Yesterday (April 23) we trained into a small costal city in Spain. It was a fun day trip!
Portugal and Spain are separated by the Guadiana or Odiana River (they seem to like giving rivers 2 names around here!), with the border laying right smack dab in the middle of that river. To get into Spain, you can either go by ferry or by vehicle, passing over a very long, distinct bridge. The Spanish border is only about 40 km from Tavira, which makes getting into the country, a quick trip!
We started our day's adventure by walking to the train station, here, in Tavira, and stopping at our favourite padaria for a pastel (pastry- sweet treat) and coffee. Always a great thing to do!!! :)
The train is SUCH a great, stress free way to travel about!! For 5.60 euros (total for return trip) we sat back and observed the scenic landscape of southern Portugal, rolling by. Our destination by train: Vila Real de Santo Antonio, where we quickly hoofed our way to the ferry (after asking for directions and being directed to go through a VERY stinky industrial area with loose, mean dogs barking at passers (luckily for us, they were busy growling & chasing some punk type guys and we were left alone!! whew!!! Relief! It really just made us move faster!) The ferry cost 3.40 euros ( for both of us) one way and it took about 10 minutes to get across. It was a very pleasant ride across this wide river on a beautiful, sunny day!
You can (maybe) see the faint pyramid shapes of the traffic suspension bridge going across to Spain.
We arrived in the very tourist-welcoming, small Spanish city of Ayamonte. There was no need to show our passports....it was just walk in and hopefully spend your money! Once again, it hosted a very attractive pedestrian business centre with lots of stores, cafes and a beautiful centre square with the most beautiful tiled benches!! Thet have a very nice, small river flowing through the city and it is adorned with a walking trail on either side, beautiful red roses along the walking paths and a park with playground and picnic areas. Very pretty!
Lawrence and I walked far into the city (off the tourist track) and saw both lovely residential areas sad. Ell as the always present, poverty/challenged areas. The time change between Portugal and Spain is an hour later in Spain so.....we only had a short shopping time before the 2 hour siesta time began. That was ok because, the shopping was not that exciting.....once again, not a lot of unique treasures to be found!
We had lunch, walked a bit more.... Then ferried it back to explore Vila Real de Santo Antonio......
Santo Antonio is a small city of 11,00 and it sits on the edge of the wide Rio Guardiana, and stares across the water to Spanish eyes!! It has a very impressive pedestrian shopping area with street and building architecture that is similar to Lisbon's Baxia (old town) district. The cobble stone streets have very detailed designs/patterns. The shops are plentiful but very repetitious......lots of the same things over and over again! This walking-shopping area is very clean and inviting, with lots of good looking cafes and coffee shops. There was a lot of refurbishing of streets with municipal workers reconstructing sidewalks, pracas (plazas) and old buildings. It was the most construction we have seen so far, in this area, so this was a very nice sign of development an hopefully prosperity. The marina is full and beautiful!....it was fun to imagine all the places each of these vessels have visited or will visit! :)
Spanish eyes looking to Santo Antonio.....
We were quite tired at the end of this excursion, with me even laying on the bench at the train station and falling asleep, while we waited for it!! I ended up sleeping for a few hours upon our return to the apartment, which I thought would impair my ability to sleep at bedtime but....no, I still slept!!
I have had some home sickness seep into my soul.....missing our kids, Orion and our families, so it was soooooooooooooo great having Michelle face time us last night and have a reall face to face visit!! Why haven't we thought of this mode of connection before?!?! Sheesh!
Anyway.....today is a new day and we are heading out to see places we have not seen in Tavira yet....
Ciao!!
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It is such a treat to read your blog and see the pix! Wish we were there! I am curious, is there a hostel there? eat a pastry for meeeee!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the pictures of the different towns. Each one is very different, while having many similarities. I'm always so curious to know what you had for food/meals... what were you having in the picture at the cafe?? I'm glad my call could ease some melancholy!
ReplyDeleteYes....Joan, we saw two hostels in Ayamonte, Spain and we have hostels in every place we have been in, so far. And....yes.....I have a pastry every day, so tomorrow, I will dedicate its enjoyment to you! :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle....our lunch in Spain, included bread, cheese, olives, tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and fresh garlic, as well as pork ribs with rosemary! Of course we accompanied these tapas with vinho tinto and cerv
The last word should have read ' cerveja' !! :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful pics and story Betty. Enjoy today. We've had yet another snowfall and icy highways today (who would have thought the 24th of april would be like this??). More snow expected on sunday, then hopefully some warm weater. Still 2 feet of snow in most fields so no farming going on.........
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!!
Fabulous . ... love your journaling . . and the inlaid tiling is amazing. I would be taking photos all the time. That particular style of architecture reminds me of what we saw in the Moroccan Pavilion at Disney World. And I loved the food there as well.
ReplyDeleteForwarded your blog to a friend today who has just returned from Portugal. It brought back many wonderful memories for her.
Ohhhh Judy!....that snow scene is AWFUL!! It certainly makes us feel that the timing of this trip was good, though!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn....thank you so much for the info from your friend. W are going to rent a car next week and travel about more freely to explore other coastal communities and the northern, mountain communities. W will definitely keep the places she suggested in our radar!