Vila Marachique Alvor

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 ...

... hostel in town, and B) located next door to the other hostel. The choice was obvious, and I quickly ditched the kiwis to join Kirsten next door.<br><br>By another random coincidence, I ran into an older American traveler who was staying at the hostel in Faro with us, and who I had talked to earlier that morning. Over breakfast I had made an effort to score a free ride with him to Lagos, but had been unsuccessful. He was just ...

... put it in the pans to rise again"<br>"do I have to knock it down, or knead it?"<br>"no, no, just put it in the pans"<br>It is obvious to me that she has taught herself how to make bread.<br><br>Breakfast at the Quinta is a simple buffet; cheese, orange juice, meats, and Daniella's home-made bread. It costs 13 Euros.<br><br>Today I am planning my escape.<br><br>The ridiculous cost of meals here is justified by the remote location. They really, truly, feel hopelessly remote here. This ...

Aside from meal prep, I spend the day organizing (discarding) fresh produce. There's basically nothing to make a meal with, and we're not getting a resupply until tomorrow. We've pulled some nice Hake steaks from the freezer, which is an exciting start. I explore the property for inspiration. There are several varieties of wild herbs, and some forgotten tomatoes. I ...

<br>An excursion to Lagos&#8217;s Marina followed by a boat trip to Ponta de Sagres (The most western point of Europe, from where the Portuguese sailors started the discovery of new worlds) will allow to enjoy the<br>natural beauty of the rocks, especially the famous and most impressive caves of Ponta da Piedade, wild beaches and the sea waves on the cliffs along the coast and also some of the &#8216;highlights ...

... spices were stuffed into an overflowing container. A large segment was dedicated to the chemical; instant gravies, instant puddings, MSG soups and marinades. Then there was the random ethnic section, with condiments from all around the world from Branstons Pickles to Prawn Flavoured Ballychoo-what the hell is that? I was hoping to gain see what the staples of the Portuguese kitchen are, but nothing of this kitchen suggested it was Portuguese.<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

... 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

... munching sausage at an out-of-place (but opportunely-located bratwurst stand) whilst the crowds gawked at the large 'caravelle' cruising by. This boat is a replica of the ships used by the Portuguese explorers in the 15th century to open new trading routes in the Indies and Americas, so seeing one was a nice touch for this particular tourist ...