the "real" Portugal

Hi all . Another entry… from here in Albufeira, Portugal. I’ve taken some good pictures in the last 4 days so I’m happy to share them.

On Friday (it’s Monday morning now) Grampa, Jann, and I went on a Jeep safari tour to the countryside and back roads of the Algarve (southern region of Portugal). Since it’s the off season there was only one jeep load of us; in the summer time there are often 15 or 20 jeeps of people in one day. Thankfully, when we went it was verrry clear and hot out. So far the jeep tour has been my favorite part of my trip.

We were in the jeep with 2 middle aged couples from England. The one man, Garry, reminded me of my uncle Jimmy. Jolly and charming. His wife Anthia was so small and sweet  (imagine that.. just like aunty Mary , hehe) – we so enjoyed them. The other couple, whose names we don’t know, were verrry funny and they were not afraid to enjoy the wine included in lunch…. Or to chug their glasses when our driver started to call us down to the jeep, haha.

Basically we started off right here in town and gradually drove out of the city into the country. On the way out we drove through a few villages , which became fewer as we went, and eventually ended up on dirt roads winding through orange orchards.  We stopped in the last village for a white coffee and pastel de nata and then continued into the sun.

After a while driving our guide stopped at a patch of cork trees, shown in this picture. He explained to us how the locals harvest the cork bark every  10 years. The layers can be seen on the trees and are marked by the year, so they know when to next harvest them. Also, he told us that the cork trees will not burn , if there was a forest fire or something. They are quite beautiful and remind me of the arbutus trees in Victoria… the way they bend and squiggle.

 

All along the way, through the country, we would come across tiny, tiny villages …. Or sort of just a couple houses at a time… A lot of them are very ramshackle looking and without electricity. However, the people on the porches are so happy and content looking. In every area there is an old wheel used to pull the water up from the well and an old brick community oven. These little villages were, and are, very community oriented and back in the day the people would all cook their meals in the same oven … and then all of the women would do their washing at the wash houses shown in the picture below.

 

Our second stop was at this tiny, tiny little village where an old woman was waiting to show us her house. She lives in this tiny, dark home. She was so proud to bring us into her home. Even though she couldn’t speak a lick of English, she spoke Portugese to Anthia as if Anthia could understand her. She even laughed and gestured to Anthia as if they were in conversation. She had her pots all lined along the top shelves and beautiful plates lined up as well. Everything was tidy and swept- it felt like Nanna’s.

From there we walked down the street to the “firewater distilling place”. The local drink in this village is this firewater, which tastes like very gooood whiskey. We learned how they brew it and then had tastes of the plain kind, a carob flavored one, and then a mint eucalyptus one. We also tasted their local honey. Jann and grampa bought a little bottle of the carob liquor, if only to support the cute old man who owns it with his son. He was also so proud and happy to have us there seeing how they live.

 

We made our way to this awesome place for lunch, on top of a huge hill overlooking the village Alte. Here we roasted in the sun and had the typical Portugese lunch… and the typical Portugese wine, hehe.

Our final stop was on our way home, in the village Alte. All us sun kissed jeep riders thought we were heading home, on the backroads of course, when suddenly we pulled down this narrow street (they are all narrow) and were led to this local’s home. Like cows, or blind mice, or something, we were led up a mothball stinking staircase, which seemed never ending and increasingly more narrow as we hiked up. It is a local man’s museum of things he’s acquired over his life; known to some as pack rats organized collection. It all happened so fast that before we knew it we were upstairs in this musty place looking at collections of old, eyeless dolls and rusty forks. The quiet, lush English man whispered to me “next thing you know they’re going to tell us to come down to the basement to see their collection of tourists”… hahahaha and I laughed. The whole experience was weird and cute, in the weirdest way. The man and wife were very happy we came, and even happier about the euros we left. I got some great pictures, that may turn into paintings, which I’m happy about.

 

I’m rambling on…oops.

Saturday we went to Loule ,a town 40 minutes away, for the gypsy market and farmers market. The weather changed this day, so we came home with great treats, and frost bitten toes. Hahaha I got more funny looks in one day than ever before. We were totally underdressed for the cool wind and the Portugese thought it was hilarious. We bought fresh salmon .. some nice cheese… and then souvenirs. I almost bought about 10 pairs of boots but kept talking myself out of it. There are soooo many nice shoes here.

The bus trip was great, since I had my ipod. Our bus driver, who was 25 minutes late, felt inclined to make the bus trip a multi lingual, constantly narrated ride. (Ali, it was like one of the PCL trips we took to downtown Vancouver, when the driver just spoke over the intercom because he likes listening to his own voice.) I was sooooo irritated and frustrated hahaha. But looking back it is funny.

Today we went to church and of course for walks and coffees. Church was so beautiful – the music was great. We went a bit late, because listening to the entire service and not understanding it gets a bit boring. Going up for communion was a free for all, since the church was so packed. I didn’t know that grampa played football when he was younger, but after seeing him take out all the pious parishioners and shove his way to the front to receive communion I am positive he must have been on the highschool team.

Things are great here! Tomorrow off to another town to the west to explore, and then on Wednesday we are going to Seville, Spain .. Gibraltar… and Morocco!
Report back then.

Love Leah-Rose