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Sal Rei - Fábrica da Chave - Rabil |
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Following the endless beach of Praia de Carlota, Fábrica da Chave wait to be discovered as a fossile from the times of steam engines and intensive colonial trade. Rusty flywheels in the sand and a brick chimney pointing into the blue sky bring us back to the times when the workes of Ben O'Liel were feeding the ovens, hungry for energy, with huge amounts of Tarrafes (tamarix senegalensis) transforming the landscape from thronbush plains into a desert. In consequence, sandstorm and dunes invaded the salines, deteriorating the "royal salt" of Sal Rei into a worthless mix of sand, lime and dirty salt. 2 Liter of water per person, good sandals, effective sun protection, our map and a compass are enough for this track . Starting Point is the SHELL Filling Staton in the South-East of Sal Rei. 4x4 tracks ê show the way to the Divingstation [SHARKY] at the beach restaurant Tartuga Beach, from were we hop with a few steps to the Surfstation [SURF] and continue ê on the beach of Praia de Estoril. Climbing, from time to time, to the top of the marginal dune helps avoiding to fail the lagune of Rª Grande, an interesting spot for bird-watchers. The adjacent landscape of dunes will have to give way to the constructon of a huge Golf-Resort soon, down to the future international airport. In the south, the tip of the chimney of Fábrica da Chave can be spotted behind the dunes of Portinho. Normally these dunes are pretty consistant, making it easy to climb them and enjoy the impressive view on this peninsula and take a panorama-picture of the Fábrica and the huge white beach of Praia da Chave. On top of the cliffs of Pesqueiro Grande the building two new hotels under donstruction look like medeaval castles. When painted white the will transform into symbols of modern times and give space for 1300 tourist beds. Praia da Chave is one of the beaches chosen for mass-tourism, mainly for southern european guests. The ruins of Fábrica de Chave [FCHAVEe] may offer a little shadow, but certainly more comfortable will be rest in the restaurant of the close by beach hotel Parque das Dunas. Heavy construction lorreys have left behind a broad dustroad [FCHA02] è to Rabil. Interesting places to visit are the Pottery School Escola de Olaria in the South-West and the oldest church of the island, São Roque in the nort-east of Rabil, more precisely in the quarter of Boa Ventura. Between Rabil und Sal Rei, bush taxis ALUGUER can be found from time to time, except in the heat of the early afternoon.
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