I came home the other night and saw this through our living room window and had to try and get a picture. Sorry I did not do it justice but I wanted to share it...L
Friday, 21 November 2008
Sunset
I came home the other night and saw this through our living room window and had to try and get a picture. Sorry I did not do it justice but I wanted to share it...L
Gypsy Market - Quarteira
Every Wednesday there is a Gypsy market in the next town Quarteira which is 2 minutes away. They sell everything and anything... This guy is selling women's shirts for 3.50 euro and was playing with me when he saw me trying to take a picture of him with his paper price hat on, he kept pulling it off and laughing at me when I wasn't fast enough to get him with it on...
I love going every week to see all the stuff for sale and what is new each time... It is always pretty busy with shoppers and new holidayers. I am also getting to practice my Portuguese more.
Quarteira beach with apartments and beach restaurants behind me. During the summer months the beach is packed with holiday makers. I have noticed that Novemeber has gotten much quieter than October was. Some of the restaurants close for the winter months and the beaches are pretty quiet too. Okay for us though...
L
I love going every week to see all the stuff for sale and what is new each time... It is always pretty busy with shoppers and new holidayers. I am also getting to practice my Portuguese more.
Quarteira beach with apartments and beach restaurants behind me. During the summer months the beach is packed with holiday makers. I have noticed that Novemeber has gotten much quieter than October was. Some of the restaurants close for the winter months and the beaches are pretty quiet too. Okay for us though...
L
Our Apartment
Our first month in Portugal we moved 3 times to get into the apartment we picked due to availability. This apartment is a little smaller space and deck than we had last year but is nicely appointed. Here are some pics of the place, Praia Village building in Vilamoura...
The view from our deck, the ocean is out there...
The pool area just below our apartment...
The deck...
Our living room with big screen TV on the right and Sky box viewing...
Kitchen, with all appliances...
Master bedroom...
Spare bedroom...
This is our little automatic rental car, found a much better deal this year...
The view from our deck, the ocean is out there...
The pool area just below our apartment...
The deck...
Our living room with big screen TV on the right and Sky box viewing...
Kitchen, with all appliances...
Master bedroom...
Spare bedroom...
This is our little automatic rental car, found a much better deal this year...L
Portugal Masters 2008
October 16-19 Vilamoura hosted a European Tour event at the Victoria Golf Course, the Portugal Masters. We went and watched for two of the four days, Friday and Sunday. I got some pictures on Sunday but most of my pics are from a distance as we could not take pictures during play. At the time we were in an apartment that was within walking distance to the course, so that was great and very handy.
This is Alvaro Quiros from Spain in the blue shirt (had to be sneaky taking the pic), the winner of the tournament. We are sitting beside the 17th green (above pic) Sunday and Quiros just made a birdie to take a one stroke lead going into the 18th hole.
The last group on the 18th hole on Sunday, Quiros made a great approach shot and sunk the putt for another birdie to win by two shots. He played very well and a few other players missed some shots coming in that would have made it pretty interesting.
Miguel Angel Jimenez on #10 in the green shirt on the left of pic. The new Tivoli hotel is under construction in the background which will be a 5 star+ resort when it is scheduled to be done in January 2009. Our apartment block is directly behind the hotel.
Jimenez on the 13th green, par 3...
Angel Cabrera on the 11th tee...
Lee Westwood
Darren Clarke, middle pink shirt, on the 13th...
David Frost
Wet feet... spectators always love to see a pro going for a tough shot...
Picture of the 13th hole from the tee...
This is Alvaro Quiros from Spain in the blue shirt (had to be sneaky taking the pic), the winner of the tournament. We are sitting beside the 17th green (above pic) Sunday and Quiros just made a birdie to take a one stroke lead going into the 18th hole.
The last group on the 18th hole on Sunday, Quiros made a great approach shot and sunk the putt for another birdie to win by two shots. He played very well and a few other players missed some shots coming in that would have made it pretty interesting.
Miguel Angel Jimenez on #10 in the green shirt on the left of pic. The new Tivoli hotel is under construction in the background which will be a 5 star+ resort when it is scheduled to be done in January 2009. Our apartment block is directly behind the hotel.
Jimenez on the 13th green, par 3...
Angel Cabrera on the 11th tee...
Lee Westwood
Darren Clarke, middle pink shirt, on the 13th...
David Frost
Wet feet... spectators always love to see a pro going for a tough shot...
Picture of the 13th hole from the tee...We had a brilliant time watching the pro's play, the weather was good the days we were there and we saw some great golf shots.
L
Saturday's Society Golf - Gramacho
The Gramacho GC is also to the east in the Algarve. The course was hilly with some very interesting holes, views and elevations... This was my approach shot from the middle of the fairway on the first hole, the green was up the hill behind the rocks and trees. Several of the golf courses have remnants of ruins and have worked the course in and around the historic sites. They can create some very interesting golf challenges at times and lovely settings.
L
L
Saturday's Society Golf - Boa Vista GC
Boa Vista GC (Good View) is located to the east of us about 40 minutes drive near Lagos. This was a very beautiful golf course with some great views as it's name sake boasts and very hilly. One of the few times we took a buggy but very glad we did.
This was a par 3 across a ravine, it was a long carry even from the front tees, fairly tough but very pretty.
This is looking back on the same par 3...
Looking back over Lagos...
Saturday's Society Golf - Benamor GC
Matt with Jeff (Tee Times Agency) at Benamor Golf Course. A nice track close to the town of Tavira which is on the east side of Faro. The locals joke that the golf courses in this area are almost in Spain. It is about 40 minutes drive from Vilamoura but with the motorways you can get places fairly easily and quickly...some faster than others...the locals have to give the foreigners about twice as much of estimated arrival times. Most of them fly on the A22(the main highway in Portugal).
Some very scenic sites, the old building being used for the clubhouse and restaurant etc.
Some very scenic sites, the old building being used for the clubhouse and restaurant etc.
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
A Canadian Bar?!!
During our travels in Albufeira and on the strip we stumbled across this little bar...the Canadian Bar...owned by a guy from Edmonton...Pat. This bar is a small nook on the strip and is pretty full with about a dozen people but it has a great atmosphere, memorabilia from Canada and hockey games on the big screen TV. It was a great reminder of home and Pat made us feel way too welcome.
Our last evening out, funny enough this is where we ended up for one drink (famous last words!) on our way home to pack for our move in the morning... Busy day tomorrow... moving to Vilamoura and have a golf tee time at 1pm in Almos, 45 min drive from Vilamoura.
Pat...doing his thing...
One last drink before we go,yah right...Pat's creation for his new Canadian friends...not sure how many ounces but it ended up being a flaming boiler maker of a sort...it was yummy... 
Only stopped for one eh?...
You can't see it but I am holding the last real Caesar in the Algarve...Pat made me my drink with his very last can of clamato... Thanks Pat it was yummy...
Our last evening out, funny enough this is where we ended up for one drink (famous last words!) on our way home to pack for our move in the morning... Busy day tomorrow... moving to Vilamoura and have a golf tee time at 1pm in Almos, 45 min drive from Vilamoura.
Pat...doing his thing... 
One last drink before we go,yah right...Pat's creation for his new Canadian friends...not sure how many ounces but it ended up being a flaming boiler maker of a sort...it was yummy... We were celebrating, Matt finished his second course for his MBA (it was a tough one) while in Albufeira and did really well... he was ready for a fun night...
The cowboy hats came out for all...Pat has a stash for his patrons...
Only stopped for one eh?...
You can't see it but I am holding the last real Caesar in the Algarve...Pat made me my drink with his very last can of clamato... Thanks Pat it was yummy... Left at 3am...
Ugh!!! Packing, moving and golfing tomorrow...I mean later... Oh well...best laid plans, right?! We had a great time, thanks Pat, see you soon...
L
Albufeira
When we arrived in Portugal, we spent a couple weeks staying in the city Albufeira while we looked for an apartment in Vilamoura. A few blocks from our apartment was the "Strip" which is several blocks of a one-way street with restaurants, bars and shopping for a main attraction. In the evening it is a happening place, it is hard to image how crazy it must be in the middle of summer in peak season.
We went to a traditional Portuguese restaurant for dinner our last night and had a fabulous meal. Matt had a seafood cataplana (all different seafood and fish cooked in a metal crock, kind of like a stew) and I had Portuguese style pork in mushroom sauce. You always get fresh baked bread and butter and olives for a starter and port or liquor to finish the meal. It was great!
After dinner we needed to go for a walk along the strip and do some site seeing. A kind tourist came rushing across the street and offered to take our picture when we were attempting to take one of ourselves...
This was our last night in Albufeira and we were moving to Vilamoura the next day so we thought we would take in all the sites that the strip had to offer...check out the next blog...
We went to a traditional Portuguese restaurant for dinner our last night and had a fabulous meal. Matt had a seafood cataplana (all different seafood and fish cooked in a metal crock, kind of like a stew) and I had Portuguese style pork in mushroom sauce. You always get fresh baked bread and butter and olives for a starter and port or liquor to finish the meal. It was great!
After dinner we needed to go for a walk along the strip and do some site seeing. A kind tourist came rushing across the street and offered to take our picture when we were attempting to take one of ourselves...
This was our last night in Albufeira and we were moving to Vilamoura the next day so we thought we would take in all the sites that the strip had to offer...check out the next blog... L
Portugal Changing???
Coming back to Portugal has seen some vast improvements in the Vilamoura area since we left 7 months ago. There are more apartment blocks being built as well as walking paths so visitors can get around Vilamoura by foot much easier. There is also Tourist trains that tour around that anyone can jump on to get from residential areas to the marina and shopping, I will get a picture to show next time I see one.
There is a dual carriageway (4 lane highway) that goes through Vilamoura. Last year Matt and I would go for walks or go downtown and we would be on grass or gravel paths. This year the boulevard between the dual carriageway has been improved with a wide paved walkway and lighting all along with intermittent exercise or rest stations built in for the public. It is very nice and much safer for getting around. They have also installed huge cobblestone speed bumps periodically on the dual carriageway to slow the crazy traffic down.
However, you always seem to get a reminder of the local culture by seeing a horse drawn cart with locals, which is their only means of transportation meandering down the highway. Sorry the picture isn't better, it was a fast one...
There is a dual carriageway (4 lane highway) that goes through Vilamoura. Last year Matt and I would go for walks or go downtown and we would be on grass or gravel paths. This year the boulevard between the dual carriageway has been improved with a wide paved walkway and lighting all along with intermittent exercise or rest stations built in for the public. It is very nice and much safer for getting around. They have also installed huge cobblestone speed bumps periodically on the dual carriageway to slow the crazy traffic down.
However, you always seem to get a reminder of the local culture by seeing a horse drawn cart with locals, which is their only means of transportation meandering down the highway. Sorry the picture isn't better, it was a fast one...
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