Day 610 of Traveling the World, Vilamoura, Portugal (The Algarve). October 14, 2019.

The UK’s Playground. Sunny, warm beaches all through most of the the winter. Gorgeous, blue water and a gentle surf. The Algarve. Sounds exotic, and it is! It was named by the Moors (in Arabic: Al-Gharb), which means “the west,” as in its westernmost possession. The most southwesterly place in continental Europe, it is dotted with beautiful estates, huge resorts, sprawling hotels, trees, flowering shrubs, restaurants and cafes galore, and marinas filled with everything from huge yachts to small fishing boats. It reminded us of Newport Beach in California, the French Riviera, and the Croatian Riviera, all equally vibrant and interesting to see. Simply put, it is a lovely place for some R&R.

The next-to-last photo is a lifeguard station..wouldn’t that be a great job? Check out the cute hut, chair, surfboard, life preserver, and some sort of giant hook resting atop the hut. The creature in the last photo was put out by a man hoping to make some money from people looking and photographing. Interesting, as he didn’t have to perform, sing, do acrobatics, wear a costume..nothing that other buskers do. He just stood there, talking to passersby! Not much else to say, except enjoy the beach and promenade photos, especially if it is chilly where you are! You will warm up just looking at them.