Portugal Part II- Adventure in the Algarve

After leaving the land of fairy-tales, we headed to the land of swashbuckling sea stories, aka the southernmost part of Portugal, the Algarve. We stayed in a modest pension in Lagos, a town that is a veritable mash-up of people and cultures all united by their love for the sunny waters. Proof of the cultural variety is found in the gloriously diverse cuisine- we had Mexican food the first night! Though it was far from authentic, and served by Australians, after months of being inundated by carbs, this was pure heaven for me. The next day we eagerly hit the beach, starting out on a big, long beach perfect walking beach (don't worry, taken full advantage of) with fine sand. After a few hours, the wind drove us to seek a calmer spot and after a gelato break (all I have to say about that is gelato outside of Italy just doesn't cut it), we found this beautiful cove.

The rocks extended on either side like arms hugging the beach. There were tunnels between the string of coves, perfect for exploring and imagining.

This second round of soaking up the sun pushed my poor miserably pale winter skin over the edge, and I ended up with quite the painful reminder of the glorious day. After applying copious quantities of aloe, we headed out for dinner and ended up at a organic "fusion" restaurant called Origins. It was perfect for me; if you can get a beautiful, organic, fresh gourmet meal for around 10 euros, something is wonderfully right.

The next day an ominous looking cloud cover graciously prevented us from further torturing our skin, so we opted for a more historic, scenic day at Cape Sagres.

Beyond being breathtakingly beautiful, Cape Sagres is fascinating on quite a few levels. From as far back as prehistoric times, Europeans thought Cape Sagres to be literally the end of the earth, the last land before an endless sea.

In the ages of nautical exploration, Cape Sagres served as the starting point of most expeditions and the location of Prince Henry's navigational school. We caught the bus over and explored the cape and the vestiges of a very well positioned fort. Here we are in full exploration mode ready to spot any advancing pirates:

Though no longer the nautical hub it once was, Cape Sagres remains important beyond a historical context. As the manager at our pension told us, "Cape Sagres is an important place to the Portugese because it is a place where man still feels small". In this day and age, it is a gift to be able to so thoroughly humbled by His creation.

Another value adding aspect for the locals, apparently the cliffs make a great fishing spot. Eek! Honestly, does this look like a wise idea (also factor into account the fierce wind that literally suspended bird in flight)?

Further proof:

All in all, Portugal surpassed my wildest dreams and expectations. It is by far my favorite place I've visited, and I can't wait to go back. Between the cosy and magical architecture, the mystical forests, the brilliant beaches, Portugal will serve as the setting of my dreams for years to come.

Ciao for now!