Summer in the Algarve

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.

L

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. 

Pirate Festival - they were walking through Old Town and occasionally firing their muskets which echoed loudly from the buildings and in narrow streets

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.

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: 

Most restaurants have outside seating and if they don’t have a patio they put tables on the sidewalk or even in the streets. 

turkey wraps (a nice change) - seafood and shrimp cataplana - grilled carapau (Portuguese horse mackerel) - fresh blueberries, blackberries & goat cheese

Jack's Birthday dinner - he had grilled ribeye steak strips and Karen had swordfish with asparagus 

Birthday treats from local bakery

Döner Kebab at a new Punjab Indian cafe

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

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!

Portugal Loves Their Festivals

We have been exploring our neighborhood and nearby towns this month.  June is a month of holidays in Portugal including Portugal Day, Corpus Cristo and the festivities for the Popular Saints.

typical narrow street with seating in the for dinner

Portugal Day on June 10th marks the date of Luís Vaz de Camões' death on June 10, 1580 and is Portugal's National Day. Camões ("kam-mo-ish")  wrote the Lusiadas, Portugal's national epic celebrating Portuguese history and achievements. In Olhão there were two large outdoor concerts, one was a rock group that drew about 5,000 people.  We didn't go but could hear the music and applause from 1/2 mile away!

Festas dos Santos Populares (Popular Saints' Festivals) are held in June in large cities and small towns throughout Portugal. They are dedicated to Saint Anthony (Santo António), mainly in Lisbon, and Saint John (São João) and Saint Peter (São Pedro).

One of the interesting traditions is the giving of a little plant to your friend, somewhat like a valentine plant.  

the little basil plant

The Manjerico is a popular plant of St. Anthony parties (the Saint celebrated in Olhão). According to the manjericos tradition, during the celebrations of the Saints in June, the boyfriend (or friend) offers to his girlfriend one little potted Manjerico plant. In addition to the plant, the container has a paper-mache flower and a small flag with a popular verse allusive to love.  One evening there was a knock on our door and Manuela, our neighbor, brought one to us and told us the name of the plant but I had to look up the story as I couldn't understand that much Portuguese-LOL.

Years ago the Popular Saints Day was a huge festive in Olhão.  The narrow streets were decorated with colorful banners, intertwined paper chains and colored lamps.  Homes opened their windows and brought flower pots outside.  Parades with dancers in colorful dressses and religious icons paraded down the streets.  This large practice has wained but streets still proudly display ceramic tiles recognizing those that were sites of these parades. 

This is our street

One day we took the train to Tavira, about 15 minutes away, to enjoy their huge weekend festival  

Looking into Tavira and the Gilão River

We stated overnight in a small hotel, Marés,  right on the river and in the middle of the revelers. The hotel wasn't that old but they commissioned local artists to use old ceramic tiles and wood.  It was very lovely.

street displayed photos of over 20 churches in Tavira

the plaza was decorated with festives banners & flags

Besides the street decorations, the cobbled street was carpeted with fresh mint branches that when stepped on by the crowds emited lovely smells.  

I don't know if all festivals are the same, but Tavira and Olhão used these musical events as fundraisers for community organizations and youth groups.  The highlight of the evenings are the grilled sardines sold at each booth! 

the sardines on the grill- imperfect fish are just tossed over the railing!

In Tavira each vendor grilled the sardines and offered them for "free"....you pay for the bread and the sardines come free!

one sardine with bread ($1.56) or 5 sardines with bread (about $6.25)

 

Huge crowds of local families and lots of expats mulled around visiting, eating, drinking (the €1 beer) and dancing to the live music.  We lasted until about 11:30 pm and headed back to our room to listen to the amazingly loud fireworks.

the River Gilão 

Portugal has many public holidays and "Bank Holidays" (just a term for a 3- or 4-day weekend).  On a long weekend in June we participated in a Geocaching Rally here in Olhao.  There were about 230 people signed in for the weekend but we were the only "native English speakers".  Initially we thought we would just be hanging around the fringes, but soon we began meeting Portuguese geocachers who spoke some English.  This was really interesting and fun to be immersed with the locals.

"Return to the Sun" or Welcome Spring!

The Dinner was a feast of the Algarve-this is a giant Cataplana pot that is used for cooking a full meal of fish, shellfish, chorizo and vegies.  Lots of wine, cheeses, olives, bread & typical baked desserts...all for €18 (about $18.77).  

required masks on public transportation (and some stores)-we were on the ferry 

CITO ("Cache In-Trash Out") event on Armona Island. Most of the trash was just left in these old boats that on left on the sand (they are used but this must be free "docking")

I've mentioned Manuela several times in my blog posts.  She lives nextdoor to us and is our landlady who has become a friend.  Her language is Portuguese and ours is English and our common language is "translation online".  Manuela invited us for the day to her family holiday home on Farol Island, one of three barrier islands on the sea that are accessed by ferry. 

She has owned this home for 40 years - simple and perfect for family use

We spent the whole afternoon together talking in my very limited Portuguese, hand signs and translation.  Another fun day getting to live with the locals.

 Manuela using her phone to translate to me-it's slow and often funny but works

She also treated us to a wonder sardine dinner at her favorite restaurant on the island-way more food than we could even eat!