Ourasol Apartments Albufeira

14 Nov<br>we awoke early and decided to go for a stroll along the river bank to the point where it met the ocean (NOTE AT TIME OF WRITING, we have an entry for Odeceixe to insert). En route we had a quick wash using water that was effectively run off from the hillside. Proceeding on at the beach, we were greeted by two sea otters, happily frolicking in the surf; a wonderful pre breakfast feast for the eyes. As the tide was running very low, surfing ...

Over the last couple days I've watched my shaky plan fall around me. I don't really know where to go next, and surprise bills are depleting my meager funds. Thankfully I'm stranded in Southern Portugal, its cheap and beautiful, indeed there are less desirable places to be stranded.<br><br>I decide to join a group of young kiwis heading to Lagos; partly for the social aspect, partly because I would like to see more of the coast. Faro ...

... to the station. I sit on the bench and pick away at the ruby red fruit. Pomegranate is similar to sunflower seeds, in that psychologically you are eating, but physically you are consuming so very little. <br><br>I arrived in Faro early in the day, located the nearest internet cafe and sent out a flurry of requests to both Couch Surfing and WWOOFing hosts. I wander the streets, hoping to accidentally find the youth ...

... the kingdom of Dom Manuel I, the headland already had a beacon kept lit all night by the Capuchin friars. With a range of 95 kilometers, the present-day lighthouse is one of the most powerful in Europe. From the fortress of Sagres a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean is unforgettable.<br><br>Night show at Hotel Algarve Casino was spectacular. The dancers and the light show were truly unforgettable.<br><br><br>

... it was pretty tame until one of the toreadors almost got trampled by one of the bulls, the dude was lucky they dulled the tip of the bulls horns. <br><br><br>http://picasaweb.google.com /Jonny.D.Lawrence/20091016Albufeira?aut hkey=Gv1sRgCImA4oCXitDO5AE&amp;feat=dir ectlink<br>

... tons of mussels on the bottom, also not fun. The road to get to this lagoon was really sketchy, there's a video in the link below so you can see for yourself.<br><br>http://picasaweb.googl e.com/Jonny.D.Lawrence/20091012Alvor?au thkey=Gv1sRgCN_Jy47QxsiTwAE&amp;feat=di rectlink

... we een keer of 5 verblijd met een groepje rond de boot. Ze komen van ver naar je toe zwemmen. <br>Minder blij waren we met de duizenden vliegende mieren. De overlast viel uiteindelijk erg mee.<br>En nog wat beelden van rond Alvor, een heerlijk oord om voor anker te liggen.<br>

... not "surfers" but we we&#8217;re much less scared of getting tossed by the big waves this time. We also came to the conclusion that it maybe wasn&#8217;t us that, but that it&#8217;s the size of the board that was hindering our performance....<br> <br>http://picasaweb.google.com/Jonny.D .Lawrence/20091011Sagres?authkey=Gv1sRg CMmMtI7egbGKvAE&amp;feat=directlink

I made it to Lagos yesterday. Its basically a beach/party town. The second place that I walked into turned out to be a really great room for 25 euros a night complete with my first english language tv of the trip. Today I spent part of the day in Sagres, the southwestern most point in europe. Good for pictures and walking really really far. Tomorrow I´m going to attempt to get to Seville.<br>

... about half got off at Argelès anyway. That's another thing about French railway operations on rural lines; you never know what you are going to get! Finished my stay with a nice long bike ride along the coast to St Cyprien and beyond. Most of these 'Plages' are I am afraid pretty featureless, being purpose built holiday resorts on the seaward side of what would have been marshes and swamps in former times. The old Roman Road (the Via Domitia now the D114 in that area) shows ...