Feiras and Full Moons - Shiny Penguin

Some weeks fall neatly into routine; others swirl into motion — visitors arriving, fairs spinning, and the moon rising full over it all. This one was a little of everything: family, food, early mornings, and the small rhythms that somehow keep it all together.

Tom’s sisters arrived last Friday, jet-lagged but smiling, ready to start their Portugal visit even if their internal clocks weren’t. They wanted to see what our daily lives were like, so we kept to our usual weekly routine and tossed in a few other biggies — a trip to Seville and the Benagil Caves.

Mercado and Mayhem

In the spirit of keeping with our schedule, we started with Saturday morning at the Mercado. Fresh produce, the smell of fish — all part of the gentle acclimation ritual.

Later that evening, we met up with my former landlords, Natalina and Nunes, for a proper Portuguese welcome: leitão — pig on a spit. This was a quick walk to the Feira de São Francisco, which had taken over the fairgrounds behind our apartment. It was full volume every night — bumper cars, music, chattering crowds — and the soundtrack didn’t stop until 2 a.m. Also, another perfect way to remedy jet lag.

Trash and Thai Food

We would be remiss to skip our weekly trash clean-up. Still relying on Sue and Kathy’s jet lag to fog judgment, we dragged them out to meet the East Algarve Cleanup crew. Sounds a bit cruel, but it’s actually a wonderful group of people — and the post-cleanup coffee meetup was a reward in itself.

To keep things hopping, we joined friends for lunch at a local Thai restaurant before everyone succumbed to another well-earned nap.

Olhão & Quiz Night

Monday rolled around, and while I had my language class, Tom took his sisters on a tour of nearby towns, including Olhão. That evening we were coerced into subbing at quiz night at the local Irish pub, followed by dinner at Ai Mãe around the corner.

Uber and Olives

On Tuesday, we had our Red Cross shifts, so the sisters Ubered to MAR Shopping Mall. With a Seville trip coming up the next day, we squeezed in laundry, a tour of Portugal’s only olive factory (vs olive oil), and a stop in Cacela Velha to watch the full moon rise over the Ria Formosa. There are no photos from the factory tour because we were outfitted in hairnets, booties, and plastic aprons — which, frankly, may have been for the best.

Calluses and Cathedrals

On Wednesday, Tom skipped his Portuguese class and we headed to Seville. Our walking tour began in Plaza San Francisco and wound through the city to the grand Plaza de España.

We had cathedral tickets for 4 p.m., but no one seemed bothered that we arrived a bit late — time bends differently in Seville. We climbed the tower to the top, counting bell after bell, then later that night listened to them ring in unison from our Airbnb window.

Here are a couple views from our AirBnb’s window.

When a protest marched past, we slipped outside to watch, then settled at a café to scout dinner options. We chose Islamorada Tapas & Bar — easily one of our best meals yet: padrón peppers, fresh tomato salad, pork cheek, Iberian pork tacos, and a slider to end all sliders. We followed it with a stop at Mito, a gelato shop owned by the same restaurateur, where we shared scoops under the warm glow of Seville’s evening lights.

After dinner (and dessert), we wandered around and saw the city lit up at night.

Tapas & Oranges

Thursday brought another walking tour, this time through the Jewish Quarter, ending — naturally — with tapas. Afterward we did a bit of shopping, especially at the Orange Tree store, which lived up to its name in scent and color.

Caves and Waves

By Saturday we were back in Portugal, headed west to hike the Seven Hanging Valleys trail. Clifftop views, turquoise water, and sea caves glowing in the afternoon sun — the perfect finale to a week that somehow balanced routine with adventure.

On the map, we spotted a rock formation called “Yellow Submarine” and Tom was keen to seek it out. The road was a bit of a nail biter — a single lane with blind corners and eventually a dirt road that lead off to the end of the earth. We decided not to go there, and ended up at Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha.

Bolos and Bye Byes

Sunday was our prearranged down day so the sisters could do laundry and get ready for the next leg of their adventure. I had a couple of things on my own schedule: a Red Cross meeting on Monday and two cakes to bake for a Tuesday-night birthday party. The party had been on the calendar for a while, but somehow, in the preceding week, I’d also agreed to manage the Red Cross warehouse. Down day or not, I shifted into high gear.

Everyone came along to the store, but I was feeling frazzled, so I suggested they take a slow ramble — maybe grab a coffee — while I zipped through the aisles to figure out what baking supplies were available. I landed on a plan for mini fluted cakes and madeleines. Sue helped with a test run, using an Algarvian recipe made with olive oil instead of butter and infused with orange and lemon.

Later, I sat down to finish the redesign plan for the warehouse — because apparently when you volunteer long enough, someone eventually hands you the keys. Maybe I wasn’t the best hostess that day, but for the theme of showing our visitors our routine, I’d say I stayed right on brand.

The sisters’ flight out was at 6:50 a.m., so Monday began around 4:30. I was wide awake and alert — perfect timing to polish my presentation before Tom swapped his language-lesson slot with mine so I could spend the afternoon baking.

Rhythms and Reasons

By the time the week ended — the fairs quiet, the sisters homeward bound, and the cakes cooling on the counter — Tavira felt settled again. Our routines had bent and stretched, but not broken. The full moon that rose over Cacela Velha still hung in my mind — bright, constant, and round, like a reminder that even when life spins through fairs, family visits, and 4:30 a.m. wake-ups, it always finds its rhythm again.

More Portugal

Read more about daily life, the embarrassing moments, and the process for having a long stay in Portugal. If you are more of a picture person, follow me on Instagram.