t begin to understand why. Bottom line, we’re ready to see what Spain has to offer. It will certainly be interesting. Until next week – Seize the Carp!
BTW. Just a reminder. If you want daily updates, Sharon is posting on the Polarsteps app. Just download it and request to be friends with Sharon Neubauer Moore.
