26 October 2019: Lepe, Spain, to Tavira, Portugal (37 miles-855 total)

On my first day of riding solo, I slept in, ate yoghurt, banana, croissant for breakfast, and left about 9 am. My plan was to ride to Ayamonte and take the ferry to Portugal, if operating. Targeting the 11 am departure, I had plenty of time to walk through the Ayamonte Saturday market. Like other outdoor markets in Spain, mostly clothing. 

Route. Since booking.com does not seem to recognize the ferry, today's route is shown in two parts, Spain and then Portugal. Of course, diversions were involved, so the potential mileage of 34 was actually 37. 

Why Bike Tour? When you contrast this photo taken to today in Bozeman in our back yard, then Spain and Portugal look pretty awesome. 

Once in Portugal, I needed a place to stay. Using my phone, I booked a place in Tavira. However, the booking.com phone app is difficult. It keeps reverting to common assumptions. I repeatedly had to change the booking date, number of guests, and number of nights at a property. The computer app is much easier. Long story short, I arrived at the lodging and found that my reservation for the following night, probably because my companions, using my sign-in, had booked another hotel for the same night. The Tavira guest house host and I worked through a cancellation process, granting a full refund, and then she checked me in on the correct date. 

Why? Propose your own explanation. Did they need the dirt? Were the trees too short for the mechanical pickers? I have seen other places where utility poles were left and the surrounding earth was removed. Thoughts? On the outskirts of Tavira.

Another outdoor village market, mostly clothing. I finally purchased something, a leather belt, made in Morocco. Most clothing was made in China, often with designer name variants.

Dong of the Day #1. Enjoying the market.

The Ayamonte Ferry Is Operating. This small ferry operates on the hour, taking mostly foot passengers but has some car capacity. I first took this ferry in 2014 on my Spain cycling tour. I distinctly remember that rain was threatening, so I told John (the banker) to tuck in and draft the last 10 miles. We did beat the rain. This is also where I first noticed that my bike Friday trailer undercarriage was bending, and the tires were becoming misaligned, scuffing, subsequently wearing through and failing. Even fewer passengers this time. Last time I recall a conversation with an Irishman who had just run another marathon. His goal was to run marathons in as many countries as possible.

Ferry in the low season. No cars, two bikes, and one odd orange bike trailer. I'll be taking this ferry back to Spain tomorrow.

Arriving in Portugal

Dog of the Day #2. Deserved to be #1. In Vila Real de Santo Antonio, the town on the Portuguese side of the ferry crossing.

Vila Real de Santo Antonio featured a bustling Saturday market in the town square. Anyone was allowed to set up to sell items. Some were professionals offering artisan items and others were offering garage sale items.

Olives of every type and style.

Baked goods, clearly different that those found in Spain.

Dog of the Day #3

1st Caffe latte. Just as good as in Spain.

Garlic and nuts.

Biking Lifestyle for this family. I have noticed increasing numbers of Arab, African, and Indian immigrants. A bicycle is often their most useful, economical, and convenient form of transportation. 

Maps.me offered more gravel road recommendations. After just a few hundred feet, I knew this was not good. I asked a couple that were cycling by (British-retired), and they explained that a wooden bridge had been declared unsafe and this route was no longer applicable. I found that in this area, cyclists' best options are to use the routes designated for autos, generally shorter and less climbing.

Tavira. The Rio Gilao divides two parts of Tavira. The east side has extensive Indian neighborhoods and restaurants.

Finding Lodging. Maps.me has been quite accurate in general in leading us to our lodging. It announces, You have arrived, when nearby. However, the lodgings are often hard to spot due to poor signage. Note that the sign on the door is much less prominent than the Luxembourg embassy sign. Perhaps city regulations limit signage. 

My room in Tavira.

Room for a Piano. The cat on the piano is cast, so did not warrant Cat of the Day status.

The inner courtyard or keep has been developed as a place to exhibit various plants. 

Tavira West Bank

Meeting Place for the Retired

Buildings Sheathed in Tiles

Roman Bridge

Doors

More Doors

Clear Muslim influence. Tavira has 24 churches. Many are conversions from Arabic or Moorish mosques. Many of the historic churches were damaged in Portugal and neighboring Spain were severely damaged in the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. The magnitude 7 quake affected a wide area around Lisbon and into western Spain. 

(From the web) 

In the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, a series of earthquakes occurred on the morning of Nov. 1, 1755, causing serious damage to the port city of Lisbon, Portugal, and killing an estimated 60,000 people in Lisbon alone. Violent shaking demolished large public buildings and about 12,000 dwellings. The tsunami resulting from the 1755 earthquake was 9 meters high when it hit Lisbon. The higher ground areas of Lisbon which which escaped the torrents of water were ravaged by fire. Many of these fires originated from the churches that had lit the candles as part of the religious festival of All Saints.