# Tag 36 Portugal on the rock

I still need to add something. 

Bremen and Seville are both Airbus locations. In the very central district of Tablada, there is a huge fenced-off area along the river, which we initially thought was a military area. In fact, the entire area belongs to Airbus defence & space. There is also a lively partnership between the two locations (isn't that right, Eckhard?).

Tuesday morning the weather is as usual: it's raining and quite heavily. But that doesn't matter because we are going to continue driving and the sun will shine in Portugal with a lot of optimism.

It is about 150 km to the border and then another 150 km to Lagos, where we have chosen a parking space 15 km beyond the town of Salema.

The fuel prices differ considerably between the two countries, so we will refuel before the border. And Spain gives us a farewell gift - there is a discount of €0.25 per liter on the diesel price (€1.82 per liter), so we can refuel for €1.57. Unfortunately, only 38 liters fit in the tank 😒. Obviously, they respond quickly and without bureaucracy to the crisis here. 

As we cross the border to Portugal, we have a feeling of 'home'. 

We have loved this country since we were here for the first time a few years ago. We are fascinated by the back of the Algarve from Lagos to the outermost tip of Europe in Sagres. That will also be our destination for today.

Immediately noticeable is that Portugal is much cleaner than Spain. While the Iberians often throw their garbage into the countryside, which collects along the motorway at the roadside and at the fruit and vegetable plantations, Portugal looks tidy.

We couldn't find these pictures from Spain along the motorway here in Portugal. The view of the countryside and the settlements also confirm this impression. Let's see what else we notice.

I had been dealing with tolls on Portuguese motorways before. They are mostly privately owned and with different systems. That's why there is no uniform payment system. At the border crossing, you quickly find a registration station for the Easy Toll system. 

There you drive up to the barrier, insert your credit card into the machine, a camera takes a picture of the license plate of the vehicle and associates it with the credit card. From now on, you drive through the toll areas and are registered every time with the extensive surveillance cameras. The registration is valid for 30 days, and billing is done afterwards.

On the 150 km motorway, the toll sections, which are subject to charges, are announced with large signs and the costs. If my mental calculation during the drive on the less crowded motorway works correctly, then we have passed through about 8 - 10 areas and have charged ourselves €11 in fees. Well, cheap is different. 

At the destination behind Lagos, we reach the Figuera Caravan Park, which is smaller than its name suggests. There is space for about 40 vehicles of different sizes. Our vehicle is large here and needs an XL space. With the help of the nice 'old man' who greets us, we can choose one. He explains the most necessary things (registration, code for the entrance gate, WiFi password) in verbose gibberish.

We have arrived. The pitch costs €10 per night plus electricity. We plan to stay here for a few days; after all, it is the halfway point of the 80 days and we are also pretty much halfway on the route.

Salema is extremely convenient for our plans in all directions. Furthermore, Salema is one of the places that has fascinated us the most in the past. As a simple fishing village surrounded by some hills, sitting in the bay there is simply wonderful, the beach is sandy, and the promenade is still original. Some resorts and apartment complexes have settled here, but they are not full at this time of year. We will certainly sit here more often and enjoy an afternoon drink (Peter Nickel, we will think of you 😉).

There is also Praia do Barranco nearby, the hippie beach in Portugal - would you like a small impression: Praia do Barranco – the hippie beach in Portugal | DinoVan

When shopping at Intermarché, you immediately come across some characters whom I would definitely associate with the beach. We will take a look at that in the course of the days (of course, with the necessary respect for alternative lifestyles 😂).

On the way back from Salema (by bike), we meet two young Germans just before our camper park, who ask us for help with their rented racing bikes with big eyes. They have a flat tire and no pump with them. 

They have come to the right place with us. 

We push the short distance to the motorhome and provide smart help with changing the hose. Our bicycle compressor pump is worth its weight in gold for that. 

In conversation, we learn that she comes from Oldenburg and he comes from Hamburg. They study together in Leipzig. When they then take out their rain ponchos (type brandless, grimy green and water cannon-tested - sorry, professional hazard) as the rain slowly sets in, I am still happy to have helped. The two were nice and grateful for our help.

Maybe I'm still thinking too much in categories.