It is already Thursday and Kyria and I have made some plans for the rest of my time here so that I see some more of the area. However today is local and we hired a boat to go and visit the grottos that I had visited by default from the cliff tops. I think the pictures are in some respects not as interesting from the sea but the colours and the rock formations are stunning even if quite a bit of local licence in terms of giving the formations names has been taken You will note the 'elephant' over Kyria's shoulder in one of the photos below....
We then set off with Kevin to the village of Salema which is a few miles down the coast, it is a working fishing village so we had a fish lunch and then spent some time on the beach before returning so that more work on the Garden could continue.
Friday I tried yet another beach within walking distance Pinhao which is quite sheltered which as the wind has continued is a good thing and again has beautiful rock formations and quite a tide which is so different from Greece.
Kyria doing a waitressing shift so I went to check out the food, barbecued mackerel very tasty.
Saturday morning finds me in the local Museum which has relics from ancient history showing how long the area has been inhabited through to the inevitable bits of farm machinery and model boats. However it is housed next to church which now forms part of the museum and is the classic over decorated style of the early catholic churches and
is in stark contrast to the main church which is stunning in it's simplicity.
It is a shame that the earthquake and tidal wave in 1755 destroyed most of the ancient buildings from the Roman and Moorish occupation and the British had a hand before that in attacking and ransacking both Sagres and Faro during the height of the first Elizabethan period which means that at an area of great importance in terms of the development and exploration of the world has little left to see.
Met up with Kyria and she drove me up to Aljezur which is close to the west coast beaches. We found our way up to the Moorish castle with great views of the surrounding area
and visited a number of small local museums one a house left as it would have been probably about 150 years ago. Little english spoken in the museums compared to the restaurant where we stopped for lunch, the waitress speaking at least 3 languages fluently and the waiter a further 2!
We then visited a couple of the beaches, Armoreira backed by sand dunes
and Arrifana which has cliffs backing it and where we stopped for a supper as the sun went down aah.
Plus lovely olive grove on the way home.
Off to the far west coast reaching Cabo de Sao Vicente before lunch. This is the most south westerly point of mainland Europe and fortunately not quite as wild and windy as it certainly could be. The lighthouse here is visible for up to 62 miles and is the most powerful in Europe, must be welcome to transatlantic sailors.
Fortaleza from Cabo.
The cliffs are very high meaning the lighthouse beacon doesn't need to be raised high but this doesn't stop local fishermen with very long lines(!) fishing as here.
Sagres town is also on a promontory so surrounded by beaches no fancy rocks but beautiful sand and of course surf.
The harbour is where the trawlers berth and there is a big fish market so guess what we had for lunch!
Outside the modern town is the Fortaleza de Sagres situated on an exposed headland and the site of the School of navigation of Henry the Navigator set up in 1420. He gathered together those with knowledge of the stars, mapmakers and instrument makers (sextants etc) which made longer journeys possible. The only things remaining from this time are an amazing 128ft diameter compass which may also have been used to check wind direction
and some ancient canons displayed by my assistant!
It is a vast area and most of the buildings are post the earthquake another wild and windy spot but the knowledge accumulated here accelerated sea exploration hugely in the 15th century. Called in on Zaviel (poss never wrote it down!) beach very windswept made me grateful for the coves near Lagos, beautiful with a very tasteful large villa over looking it owned allegedly by the actor Steven Seagal.
Spent a quiet last day on the beach with Kyria and then went to The Garden for supper and a couple of photos which looked better on the camera than here I'm afraid but you get the idea!
Back to the airport via the town of Loule, pleasant inland town with Moorish market
and chance for a last outside lunch. A quick visit to Faro island which is right by the airport (shown from the air on take-off) quite busy with a single track bridge
before being dropped to catch the flight home. Amazingly back 25 mins early thanks to the jet stream being in the wrong place, didn't quite make up for the hour delay on the way out but meant I reached Salisbury before midnight. A big thank-you to Anne for looking after my car at her home and taking and collecting me from Stansted.
First day home and the Torch is here, so for those of you who missed it locally or live abroad this is it passing close to my home. I'm afraid I didn't feel like getting up to see it and Michael Johnson leave the cathedral early the next morning! First one shows the transfer from a wheelchair 'runner' to the next lady mainly local people.
Next blog will be Paxos and the little matter of a wedding.
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