The weather is still freezing at night. Not sure if it has improved that much since leaving Porto Covo, but it is not as windy and the day temp is usually around 17c saddlebag and gets the van up into the mid 20's very quickly. We have been using quite a lot of gas for the heating system and decide to top up. Ugh! There is a garage offering GPL within 15 miles at Portimao where you serve yourself. OH NO! As usual we fit our adapter and then the gas nozzle and all the gas comes spurting out and we manage to put in 10 litres before it stops. We feel this is half of what we have room for,and then another motorhome pulls up. They are Brits and old hands at GPL and LPG and everything to do with motohoming, vanning, and stuff. Phew. He looked at our adapter, screwed it back in and fitted the gas nozzle over the top. NOPE. Gas squirting everywhere. He put his own adapter on. Virtually a replica of ours and no problem. Nozzle fitted like a glove and gas flows. But only €1.30 worth. Then it allowed to fill at one cent a minute and we gave up. The gauge was still showing empty on the second bottle. It's not easy.
Our next stop was to find the camper van dealer in Guia. We had come across it in the Aires book the night before. Guia is only 15 odd miles from Portimao so off we went. Something about it being at the top of the hill leaving Albufeira. NO, not this hill. I think we are on the right road going in the wrong direction. OH, we must have passed it. TURN AROUND. Ahhh, there it is, was, now closed and land up for sale. Hmm. Not a very successful day so far. We need to give the pups a walk and head for the beach at Armacao de Praia. Ideal. There is a large empty car park right on the beach at the east end of the town, and a long sandy beach running east and west as far as the eye can see.
We haven't decided where to stay tonight and wonder if there will be a wild camping place on the front nearby. Look up Google Earth to see if there is anything obvious and can see some motorhomes camped up on the cliffs on the west end of town.
We drive there to find 2 x large vans parked up on the cliffs overlooking the sea. Fantastic. Just need to get some provisions and we'll be back. On our return about an hour later, the cliffs are deserted and I notice a sign with a caravan and a red circle and a line going through it and a price of €165,500, although why that figure I have no idea. We decided against it.
On our way down from the Barragem that morning we passed the historic town of Silves, and noticed literally hundreds of vans all parked up by the river. We decided to head back there as it is now 5.00 pm and everyone is exasperated.
This car park is enormous and is free and has no motorhome or caravan signs. Jc takes the dogs off and meets a group of British vanners sitting around a few bottles outside one of their vans. They have been here for 6 weeks. Lord knows how they get rid of chemical loo and get water etc. although we found out the next day.
We were pleased to see that with a bit of bumping around the gas gauge had changed from empty to full. Who knows what the real position is?
Jc and I went out for a stroll to find a beer that evening, and came across a great little place with loads of character. Run by a Yorkshireman, an ex electrician from Doncaster, who moved out there 10 years ago with his American cook wife. At 6.30 the place was empty and at 7.00 a few people came in and went to the restaurant upstairs. Just as I am feeling sorry for places like this. Slow, quiet time of the year. Dodgy economy, blah, blah, a couple come in and Mr Doncaster asks them if they have booked! no, then sorry, we are full. To us, they looked respectable and the restaurant only had 4 people in it. He went on to explain to the surprised customers that tonight is Fardo night. A very busy day of the week and they need to book. Fardo is a type of music played in Portugal. It is sad apparently and tells a story ( all sounds a bit depressing). But obviously hugely popular in Silves. You learn something new everyday!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Silves
No comments:
Post a Comment