Bebopping Around the Algarve

Today we covered an enormous amount of turf!!!  James and I started in Olhão where we parked the car and simply wandered many of the tiny winding roads, many of them dead end.  Delighted in the windows, doors, colours etc..

A beautiful wall mural near the old market.

The blue sky against the pink and white of this building, accompanied by the blooming trumpet vine. Perfection!

I love how the light was dancing on this door.

This could be a piece of painted art to my eye.

The church….note the tiny little terracotta colour over the door????

This is that tiny terracotta spot over the door. She looks quite weathered but still lovely and regal.

I liked the grill work around this door.

We enjoyed Olhão for about two hours then headed into Estoi……..we wanted to say boa viagem (bon voyage) to Ana and Simão who will head off in a few days for their much deserved annual vacation.   We then picked Gwen up and headed off to Alvor where she had an appointment…………James and I enjoyed a walk there while she attended her meeting.

Creative chimney in Alvor

The poinsettia tree in this garden had taken over almost all the free space.

From there we decided to head into the mountains to allow James an opportunity to not only experience the mountain roads but also to see some of the gorgeous towns along that route……Silves, Alte (where we enjoyed lunch and a lovely walk about), and several other of the tiny towns that dot the countryside.

Santa and his ass in Alte!

I loved spotting this Portuguese rooster high up on the third floor balcony.

The church steeple in Alte

Look at those two cherubic faces!!

An invitation to enter if ever I saw one.

James had porco preto…black pork

Gwen and I both enjoyed frango.

This little fellow went from table to table begging……..a cutie and welcomed in the restaurant.

Walking near the river in Alte

I love the cat hiding int he grass next to thee rooster.

Isn’t he just beautiful?

Miss Gwen checking out the ducks near the river….or perhaps the ducks were checking her out??

Love this sculpture in the river.

It was a full day……..and by this point we were all feeling quite pooped.  It was a fairly quiet trip from there to home…….with only one other stop….well two…..one in Benefin at the local grocery, where I took this shot….

 And the final stop to drop Gwen at her door then onward to home.   The rich scent of soup met our nostrils and  Marc was there to greet us with hugs……..a lovely welcome home at the end of a wondrous day.

Tomorrow we three head to Lisboa to allow James to enjoy a tiny part of that wonderful city before he heads back to Canada on Sunday.  Wherever does the time go??????