We took the train to Aveiro from Coimbra. It was a lovely place to spend a day. Aveiro has a Venice of Portugal feel with these brightly coloured boats, moliceiro, which have similiarities to Venetian gondolas. The boats were originally used to transport and collect a type of seaweed, moliço, which was used as a fertiliser.
This is where we bought our tickets but they can also be booked online.People on the bridges like to wave as you pass byThis close up shows the ribbons tied to the bridges like padlocks as gestures of love in other cities! These are pretty and bring colour and life. In that respect, I prefer them to the padlocks!😍
Due to time restraints we also took a taxi to the beach. Here I am at Praia de Vagueira. It was further along than anticipated and turned out we should have gone to Praia de Costa Nova! Next time perhaps…
I really enjoyed our day trip to Aveiro. Such a lovely place to visit. I was impressed by the energy and enthusiasm of the moliceiro guide who spoke four languages. Puts up Brits to shame. But… I am learning Portuguese!
I took these photos last autumn while I was travelling in Portugal. So, with colour poetry, taste the rainbow as the theme for Colleen Chesebro’s Tanka Tuesday, it seemed the perfect opportunity to share these now, along with some haiku.
Vila Nova de Castelo
muted life’s colours
tranquil portuguese autumn
bringing me much joy
Almancil
blue sky and blue sea
green leaves but autumnal earth
orange underfoot
Val do lobo
golfer’s paradise
val do lobo is so green
autumn algarve day
Altura Beach
my favourite spot
empty of souls only shells
autumn on the beach
I’m excited to reveal that I am working on my next poetry collection: Do What You Love… I will share more about this soon!
Also, I’m delighted to be a contributing author in Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships compiled and edited by Kaye Lynne Booth and Robbie Cheadle.
As some of you already know I had an adventure in Portugal beginning in October and lasting until the middle of December.
I’m now back in the UK and boy was that complicated what with pre-flight testing requirements and the like. Thanks to hubby for being great at doing it all.
I’ve taken the plunge and resigned from my job! Difficult to disappear for several months without doing so. Might have been easier if, cough cough I was still working from home. Lol.
My new home from home in October, November (and… just short of two weeks in December,) was the sun drenched Algarve – in a beautiful lesser known but up and coming Algarvean town – Tavira and what a stunning spot it is.
Three bridges cross the centre of Tavira with pubs and restaurants in ample supply. There is nothing more relaxing than drinking a glass of wine and admiring this stunning view! It really helps to soothe those ever present covid anxieties.
I began my stay in a typical Portuguese flat in the quaint centre of the town with hubby. Busy, quite noisy, (lol,) interesting, and great for nipping out to all the local amenities, bars, shops and… not too far from the train station and the all important library!
Here are some panoramic views of Tavira from the Maria Nova roof top hotel, where you can (covid permitting,) sample the drinks, music and bar snacks.
Early on my hubby and I went to Tavira beach via the Tavira Island ferry. How quaint is that?
I’ll be sharing more photos and news in my next instalment of my Algarvean adventure! Before I go, let’s take a trip to the beach!
You can reach the beach either by catching the ferry in the central town area, or by walking to the marina to catch it there – which we did. It was well worth the long walk.
On Friday before our departure we realised that no local places were open Saturday afternoon to do flight covid tests. EEK. A scramble to find anywhere. We managed thanks to my resourceful hubby and were fit to fly!
Best much love, I can’t quite believe my good fortune! I just hope covid fxxxx off so we can have total freedom of movement again.
I took the Christmas lights photo which heads this blog on my last night in Tavira, so pretty.
Hope your Christmas preparations are going well. Bye for now,
