April 25th – Portugal’s national holiday.
And I wasn’t sure if I could even play today.
Tavira is a natural beauty – a dream of a town.
I cross the river with my gear trolley. The old town is alive with tourists, art stands, and music – though sadly, only from speakers.
As always, I’m unsure where to set up without getting kicked out immediately.
Then a guy in his mid-40s rides by on a crazy bike and gives me a tip:
“Not here, way too many cameras. Go 500 meters down the street – where the boats leave for the islands.”
I follow his advice.
Not much going on at first.
But after a few minutes, people start appearing on their balconies.
A girl films me from a window.
Moments later, her partner comes downstairs just to throw €10 into my case.
A guy from Karlsruhe buys me a Super Bock beer, and we start chatting.
When I turn back around to play again, I’m suddenly surrounded by a crowd.
Everyone waiting for the next ferry.
I end up playing for 53 minutes.
Afterwards, a friendly Australian woman invites me for a coffee.
Then, the crazy-bike guy shows up again and tells me:
“Now’s the perfect time to play on the bridge – the accordion guy is on lunch break.”
Now I’m sitting by the river, asking myself:
Who actually reads these road trip diaries?
No idea if it’s two friends or thirty-eight acquaintances.
Too lazy to check the stats – I could find out, but… nah.
So if you’re reading this – let me know!
Anything I could do better? Anything you’re curious about?
My tips for Tavira:
• Grab a gelato at TaviraRomana – honestly, the best ice cream of my life.
• Check out the jam session at Clube de Tavira – world-class jazz musicians.
