Byby Andalucia...hello Portugal 😊

We end up in Torre Zalabar, right next to the Donana National Park, with Oscar, who offers parking right by the sea for 10 euros. Between hotels and holiday apartments, he has created a small, colorful hippie oasis. We are amazed when he shows us his works of art, which he makes from natural materials that wash up on the beach. We stay in this great place for a few days and sleep like marmots with the music of the waves in our ears. Oscar also has 6 Labrador puppies that are just 6 weeks old. We are totally in love and I don't want to let them go. 3 of them have already been given to campers and the other 3 are guaranteed to be travel dogs because there is a lot of people passing through the parking lot. And because camping and dogs go together perfectly, I am sure that they will all get a good place.

A few kilometers further on, we are still on the edge of the Donana National Park, and we find the perfect parking space among locals right by the sea. Behind us, great sandstone cliffs tower into the sky and in front of us lies the great Atlantic with an endless sandy beach as far as the horizon. We can see the great beach from our bed and can hear the sound of the waves around the clock. At low tide, great new, huge mussels are washed up every day. We have never seen so many and so big before. It is the weekend, it is 30° and the Spaniards come in droves to swim on the great beach. There is a loud, colorful hustle and bustle all day long. With music, dogs, children and friends, the locals enjoy their life by the sea. It is wonderful to watch. We get a visit from Hegge, a man from Hesse. We met at Oscar's and he drove after us without further ado. Hegge has almost the same story as us. He has also turned his back on Germany, now lives in a van and is looking for a new future. We spend a few nice days together before he goes to his new place near Huelva. Hegge often goes on vacation in exchange for work. That means he helps people in the garden, with removals or other things. In return he gets free room and board. It's also an opportunity to travel on a small budget. Take care, Hegge. We'll definitely see each other again.

After an overnight stay in the small white border village of Sanluca, we say bye bye Andalusia. You have taken us by storm. We are so impressed by your cheerful people, the magnificent landscapes and the cheap prices. We always felt safe and welcome and had a great time in the last few months. We will be back. Promise!!

We set off and drive into Portugal at Ayamonte across the Guadiana river over the magnificent white bridge. There is no longer a border. Only a large sign tells us that we are now in the Algarve in Portugal. The sky is blue and the thermometer shows 30°. Welcome to Portugal 😊🥳😎. In Vila real de Santo Antonio we spend the night in a harbor car park. We turn the clock back an hour because it is winter time here (all year round) and wobble off into the colorful city in search of a post office. In Portugal there are many motorways with electronic tolls and you can buy these prepaid cards in the post office and then activate them electronically. The little town is colorful and manageable. The typical colorful tiles are for sale everywhere and great buildings can be admired. Colorful clothes and fabrics are on offer on every corner. I suppress a hint of a shopping mood. We pay 1.50 euros for a large beer 😉 and stroll leisurely through the pedestrian zones and the harbor area. On the other side of the river we see Spain. When we walk with the dogs into the nearby reed area in the evening in search of a place to swim, our eyes widen. There is rubbish everywhere. Rubbish as far as the eye can see. In southern countries it is often dirtier than we would like, but this is beyond anything we have seen so far. A few meters further towards the river we are suddenly in the middle of a gypsy camp. But not as we know it with big cars and caravans. Here the people live under glued-together tarpaulins in the worst conditions with their children. We don't feel comfortable, slam on the brakes and turn straight around. That was not a nice first walk in Portugal. In the evening a poor woman comes to the car with great freshly picked strawberries. I give her 5 euros for the basket.

We continue on to Tavira. Because wild camping in the Algarve is almost impossible, we go to a large pitch that costs us 11 euros a night. There are showers and washing machines and plenty of space. We will stay here for a few days to really 'arrive' in Portugal. Our friends Karin and Nicole are on their way and will join us in the next few days. We are looking forward to seeing familiar faces. Together we will drive through the Algarve to Sagres and go to a campsite there again, because Nicole's mum and aunt are coming to visit us and since I know them too, I am really looking forward to the big group of women that awaits us there. Portugal, here we come!!😎😎🥳🥳