Loule is a small, ancient town with lots of very narrow and winding streets and, in some areas, a lot of old deteriorating buildings. There is a small town square with a fountain to help tourists orient themselves and this square is adjacent to shopping areas and to newer wider avenues also with stores and restaurants.
It is said to be a centre for crafts, and while it may be, we saw little evidence of crafts in the street or in the market. Loule apparently is also home to two of the few remaining producers of copper cataplana pots (cataplana meals containing a variety of sea food and vegetables, are cooked and served in these beautiful copper pots) which we also did not see in the streets or market.
It was sunny and warm for about half our three hours there - the other half it rained, quite heavily at times, limiting our outdoor activity somewhat. We were lucky that we were under cover in the farmers' market during the heaviest rain.
The gypsy market is in Loule on Saturday and was well under way and crowded by the time our bus dropped us off. We did a quick tour of the market (not quickly enough as Ruth found time to buy something!) and managed to escape without spending too much money. We did see the woman from whom we purchased table cloths at the Albufeira gypsy market and she appeared to be in good form.
On the topic of deteriorating buildings, across from the gypsy market area near where the bus lets people off, there is an ancient very deteriorating church (can't recall it's name) which appears to be low down on the restoration list as it has not changed in the three years since I have been here. I think there is a photo of it in on of the 2009 postings.
Last year we visited the Moors' castle ruins and museum (see March 2009 posts) so didn't go this year.
Because of the rain, we did little other than visit the markets, stop for coffee and hot chocolate and stroll around a few streets on our way to the market and back to the bus.
Off to Lisboa on Tuesday morning at 7:18. We'll return on Thursday at 18:40. With luck I will be in touch from there.
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