The Random Mind: Portugal

Portugal

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It all started with a desperate need to get away from it all. No distractions, no work, no IEG life. Then came the criteria that it must be warm since we had just gone through a cold spell. Naturally, our travel hungry eyes began pouring over cheap flights and hotels. Should we go back to Spain? Maybe do Barcelona? Or maybe our favorite, Italy or possibly Greece? That's when I remember doing some research almost two years ago when we were in Oxford and wanted to go somewhere warm. What about Faro, Portugal? The city of Faro is actually known to be quite the party city in the summer, but I was looking a little ways away at Lagos. Lagos is a small town that had beautiful beaches along some of the most beautiful Grottos I have ever seen. Decided. We booked flights and a hotel and prepared to leave the next weekend. Excited, we arrived at the airport in Faro and loaded up into the car that would transfer us and another couple to our hotels. First off, apparently our driver (an older retired gentleman) seemed to not heed any of the traffic signs or lines in the road. He simply drove as fast as he wanted and wherever he wanted! We got into almost three accidents along the way and every time he blamed the car or the other vehicle. SCARY. Welcome to Portugal!

To say the least, the crazy kindly driver got us safely to our hotel and we immediately went exploring. Our hotel was literally 1 minute from the beach Praia Dona Ana. The first pictures below are of the beach right next to our hotel. Can you say breathtaking?

Walking into the town of Lagos. (About a 15 minute walk from our hotel.)

Our first evening after dinner we decided to go for a walk and ended up on a trail that took us to Farol da Ponta da Piedade/Lagos, the tops of the Grottos. (the cliff's edges) This was one of my favorite things we did. It would be later that we would take a Kayak tour through some of the rock formations and around the Grottos and see the beaches Praia do Pinhao and Praia do Camilo on Monday. Unfortunately, the pictures from our Kayak trip where not taken on my camera but on disposable waterproof cameras. Pictures to come later!