July 9 - Try to get an seahorse tour, which seems like the most interesting thing being offered by the agencies lining the waterfront. End of organizing something for tomorrow, leaving us free to do something else today. I go forward with the plan to take a day trip to Tavira, about an hour east.
Take the train, which seems like the most relaxing way to get there. The train station is a single building along the track through the middle of town. However, it is late, so we only arrive in Tavira at noon.
Something we haven’t seen much of yet is Portuguese Muslim history. Tavira, being a town founded during the Islamic era, has a museum dedicated to it. The town was built a healthy distance back from the ocean along a small river, such that it would be invisible to passing ships. The original old city was built with high defensive walls. Some of the old gates are still visible.
The phases of Islamic history here are broken into three periods: the Taifa (11th C), Almoravid (11-12th C), and Almohad (12-13th C). The town was conquered by the Order of Saint James in 1242. After this the town mosque was converted into a church.
There are remnants of the city walls, undoubtedly modified many times since Muslim times.
In the Santa Maria Church is an interesting display called Altarpiece of the Souls.
Get lunch and otherwise run out of things to do here, so get the train back to Olhão.