Aug 27, 2012 - Rest & Recovery in Lagos

We rose to cloudy skies this morning - the first such morning since Porto two weeks ago, however, by the time we had breakfast they had evaporated and we have been treated to another sunny, hot day. Christine has had some problems over the past few days and we felt the need to take care of them, so we went for a walk through the market coming out high in the town beside St. Sebastian's Church. We walked down through areas we had not been in before then out to the fortress, only to discover it was closed on Mondays. I left Christine in the...

Aug 26, 2012 - Fountain Disappointment and Great Rock Formations

We had another lazy start to the day. While Christine got ready I checked the WiFi and was told it was not working, but...his colleague had managed to get on, so I should try and see... Well, it worked just fine and I did most of what I needed to do. Christine meanwhile had come down and started breakfast. I joined her and we had our meal. I wanted to use the hotel computer, but there was someone on it. We waited a while and I decided just to use mine and we got tickets for the Alhambra in Granada next Sunday morning. Christine realized she...

Aug 25, 2012 - Around Lagos

We had a leisurely start to the day and had breakfast downstairs. I tried to book tickets for the Alhambra in Granada, but needed information which I was unable to access on the hotel's computer and their WiFi was acting up. We left and walked along to catch the tourist train. It took us part of the route we went yesterday on the bus then stopped at a clifftop where we could look down on boats going through the "Blue Grotto". Not THE Blue Grotto, but Lagos's best imitation. We stopped at an hotel where there was access to a beach, then back...

Aug 24, 2012 - Another End of the World!

We were up earlier than we have been recently and went down for breakfast. We then packed away the last minute items and left our luggage which the hotel said they would transfer to our new room with a view. We crossed the parking lot and purchased tickets at the bus station for Cabo Sao Vicente - Cape St. Vincent. We waited for a while as other buses came and went and eventually ours arrived. We wound our way through the countryside to the cape - the most southwesterly point in Europe - also claiming to be "The End of the World" in days...

Aug 23, 2012 - Exploring Lagos

We got ready this morning and went downstairs for breakfast. The hotel puts on quite a spread with cereal, several types of bread, fruit, scrambled eggs, sausages, ham, cheese, yoghurt, several fruit juices, etc. We went up to the rooftop to explore the sun terrace and pool. We returned to our room and picked up cameras, etc. and set off for the marina across the street. We walked round part of it then went to the commercial harbour at the other side. We had anticipated being able to walk round it, but discovered one side of it was blocked...

Aug 22, 2012 - On to Lagos

We were up and getting ready early today. We packed the last items then went round to a pastry shop and got some items for breakfast, brought them back to the hotel and ate them. We then went and checked out. Got a cab and set off for the bus station. The bus came in and we got our luggage and ourselves loaded onto it. The drive was uneventful, over low rolling hills, passing, we learned later, stands of cork trees. These may be what we thought were small olive trees, though, compared to the ones we saw in Greece a few years ago, they were...

Oct 29, 2011 - Lagos

Hi all, we are in Lagos, a small seaside town on the southern coast. It's quaint but a bit commercial and lacking the character of Vila Real de San Antonio. But it nice just the same. We took a walk along the water front which we likened to the St Kilda foreshore. After a quick snack we walked into a small bar to check the Internet for the location of our chosen restaurant for dinner. Sim is on the Capirinha (check the spelling) and I'm on the beer, surprisingly !!! We found our restaurant and then stepped in to the bottle shop next door to...

Jul 16, 2011 - It's all about the beaches.

On our last day in Lisbon, we randomly changed our next reservations from Faro Portugal, to Lagos Portugal because everyone we met told us that Faro wasn't worth it... That was stressful, but TOTALLY worth getting here. These days were intended to be spent in Faro, just chilling on the beach. Instead, we came to Lagos and have been hanging out at the most incredible beaches by day and enjoying a really active night life by night. We got in yesterday at around 5pm after taking a later bus from Lisboa. We spent from 5 to about 8 on the...

Oct 13, 2010 - Western Algarve

@@@@@@@ Background The Phoenicians first arrived 3,000 years ago and set up trading posts along the southern coast of Portugal. The Romans held sway over the region for over 400 years and used the land to grow wheat, barley and grapes to supply their Empire with food and wine. They left behind paved roads and fine palaces. The Moors arrived from North Africa in AD 711 and ruled for 500 years, but the Christians drove them back across the sea and wiped out most of what they had succeeded in building. However, the place names often reflect...

May 3, 2010 - Lagos, Portugal

Monday 3rd – Fine Had breakfast then packed up the car and headed to Silves which has the algarves best preserved castle.2.50E/ea. Lovely place. We had a toasted sandwich for lunch then back on the motorway to Lagos. Staying in the Aqualux a large resort around a couple of large swimming pools. Unpacked then went to a local bar for a drink. Home for drinks and had pasta and ham with beans for tea. Paul stayed up to watch a young Aussie chap win the snooker. Tuesday 4th – fine Up at 9 and had a walk into town and then along the marina to a...

Sep 22, 2009 - Lagos

Off along the coastal roads again past cork trees, pine forests and sand dunes until we reached Sagres where we drove straight through to Cabo St. Vincente- the 3rd most western point in Europe. There are huge cliffs here and fisghermen have to bring their catch up the cliff face hundreds of feet high- and the fish aren´t that big that you´d think it was worth it. Onwards bakc down the road and to Lagos, and accommodation with a terrace overlooking the sea- even has Tv and aircon. Lagos is very touristy but still plesant with those common...

Aug 31, 2009 - Lagos, Portugal

We've been to the end of the world - or at least where the land was thought to end until 1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue: Sagres, Portugal, a tiny windswept place on the southwestern tip of Portugal. We visited as a day trip, from our first stop in Portugal - Lagos. Lagos is a seaside town on the Atlantic, whose beach reminded us of the east coast beaches of the US. The seafood is amazingly fresh,and we made gluttons of ourselves one night, consuming two orders of baby clams, accompanied by fresh bread and wine. Yummy!