Ideal time of year
When we arrive in Albufeira it is the low period, it being November, the beginning of colder months. For us it is just ideal. We don't need even a thin jacket for all the arduous walking we do keeps us warm.
Basics: lodging
We're staying for two weeks and so we need to shop for groceries.We have a compact kitchen with a tri-ply pot and pan, ceramic crockery, stainless steel cutlery and a well kept double induction burner. Only the kettle leaks. The replacement also leaks. We are not going to bother with it. Two hotel boys come to housekeep every alternate day with fresh towels. They clean the washrooms in a jiffy. Then a damp rectangular flannel is pulled all over the floor. Tada! No dust. All the condensation on the walls (for it gets humid) from the cooking is wiped up.
And boarding?
We stroll the inclined street looking for stores but there are only convenience stores that are pricey and would not meet our needs. All around us are hotels.
Our short stroll takes us to a huge junction. Surprise! We are at the famous The Strip. But where is the crowd? Only about three hours from Lisbon, Albufeira has been one of the Algarve’s busiest resorts for decades. Of course, it's not the season.
We have to watch our steps not only because of the infamous calçada ( dealt with in my previous blogs) but also the shocking state of disrepair. We have the whole street to ourselves with waiters holding out glossy menus inviting us into the classy restaurants. Plenty of liqueur and loads of meat. Not our fare. Startlingly almost all of the ushers and waiters are of Indian origin. Perhaps I should not have been surprised since there are at least 7 hotel complexes in the vicinity run by the Indian MGM Muthu Group, one of them housing 500 apt/suites just across our accommodation in Praia de Oura.
Language games: logic and intuition
We continue walking along another major street at the end of the Strip, and, behold ! It's Pingo Doce, the affordable supermarket. The varieties of fish with names unheard of astounds us. The oranges are at throw away prices compared to Canada. The milk cartons/ bottles are baffling. With some guess work, for no one in the store speaks English, we think we've got the right kind – full cream. Leite Gordo.We learn some new words:Gordo (Whole), Meio Gordo (Semi-skimmed,) and Magro (Skimmed) just by word association as in leite sounding like latte. Meio sounds close enough to mid. Altogether it is fun reading the labels. It is also great to be able to buy pasta and cereals in small quantities unlike American sizes.
The suitcase saga continues
Over the next few days we cover the whole area and the Old Town taking different routes each time. Twice we walk over to the bus station hoping to find our list wheel scouring all the dark corners where it could have been pushed to. We also hope to visit the market beside it but we are often too late. We have to conclude that we have to get new matching wheels. We find a Chinese stand alone store which has practically everything but the right sized wheel. The new suitcases are not worth the asking price. So we settle for strong masking tape and saran wrap! Against all odds, the limping suitcase survived 3 subsequent inflights.
We adapt. Travel teaches that not every problem needs solving—some just need sidestepping, like the calçadas!
First approach
Our first approach to the old town is through an arterial road which is built up with holiday homes and hotels as well as a huge mall. The avenue has a statue of Gandhi in the park that divides it. As we walk towards the cliff edge we come across what used to be fisherman's homes of which some are being used as holiday rentals. Those occupied by the locals look quite lived-in replete with cooking odours, clothes lines, etc.
A set of escalators at the top of Praia Pescadores takes us a couple of levels down to the beach area as well the main square with unique eateries and souvenir shops. Under and around the trees are benches occupied by what seems like the homeless. Staircases in every direction take us to different levels of the maze of a town along ubiquitous buildings way up to the whitewashed and tiled houses perched above the cliff, balconies spilling over with geraniums and to the ruins even further up. Several small inviting shaded cobble stoned parks offer respite to our feet plodding on the tiled walkways. But the most attractive walkway/calçada viewed from above and then walked along as it takes us through a historic tunnel to the beach is a delight. It's true art! The wide strip of sand once doubled as the town’s fishing harbor. Brightly painted boats used to line the shore. Today, we see beach umbrellas, cafés, and deck chairs.
We come across several churches that help keep the old time feel, and provide some cool relief from the heat. We managed to get into one with an interesting doorway and a uniquely tiled interior.
An archaeological exhibit.
We visit a small museum featuring a dedicated section on the history of local fishing, showcasing traditional tools, fishing gear, and historic photographs of the coastal area. The miniature boats on display
Resemble those in Malaya. Guess what? The curator's wife's ancestor had sailed to Malacca when the Portuguese colonized it!
There is also an archaeological site.
Better safe than sorry
From the top from what we think are ruins we take a walk along the cliff edge. We find a viewpoint which is actually a park for the holiday condos adjacent to it. We are so immersed in the view of whitewashed houses perched on the sandstone cliffs and the driving skills of drivers negotiating the narrow lanes that a sudden thwack on a wooden bench startles us. A few young unsavoury characters appear. We leave.
Second approach
From the Promenade to the foot of the look out point
On our next trip we walk from the Strip to the old town along a posh residential area that leads us to the promenade. From there we take the escalator down to the beach and walk along, passing the Tunnel, until we reach the Elevador do Peneco, a free, 28-meter high municipal elevator connecting the top of the cliffs to the beach below. Unfortunately for us it is not in operation.
The wonders of the sea
It is fascinating to watch a pier being washed over by the fiery waves when an engineered blow hole helps mitigate the force to protect the structure. When the tide is out or when the ocean is calm people walk casually up to the end.
Alternative mode of transport
A small road train loops between the old town, the Strip, and the beach areas. It looks slow and there do not seem to be many takers.it certainly is a no hassle way to get around
A natural amphitheatre
From our balcony we get to see the sunrise and sunset everyday.
The cliffs glow golden at sunrise and turn deep orange by sunset. We take great delight in discovering hidden coves. Every now and then there is a stand alone sandstone structure sculpted by the weather. Some of the cliffs are restrained by wire netting to keep beach goers safe.
Rhythms and colours.
We see the character of the sea change by the hour and by the day. Some days we see the shoals like whales lurking around. Depending on the weather the sea turns blue, turquoise, aquamarine, gray. On other days the waves crash into each other causing a great turbulence and vent their fury on the cliffs sending sprays sky high. Most times the ocean maintains its rhythm. It can be a soft whisper, a lullaby or a roar. We could spend hours just staring at the ocean.
