We spent the night overlooking the Atlantic on a cliff top. The views were spectacular and the waves crashed below us all night. We didn't have the best of sleep though as we were totally isolated in the middle of nowhere. Yet at a little past midnight a car rolled up and then shortly left again. That was a bit strange and a little unnerving. Then at 2.30am a dustbin lorry turned up! It just turned around and left too. Really weird indeed. Suffice to say sleep was a little hard to come by thereafter and we're a bit knackered today. Still, the sun rise over the Atlantic and breakfast on the cliff top in the morning sun made up for it.
First thing we drove into Albufeira - the number one package holiday destination on the Algarve; and you can see why. It's picturesque with loads and loads of cafe bars and restaurants everywhere. I toured here for a weekend with my rugby club in 2010, yet after spending half a day in the town today I didn't recognise a single place! I can only guess we drank in a different part of the town on tour. Or Mrs Blakey's theory is that I was simply too drunk to remember anywhere when on rugby tour. Hmmm...
One thing we have really noted about Portugal this tour is that it's poor. The whole place is shabby, often derelict, and covered in graffiti. Everywhere needs a clean and a lick of paint. Even down here on the Algarve, as soon as you're out of the resort centre it looks shabby.
After Albufiera we drove to Vilamoura to look around the marina. As we pulled off the main road into this town everything changed. This is the golfing capital of the Algarve and it was gorgeous. Palm tree lined roads, surrounded by lush golf courses, led into a lovely, clean, modern town sprinkled with 4 star hotels. The place was almost immaculate. We drove down to the marina and parked up. Walking to the marina was a little like Cannes in France but not quite as rich.
We dropped into "Sete" (seven) which is Luis Figo's bar on the marina front for a drink. Quite a place which has no wallpaper but instead is wall to wall photos of Figo with famous people. Sadly the great man was absent so no team photo was forth coming.
The prices in the marina bars and cafes were surprisingly cheap for such a place apart from the odd champagne bar. I'd love to go drinking here in the summer!
As soon as we left Vilamoura we were instantly back into shabby Portugal again. We're now camped up and looking for an early night - after a curry, a beer and a spot of Spooks on the laptop I think!
Cali comment: when wild camping last night we decided to sleep downstairs. This was to keep the noise of the waves down and perhaps to keep a bit more inconspicuous with the roof down. It was definitely warmer and quieter but was much less comfy with breaks in the cushions, a bit stuffy with less air flow and skinnier at 6" smaller in width. But it did the job and makes a great back up bed. If I were sleeping there every night I'd buy a mattress topper. We'll be back upstairs tonight.
Sent from my ZX Spectrum.
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