And The Final Chapter Begins

Marc and I have just returned from a rapid turn around trip to Lisboa and the airport.  Laurie is probably boarding her flight for Toronto as I write this!  We miss her here already and we’ve only been home for about 15 minutes.  What a wonderful time we’ve shared and enjoyed together these past several weeks.

It’s a rainy day, which sort of suits our mood, but not at all cold.  A perfect afternoon for catching up on the blog and a few other things.  So, what have we been up to this last few days……..let’s see……

We had decided that one of the things we would like to do was to take the train from Faro to Tavira.  It’s a completely different experience from driving, you get to enjoy the Ria Formosa, the salt flats, the sea etc..  And for me, a day off from having to drive and simply be able to enjoy the view.

Above the entryway to the train station.

Just arrived and we were quite ready for a wonderful day of gallivanting all round the town. The weather was perfect for us.

Shadows and colours on the pousada wall.

I love this shot……..we have taken a shot like this with almost everybody who has come to visit us. A perfect picture frame.

Poppies galore in multiple colours

We climbed the walls of the old castle, which are currently alive with the many blooming flowers, including this bougainvillea.

The church towers taken from atop the castle walls.

I liked the look of this pot decorating the top corner of a lovely balcony.

Tiled wall displays can be found almost everywhere. Not all of them are of a religious nature but many are.

Another of the old churches which adorn the town.

Flowering maple. Intense ruby colour.

Wisteria is filling in all over the place. It creates such warmth with the colour and the long hanging blooms

I know somebody who would go crazy to see this bed in person. (PM)

These look so very delicate but the wind was hardly moving them.

Part of a very old tomb in the side cemetery of the old church.

This carving, high atop the church, was probably quite detailed once upon a time. The winds and rains over the years, and probably the sun, have softened it and you have to look closely to appreciate the features.

The colours are fading but lovely nonetheless.

This old window was hidden away inside what looked like a narrow walkway. Until you stepped in to it, you couldn’t see the window at all.

Another lovely old building, it might be another church, I wasn’t certain as it was closed.

Managed to get inside this church for the first time in all my many visits to Tavira over the years. Igreja de Sao Pedro Goncalves Telmo

Lovely elaborate alter.

Detail over the front door of a private house

Must have been gorgeous in the day!

Laurie and myself on the Roman Bridge…..a selfie! We had walked for hours by now and had even finished lunch. So hungry we forgot to take photos!!

The nespera is starting to ripen…..another few days.

This lovely tile work is inside the train station. Depicts the old Roman Bridge.

It was a truly marvelous day.  I can safely say that Laurie has seen as much of Tavira, if not more, than most of the other folks I’ve accompanied there in the past.  By the time we headed for the train station and home, we were pooped and looking forward to our wonderful dinner and a relaxing evening with Marc.

Laurie’s final full day here in the Algarve was just that……FULL!  We had accomplished almost all that was on her initial wish list except for the Olhão market, Faro Beach (again) and lunch on the patio at Wax………..guess what we did on Saturday!!!!!   All that plus drinks on the patio at Ana’s and a lovely evening dinner at our place with Gwen.  Laurie claimed it to be a near perfect day!!

This man sat behind Marc and when I looked up I realized they had pretty well the same hair!!! Enjoying a bica on the patio at the market.

Laurie basking in the sun having just completed the circuit with Marc….they bought fresh raspberries, which wound up in a lovely surprise mousse for dinner.

I;m looking wilder and woollier every day!! I sat and relaxed on the patio while Laurie and Marc shopped.

A couple of shots of the market in full swing. It was a little less busy than some other Saturdays but that’s ok, it makes it easier for walking about .

Another market shot.

We had taken a cooler and ice with us which was great.  We put our few purchases in the trunk and headed on towards Faro and the beach.  It was a bit cooler than we would have preferred but hey………the edge of the Atlantic, sandy shores and pounding waves, a seat right on the edge of our favourite patio and we were happy folks.

Look at that happy smile and the wind blown look!!!

Laurie was delighted to have this opportunity on her final full day here. This memory has to hold her over until spring officially comes to SW Ontario.

Marc’s burger

Laurie’s brie and presunto sandwich.

My pizza……egg, spicy chorizo, roasted peppers and a tiny bit f cheese!!

Once home we freshened up, hollered out to Gwen and the four of us made our way down to the main square.  Laurie wanted one last opportunity to enjoy a coffee in the sunshine and to say goodbye to Ana.

Chomping at the bit to get going……….but not wanting to miss a moment of the glorious sunshine and warmth.

This huge sage plant is on our back patio. Perfect for grabbing a handfull when the recipe demands it. Also beautiful to look at and smell.

Miss Gwen in her boudoir window……….stop hollering at me damn it!! I’ll be down in a moment.

A lovely easy stroll down through the empty streets. A typical Saturday afternoon.

Laurie and Ana………memories!!

Love this pink chimney against the blue afternoon sky.

Gwen and I, making our way slowly up the stair way towards home. That’s what happens on a hot afternoon after a lovely cold beer! You simply can’t move quickly!!

What a great day it was.   The four of us enjoyed each others company over a great meal, starting with a bottle of champagne compliments of Gwen followed by much laughing and gabbing.  An early morning faced us as we had to leave for Lisbon at 6h30……and so, hugs of goodbye, the final climb up the stairs and lalaland found us all.

As we drove back from Lisbon today we were rather quiet.  The countryside was foggy and misty but green and so much colour from the fields of yellow lupins, deep purple of hillsides covered in lavender, white cistus dancing in the breeze and the reddish brown of the harvested cork forests.

We have so much to be grateful for and amongst that list is the fact that we have one more month here before heading back to Canada.  We’ll allow ourselves to miss Laurie today, and feel a tiny bit sad as that chapter closes but…….we won’t wallow in it……tomorrow is a new day and a sunny one……..we’ll have to see what comes along.

Oh and p.s.   Wednesday is Marc’s 65th birthday….but don’t say I said anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!