So last two to three days:
Leaving Alcoutim we only have a very short ride to get to the sea, but instead I decide to cross the Algarve via inland hills to Sagres, check google maps where it is, as it's a special place for most Portuguese.
First, we had a lot of nice mountain roads, I love riding on the hills in the Algarve
We try to stop for fuel, get to the station and there is a sign saying "back by 10:00", it was 10 already so we went for an expresso at the local little cafe, run by a cool but loud old lady. Took the chance to buy a ham sandwich to have for lunch later. 15 minutes later, finishing our coffee and getting our sandwiches the fuel station guy comes to let us know he's going back to work, rural Portugal!
And thus, we make our way to Monchique, getting used to nice roads now, Sofia was not happy to have roadworks and a detour via 4 or 5km of dusty track, made a mess out of her Triumph, here looking like a rally bike.
Climbing high to get to Monchique, Algarve's highest point, we stop for lunch. I'm sure there is nothing wrong with a butter and ham sandwich, even to people with such weird tastes like you guys.
Proceeded up the hill and had another expresso at what is arguably one of the best cafe vistas in Portugal.
Didn't feel like riding away from the cool weather, plus I knew a great restaurant to go for dinner here, so booked into an old mountain hotel, quite rundown but friendly, and with a great swimming pool. Had a dip, and soaked up before going to dinner, getting the previous days' extreme heat out of my memory.
My favourite thing after a ride in summertime, a cool glass of white wine at the end of the day
Dinner was a great cress and orange salad, and some kind of pork cut I can't explain, deliciously cooked with fresh coriander, and mint rice. I had a blast, and drank WAY too much, so by the time I got to bed lights went out quite easily.
We had such a great dinner, and enjoyed the mountain so much that it was decided to visit Sagres and come back for another night. Sofia took great joy in this as the Triumph isn't at all elegant with the big bag in the rear.
Making our way past Odiaxere dam:
Now the thing with Sagres is that it is the southwestern most point in Portugal, and Europe as well, this is where we used to have the school that trained master navigators and pilots that would venture around the world on boats, you need only to have a little bit of romance in your heart to feel a sense of adventure coming to this place.
To help you, listen to this while you see the pictures, words won't mean anything to you, but this is probably the most portuguese of songs, about sailors missing home when out on sea. It's all about feeling, and that I'm pretty sure you can get from this:
Entrance to the Sagres fortification, the tip of Portugal is behind it:
Next visit was only 2 or 3km away, and probably my favourite building, it's the lighthouse at Cape Saint Vincent, pretty amazing place.
Going back to Monchique, I decided to show Sofia a spot with some great ocean views, takes a little dust to get there though:
And again, another cafe picture since that all I do, back in Monchique:
Riding back to the hotel, I take a little offroad detour to take a picture of my bike higher than windmills, as it's not that common you can do that:
Back in the pool. Let me tell you, a swimming pool or a dip in the ocean is something amazing after a bike ride in the summertime.
Dinner that night was octopus and sweet potatoes, slowly fried in garlic and olive oil
Day after, Sofia and I parted ways, she goes back home to work and I'll stay in the Algarve a few more days, in Faro to get some sun and salt water on my skin. Thing is, before going to Faro I needed to visit Sagres again. Sagres was my first trip with Maria when I first got the 1150GS, we came to the Algarve for my birthday, and rode down the coast in June. That was the first time I visited this bit of Portugal, and have loved coming here since then as you really get a feeling of adventure and history. However, the feeling I get when coming here is a huge amount of loss and grief, along with a good remembering of those days. So, I needed to come here alone, and I did.
I had a good cry sitting there by myself, and I think I needed it as it cleared my mind a little bit. Going away with Maria for a week on my birthday was the highlight of my year, and now these dates are specially painful.
A copule of hours later, rode along the Algarve's south coast to Faro, to meet up with my dad. Quick ride to the beach for 2020 first ocean dip, and then dinner on a very warm evening.
Dinner was little clams, we call them "conquilhas" but I don't know the word in English for them. Cooked in a little white wine and coriander, with plenty of garlic, taste of the Algarve this is.
Then, just to revolt you guys, fish eggs salad. Delicious and fresh.
And this morning, back to the beach:
So, this is it, the end of my ride around Portugal report. I got to see a lot of new things over the last week, and am a little in love with riding in my own country and my bike, also it's always good for me to be on the bike and on the move in days like these, hope you enjoyed it too.
