Portugal is so warm in November
Dec 2nd, 2010, 11:40 PM
#22
Day 9; Santa-Clara-a-Velha and environs. Repeat of our meals (there is no where else) but we managed to reduce our meal price to Euro 24. A strange day as we were advised it would chuck it down. Luckily it stopped by 11 so we had a day at the dam, a ride to the station in preparation for tomorrow and a look the village’s Faddo festival which was occurring tomorrow night (again I miss out listening to wailing women).
Day 10; Santa-Clara-Velha to Loule/Faro by train mainly http://best-western-dom-bernardo.h-rez.com/ Euro 38 and we ate at Adega-Nova for Euro 29 certainly an experience (packed, busy and fast) but many of the normal restaurants we had eaten earlier at other places were actually better.
In the morning we took the road to the station. After clambering across a hand-made bridge (out of god made sleepers) Mrs B asked a little old man which side of the tracks we should stand on. Many words later we worked out “it depends”. He then tried to explain the economic and political situation in the country which went well over our heads. Still he gave us the nudge when the train came in. The conductor was helpful with the bikes and after a change (clambering into the guard’s wagon) we ended up at Loule station to give the bikes back on time.
Problems, only U and R trains have to take bikes (and not many of these exist), the trains are high up and the guard's van is high above the ground which makes for a big lift for the bikes. All in all a good use of trains.
After a slow pizza at the bar by Loule station (Loule itself is miles from the station and has great restaurants as we had been there before) we took the fast train into Faro. Central old city surrounded by modern buildings. Faro suffers from tourists not visiting as they normally arrive at the airport and are whisked away. Despite this and some of the buildings looking a bit dead the actual town and shopping area are pretty. We have there are nice rooms to rent and fine scenes to photo.
Finally
Bus to Faro 22C bang on time, flight easy. Leeds 2C raining, nothing changes.
Day 10; Santa-Clara-Velha to Loule/Faro by train mainly http://best-western-dom-bernardo.h-rez.com/ Euro 38 and we ate at Adega-Nova for Euro 29 certainly an experience (packed, busy and fast) but many of the normal restaurants we had eaten earlier at other places were actually better.
In the morning we took the road to the station. After clambering across a hand-made bridge (out of god made sleepers) Mrs B asked a little old man which side of the tracks we should stand on. Many words later we worked out “it depends”. He then tried to explain the economic and political situation in the country which went well over our heads. Still he gave us the nudge when the train came in. The conductor was helpful with the bikes and after a change (clambering into the guard’s wagon) we ended up at Loule station to give the bikes back on time.
Problems, only U and R trains have to take bikes (and not many of these exist), the trains are high up and the guard's van is high above the ground which makes for a big lift for the bikes. All in all a good use of trains.
After a slow pizza at the bar by Loule station (Loule itself is miles from the station and has great restaurants as we had been there before) we took the fast train into Faro. Central old city surrounded by modern buildings. Faro suffers from tourists not visiting as they normally arrive at the airport and are whisked away. Despite this and some of the buildings looking a bit dead the actual town and shopping area are pretty. We have there are nice rooms to rent and fine scenes to photo.
Finally
Bus to Faro 22C bang on time, flight easy. Leeds 2C raining, nothing changes.
