Spain and Portugal, 2024

Up for a fabulous breakfast in the Hotel Eva Senses on the fifth floor, then on to a bus to the Salina da Grelha, a family-owned salt production (from sea water) facility owned by the same family for more than 150 years - and which was a tide-powered water mill until the new motors of the industrial revolution made the tide mill uneconomic. Now the family (Veronica from the Czech Republic married the current owner) provides salt mine tours, sells specialty salt (we bought some) and provides an opportunity to swim in Mar Morto (Sea Dead), highly saline waters (200 g/kg vs 280 g/kg for the Dead Sea and about 30 g/kg for normal sea water). On our bikes for the 20+ miles ride to Tavira via bike trails through tidal flats and a side trip via small train to the beach Anchor Cemetery where hundreds of anchors were abandoned when the fishing industry (sardines) collapsed due to overfishing. Winding roads past orange orchards and lots of agriculture before doing a circle through the small city of Tavira (due to a miscommunication between the leaders about which hotel we were going to) before we pedaled to the front door of the Hotel Vila Gale, a large hotel that seemed to cater to German and British tourists. Time for a quick swim in the pool and a snack before our group gathered for our final dinner at a very popular restaurant (Coisa Linda - thing beautiful) for an outstanding dinner of Portuguese crab cake, cod with prawns (the whole prawn) and mussels, with rice and a flight of four desserts for each person. An under-the-lights walk back to the hotel on a bridge over the river at 10 p.m. and off to sleepy land.Read more