Portugal ~ The Algarve

[lugg]

I guess there are not enough posts on Portugal to merit it having it's own sub board so I will post this here and hope it is seen

I recently visited the Algarve in southern Portugal for a family holiday. Much of the time was spent enjoying the fantastic beaches and each other’s company at our holiday villa. However we did get out and about a little to explore beyond the beaches and so here are some photos which hopefully capture something of the essence of this lovely area.

The Algarve is most famous perhaps for its beautiful coastline and fabulous clean beaches , which make it such a popular Summer destination. Some of the photos show the dramatic shapes formed in the soft limestone rocks of this part of the Algarve ( west of Albufeira), known locally as the Barlavento region, which is characterised by golden coloured cliffs with many caves and rocks carved by the sea.
First a little of the area we stayed at
We were staying was a little place called Coelha , this was our house number and as you might guess coelha translates as rabbit



Little did we know we were amidst “illustrious” company;
This villa belongs to Cliff Richard


What you cannot see from the coast but can on google earth is that it has a completely secret and private beach which is behind the rocks to the right of the pic as it is viewed.
I think the sea entrance is through the archway



Also within meters of our home behind Coelha beach was the Presidents villa ( the one with the tower) We soon became on “nodding terms” with the armed guard that patrolled the street . We did not see him on the beach



However even amongst the swanky villas a few remnants of the past remain


I am not sure how safe Cliff’s villa is as the coastline is unstable and there is mulitiple evidence in this area of landslides However the advantage of both the residents and the instability means that there is little building at the sea edge.





There are lots of undeveloped tiny coves if you like privacy






Or if you like the hussle and bustle of a busy beach with water sports Gale is a few mins drive away



One of the best ways of appreciating the stunning coastline is to take a boat trip. As you might expect boats of all shapes and sizes offer trips to tourists.









The above was flying a pirate flag and the sailor looked as if he might have been in another life .

We opted for a full day trip on a catamaran ( the one in the middle of the second boat pic) and had a spectacular journey along the coast travelling west .



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Some of the caves are huge; large enough to enter even on a large catamaran





The most beautiful caves are at Benagil Here the roof has collapsed ( similar to Thai Hongs )










The perfect beach for a swim, lunch and a snooze.







The marine life was good but the sea was soooo cold I could only snorkel for 10 mins at atime and got no underwater pics at all

 


Anyway there is more to the area than its beaches so next ...a couple of Algarvian towns

[htmb]

I can't wait to see more of your photos, lugg. I visited Portugal right after graduating from college and I remember thinking much of the coast was stunningly beautiful.

[bjd]

We went to Portugal for the second time in October 2007 -- a week in Lisbon and then to the Algarve, but to Lagos and Tavira, so we were on either side of where you were. The area west of Lagos looks similar to what you show with the caves.

[lugg]

Loule is a very small city north of Faro. It has been occupied since Roman times and possibly before that. It was also under Arab control and its Moorish heritage is evident as you stroll around the compact centre. Although it attracts tourists it is very much a working town and I absolutely loved it .

Firstly we visited the market hall







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I was a bit perplexed when I first looked at these on the computer to see the person with just half a body
We left the market hall to explore further
The town is a jumble of buildings spanning the ages. There is little left of the original castle which dates back to Moorish times.






Within the old part of the city there are many beautiful streets and houses. I love the decorative and unusual Portuguese chimneys. Also the Azulejo from the plain to the very ornate .








   




I was enchanted by some of the doors and windows with many of the doors having intricate knockers





   




   




This was nice place to sit for a while







Some doors were open inviting you to wander inside often leading to a completely new part of the town







Inside were the traditional cataplana in all sizes and various materials


The cataplana is also the name of the dish as well as the cookware and this is one we sampled elsewhere




More to come .

[Deleted]

Excellent, lugg! I loved my trip to Portugal, but I went there as a teenager, which was a certain time back. The ceramic tiles on the buildings is always a major highlight. Your opening shots of the coastline remind me a lot of Malta, but Malta does not have any sandy beaches.

Like most of us here, I really enjoy all photos of markets, and your do not disappoint.

But of course best of all is your set of windows, door and handles!

[bixaorellana]

Oh Lugg ~~ how did I miss seeing this?! It's too wonderful. I've always been curious about Portugal, but was vaguely under the impression it had been overly discovered. Your report seems to indicate that is not the case at all. Your pictures are beautiful, although I almost wish I hadn't seen that glassware, after which I now lust. I was excited to find that I could read most of the signs, although I wouldn't have gotten coelha. Can't wait to see more, more.

And yeah, it would be really great to see more first-hand reports on Portugal here.

[lugg]

Thanks guys


Bixa -Parts of it ( at least the Algarve) are overdeveloped although this is mostly along the coast only. The small coves as well can get crowded in the Summer and there are a couple of awful high rise resorts along the coast,

An eg of an overdeveloped area is here in a picture of Albufeira beaches taken from the sea. Also there are a lot of golf courses , I am not a fan, so to me often they are destruction of good land.




Looking to the start of my report one of my pics was blocked on Picasa and was showing on here as a black round sign with a white line through . Any ideas anyone ? . Anyway I have unblocked it so I will wait to see what happes next.

[bjd]

I'm still getting the black square -- maybe just delete that photo?

[lugg]

A final few images of Loule

I had just turned the corner of this street and nearly missed glancing through what I thought was a shop door



What I nearly missed was the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição which has azulejo depicting her life on either side of the altar. This is made of talha dourada, which I now know is sculpted wood gilded in gold.





The main church is the church of Matriz de Sao Clemente built in 13th century which stands on the site of a former mosque. The belfry tower stands alone and was once the minaret of the mosque



 


As we wandered around looking down onto courtyards and roofs we noticed quite a lot of Siamese type cats . I am not sure if there is a particular connection but we also spotted this wall art



Everyday life



A number of shops sold the most beautiful pottery , these sardines caught my eye but unforunately were not for sale.






Having become familiar with the jacaranda in bloom through Bixa, and, after seeing Amboseli’s photos I knew they are common in Portugal. I saw one in blossom but did not have my camera , however I think that this is possibly the jacaranda ?




Next , another town.

[Deleted]

The could have at least decorated that chapel a little bit.

(I'm getting a black square also.)

[bjd]

Yeah -- those Portuguese churches and chapels all seem to be like that. So over the top that they become rather fun. I wonder if it's because of the Counter-Reformation?

[lugg]

Silves

One late afternoon we visited Silves, which in the Arab period around the 8th century was the capital of the Algarve. It has a stunning setting in the foothills of the Serra de Monchique .
Once it was busy port situated on the Rio Arade but the river is now silted. Most the ancient buildings were destroyed in the massive earthquake of 1755. As so many guide books and information in the Algarve referred to this earthquake I was interested in finding out more about it.It was devastating to Lisbon in particular as well as the Algarve and parts of North Africa. It is believed that the resultant tsunamis spread not only around Europe but as far away as Barbados and possibly to Greenland! Some reaching 30m.

blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/2011/11/01/november-1-1755-the-earthquake-of-lisbon-wraith-of-god-or-natural-disaster

Parts of the Moorish castle did survive and has been partially restored. We headed here first soon after we arrived.

Standing at the entrance is this statue D. Sancho I, who regained the town from the Moors in 1189.



The roof of the entrance gate








Below are exhibits of jewellery and a washbowl found during excavations
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There are some fantastic views of the countryside and the new part of town from the ramparts







Gardens have been planted in the courtyards . I was surprised at how well these roses were growing in the hot Mediterranean sun.




After wandering around in the hot sun it was time for a drink so we called at a bar for a cool down. The bar stools were somewhat unusual but comfortable . Although we all had to resist the urge to bounce up and down on them

[lugg]

Hopefully the black sq has disappeared now, I can no longer see whether logged in or not.

[bixaorellana]

Great pictures! Great narrative! And I can see all the photos & could yesterday as well -- no black squares for me.

Maybe those ott chapels are an Iberian thing. There are quite a few around here that seem to be more about being big and gilded than in proportion to their space.

I didn't mention before how much I like your doors and street scenes & was delighted to see more of that in this section.

The castle is fascinating. The entrance looks to be in the process of being plastered & whitewashed. I wonder if parts of the castle will be remade in time. Those views!

[lugg]

Silves was very busy and got busier as night descended. Visitor s of many different nationalities plus some local Portuguese had arrived to spend time at the Medieval fair which was taking place that week.

www.facebook.com/pages/Feira-Medieval-de-Silves/231860703494421
www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.398872896836891.88945.136922026365314&type=1

The town was gaily decorated with flags, stall holders and residents were dressed in medieval clothes visitors could hire costumes if they wished and many of the visiting children were taking part in this way.



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Street food was available as were lots of local beers and wines and some local cider much to my son's delight. Most of the local restaurants were providing a good value special menu

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Fun as it was I wandered off into quieter streets to get a sense of how the town must be usually

[fumobici]

This is a visual feast. Makes me want to go visit.

[lugg]

As I set off to explore, I spotted these two dogs on a balcony showing completely different attitudes to the festivities below



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Thanks for reading . More to come .

[Deleted]

Well, I certainly hope so, if you do not want your membership fees to increase!

[bjd]

I am getting another black square in the castle pictures, just after the washbowl and jewellery.

It all looks lovely, Lugg. Glad to see you had a nice time there.

[lugg]

Thank you for all your comments. What a lovely compliment Fumobici
I am not sure re the churches , some we saw were very plain . When I post some more at the weekend I will put a couple of photos into the post for comparison.

I have 3 black squares this am - I will re-load when I can to see if that corrects them . I guess it must be a problem with picasa rather than the forum.

[Deleted]

A fabulous report Lugg. I 've always wanted to visit Portugal and your pics and narrative make it even more inviting.
I too, absolutely love the gateways and doors with the really cool knockers.
The caved beach area with a spot for lunch and a snooze and swim looks positively idyllic!!
Thanks so much for this!!
(I too, want one of those sardines, or two or three!! Gorgeous!!)

[mich64]

I can imagine how enjoyable this location would be for a family vacation. There are so many interesting photos, the rock formations, caves and beaches are pretty incredible.

The festival must have been a great experience. This is the one aspect of travel that we often miss by traveling off season or shoulder season. We do so to avoid the crowds and excessive heat, but we then miss these great festivals celebrating the culture.

You have affirmed our decision of Portugal being one of our first winter escape destinations.

[bjd]

Mich, Portugal may be warmer than most of Canada but it's pretty rainy in winter and not that warm, so I'm not sure it's a great "winter escape destination".

[mich64]

That is okay bjd, when we discuss a winter vacation we are not trying to find warm weather, just a beautiful place that has no snow. We like cool sunshine and accept rainy days.

[Deleted]

The Portuguese population in France is the largest immigrant group (and not the Algerians or the Moroccans, as a lot of people seem to think), and they also make up something like a full 16% of the population of Luxembourg. And yet, they are the group that returns the most enthusiastically to the home country for summer holiday every year -- and this includes the newer French-born Portuguese generations, who could easily have lost interest.

It is quite easy to see why they are so happy to go there.

[lugg]

Last installment guys.

One day we set off to visit the penisula and town of sagres in the far south west of the Algave which is in fact the most south westerly part of Europe.
www.sagres.net/history.htm

Historically it is associated with Henry the Navigator a famous patron of sea navigation and exploration who certainly lived in the area and possibly ( disputed) set up a school of navigation in a fort near Sagres. What is certain is that his contributions to the art of navigation and to the progress of explorationnprovided the groundwork for the development of Portugal's colonial empire and for the country's rise to international prominence in the 16th cent.

It is a wild and windy plac with strong Atlantic waves perfectly suited to experinced surfers, although some beaches are more sheltered.

Within the Fort itself although are a few remnants of the past

The simple Church of Our Lady of Grace - which was built originally by Henry the Navigator but has been restored several times following damage occurring during war and earthquake



 



Looking out over the wild Atlantic coast



 




This windrose has been re-discovered relatively recently




 




After a buffeting by the wind it was a relief to spot this more sheltered beach on the leeward side and so we headed there for lunch and a swim








That is it folks for now.

[lugg]

K2 , that is really intersting about the population numbers of Portuguese in France, I had no idea. I too can understand why they return.
Mich, I think it would be a great place to visit in the winter, less people, as you say, you are not expecting hot weather.
February is carnival time in Loule , three days which end on Shrove Tuesday. I am thinking of going myself next year as I loved Loule so much.

[mich64]

I enjoyed this thread immensely and will spend some time today investigating Loule and the carnival that will be held in February!

Gorgeous photos and interesting commentary Lugg!

[htmb]

Delightful, lugg! I'm looking forward to finding the time to give your photo report a lot of concentrated attention. I loved seeing the last section and the weather beaten little church.

[bixaorellana]

I was crushed to read the words "last installment".

This was visually and informatively a huge treat. Gad, the colors, the exquisite details, and what seems to be a joyous population. Are you all planning on a return trip?