8 June: Lisbon to Carvoeiro

We have pre-booked all our train tickets, thank goodness. Barb ordered an uber to the train station. Not the same one as yesterday or the fancy one we passed on our hop on hop off tour. Just an ordinary one.

We pretty quickly attracted the attention of a super helpful senior citizen who helped us to the correct platform and location to stand. We advised we had no money to tip him and he left us alone, but in the right place. We had no money because my cash appears to have been taken after getting it from the money machine in Lisbon. Mike’s card got swallowed up by a faulty machine but mine worked at the machine in the bank. I handed over 10€ to Mike and 40€ to Barb and kept the rest. If I haven’t lost it then it’s very well hidden.

We had first class numbered seats and we were in carriage 11 but Barb’s was seat 11 in a carriage where the numbers didn’t seem to go down to 11. The next carriage also seemed to be carriage 11 and had a seat 11 but a man was in it. Eventually she came back to our carriage. The numbers are just a bit random.

The views out the window were very much like this. Pity the windows were dirty.

Occasionally there were olive or citrus trees but mainly it was pasture and scrub.

We are all feeling a bit under the weather. Probably covid ( if it quacks like a duck) but we don’t have temperatures and it’s unclear how we could all be sick together given we only met up in Lisbon. Hopefully we are not spreading sickness in our wake.

Mike and I slept most of the way. I had set an alarm as we had to get off in Tunes and swap to a regional train. Our train was late! The conductor said we didn’t have to change trains which was good. We needn’t have worried. About 50 people piled off and raced across the platform to the regional train which was waiting for us. It had no first class!

The regional train was highly decorated but there was no looking out the windows!

We got off at some small place 5 stops further on. I was a bit nervous especially after one guy tried to disembark at a stop and the doors wouldn’t open! We had to stand by the doors with our bags or would have no show of getting off. Fortunately the doors worked.

Crossing the platforms was basic. That was our train before it left. It was a bit nerve wracking going across as you couldn’t see if anything was coming the other way!

It was a bit like the middle of the Wild West but there was uber.

The first guy wouldn’t take us as we had too many bags. Who knew you had to order an approved size vehicle? (Probably everyone except us).

There was a short ride to our accommodation at Pestana Palms Garden. It is a resort where we have our own apartments. No coffee, tea or washing powder but at least there is hair and body gel!

All of the apartments look like this Barbara’s is the middle window and she has a balcony on the other side.

A downstairs lounge with terrace and a downstairs loo and shower.

The gardens are lovely with different coloured bougainvillea

We were an hour early so had a white sangria and Caesar salads while we waited for check in. The restaurant and bar is run separately and they don’t do cocktails ( no pina coladas Pauline).

It was very hot.

Barb and I had a swim in the pool after check-in and then we walked down the road to the beach. It’s not far but there is a big drop down to the sea.

Glad we are not in the yellow place. Mike reckons it looks like a prison. There is a winding path with lots of steps down to the beach.

The beach is mostly private and all the water was thick with seaweed.

We went, we saw, we returned to our pool. Of course we can’t get pool towels as you have to have a 10€ cash deposit per towel and we have no cash left ( Barb paid for water down the street and the convertible back from the Peña palace and Mike paid for something).

We booked for dinner at our resort and I had the most divine sea bass that I’ve ever tasted. It had a white wine sauce and came with asparagus and veges. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals.