Five went Mad in, & now look back on, their Holiday in the Algarve in February     
Just follow the advice in the gold panel by each picture, to get first a Thumbnail picture, & then click for larger images & info on the picture in our "GALLERY" [Opening Image of Sancho Scanned from Pic by Vic] On this our first time in Portugal, the Algarve was certainly lovely, and the Portuguese we met very friendly, gentle and helpful. We did, though, have iffy weather for our Wednesday-to-Wednesday break, and it poured for the last Sunday & Monday, but earlier in the week was fine for just wandering around in the car or on foot. The five of us (Pat, Gerry, Graham, Christine and Vic) had a friend's apartment in a golfing complex, a beautiful pod in a block of eight apartments,  set amidst villas and the “Pestana” golf-course itself, with everything we needed, and serving as a good base, with pool, although we weren't able to swim, because of lower temperatures than the area had experienced for the previous few weeks.
See "Gallery" > "2008 Holidays ..." , for more info on "Apartment" image - see pink note above.
The countryside we did see, between the extensive building developments sprawling along from the coastal towns and villages, was certainly rugged, and full of spring flowers in the grass and blossom on the almond trees. If, as strangers like us, you tend to stick to known roads and recommended “resorts”, such admittedly limited outings raise questions about where Portugal is going, and the answers are ambivalent: there is so much building, largely for Northern Europeans, but it’s in an attractive, largely low-rise, local semi-Moorish style, with the characteristic “Darth-Vader-ish” chimney pots and occasional Algarvian ceramic “azuleijos” tiling inset into walls and benches; much of the construction we saw seems to be focused on people wanting to play golf, but the amount of capital invested in this development must be so valuable for the Portuguese economy and for the benefit of locals who can clearly now get work, compared to the poverty we used to hear about before Portugal came into the EEC. The golf complex at Gramacho we stayed in was typical:  marvellous to look at, stay in and walk or drive around - a huge suburb of Carvoeiro or Lagoa on its own, with plenty of locals working on the site: we just hope it's leaving enough water for the Portuguese in a desperately anhydrous region. See "Gallery" > " 2008 Holidays ... ", for more info on"Golf Course" image - see pink note above See "Gallery" > "2008 Holidays ... ", for more info on"Carvoeiro" image - see pink note above
We think, though, we'd had enough of resort places by the time we left, but did get away from the more occupied areas to enjoy coffees/cakes & eating at lunchtimes at Carvoeiro (our nearest town), Portimão, and Lagos (with a trip to Sagres & Cabo São Vicente lighthouse - "the end of the world" as the Romans called it, & both appropriately closed for the usual Continental Monday!). 
See "Gallery" > "2008 Holidays ", for more info on "End of the World" image - see pink note above
We found Silves the nicest place, with the great Fabrica do Inglês (an old cork factory converted into a museum and variety of eateries & piazzas), the lovely Cafe Inglês (super jazz and food during a long, rainy Sunday lunchtime) with the magnificent Moorish fort up the steps behind it (the long-missing interior buildings being replaced inside the walls by an Islamic-style garden), all a delightful setting for the exceptional friendliness of the locals.  See "Gallery" > "2008 Holidays ... ", for more info on "Silves" image - see pink note above
We visited Silves on three days, including a trip just north to a dammed area, where the views of the lakes and mountains in the sunlight were fabulous.  See "Gallery" > "2008 Holidays ... ", for more info on "Reservoir" image - see pink note aboveThis made our last day great, especially with our final Portuguese lunch being so typically full, including the usual excellent fresh fish, plenty of good vegetables (even if as always a bit carrot-and-runner-bean-orientated!) and at the ridiculous price of about 10 euros a head, all in, for three courses, drinks and a tip. Earlier, Serra de Monchique was very nice for a country jaunt, with good coffee & cake at Caldas de Monchique, the spa centre up into the mountains, 
See "Gallery" > "2008 Holidays ... ", for more info on "Coffee-&-Cake" image - see pink note above
so a later trip would certainly involve more exploration up into this area, with its magnificent smell from the eucalyptus trees and the pile-upon-pile of mimosa blossom. 
See "Gallery" > "2008 Holidays ... ", for more info on "Mimosas" image - see pink note above
We thus have things to look forward to on a future trip. Pictures by Christine Text by Vic |
