Travel notes
We met Kevin and Bill when we stayed in their house a stone’s throw from their Chateau in Villars, France. They hosted sumptuous dinners… ..and we felt like royalty. Kim has since followed Kevin’s travels on Facebook and he is an exceptional photographer. We were fishing around for some place warm and relaxing after buzzing …
One of the most dubious things I have come across. Wait for it… a jam, sugar-glazed donut, with mango sauce, but instead of jam…. prawns and mayonnaise! Also in the “I think they have gone too far” department. Then something like this comes along and all is forgiven. The cheese was hours old and tasted …
The sea and the tide define life in Olhão. The tide is critical for the shellfish, the clams and the oysters which are surprisingly very labour intensive to sustain. The harbour is the world’s largest rookery(?) of sea-horses. Litter bins and street furniture carry the theme. Arozz de mariscos – Shellfish rice – wondrously rich. …
Beside seafood, exploring the back alleys is another treat that awaits the Ohlão visitor. Non-touristy restaurants. Beautiful tile and iron work. Tiles make for a very durable and waterproof finish. Keep your fingers clear of Senhor Whiskers (with a W) though. And doors that hold many stories. You could find Jack and Walter’s French cafė. …
I didn’t mean that kind of dump. What a name for a restaurant. “Mouse!”. Just some vocal locals. Makes your eyes water just looking at them… Salty as they come. At Culatra fishing village. What’s so unusual about this picture? Observe free car space on the right. Guy standing near is a tout who will …
I have a theory that it’s easier to get good Italian food outside of Italy than in it. The pizza you get in UK, France and Portugal is always the ambrosial “wood-fired” style. Another successful Italian export into other cuisines is the burrata, menu item du jour. Artisan sourdough bread has conquered Europe. More good news …
At the outdoor restaurant, choose your fish from the vitrine (display counter). Mestre will salt it down and arrange in the rack. Grill. And serve.
At the southern end of the upright rectangle that is Portugal, is the Algarve region. You enter via Faro international airport. Faro sort of juts out to sea, like the apex of a triangle. On the side protected from the wild Atlantic ocean is Olhão, Fuzeta and Tavira. Each are also fortified by long off-shore …
She said: “I want to go to Kew Gardens” He said: “I want to go to the Battle of Britain Airshow” “Why not both?” Kew Gardens is a World Heritage site and the world’s largest collection of plants and fungi A rainforest in London – the Palm House is another Victorian glasshouse A line-up of …