More travels from Portugal

After we left Monchique we took the road that led to a small place named Fíoa. We stopped at a few spots along the way and surveyed the beautiful scenery, viewing the vastness of the rugged Sierra de Monchique range .

At another stop we found lots of small stone cairns. There were no signs, nothing to indicate the significance.

A few days later, back down at sea level and we were in Portimão (mão is pronounce the same as in Mao Tsé-Tung). It is a colorful and vibrant city only 20 kms/ 12 miles for our campsite. We drove up the hill from the marina and were rewarded with a far reaching view of land and sea. It has two beaches, Praia da Rocha and Praia do Vau.

A cannon at the Castle (fort) of Santa Catarina

Most of the shops and restaurants are closed for January so it was quiet and uncluttered.
On the road into town are a couple of shopping malls - boy have I had fun shopping!! So many items are unavailable or expensive our in the area but are readily found here.

As Andrea and Brian were leaving the next day a group of eight gathered together to have a farewell lunch. Brian and I had been to this restaurant and loved it. It offers tasty green salad with onions, roasted suckling pig or chicken served with chips or homemade crisps and slices of oranges, dessert, wine and water.
The photos speak for themselves.

From the left front: Dave, Andrea, Brian1, Maureen, Anthony, Tina and Brian2.

Amazing food and great company!

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Going up the coast, as you can see from this map is not that coastal, however there are roads which lead out to and end at rocky cliffs and coves.

Our destination was Aljezur where stands an ancient castle. Looking out high over the countryside it is easy to imagine how it must have been back in the eleventh century when the Arabs occupied it. It was conquered by the Portuguese in 1249 and given over to the military order. The river, which can just, be seen was navigable up until the 16th century when it then silted in.

There is not much left of the castle except walls and a large cistern used to catch and store rain water. It is quite a steep climb from the valley to the castle so water storage was essential to the occupants daily lives

Looking up to the top of the cistern today

The sign at the entrance

From the castle, we took some of the roads to the coast. What magnificent scenery. High cliffs have eroded, making coves to where the surfers migrate in the summer. The aquamarine coloring of the water made it seem so inviting but I know it would have been extremely cold, not to mention dangerous.

For perspective, at the right of this photo, look for the people on top of the cliff.