The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
Into the Hills
The heat wave continues unabated, so Roy suggested a trip up into the mountains might help us find some cooler air. It didn't ... but we did see a bit more of the area. Besides, what could be more all-American than spending the day burning up fossil fuel?
I can't give you much detail on our road trip since there didn't appear to be much of historical interest along the way. We did work our way to the top of what passes for a mountain around here and the views were, indeed, expansive. Rolling green with the ocean in the far background. It was the first time we actually saw full-sized trees in the Algarve. We did stop at an area we were told had a magical spring (which we never found) but we did discover some shady retreats from the pounding sun. Not cool, but at least cooler.
The top of the mountain was an array of radar domes and various communication towers with rather extensive facilities catering to tour busses. I can understand the towers, but there didn't appear to be much of a reason for the rest of it other than it was the high point. I guess some people find it enjoyable to ride hours in a bus to reach yet another place to buy cheap souvenirs (but perhaps I am getting cynical ...)
We took the more scenic way back down and did, in fact, travel through some lovely spots with a few features that hinted at life before tourism but for the most part there is little history here. The entire region was destroyed by a massive earthquake back in the mid 1700s, then literally erased by a tsunami. I understand the north of the country is a quite different story ... but that will have to wait for another trip.
We rolled down onto the flatlands and headed into Carvoeiro yet again, this time to find some lunch and just wander around the town a bit. The oppressive heat of the past several days has led us to favor what we've called a "drive-by shooting" style of photo-journalism ... but we can't do everything from the car! The big attraction in Carvoeiro is the beach, of course, as it is all along the coast. If you are into beaches, you will definitely love the Algarve. If not ... well ... there really isn't that much else to see or do.
Carol had prepared a lovely dinner on the patio and we spent the rest of the evening swapping stories of our sundry travel adventures, family follies and life in general. All in all, a very civilized way to end the day.
© 2012 Restaurant Doctor
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