Residencial Alameda Faro

... small trenches around each encampment. Another fascinating insight into the diversity that is the European Comminity.

The beach was lovely with fine golden sand and huge dead jellyfish. We sat and drank beer and watched the sunset and only laughed a little when we thought of family and friends in the cold wet November days at home. The security at the campsite was interesting in that both of us and the car ...

... 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.

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 ...

... 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.


http://picasaweb.google.com /Jonny.D.Lawrence/20091016Albufeira?aut hkey=Gv1sRgCImA4oCXitDO5AE&feat=dir ectlink

Well it's been almost 28 hours since we left a cold, wet and windy Melbourne on Monday and we are here at last! The flights were generally OK with no major issues, aside from a plane load of children on the BA flight from London to Faro (we were prepared for this since July/Aug is the summer holiday season in Europe) and BA deciding to split us apart in the seating but were not able to seat us together cos the plane was full - very odd).

The flight connections were ...

... was our first choice for somewhere to appreciate said coastline, possibly as we'd been drinking the local brew for the last few weeks and it's noted for its 'end of world feel' (the town not the beer) and inaccessibility (again, the town not...). It was the inaccessibility combined with our lack of time and a gentle reminder that we were on holiday not travelling, that made our mind up for us and we were soon on a high speed tilting train ...

... discovering a gem of a local restuarant with amazing bbq chicken. 6 euro for dinner!!

The next day to fill in time before departing we looked at the Chapel of Bones, which was built from the bones of the monks from the local cemetary. Over 1200 skulls. Definite goosebumps eh!

I take a shower and utilize a t-shirt as a towel again. After that I get myself some breakfast. I tell myself that I will just go straight to Lagos and skip the beach. I wanted to get to Lagos at a respectable hour. However, during breakfast I realize that the only bus and train to Lagos is 12:30 and 1pm respectively. Hmm.. well apparently the only thing I can do IS to go to the beach. I ask the receptionist about the bus stop in front of the hostel. I really don't ...

... waddengebied met de rivier de Rio de Alvor waar je vrij kunt ankeren. Het wordt een heerlijke zeiltocht waarbij de spinaker ons de hele 20 mijl door het water sleurt. Uit het zand steken twee granieten golfbrekers en eenmaal daar binnen wanen we ons inderdaad op het wad. De kusten geven echt het goud van de Algarve met prachtige plukken paarse bloemen die we eerst voor hei aanzagen. We ankeren waar toch al wat boten liggen en met het uitzicht op het ...

... cheers just near our hotel. It was so loud. Many of them had costumes on, we saw one guy wearing a small cardboard car. They were made to do songs and different activities in the streets. The first night we heard the chanting and cheering we thought some kind of protest was going on. We went to a church that has a bizarre chapel built out of over a thousand monks bones. It was so creepy, it was literally built from bones and mortar only. It had hundreds of skulls stuck into the ...

... at the airport, and I needed a taxi! Turns out the pack is 19.6 kg - that's 43 pounds - and my shoulder bag is at least another 15 pounds. No wonder walking on travel days is torturous! Once I saw the route from the airport, I was convinced that it had been worth whatever the cost was (11€) - I would have ended up walking along a busy highway for 20 minutes. When I got into the room, I was stunned. In all my years, I've only ...