We’re back ~ beach hopping in Portugal’s romantic Algarve region.

When you live nomadically, there are sometimes cross roads where the question of “Should I stay, or should I go?” yields muddled answers.

And so it was for us with Portugal. We bounced back and forth between Portugal and Spain over the past 3 months, driven in large part by the availability of home exchanges that Peta lined up.

Yet it feels like Portugal’s rough Algarve coast didn’t get enough “play” and since we are, after all, always looking for a potential future home base, it seems that we need to spend a few more weeks in this beautiful region where mountains meet the sea, in a dramatic way, at the cliff’s edge.

The beaches are phenomenal ~ large powdery sand beaches, many go on for miles and miles virtually empty of any other visitors. Most of them have not a building in sight, as they are within the nationally protected nature reserve of this area. Each beach of course has its own distinct characteristics.

We both love Portugal. It has a rustic, rough charm that has seduced us slowly but surely.

IMG_6014

IMG_6049

IMG_6018

The cliffs are made up of stripes of slate, both black and earth tones, which are dramatically layered one on top of the other, much like “mille fueilles.”

IMG_6022

IMG_6053

OMMMM Shanti Shanti……

IMG_4799

Carefully balanced vertical stacks of granite stones ~ A collective impromptu sculpture garden on one beach.

IMG_4804

IMG_4812

While the magnificent rock formations are the dominant features of our first series of beaches, we discover a serene pocket of bird life and sand dunes as we travel North from beach to beach.

IMG_5875

Lawrence of Arabia?

IMG_5862

One of the environmentally friendly features of Portuguese beaches are the wooden walkways that are attractive and have low impact on the surrounding nature.

IMG_5869

Hundreds of waterfowl and seagulls are wading in the lagoon protected by the sand dunes. A National Geographic moment!

IMG_5909

There will be a future series of nature inspired paintings upcoming. (Think Diebenkorn on this one!)

IMG_5890

I love recharging my batteries with natures positive energy.

IMG_5893

I have always thought the world looks awesome upside down, and still do!

IMG_6060

Abstract painting inspiration. Large smooth stones with geometric lines of white running through their core.

The Algarve coast is however, not just coast… it also has a bounty of forested lush green softly curved hills which still have roving herds of goats and sheep.  The combination of farm life, mountain fresh air and beaches pretty much casts a spell on us.  The fresh simple seafood doesn’t hurt either!

Already, we start visualizing life and a potential future “nest” for ourselves in the Algarve.

IMG_5936

Nesting on a mountain top…. sun, wind, fresh air, mountains, sea and love. What more does one need?

IMG_5939

OMMM … Keeping alive our Chiang Mai meditation practice.

IMG_5940

Pockets of small forest, both pine and eucalpytus dot the hills and valleys. No agriculture, and very few buildings in this region due to the protected natural reserve.

IMG_5797

Baby pine trees.

IMG_5948

One of Peta’s favorite types of trees.. Eucalpytus. These trees have multi colored bright bark shedding from their trunks. Spectacular!

IMG_6003

A goat herder crosses the landscape with his two herding dogs.

IMG_5998

What a beautiful sight!

IMG_5991

An elderly sheep herder (woman) manages a large herd thanks to her well trained sheep herding dogs. The countryside becomes a choir of sheep bells until they pass by!

IMG_5987

Ben is in his element! Animals are an important part of our travels and we are ecstatic to come across these guys. (Shades of India…)

There are small towns scattered throughout the region… Each with its own set of charms.

IMG_5800

Vila de Bispo ~ We came back through this town a few times after finding a perfect small restaurant with amazing seafood cooked by a Portuguese grandmother who proudly came out the kitchen to bring us her delicious creations, passed down from generation to generation.

IMG_4785

Carvoeiro, where we had our home exchange. A small coved beach with turquoise waters and homes close to the edge of the cliffs.

 

IMG_5816

Beaches which stretch for miles and miles…..

IMG_4789

The town of Aljezur ~ from atop an old Moorish fort, now in ruins.

IMG_4790

Perfect spot for a house, um I mean, castle. Someone got here before us!

IMG_4827

A few years ago this village was abandoned. Today it has been carefully restored and has been revitalized.

 

IMG_4828

7 of the original inhabitants still live here year round. An enterprising local entrepreneur spent two years tracking down the owners and descendants of owners, of the abandoned houses. He bought 30 of them, restored them and now rents them out by the night and week. They are fully booked for months ahead of time! Once again, there is life in the village.

 

IMG_5805

A sign of where our head is at… (any time we fall in love with a place, we pretty much visualize ourselves living there to the point of finding specific houses in specific locations.)

 

IMG_4798

What a joy to find that beaches like this DO still exist in some magical places in the world!

 

IMG_4793

Algarve! We will be back!

 

One thought on “We’re back ~ beach hopping in Portugal’s romantic Algarve region.