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Chlling in Portugal

Sunday 8th February

I’d like to say we’ve been really busy and had no time to update the blog but that would be a lie. We’ve been taking a well earned rest and done almost nothing for a week.

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Almost nothing, you can see Lucy busy planning her next shopping trip.

Our washing came back on Wednesday, everything has been folded to within an inch of it’s life, all the socks matched up and Lucy’s smalls just the same size as before. The total cost was €8.65 which is similar to some places we’ve been but had to do everything ourselves.

One reason we have loitered here is that my foot is playing up, never had it before so I googled it and it looks like Hallux Rigidus, (google it if you’re at all interested) but it isn’t half as bad as the last time I self diagnosed on Google and ended up with syphilis!

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We cycled to the next village along the Algarve cycle path, 100 odd miles of coastal, fairly safe, roads and paths with only one very steep down and uppy bit. The village is called Cacela Veiha and sits on a bluff overlooking the sea. 

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They look like oyster beds from where we were.

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The town is a typical white Portugeuse village with blue surrounds to the windows and I wanted to take more photos but there comes a point when you know to back off.

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There was a big funeral taking place and I was stood in the middle in my shorts and t-shirt taking photos. Exit one embarrassed brit. I like the hearse.

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This is Cacela Velha from a distance. There is a fort on the left hand side which was destroyed in the 1773 earthquake and later rebuilt but the site itself has been used for thousands of years as a vantage point to watch out for approaching pirates and enemies. While we were there there were half a dozen motorhomes wild camping but to be honest this site at Manta Rota has spoilt us and it is worth the €4.50 per night. If only we didn’t get quite so many door to door salespeople, strawberries, oranges, persimmons, mandarines, etc. One day we had four cars driving round trying to sell us oranges all tooting their horns to let us know they are there.

We’ve had a look round Manta Rota, during the week in the winter it is mostly closed but at the weekend everything opens up and lots of people come for a day out on the beach. Lucy even found that the supermarket is open on a Sunday, luckily she was able to buy another bottle of Port to mix with her lemonade. I had to look up port and lemon to make sure she was making it right and found lots of references to the type of person who would consume such a mix.

We’re moving on tomorrow, it has been very nice here and we could easily stay for another week but at this rate we’ll never get home. Catch up with you all next week.

One thought on “Chlling in Portugal

  1. Ann Mclaren

    Hi Mark and Lucy,
    So pleased you are still enjoying the trip. We loved Portugal, the people, the fish markets, the cheap camp sites, and the best museum we have ever been in in Fara where they let us in for half price as we are seniors. 1€ instead of 2€ and a lovely young girl who gave us a conducted tour in English because it was quiet on this Easter Sunday and we were very interested!
    Hope the rest of your trip proves just as enjoyable. Love from Ann and Eric

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