A gorgeous morning for an early morning hike, Sao Miguel was the destination, my companion, Patricia…..apparently it was too early in the morning for many others to consider joining us. The sun was shining and it threatened to be a warm day which is why we headed off at 9h00.
So many gorgeous flowers and plants showing their pretty coloured blossoms while many others looked ready to burst in the next little while. I was in my element.
The mountainside was ablaze with this paper thin and wonderfully coloured cistus. Everywhere you looked.
Patricia told me the name of this plant last year, and again this morning, but do you think I can recall it!!!!
My hiking companion……she meets me stride for stride. And for the record, we did the up and down of the mountain today in record time. I think we walked as fast as we talked!!
This little yellow blossom was in various stages of opening up and down the mountain slope. Beautiful
Honeysuckle
More cistus
These lovely jonquils were still blooming, and heavy scented.
These tiny little daffodils, miniature, were dancing wildly in the breeze. Very difficult to capture a photo without a blur.
Another shot of these tiny daffodils.
The lavender is bursting everywhere.
All along the route down the mountain, paperwhites……on both sides of the road.
More cistus.
I was happy I captured this tiny butterfly as I am having problems with my camera.
We had a great hike and as I mentioned, record time. We were both pretty impressed with ourselves. Upon return to Estoi, I had half an hour before my Portuguese lesson and Pat happened to have a couple of pieces of leftover apple pie from my birthday dinner so………yup….apple pie and a bica….great fuel for my learning.
The plan was to head off to Fuzeta for lunch and perhaps a walk on the beach, both accomplished.
The acacia (mimosa) is in bloom, at least starting to bloom. I love this tree, it reminds me of pom poms or popcorn!
A second shot of the mimosa.
And my dining companions….mon mari, Diane and Laurie…..who just arrived last night after a 24 hour+ trip…..she’s resilient.
Laurie and myself……an no, she is not my sister, she is my sister in law.
Marc and Diane…..I love these two happy faces and smiles.
We all four enjoyed fresh tuna and amazing fries. And a salad….but who cares about salad when fries are this good and the waiter says, “tell me if you need more fries”!!!!
This well worn and sea beaten buoy.
I’ve seen this guy teaching people to para sail often on this beach.
His support team hanging around.
And finally, after much ado, he got it up!!
Look at those happy toes in the sand.
Happiness if your first taste of sand on your toes after 2/3 rds of a Canadian winter!
An action shot!! LOL
My handsome fella climbed to the top of the old salt house on the Fuzeta beach.
These folks work hard. The farmed oyster beds.
Oyster beds being worked
Marc took this from his perch on the previous building.
More oyster farm workers.
And more workers.
This fellow, who was no spring chicken, was persistent and patient and he continued to have success and failure, one after the other but he was not giving up. A trait I appreciate.
And finally, Marc and Diane……we laughed as this fig tree is the same variety we used to grow in our apartments and offices back in Canada. We were lucky if they kept their leaves through a winter.
A great day had by all. We bumped into Pat, Gary, Andrea, and Warren enjoying a beer on a small patio in Fuzeta. Had a short visit, a giggle or two then following a quick stop at the grocery store, the drive home. The sun kept us company all day long but so did a nippy breeze. Tomorrow is supposed to be windless……….that’s my kind of day.
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Marc and Randys Travel Adventures 
So many wonderful stories and pictures. Loving it.
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Thanks Ken. You know how much I love being here!
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A great first day for Laurie!! The hike sounded and looked wonderful. So many varieties of beautiful flowers. The beach walk looked relaxing but shorts with jackets??? Made me think it was cold.
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The breeze can be a bit nippy some days, hence the jackets. Would you rather we simply got cold?? LOL
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It looks like you had a lovey morning hike and a wonderful start on Laurie’s first day in the Algarve!
Your photos of the hillside flora are spectacular! I’m curious to know if the jonquils and the paper whites are one and the same as they look similar? Or are they a different variety in the same floral family?
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They are different. They smell and look completely different and I am not certain about the “same family” will have to look that up.
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Randy…the flora pics are wonderful. The jonquils are so miniature and delicate looking. Hoping we do more hikes and find the orchids,peonies and gladioli.
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You can count on it.
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My heart! The flowers are fabulous….can’t wait! Great shots! No San Miguel in record time for me but willing to give it a go! And at 9:00 am too! Ha!Ha!
Laurie, your smiling face tells me time can’t go fast enough pour moi! I can almost feel the sand in my toes! Seven more sleeps! xoxoxoxo
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I’m not sure you are up to Sao Miguel and once you start it, there’s no turning back. That said, we can certainly give it a go.
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Made a comment on flowers. I think the blue may be Lithodora prostrata and the yellow is a Palmate anemone.
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I trust you implicitly
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