Lazy days in Olhao: November 1 and 2

November 1, 2017

The Algarve region of Portugal, where I am now, is one of the hot "retire abroad" locations, known for low costs and lots of sunshine. I thought I would take my time here and check it out.

The weather forecast was threatening rain for today, and also for the next 2 days. The dark clouds and cooler temperatures were all that happened.

Storm clouds over Olhao. The storm did not materialise.

It also happened that today was a bank holiday. Google told me it was All Saints Day. That meant that the municipal museum and the tourist information offices were closed. Yesterday I had asked about a boat tour. The company that I asked said that they wouldn't be going today because the fishermen said it would rain. I didn't go back and ask today. Instead I spent some time wandering around. I went to the Algarve Outlets, which is a large shopping mall with a Jumbo (a large department and food store) and also a Sports Zone. I had visited a small bike store yesterday and asked about bike clothing. I've been wearing a t-shirt, and have missed the back pocket of a jersey. The bike shop referred me to Sports Zone, but I didn't find a jersey there. But I got a good look at the shopping center, and think I could find anything other than bike stuff that I might need.

I went back to my guest house, and then wandered through the old town and through the municipal market. I hadn't realized yesterday that only one side of the market is fish. The other is vegetables and some candies and whatnot.

Then I had an early dinner at one of the multitude of fish restaurants. I had a mixed fish grill, and asked for another fish to be substituted for the anchovies. The cook did well, and I overate.

I'll be staying here one more day.

November 2, 2017 Thursday.

Thursday was just as lazy as Wednesday. I did find the closer supermarket, and picked up some toothpaste. That's always a sign that my trip is getting long, that I need more toothpaste.

Mural on the outside of the supermarket, which is called Pingo Doce.

Then I stopped by the tourist office. I asked about the bike route to Albufeira, and was told that the only option is to ride the national road, 125, and that traffic is fast. When I asked about the Ecovia, I was told that it doesn't really exist. I'm not so sure about that, but it does parallel the 125 for a way west of here. Lastly I asked, just out of curiosity and not seriously, how one would go about finding a long term rental here. The woman shook her head and said it is very hard. You can check booking.com or AirBnB. She said the old houses are being bought up here by Germans and French and British and being restored. Some become rentals, but not many. Rentals are difficult even for local people. I can attest that every group of shops seems to have at least one real estate office, and they handle sales and not rentals. Prices seem moderate, but not especially cheap compared with what I'm used to, especially if a lot of restoration is needed.

Restoration in process, in view of my room at the guest house.

I also went to the municipal museum. Most of it was only in Portugese, and was lost on me. I hadn't realized how much my smattering of Spanish had helped me in Spain. The only section with English translations talked about how Olhoa had inspired some of the cubism in the 1920's, through the appearance of the houses.

I wandered the town a bit, and went into the church that I had seen from the outside yesterday. It was built in 1783, and is a functioning church, without any historical placards. It keeps the nautical theme of the town, even on the inside.

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