We spent several weeks visiting our favourite beaches and towns of the Algarve.
We spent more of our time wild camping at Boca do Rio and Amado beach, especially the later. We tried to take a long bike ride or walk everyday. I surfed a few times, but the waves in Portugal are just too big for me.
We met several people, most noticeable Les and his wife who had a massive DAF truck which Les had converted.
We caught up with my old friend Tom. He owns property with a ruin in the Algarve. He is now gaining permission, and saving funds to rebuild the ruin. It’s an exciting project, and he has great plans for it.
He lives in a property just across the valley from his ruin. We stayed on his land in the van. It was great to catch up with him. It was a bit funny at times, as we hadn’t seen each other for 5 years.
After leaving Tom’s we headed east across the Algarve again. We stopped at a shopping centre in Portimao to get some things we needed. We then drove to Ferragudo. A couple we met had recommended a restaurant there that does a very good value evening meal. We found the wild camping ground there, and went to the restaurant. It was very good value, and the food was pretty good.
In the morning we headed further east. First stopping at the Iceland store to get some treats from home. We then continued to Spain. We stopped at the Ikea store in Seville, and had our customary hot dogs and ice cream. We also got a few Christmasy things from the Ikea.
We continued to the campsite at Dos Hermanas just outside of Seville.
On the Sunday we headed into the city of Seville. We had visited before, during Semana Santa, which was fantastic, but busy and wet with rain. This time it was dry.
We explored various areas, visited the Cathedral, and had great tapas. We explored more and stayed for evening drinks, which was great fun. We leaving the city we had mis-read the bus timetable and got there early for a bus that didn’t exist. So we went to the nearest cafe and ordered drinks and a beef steak! It was a huge meal, even though we shared, but was great fun. Ordering everything in Spanish is fun, sometimes putting us on the spot, and finding us doing things we wouldn’t normally do.
We got the bus back to the campsite OK in the end.
On the Monday we headed south towards El Palmar, a favourite beachside spot of ours. Not before though, stopping at a Carrefour supermarket, where a gate got shut whilst we were inside, looking the van in a car park with height restrictions, so we couldn’t get out. It took a little while and the full extend of my Spanish to get the gate opened to get the van out. The security guard, who surprisingly spoke the most English, was helpful and friendly, thankfully.
