580 – Wednesday 28th December:  Luz and Cleaning

Wednesday – already?  Mega cleaning – garage unpacking and floor washing – I used the ladder with the intention of climbing on to Jez’s roof – and wimped with lack of handrails – hence no roof washing.  K reorganised lots of cupboards – result, I cannot find my – socks!  Never mind, I can ‘reorganise’ something…   Motorhomers will know -when you unpack and then repack, things don’t quite go back where they should be?  

We drove down into Praia de Luz (pronounced ‘Loose’) – is nice – but ordinary.  Just discovered that this is infamous for Madeleine McCann … K bought a cream wool cardigan from one of the street stalls, who did the sob story that she had 100 children to feed and no sales!  Full of English and the bar where we had coffee had a Portuguese / English only menu.  No dogs signs for the beach.

Lovely rocks again along this part o the coast.

I forgot to add this pic to the last posting … on Christmas Eve when ‘home alone’ Oscar had unwrapped one of J’s Christmas pressies … so when it came to opening his own, he was an knew exactly what to do!

And here is Shirley’s Christmas song that she wrote and performed in Christmas Evening.  Boo is one of their dogs.  

A Christmas Song (sung to the tune of “Mary’s Boy Child”)

 

We’re all having fun in Portugal

Far away from ice and snow

While friends at home sit shivering

In several degrees below

 

Katherine and James and Oscar Dog

Have travelled from afar

Their van is packed with so much stuff

They’ve had to hire a car

 

Chorus

Tapas, chicken, Christmas pud

And jolly good company

I couldn’t eat another bite

Ah, go on, it’s Christmas Day.

 

Chris and Mary have joined us here

Bringing tidings and good cheer

They also bring their cocktail skills

And plenty wine and beer

 

Mags and Shirl love to celebrate 

And any excuse will do.

Someone has a birthday today

The baby Jesus and of course Boo!

 

Chorus

 

So Happy Seventh Birthday Boo!

One of our cheeriest kids

We’ll take you for a birthday walk

And avoid the cattle grids

 

Let’s raise a glass to absent friends

And to those we hold most dear

And give thanks for this Christmas Day

And all the gifts of this year

 

Chorus

581 – Thursday 29th December:  High Alte in Rocha da Pena

As I write this, our Oscar dog is sitting on K’s knee sprawled across her – and loudly “snoring”!!! He’s “Osnoring! Pic to follow…

Back on subject – Alte is a small hill town and a cold wind prevailed – We had coffee and a nice picnic lunch. 

We drove to nearby Rocha da Pena – walked for a couple of hours on a limestone ridge with some beautiful mixed wildlife – and only the end of December – Spring flowers!  We met an English couple who just bought a house here and raved about the area.  Having been coming to the Algarve for over 10 years, they’d bought in the more fertile and less populated with Brits western Algarve.  We can see why they like the hills.

The Nossa Senhora da Assuncao containing more wonderful carvings and rare blue Sevillian painted tiles.

The Fonte Grande in Alte, where towns folk collected water and did washing.  Now a picnic area with tiles and statues dedicated to a local poet.

Picnic lunch:  Oscar just gets water.  And yes, he’s up on the bench.

Yummy Portugese custard tarts … warm.

We’re going up there?

We made it!  Wonderful views.

A ridge dated from the Iron Age and used as part of a defence system by the Moors.

Would that be ANOTHER stick, Oscar?

 582 – Friday 30th December:  Crumbling Cliffs in Carvoeiro

Lonely Planet describes Carvoeiro as a “cluster of whitewashed buildings rising up from tawny, gold and green cliffs backed by hills.”  Seemed like a good idea to walk along the cliff to a light lunch in the town …

Stunning scenery along the cliff walk – a walk which would have been banned by the HSE in the UK – but it was doable….. just.  Having scrabbled and largely kept Oscar on the lead as he has no sense regarding staying away from the crumbling cliff edge, we decided the cliff path was exhilarating, but just getting to the town was excitement enough.  We would go back to the car by road!

We met an English family in town – why Oscar’s fur feel funny?  That would be because K gave him a mega short crew cut!  She told the young lad that as a teacher she used to ‘improperly’ stroke the head of any students with new crew cuts … !?!  We explained about his origins – most questions came from a 10-year-old boy who lives in France and is completely bilingual. Oscar’s non-verbal communication is – ‘globalingual’.  The inevitable ice creams just launched themselves at us from a shop – yummy indeed.   Loads of hugely upmarket villas here. 

So much new rock fall so fresh colours. 

We hugged the fence on the left clambering up.

Caves washed out from under where we’d walked!  Just ready for a big wave and then another part of the cliff will come crashing down!

A recent landfall.

No sex please, we’re British!  Saturday and Sunday are named, but Monday to Friday get numbers, starting with number two.
 

583 – Saturday 31st December: New Year’s Eve

K was lying in bed – and had a brainwave – I thought she was looking romantically at me with intent – she was gazing at the roof light thinking ‘”can I stuff my hubby up there?”  She can stuff the knocking out of me anytime… Let’s knock the knocking on the head now, James… We both crawled out through the romantic roof light and – cleaned the roof thoroughly (had a romantic kiss up there) and then cleaned the bodywork too – a very satisfying afternoon. 

The gorgeous girlies Shirls and Mags kindly drove us to the New Year fireworks in Lagos after a prandialissimo ‘KHC’ (K Haut Cuissine’.  Now Ocsardog doesn’t like noise – if somebody sneezes, he wonders where the earthquake is!  When the wireforks started, he commenced his quivering – and our bravest team member – the Rt Hon Member for Oscarbury in South Gloucestershower – retreated with O to a nearby bar and forced herself to drink port!!!   

“Bo Anno” to all our friends and families – everywhere…

More help with my Pilates – at one point Oscar’s little Dutch friend Fluffy was helping too.

584 – Sunday 1st December: Barragem Bravura Walk

The old braincells were in 2nd gear after a wonderful night with some Vino Collapso – thus our perambulations around the Baragem Bravura were cut somewhat short.  We do work in sync – we both weren’t feeling the planned mega trek.  How long shall we walk for?  10 mins, no make it 20 then we’ll turn.  We retreated to Jezville and barbecued  – and then to early zzzzburgh…. not even a wirecog!

Barragem Bravura.

Is it time to turn around?

Oscar is our second Welsh Springer Spaniel … even though he is most un Spaniel like.  

Our Oscar.

And I dug out a pix of our last Welsh Springer, Will the Wuss.  Oscar is definitely more butch and heavier set.