Five Feet, Nine Inches Above Ground

Faro was my destination on Tuesday -I needed to do some grocery shopping – and decided to add in a tour of the old part of the city. I was hoping the Cathedral would be open as well as its museum and garden. What I didn’t realize is that it was a holiday for Carnival.…

Sunday was a literal washout with the rain but Monday Feb 12 was sunny with the mercury hitting 20 degrees Celsius by early afternoon. it was high time for a decent hike, so Jackson and I set off up the hill behind the quinta toward the shrine. Three quarters of the way up, there is…

Birthdays come but once per year and mine is February 9 – this year a Friday. A huge thank you to Randy and Marc who treated me to lunch at Gunther’s Restaurant. What a great way to start the celebrations! Friday was a mix of rain, wind and sun but there were plans afoot at…

Revisiting favourite places is how Jackson and I take each other for walks here in Estoi. On Monday Feb 5, we did just that, meandering back forth through some small valleys and up the sides of steep hills. There’s always something to discover particularly if I remember to look down. Half of Cerro De São…

As February begins, it seems only fitting to mention an up and coming Irish saint, St Brigid. In 2023, Ireland officially declared February 1 as the day to celebrate her life and legacy. Here’s a link to an excellent article in the Guardian by Katy Hesel: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/feb/05/saint-patrick-beer-brewing-brigid-ale-ireland There are several reasons for including Brigid in my…

This is one of several hikes that have become a favourite. First off, it’s not too long, secondly, it’s relatively easy and thirdly, with seasonal changes and because of location, there’s always something new to see. So, Tuesday, January 30, the usual suspects, Randy, Marc, Pat, Gary, and myself and Jackson met up at the…

As many of you know, I have a substantial fear of heights and that can be seriously tested on a regular basis in the Algarve. On Monday January 29, I decided to bite the bullet, metaphorically speaking, and explore Cerro do Guilhuim, a small mountain to the west of Estoi. From a distance, it looks…

Almond blossoms like snow It’s hard to believe, but January will soon be over. Here in my little corner of the Algarve, the almond trees are in full bloom and the air is filled with their intoxicating scent and pollen. The bees are very busy! To close out the week, here are some images from…