Lisbon - Albufeira
There was no great rush to leave Lisbon, so we took our time and arrived in Albufeira around lunch time and checked into our hotel. I was bitterly disappointed with our choice of accommodation in Albufeira - it was the cheapest (by a long stretch!) of all places we stayed (at €11 per head per night, including breakfast!), but was run down, full of partying British tourists, offered an utterly inedible breakfast and boasted some incredibly underwhelming reception staff. I guess I should have listened to the tried and tested adage: "you get what you pay for"! Here are some of the more "delightful" aspects of our room, photographed at the time of check in:
Sadly, our room set the tone for the Algarve - it's neither a destination I'd recommend nor an area to which I would return.
So, back to our 33rd day of travels. We checked in (after serious consideration given by me as to whether I could "cope" with the accommodation for two nights - I know, I know, I'm a sook!) and asked the hotel reception for a local lunch recommendation. They pointed us in the direction of the nearest mall food court, despite many local eateries being within walking distance. 'Disappointed' was an understatement - we didn't come halfway across the world to eat at a food court in Portugal!
Once satisfied (physically, not emotionally!), we headed down to the beach and to explore the town and enjoyed some lovely views on our way.
Once in town, I was baffled. Were we in Portugal or England?
Incredulously, restaurant after restaurant offered yorkshire pud, fish and chips and bangers and mash; English was the predominant language; and fluorescent red, sunburnt skin started to seem "normal"! It was definitely time for a beer.
Our cheap beer, sunshine and this scantily clad man atop his Segway kept us amused for some time until our tummies began to rumble.
We selected a restaurant that not only boasted a great view, but had numerous Portuguese options on the menu and didn't mind accommodating some pretty friendly cats.
My piri piri chicken and salad didn't hit the spot in quite the same way as it had in Lisbon - the chook was much too dry.
Thankfully, we had a reasonable view to enjoy while we played cards, drank and chatted late into the evening!
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