WANDERING WITH WILLIAM
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Moving from Albufeira to Porto

3/21/2019

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Friday is our last full day in Albufeira.  It's sunny so I take a long walk in the morning.  There's a small cemetery on the road to the marina we've not yet visited so I include it along my route.  I also make the promenades and lookouts over the Atlantic Ocean and Albufeira's beautiful beaches.  Although it is sunny it is windy and only 18C (65F), otherwise I would be walking on the beach.
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Early afternoon we walk to the Square for a snack and beverage on a semi-sunny patio sheltered from the breeze.  Not surprisingly William chooses the shady side of the table and I go for the sunny side.  For dinner we return to Restaurante 56, the first restaurant we dined upon arriving in Albufeira.  The grilled salmon and grilled cod is wonderful.

Saturday we have tickets on the 7:20am Alfa Pendula (AP) train.  We are up early, order an Uber, and arrive at Albufeira-Ferreira a couple of minutes before the Station Master opens up.  Other people trickle in and the small waiting area begins to fill.  We strike up a chat with a couple from Ontario.  They spent 3 weeks here rather than going to Texas and loved it here.  The people, the food and the weather.  They're already planning on returning to Portugal next year.

We settle into our seats on the AP.  This train is newer and nicer than the Euro City (EC) class train we took from Lisbon to to Albufeira.  It is designed so that the train itself tilts, allowing it to run faster on rails designed for slower moving trains.  One side effect is that the train sways a lot.  I find that I cannot read or write on my iPad without feeing motion sickness.  I look out the window at the passing countryside.  I occasionally glance at the information board above the door and the highest speed I observe is 220 kilometers/hr (136 miles/hour).

We arrive in Porto's Campanhã station a little before 1 pm and grab a taxi to our AirBnB.  The apartment is on Rua de Santa Catarina, a major shopping street which we now realize is a pedestrian street so the taxi driver drops us at a cross-street.  We walk two blocks to the apartment then call the AirBnB Host as instructed.  She arranges for the maid to arrive in 30 min and let us in. This is one of the disadvantages of some AirBnB's - waiting for the keys and "check-in."  In our other two Portugal AirBnB's the Host was waiting for us when we arrived.

The apartment is on the third floor of a business building.  The small elevator is just large enough for our two suitcases, William and myself.  The apartment has a great room with a kitchenette on one end, two fairly large bedrooms with queen size beds and a very cramped bathroom with a shower.

We're hungry so William Google's "restaurants near me".  Pedro dos Drangos  is 8 minutes away and is listed as BBQ.  Sounds good!  When we arrive we see that they have two buildings opposite each other with delicious looking rotisserie chickens spinning away.  We grab one of the few open tables and take a look around at what people are eating. At least half have chicken on the table.  While the menu is long, we take a tip from our fellow diners and order a whole chicken which comes with fries.  We also order bread, olives, white wine and pint of beer, which arrive quickly.  The meal comes just a few minutes later.  The chicken is great.  We have to laugh when the bill arrives.  The food plus two rounds of drinks totals 16.60€.  My wine was just 1€ a glass.

Walking around this section of Porto there is a bakery and/or an ice cream shop on every block.  On our way back to the apartment we stop in Confeitaria do Bolháo, a traditional place where mothers bring their children as a special treat.  It reminds me of the family traditions at the Walnut Room in Chicago.  William and I each have a pastry and coffee to finish out our meal and give the maid more time to complete her cleaning before we return.

​After unpacking and resting in the apartment we take a walk around the area in the evening.  People are milling up and down Rua de Santa Catarina doing their shopping or sitting at cafe's.  Very pleasant
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Hanging around Albufeira

3/18/2019

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Monday we just hang around Albufeira.  In the morning I go for a walk and explore the area north of the Square.  We have been here for three weeks and I've complained a bit to William that I have not been able to find a butcher shop.  Sure enough, I discover a very nice butcher shop now that we are leaving soon!
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The highlight of the day is our late lunch at Pampas Steakhouse.   William orders bbq'd ribs, and I choose a regional Portuguese dish, cataplana.  Like the Spanish paella, cataplana is technically the name of the pot in which the (seafood) dish is made.  In the case of cataplana the pan is made of copper and shaped like two clamshells hinged together with a clamp that allows it to be sealed.  The meals arrive and a good sized bowl is placed in front of me with a side of rice.  The bowl is overflowing with shellfish (mussels, prawns and clams), some chunks of chicken and pork belly all cooked in a tomato broth.  It's messy to eat but wonderful in taste!  Oh, and William also really enjoys his ribs.
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St. Patrick's Day Weekend

3/17/2019

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On Friday we need to put in a new supply of groceries so we walk to InterMarch in the morning.  In the afternoon I take a walk on the beach then meet William at one of the restaurants on the Square for Happy Hour.   As we look about we some signs for St. Patrick's Day and green streamers around some of the bar, but pretty timid.  I order a bottle of sparkling water and a glass of white wine.  I have to laugh when we receive the bill - water costs more than wine.  My wine is 2€, the water is 2.20€ and William is the big spender with his pint costing 2.50€.

Saturday the British have invaded.  In the afternoon we go to one of the local bars to watch Italy play France in the Six Nations Rugby matches.  There are groups of inebriated British men all about.  Bachelor party time!  Some are wearing the give-away green hats from Guinness.  I vacillate between being entertained and annoyed with their antics while I try to watch the match.

Sunday is St. Patrick's Day.   At noon it is 20C (68F) and sunny.  A beautiful day for a walk and Jack's Irish Pub at the Marina seems to be an appropriate destination.  We arrive a little after 1 pm and order a pint of Guinness for William and a Jameson's and Ginger for me.  A few of the other tables are occupied with people wearing green enjoying Guinness and/or a shot of Jameson's. Slanté!
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Service

3/10/2019

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After two weeks we are beginning to be known by the grocery store clerks, waiters and the people on the street hawking restaurants and stores.  They smile at us and say hello.  We try out new spots, but also return to some that are comfortable with good service.

Friday afternoon we return to Downtown Bar on the Square for some afternoon sun, beverages and a chance for William to smoke a Cuban in their outdoor seating.  The waiter greets us, remembering where we are from and what we ordered to drink the last time we were there.

Saturday we walk  a little further, past the Square, up the escalators, and past Praia dos Pescadores to the Terrace Trattoria.  They are new to us, and have incredible Italian food and a wonderful view of the Atlantic.  The waitress is all smiles.

Sunday morning we decide to have breakfast at Sérgio Santos Dias.  The hawker and the server are both are personable and attentive.  When William pulls out his cell phone, they notice and a card with the internet password is provided without having to ask.

So what happened with Sunday afternoon?  I wanted to walk on the beach since the weather is 21 with little wind.  Not surprisingly William does not want to be in that much sunlight.  We walk through the tunnel from the Square to the beach and find a some restaurants with umbrellas and awnings.  William spots one with a lot of awning playing French music and explains to the waiter that all we want is beverages.  The waiter points William from one of the tables he's eyeing to another table and provides a beverages menu.   Ok.  William sits down and I tell him that when I return in 30-35 minutes I'd like a green wine or white wine.  Off I go on my walk.

​When I return William is waiting for me outside of the restaurant area.   Seems that after 20 minutes of trying to get a waiter's attention he has given up.  And he wasn't the only one. The couple next to him also got up, telling the waiter that the service is too slow and another gentleman left without a word.  No real reaction from the waiter.  Is it a matter  of expectations?  The French would sit and relax and talk for a while before the waiter appears, but people from the US and Canada anticipate having a cold one in hand within 10 minutes of sitting down.  Or is it poor service?   Either way, William is not happy.  We walk to the Square and sit down at a restaurant we have not previously tried.   Although the view is not of the Atlantic, a cold one is in William's hand in less than 10 minutes.
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Tour of the Western Algarve

3/7/2019

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We've signed up for a small group tour of The Western Algarve.  Our guide, Miguel, arrives outside our apartment door at 8:30 am.  He tells us that we are the only people on today's tour then discusses the tour, the geography and some of the history of Portugal almost non-stop during our hour-long drive to the most south-western point of Continental Europe.

Cape St. Vincent lies within a national park with the Atlantic crashing against it's bluffs.  As you'd expect, the red lighthouse is one of it's most notable features along the cape, but our eyes are frequently drawn to the crashing surf.  The remains of St. Vincent were brought here in the 4th Century A.D. and crows guarded the grave.  In the 1100's the King of Portugal had the grave exhumed and the remains brought to Lisbon - and the story is that two crows guarded the remains during the journey.  This is the same St. Vincent whose statue, church, and monastery we saw in Lisbon.  Later in history Sir Francis Drake was sent by the queen of England to destroy the buildings on the Cape.
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We drive 15 minutes to the city of Sagres, also the name of the cerveza that William has been consuming here in Portugal (though the beer is not brewed here).   We see the marina and the ruins known as Baleeira then go to the Sagres Fortress.  It is from Sagres that Henry the Navigator planned the voyages to the uncharted western side of Africa in the 1400's.  This started the golden age of exploration for Portugal. The fort provides views of Cape St. Vincent in the distance and has  a modern lighthouse.  Within the fort there is what looks like a giant sundial, but is called a wind compass and a small chapel, Nossa Senhora da Graça.
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Next we are on to Lagos, starting first with Ponta da Piedade.  We recognize the lighthouse from last week's boat cruise.  We climb atop the cliffs and look at the rock formations.  There's even one rock formation that looks like a camel.  It is fun to see the shoreline from the top, and also get a closer look at the lighthouse.
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Lagos is a delightful city.  It is from here that Vasco de Gamma set sail for Brazil.  We start with lunch in a family-owned restaurant along one of the pedestrian streets.  We choose local dishes, I have the monkfish and rice and William and Miguel have the mixed fish and rice.  The meals arrive in covered pots, the fish and rice prepared similar to a stew.  They are filling and delicious, especially when complimented with a little piri-piri sauce.
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Following lunch we walk along the marina to see a replica of a caravel, the 15th Century ship developed to explore the western coast of Africa.  Christopher Columbus' Nina was a caravel.  We walk along the waterfront to Forte da Ponta da Bandeira, a 17th Century fort at the mouth of the Bensafrim river and the entrance to the marina.  We stroll through the walls of the old city and take a look inside Ingreja Santo António.

The final stop in our tour is the town of Silves.  Miguel expertly maneuvers the van through the one-way streets of the city center, driving us up to the castle.  Before entering the castle we stop for a fresh orange juice.  While we are enjoying the juice we notice that the bar has a bottle of strawberry tree (Medronho) liquor.  As we have discussed the native strawberry tree on this tour and our tour to the cork forest William and I agree we must buy a shot and share it.  We sip it, it's a little sweet and it would probably taste better cold.
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The Silves Castle is an example of Moorish architecture.  At the entrance gate we pause to look at the statue of Sancho I of Portugal who conquered the castle in 1189.  The castle would go back-and forth between the Moors and the Christians until the 13th century, when the troops of Alfonso III of Portugal overtook the Moors and placed it fully in the hands of the Christians. We climb around the walls and the five towers of the well-preserved and restored castle.  We also have a view of the city, the Arade river, and the surrounding countryside.

​Miguel drives us back to Albuferia in 30 minutes, dropping us off in front of our apartment at 6 pm.  It's been a full, delightful day.
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Quiet Sunday

3/3/2019

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It's a beautiful day, 21C (70F) with blue skies and brilliant sunshine.  It is time to get out!

While William relaxes with his coffee and e-mail in the morning, I take a 45 minute walk to explore the area away from Centro. It is mostly uphill.  I find a couple of small parks and a good point to view the white apartment and condo buildings built on the hillsides.
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In the afternoon we go to the beach for a while.  William sits in the shade at Roca Bar while I walk along the lapping shore of the Atlantic.  Families and friends are laying in the sun or playing in the ocean.  When I meet up with William we enjoy an appetizer, beer and glass of wine.  As this restaurant is literally on the beach I expect that the prices will be outrageous.  No, this is Portugal.  My glass of wine is 3.50€ and William's pint is 3.25€.  While this is a little more than we would play during Happy Hour at a restaurant in the center of town, it certainly is not outrageous.  😀
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A 2 1/2 Hour Cruise

2/28/2019

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Today is the day for our 2 1/2 half hour boat cruise.  We walk to the marina for our 12:30 departure.   I am surprised that the boat is almost fully booked.  The XRide boat captain organizes the group onshore then seats us on the boat.  We are soon underway, clearing the marina and moving parallel to the shore.
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We leave the bluffs behind and reach the Praia dos Salgados Nature Reserve and it's beautiful beach.   Then we reach Armacão de Péra, small fishing village just 5 years ago, now filled with condos.

We continue cruising along looking at the beaches, cliffs, caves and natural arches formed by the sea and wind.  Our boat is small enough to go into some of the caves, the most noted is Benagil Cave.  We're happy we chose the XRide and not the larger catamarans that cannot get as close or go into the caves.  The boat continues a little past the city of Lagos to Ponta da Piedade with it's lighthouse.
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After an hour and a half it is time to start the dolphin watching while heading back to Albufeira.  William and I have predicted that we will not see dolphins and our prediction comes true.  But we do have a good boat ride and a chance to see a fishing boat.

​After we get back to the marina we are very hungry.  We opt for a Portuguese-Mexican restaurant. (What can I say)?  We order a Portuguese appetizer and Mexican enchiladas.  The food is okay, very filling.
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Albufeira Museums

2/27/2019

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Our "adventure" today starts with a walk to Museu de Arte Sacra de Albufeira, just ten minutes from our apartment.  It is also known as Saint Sebastian Chapel.  It was built in 1740, and is now dedicated to a martyr born here in 1590, Saint Vincent of Albufeira.  In 1617 he became a priest, traveled to Mexico, 5 years later to Manila, Philippines, and another year later to Japan.  This was at a time when Christians were being persecuted in Japan.  He was sent to prison six years later and in 1632 he was martyred by fire.  Since 1965  he has been the Patron Saint of Albufeira.  Seeing this small chapel takes 20 minutes, with it's beautiful alter and artifacts.
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Our planned second venue of the day is Museu Municipal de Arquelogia.  We walk ten minutes up the road, only to find the Museu is closed for remodeling.  Oye!   Message: If you come to Albuferia, don't come for it's history.

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We return to the apartment then later go out for a late lunch.  We walk along the upper beach promenade to the Beach Basket Restaurant.  I have at least a 12 oz portion of fresh salmon grilled and plated with butter sauce, while William has a huge piece of cod.  Both are perfectly prepared.  Delicious!
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Investigating Boats and Busses

2/26/2019

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It's Tuesday, February 26th.  We start the day by sending a Happy Birthday messages our wonderful friend Lois.

Late morning we walk to Albufeira's marina.  It's a pleasant 20 minute stroll in the other direction of the old town square.  The weather is a little cool, but with the sun we soon find ourselves unzipping or shedding our jackets.  The marina is cute, with multi-colored condos as part of the development.  Our first order of business is to arrange for a boat tour.  We check out the tour boats in the marina then walk between the small booths for each tour operator.  We decide on the XRide caves and dolphin watching tour.  The saleswoman convinces us that the weather should be good on Thursday so, we pay our deposit.
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A second reason for going to the marina is to learn about it's restaurants and the offerings at it's grocery store.  We start at Jack's Irish Bar with a Guinness and glass of wine, relaxing and chatting.   Then we walk along the row 20 or so restaurants, shops and small businesses.  They look pleasant, but nothing awesome.  We stop in the grocery store at the end and pick up a few items we haven't found at the InterMarche market near us.  I reflect that one of our AirBnB options was a condo here at the marina.  I'm glad we chose the one closer to the square.

We have read about the Loulé Saturday Market and we are also considering going to Seville, Spain for a few days.  Both mean bus trips.  I've done some research online, but I think the best way to learn about the busses is to go to the bus station, a two kilometer uphill walk along busy streets from our apartment.  William is not excited.  His proposal is that we take a taxi from the marina to the bus station and then walk downhill to our apartment if we feel up to it.  Sounds good to me!

The 7€ taxi ride to the bus station is very much worth it.  The woman selling tickets behind the glass window is not very friendly, but we do get the needed information, including the departure options on the days we wish to travel.  We will have to buy our tickets to Loulé on Saturday, but Seville tickets can be purchased in advance.

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By now we are getting a little tired and I am planning to make dinner today.  We wimp out and hail a taxi for a ride home.
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Settling into Albufeira

2/25/2019

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We spend our Saturday evening huddled under blankets watching Netflix using the ChromeCast Reinaldo has provided. Evenings in Albufeira at this time the year are 7-10C (45-50F), while daytime temperatures are 16-21C (62-70F).  The apartment does not have heat (nor air conditioning), although a small space heater is in the bedroom.  Sleeping is no issue with the heater and abundant blankets provided.

We are enjoying our tea and coffee on Sunday morning when we hear cleaning in the upstairs apartment then someone downstairs by the electric panel.  Our electricity goes off then on again quickly.  The person leaves.  Ten minutes later we realize that the internet is out.  We can't find a router in the apartment and without wifi I can't contact Reinaldo via WhatsApp unless I turn on international data roaming on my phone and pay the big bucks.  Hmmm.... our solution is to out go for breakfast and use their wifi!  I explain the situation to Reinaldo via WhatsApp and also mention to him that we were cold watching TV last night.  He volunteers to resolve the internet issue and also bring another space heater within the next 15 minutes.  When we finish our breakfast and walk home Reinaldo is there as promised.  He cautions us not to turn on both space heaters at the same time or we'll trip the circuit breakers.

We spend the afternoon getting to know the nearby area, doing grocery shopping, and spending time by the beach.  It is almost 21C (70F) and with the clear skies and bright sun it feels much warmer.  Some surfers take advantage of the waves, which are nothing like what we saw in Costa Rica.  The beach is wonderful, well-groomed and so picturesque with the huge bluffs as the backdrop.  This will be a nice place to spend four weeks.
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Monday we explore Albufeira some more.  We walk through the town center and up a large hill to Pau Bandeira viewpoint.  We stare out to the Atlantic and also watch the antics of those on the beach.  We return from Pau Bandeira via the much more civilized escalators - wish we would have realized they were there sooner!

We spend a bit of time in the town square people watching as we enjoy some beverages and a small pizza.  Most of the visitors are people in their 60's to mid-70's.  They are predominantly Canadians, Brits, French and German, with a smattering of people from the US.  We even spot a gent wearing a Green Bay Packers sweater.   Everyone is seemingly escaping their home locations for somewhat warmer weather.  It's not unusual to see especially the Brits in short sleeves and shorts, despite an air temperature of 18C (64F).  I guess it is the same as their summer temps.
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    Hi.  I'm Anne.  I wander around the world with William.


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