Hola! Hola! We couldn’t wait a week to share this blog with you…. How could a place be so intoxicatingly awe inspiring!?! Bev has taken soooo many photos the camera wants to go on strike!! (actually Strike if we were in France – but Siesta as we are in Spain!) Ha!! Choosing the best ones has been near impossible, hence there are many!… Hope you enjoy the picture show!… This has to be our favorite “find” to-date!
Continue reading Specatular surprise as Bruce rounds the bend
Washing and blog day under the gum trees at Camping Madalena, near Porto, Portugal.
It’s been fantastic with fiestas, religious celebrations & of course the Spanish king’s coronation ….. all quite by accident too!!
Our last week has been action-packed. Having extended our stay south on the Algarve meant we could meet up with “Aussie”” friends Will, Sandy and Sarah Leggat! 
They were staying in the world heritage town of Sintra, ½ hour west of Lisboa (Lisbon – capital of Portugal). Continue reading We Leggat to Lisboa
It was time to drag ourselves away from our “little heaven”___ onward and upward!! Farewell Amacao de Pera until we meet again!! Our favourite café barista, Leno, excitingly accepted our miniature koala & flag & said he has a collection of “items” from lots of countries and was happy to display one from Australia. He is a wonderful 20 year old Portuguese who would like to run his own café in the future. He seemed to have the passion, skill & friendly, outgoing personality that would be necessary too! As well as being our Portuguese “language tutor” he was a font of knowledge about the region.
Now how does the old saying go….? When you’re on a good thing… stick to it!…. or in our case… “When you’ve found the perfect place, stay there!!”
Leaving Spain and crossing west into Portugal we really had no preconceived expectations or ideas what to expect.
The landscape appears arid and scattered with bushes, cacti & few trees, many small towns appear “rough & ready’ & in need of TLC. The effect of the economic state of the country is reflected here. Buildings that were being built at the time of the GFC lie incomplete and a reminder of the dire situation faced by many. This was also evident in Spain – in Portugal it appears worse.