Although both Spain and Portugal are well served by trains, most of the tracks are of a different gauge. So, despite the fact they’re only a few hours apart and they both have train stations, there’s no train from Sevilla to Faro, Portugal. Instead, we took a bus. We’d rented an apartment in the Algarve, the southernmost part of Portugal on the Atlantic. We fell in love with Portugal, and if it weren’t for the pull of family, we’d never have left. I mean, seriously. It’s such an easy place to be.

Riding the bus. Once in Faro, we took an Uber to Quartiera, our home for the next few weeks.

After exploring the beach and dinner at the marina, we found a back way home and some street art.

The next day we discovered Portuguese food. Quarteira, the town we stayed in, has a fishing fleet, and the fish is amazing.

The entrance to our place, which is attached to the main villa.

Although Quarteira has 16,000 people, it was easy to walk everywhere.

This whimsical octopus sculpture lights up at night.

Hotels on the beach.

There is a wide walkway all along the beach.

Magnificent sunsets.

The Atlantic was still fairly warm, with gentle waves.

Dempsey became addicted to the fish soup.

Fish is prepared different ways, but this was our favorite.

The last week I woke up craving enchiladas. Later that day, in the adjacent town of Vilamoura, we walked past a restaurant that billed itself as Tex-Mex. Our expectations were low, and it met them. They did have good tostadas and guacamole, however, and frozen margaritas.

Our five-minute walk home from the beach.

Walking from the beach back into town, past the harbor for the fishing boats.

A downtown square with a playground.

Trash and recycling containers are located all around town. European towns are very clean, and everywhere we went had convenient trash receptacles.

We loved having a kitchen and being able once again to prepare our own food.