‘Resting’ on the Algarve…

Friday morning I was up bright and ( really !) early – I’d decided to ride across the mountains again, and add in a few exploratory ‘diversions’ as well…and with it being a hot forecast… I was up early to beat the heat.. I needn’t have worried too much, as it was overcast, however, as I was to find out, it was very humid, which was actually worse than the forecast heat !

However by 8 a.m. I was off on the road, along towards Vila do Bispo again, and then right and up into the quite hills – it’s a lot easier when you know where you’re going !.. riding up along the hilly,country quiet roads, I saw a number of spots, which I’ll probably explore a little more next week, and then as I headed back along the coast, saw signs to a beach, and took it, after a couple of kms, the sea opened out in front of me – I was at surf heaven ! A surf school hut was in front of me, and a great surf beach opened out in front of me, with the waves crashing in… although I had beaten the lazy surfers to it…they were only just arriving in their mini buses !! I had a cup of tea, and almond cake, deciding to return, and carried on with my ride, back to the undulating roads, in the hot,humid atmosphere… taking the time to ‘smell the flowers’ with great fields of wildflower meadows stretched in front of me…. nice, very nice ! It certainly helped me to get up and over the hills again, down through Lagos and back to the campsite… a great 75 Kms – which completely wore me out, and I spent the rest of the day lazing around the pool and sunbeds, trying to recover !

Saturday I didn’t do much more…apart from a wash load of clothes, so I’ll be ready to move on !- oh, and a wander down to Luz to watch Manchester United winning again !

Sunday I rode into Luz again, for another enjoyable mass at the Church, and hot ride home for an afternoon relaxing, listening to the ‘tea dance’ music from the campsite restaurant…the ‘youngsters ‘ of Portugal were enjoying themselves…

So, now …well, I’m moving on in the morning – my ‘plan’ (as much as I ever have one) is to travel up the west coast of Portugal again, stopping at the surf beaches a few nights ‘wildcamping’, then before I hit Lisbon I’ll turn right again, and head for Spain… I think !

I’m not likely to have any internet, so ….Adios !!