Well it has been a very hot summer here and many days we find ourselves resting in the heat of the day-much like the dogs and cats around here.
While the temperatures aren't extreme, somehow the sun feels very intense! Maybe it is because there are no clouds in the brillant blue sky. We got very sunburned the first time we went to the beach....now we lather on sunscreen and try to sit in the shade.
We take the ferry across the Ria Formosa to the barrier islands and walk to the “other side” which is on the Atlantic Ocean where there are waves.
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They are very serious about clean beaches These are little plastic “ashtrays” that are for in the sand
There seems to be two seasons during summer: FESTIVALS and MUSIC. July was certainly the Festival Season drawing 5-10,000 people in the more touristic areas of the Algarve (west of us) and August is becoming the Music Season. There is an event at least every weekend somewhere and even Olhão had a few.
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Pirate Festival - they were walking through Old Town and occasionally firing their muskets which echoed loudly from the buildings and in narrow streets
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The very popular annual Seafood Festival in Olhão was downsized this year (again) so the city provided 4 days of free outdoor concerts. You can bet the restaurants and cafes lining the waterfront offered loads of seafood dishes! There were still thousands of people coming out to hear free music and enjoy the warm evenings.
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| A temporary stage was put up in Olhão for the music festival. Most towns do this and leave the stage up for weeks. |
The free ABBA concert drew several thousand and didn't even start until 10:30 pm. The city set out tables and chairs and families moved the chairs anywhere they liked! There were a few vendors selling beverages.
We have continued to have some medical appointments and have finally found a "family doctor" about 2 blocks from us. Dr. Maria (most doctors use their first name because they often have 3 or 4 names like Dr. Maria José Mata Arthur). Her sister Dr. Ana and their father, Dr. João are wonderful doctors who have appointments into the evening, do home visits and communicate with patients via WhatsApp texting.
It has been an extremely hot summer, much like around the world! July and August are usually holiday months in Europe and the Algarve draws vacationers from throughout Portugal and all over the world. We see hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors in town.
Every BnB is full, the line for the ferry stretches all the way down the pier and it's almost impossible to find a table for a coffee or beer in many of the restaurants and cafes on the waterfront. We have found ourselves eating out a lot instead of cooking and heating up the apartment! Here are some of the many foods we’ve been enjoying:
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| Most restaurants have outside seating and if they don’t have a patio they put tables on the sidewalk or even in the streets. |
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turkey wraps (a nice change) - seafood and shrimp cataplana - grilled carapau (Portuguese horse mackerel) - fresh blueberries, blackberries & goat cheese
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Jack's Birthday dinner - he had grilled ribeye steak strips and Karen had swordfish with asparagus
 | Birthday treats from local bakery
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| Döner Kebab at a new Punjab Indian cafe |
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Grilled Choriço cooked in the typical ceramic bowl called Choriço Assado (aquardente, a high content alcohol commonly called "fire water", is poured into the bottom, lit on fire and the chorico is grilled until dark and crispy
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Recipes from the UK are easier for me to follow than from the U.S. - measurements are in metric and I can usually find the ingredients (because there are more British expats here)
We are preparing for a holiday ourselves. We leave August 31 for a 3 week African Safari with Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.). This was originally planned for 2019 but got delayed due to the COVID Pandemic. Our next blog should have some good photos!
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