Breakfast at Hotel Tivoli was described as “lavish” on the hotel’s website. We have had some breakfasts in Portugal that were lavish and this buffet breakfast is tasty especially the fried eggs and baked beans. We wouldn’t however call this buffet breakfast as lavish. There are so many Brits here who simply must have their eggs, beans and toast for brekkie which taste delicious after a night at the many British and Irish pubs. Look for pasty people with beans and toast on their plates that then head to the pub and you have the life of a Brit tourist! No doubt McDonalds will be here soon. The breakfast room is a large factory feeding huge amounts of people. We managed to snag a table by the window with the crowds beginning to thin out. Lots of fresh fruit, whole wheat breads and a good selection of Portuguese cheeses. Strange though the coffee comes from machines you must go to and press a button for the type of coffee you want.
In the car drove to Cabo do Säo Viconte the End of The World so called as it is the most southwestern part of Europe jutting out into the Atlantic so people in earlier days thought they were at the end of the world. There was a tremendous scenic lookout where you saw cliffs leading to Sagres, the Sagres fort, and the Sagres lighthouse. A beautiful, deserted beach below. The lighthouse emits the most powerful beam of light in all of Europe. A very steep cliff and below very rough and crashing surf. Not part of the guidebook was a tourist urinating between two garbage cans at the far end of the parking lot. There was a food truck selling rather disappointing “home cooked fare” to a large group of rather “rotund” German tourists. There was also a burger wagon, a donut wagon, a bratwurst wagon and a nut wagon. Another stall sold sweaters. So much for rustic as most of the vendors accepted American Express cards. Wonderful tawdry and commercial views in the parking lot. I perpetuated this touristic circus by purchasing almonds, dried apricots, almond covered figs and honey from an old, grizzled farmer. Superb dried apricots. Next stop was the Fortaleza do Sagres with a gigantic compass in its front. A legacy of Henry the Navigator. There was a very rustic and simple chapel. And a sushi shop near the gift shop! On our return trip stopped at a ceramic factory with innumerable rows of merchandise. We bought a few ceramic bowls but our limited luggage space kept our purchases minimal.
Stopped at a small market where I bought some shaving cream and a couple of toothbrushes. There was a large lineup to purchase lottery tickets. A massive jackpot of 77 million Euros to the winner. Once back at the Tivoli Fotini had a bath and Andrew and I hit the beach. We managed to secure a table at Gilberto’s where we could not get into last night. We started off with clams while I had the octopus stew in a battered tinpot while Andrew and Fotini split a Cataplana. We walked the streets after dinner and many of the shops are high end unlike the tawdry tourist shops at Nazare. You hear many languages spoken on the streets but still there are plenty of Portuguese tourists as well.
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