Day 2 Faro, Portugal; 26 July 2001

O730 great Continental breakfast after a long walk and swim... starving. Stashed two ham and cheese rolls from breakfast table for later in the day. Off to find train station and Monaco hotel. Found ancient, fake - looking medieval walled town and old narrow streets of Faro very interesting. One very ancient Moorish style antique shop (lots of Moorish influence in the town: in the architecture especially) was selling wonderfully patterned tiles. Harbour packed out with speedboats, on opposite side of railway line saltwater marshes and sandbars (with quite a lot of houses and facilities) give a lagoon-type environment. Loads of shell fish farming offshore. Modern type pedestrian shopping precinct in Faro. Airport located a few miles west of Faro on the coast. Confirmed seat train reservation for tomorrow where a beautiful Sonora, black hair, bright eyes girl who spoke English and kept on giggling for some reason or another.
Set off walking towards Montenegro few miles outside Faro to the Hotel Monaco. On arrival they said I hadn't been booked in for the night but my 31 August booking was fine! Great! Lounged in hotel bar, chatted with their sales manager and it turned out they didn't know that another (non - agent) company was using their name over the internet for reservations. They were pleased I had explained it to them. Therefore the Manager overturned the lad’s decision on Reception regarding my booking and gave me a room for the night. A few ice cold orange juices and a good swim later I walked into Faro.
It was all very interesting, vibrant colors everywhere but everything seemed so slow due to the heat I suppose. The men at work seemed to be not really working at all. A small pick - up truck had its offside, front wheel half way down a hole in a back street and water was gushing out everywhere nearby from a broken main. Water, water everywhere! It looked expensive water pouring down the street because everywhere is semi-arid.
Orange tiled roofs and white walls of boxy homes with lots of flat roof space as well. Walked all round in and out of Faro and then couldn't be bothered to wait for a bus so walked it back to Hotel Monaco on dirt track pavements. Had a few drinks and meal with ½ bottle of white, black and white olives, rolls, delicious thick vegetable soup followed by main course of two massive tastily battered pieces of hake with rice and peas plus light mayonnaise dressing on a lettuce leaf. A Best Ever Meal followed by fruit salad of small pieces of fresh apple, pear (don't usually like pear at all), orange, peach, banana and kiwi in their own light juice plus express coffee and a waitress who couldn't stop telling me all about Lucia of Fatima who is apparently only allowed to speak with the Pope - seemed weird if true. The total meal came to E 1.98 which was brilliant value for money. The foodstuffs in the shops are about half UK prices! Loads of small bars and restaurants all over the place, very touristy feel to the place. Great view over Faro from my 3rd floor bedroom window.

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