Tavira 2017

Really enjoyed my photos from last year at the neighbouring village of Santa Luzia and as we were going to some of the same places again I wasn't sure what I was going to see different this time. So plan A, take some cute photos of cats for my Mum.

We normally stay in an apartment rather than a hotel but we could easily recommend the Maria Nova, at the top of the town, fairly near to the bus station, the Porta Nova train station and restaurants. Worth paying the extra for a pool view, not for the pool but because you wake up to a lovely view beyond that:

You can see the back of the church that is in the little park / square from where most of the restaurants are a stones throw away.

One of the ways back up to the hotel is to walk to the side of this church and turn left and you go past a bakery, Padaria Porta Nova, open till 3a.m. Our tip is to stop there for a coffee and cake after a meal for around the same cost as a dessert in a restaurant. A popular place with locals. Some get a small, expresso like, coffee called a bica while they wait for the next lot of fresh bread rolls. Great for people watching any time of the day or night.

Only different bit of camera kit I took was a achromat close up filter. With a mass of only 50grams in its case, it is a great way to get some close detail shots without having to carry an extra lens.
November rose:

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day and St Martin's Day both fall on November the 11th. Apparently the weather is supposed to get better after this day!

It was great to be able to get up early and walk down to the Roman bridge for Sunrise at around 7.15am. This is looking out to the "military bridge" which was built in 1990 after the Roman bridge was damage in a flood. The 1998 road bridge is beyond that.

Jardim do Coreto (bandstand):

Some spray from the watering the gardens on the bright red benches:

The Roman bridge:

Sun catching Nossa Senora da Ajuda, one of around 30 churches in Tavira.

After breakfast walking back to the side of the same church:

Little market at the Mercado da Ribeira:

Warming up for the Remembrance service...

... which was very well attended.

Newspaper stand outside the Town hall just before 11a.m.

Guest conductor?

Back through the market and past the Military bridge on the way to the ferry to the beach (see previous post).

Street photography:

St Martin's Day soup festival in the riverside market place - the local restaurants contributing huge pots of soup. After some confusion with buying tokens, I ended up with enough for 11 soups between the two of us. Presumed they could also be used for the cakes and drinks but, alas, no. Managed to swap a few and gave two away. Nice to see locals way out number the tourists for the second time in the day.

While walking off the soups:

Sunset and Night

A convenient 6pm sunset time allowed for a few photographs using a tripod which could be returned to the hotel before going out for an evening meal. The water can be quite still at this time as the wind drops as the land and sea temperatures equalize.
First one is a 2 minute exposure with a 10 stop Neutral Density filter (2 to the power of 10 =1024 times darker). It is like looking through wielding glass but without a strong colour tint.

Waiting till the brightening lights better match the dimming sky:

Wider angle:

On another night from the road bridge:

Fine tuned this composition so that the little boat in the middle didn't merge with the reflection of the church towers:

The bus station, believe it or not!

Church visits

On the walk up to the Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo:

View from the church bell tower to the "road train", yes, you can see another church close to this one.

Office room detail, I loved how the light dropped off on the curtains.

They probably don't make chairs like this anymore:

Broken wall panel:

Another church, Igreja da Misericórdia:

Painted pillars to look like marble at a distance:

Hope you enjoyed this little taste of Tavira, and have tempted you to visit away from the rush and heat of the Summer months.
Thanks, Andrew