East Algarve Portugal news

[Frodojohn]

Just been to our house near Tavira and noticed that the large dirt parking area next to the market in Tavira now has height restrictions of 2.5m and signs stating no motorhomes. This used to be a very popular free overnight stop. In addition nearby in the town of Fuseta the car park next to the campsite where many motorhomes stop overnight, the GNR local police were out at about 6.30pm on Saturday 15th suggesting that owners do not stay overnight. Might need confirmation as I got the information via a French speaking person. Anybody else know?

[witzend]

Could it be because they've just opened a new Aire at Tavira and they are getting vans to move to it

https://tinyurl.com/yxypknau

[goldi]

Good afternoon ,

 

Thanks for that we were heading down there next week.

[Frodojohn]

Yes there's a relatively new site/ site near the Tavira Grand Plaza shopping centre. Big supermarket within a couple of hundred yards. The Saturday morning market in Tavira might also be a reason for restrictions on the dirt area as there's always a problem get a parking space at the market even in a car. Stall holders and visitors to the market often double park or block others in. Bit difficult now to attend the market if in your van!

[Willum]

Frodojohn - 2020-03-04 11:13 AM

 

Yes there's a relatively new site/ site near the Tavira Grand Plaza shopping centre. Big supermarket within a couple of hundred yards. The Saturday morning market in Tavira might also be a reason for restrictions on the dirt area as there's always a problem get a parking space at the market even in a car. Stall holders and visitors to the market often double park or block others in. Bit difficult now to attend the market if in your van!

 

Either I missed something (entirely possible) or the tiny URL and the reference to the location being near Tavira's Grand Plaza don't quite tie up.

The Geo ref given in the link ties in with the pin in the attached map and really is out in the sticks, northwest past the A22 and several (about 6) kilometers out of Tavira. The link says Quinta da Eira Antiga which doesn't seem to produce much of a Google result but the geo coords produce a place called Casa Branca, a 'Casa de Campo, Tourismo Rural' in other words a countryside campground, probably branching out into motorhomes. There's absolutely no big supermarket that I can see on Google, nor remember from driving down that road - admittedly 3 years ago - it's VERY rural.

That said, I'd love to get an accurate location for the 'new' motorhome area near the Grand Plaza if there is one available.

[Billggski]

"What3words" is now gaining popularity.

By assigning 3x3 metre squares across the world to just three words, I can direct emergency services to my front door, back door, rear gate or any other site.

If camp sites started using the site you could not only find the entrance, but pick your plot!

[yoko8pups]

On the roundabout outside Grand Plaza, if you are coming to it from the town, the first turning goes down to the Hotel Vila Gale, the second is marked a dead end, carry on down there and you cant miss it.The third goes into Grande Plaza an the fourth doubles back to Tavira.

[Willum]

yoko8pups - 2020-03-07 3:09 PM

 

On the roundabout outside Grand Plaza, if you are coming to it from the town, the first turning goes down to the Hotel Vila Gale, the second is marked a dead end, carry on down there and you cant miss it.The third goes into Grande Plaza an the fourth doubles back to Tavira.

I think perhaps the parking area you're referring to is the one Frodojohn quoted as being taken out of use, it's behind/beside the Mercado Municipal, not the Gran Plaza. Is the roundabout in front the one with the bit of concrete road art that has the St John's cross on it?

It would fit better with the GNR shifting people off and the addition of height barriers, 'cos it looks like it's the overflow for the Market.

I guess finding the one near the Gran Plaza might be a question of exploration of the roads away from the roundabout at the Gran Plaza - unless someone has first hand knowledge.

We're headed that way in a couple of weeks - Corona virus scares permitting - so it would be a useful bit of info. Might look at the new one mentioned in the tiny URL link as well.

Will

 

[yoko8pups]

No, it's not the one behind the Mercado Municipal, That was cleared out a couple of weeks ago and a 2.50m height barrier put up. I haven't even seen any VWs parking there so I think the police are moving them off. The new one is where I said, we're motorhomers so we went to check it out although we live quite near. Do you know the one on Faleisia beach? It looks like the same owners, simple and utilitarian but fairly cheap, about 10 I think. There is a cllean and tidy washing machine room and so on. Not a long walk into town.

[Willum]

yoko8pups - 2020-03-08 4:22 PM

 

No, it's not the one behind the Mercado Municipal, That was cleared out a couple of weeks ago and a 2.50m height barrier put up. I haven't even seen any VWs parking there so I think the police are moving them off. The new one is where I said, we're motorhomers so we went to check it out although we live quite near. Do you know the one on Faleisia beach? It looks like the same owners, simple and utilitarian but fairly cheap, about 10 I think. There is a cllean and tidy washing machine room and so on. Not a long walk into town.

OK. You got me.

The first turn off that roundabout does as you say have a hotel sign but it's to the Via Gale Albacora. The Via Gale itself is the opposite direction, other side of the river, a good kilometre away and just out of the town centre.

If I've got my bearings, that cul-de-sac stops at the railway line?

Roughly how far down is the campsite?

[yoko8pups]

There are two Vila Gales, the other one is on the beach opposite the island, you can see it from where you get the ferry. The campsite is just a few metres from the dead end, you've got the right road!

[Willum]

yoko8pups - 2020-03-09 1:54 PM

 

There are two Vila Gales, the other one is on the beach opposite the island, you can see it from where you get the ferry. The campsite is just a few metres from the dead end, you've got the right road!

 

Obrigado pela ajuda :-D

 

Will

[Billggski]

Spoke.correlation.regulate

 

Is the what3words co-ordinate for the front door to the mercado, using this system you don't need directions or grid references, zone in on the campsite front gate and you have it to within three metres, and get directions from wherever you are.

 

What3words.com

 

Edit to add direct link (Keithl) https://what3words.com/spoke.correlation.regulate

[Willum]

Billggski - 2020-03-09 2:20 PM

 

Spoke.correlation.regulate

 

Is the what3words co-ordinate for the front door to the mercado, using this system you don't need directions or grid references, zone in on the campsite front gate and you have it to within three metres, and get directions from wherever you are.

 

What3words.com

 

Edit to add direct link (Keithl) https://what3words.com/spoke.correlation.regulate

 

Forgive this, Billggski, I can see the merit in the system but:

As a (retired) professional radio communicator it appears to me to be very much open to misunderstanding if used verbally, especially if English is not your first language. Add to that, each language has it's own different word list. From what I understand, if you try telling a Portuguese Fireman the reference you have for your burning motorhome, tough. His language list will be totally different.

If used electronically - I assume normally by the medium of a smart phone - it is reliant on a working, suitably (app) equipped handset. It also needs a signal and last but not least, a charged battery.

I see they say it can be used offline but there are 57 Trillion, randomly assigned, squares to account for via the app, so I wonder how well that works when the phone signal is poor?

I see they say it will always be free to the individual user too, but I also see they are very hot on sales and publicity and that they are very coy about publishing their prices for organisations......... and organisations are the people we want to contact when the proverbial hits the fan.

I've a bit of a jaundiced view of such things offered free as almost invariably a fee for use/subscription charge appears when the system becomes popular, or widely adopted, then gets bought up by big business. (eg Skype/Microsoft)

It is not open source. If you want the world and his wife to adopt your system, you can't hide the detail - or at least if you do, I think people will become suspicious of your motives.

If the company goes tilt, who takes it on? Or is all your investment then lost, or held to ransom? If they get hacked by ransomware, what then? Look at Travelex. If a company like that isn't immune.....................

I will not get in the least upset if you shoot down my arguments. I do use a satnag - but I have a not unfounded distrust of them - and I like and will stick to cheap and cheerful maps as a backup - for now.

Here's a blog of just one guy who isn't quite so keen on what3words:

https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2019/03/why-bother-with-what-three-words/

Will

ps here's the Geo Co-ordinates to the bottom of the escalator going up into the Gran Plaza:

37.130801N 007.636554W

that should be within about 30 cms,. Plenty good enough for a cruise missile - but probably messed up by Continental Drift before anyone reads this.

 

[colin]

747Heavy - 2020-03-09 8:11 PM

 

 

ps here's the Geo Co-ordinates to the bottom of the escalator going up into the Gran Plaza:

37.130801N 007.636554W

that should be within about 30 cms,. Plenty good enough for a cruise missile - but probably messed up by Continental Drift before anyone reads this.

 

GPS might work if firing a cruise missile at Portugal, won't if firing one at Russia, I suspect they have now incorporated other systems.

[Willum]

colin - 2020-03-09 8:50 PM

 

747Heavy - 2020-03-09 8:11 PM

 

 

ps here's the Geo Co-ordinates to the bottom of the escalator going up into the Gran Plaza:

37.130801N 007.636554W

that should be within about 30 cms,. Plenty good enough for a cruise missile - but probably messed up by Continental Drift before anyone reads this.

 

GPS might work if firing a cruise missile at Portugal, won't if firing one at Russia, I suspect they have now incorporated other systems.

 

I think you might find GPS works regardless of your (cruise missile's) destination. It's based on satellites using probably the most established and unilaterally recognised system of designation there is - Geographic Co-ordinates - and it doesn't matter where you live, or what national location system you use, someone (usually the Americans) has photographed it from a satellite, at an altitude you couldn't exist at without a spacecraft. Technology is a wonderful thing - until it gets in the hands of the wrong person with a bad attitude to his neighbours.

Anyhow:

This subject is wandering off into the long grass - probably my fault.

I hope to get as far as the Algarve before Spain follows Italy into 'lockdown', causing me to spend an indeterminate length of time browning me knees in Costa Del Sol sunshine. I'll try and take a look at the rural site mentioned in this thread and report back. If anybody beats me to it, please spread the news.

Will