Saturday, July 19, 2008

Algarve - Portugal

We don't get mail on saturdays but i've got 5 beautiful cards this morning. My brother spent 1 week in Algarve, south of Portugal, he returned home today and in his bag he had this 5 beautiful cards and 1 fridge magnet. Thank you brother!

© Michael Howard photography www.mikehowardphoto.com


Isn't this a gorgeus beach?? I'm not a beach lover and Algarve doesn't attract me that much (i've only been there once and i'm 600 km's away) but some of the beaches are really beautiful. This one is "Praia dos 3 Irmãos" - Beach of the 3 Brothers in Alvor. My brother was here and he said it was a very quite beach, just a few tourists. I really hate crowded beaches, kids running and making noise.... i guess this might be a good beach for me.


© Michael Howard photography www.mikehowardphoto.com


Another card from Alvor. Alvor is an ancient port and fishing village on the mouth of the River Alvor in the western Algarve. In the village we can visit the remains of a 13th century castle, a 16th century church and an attractive jumble of narrow cobbled lanes with the original low traditional fisherman’s cottages.



© Michael Howard photography www.mikehowardphoto.com


"The Alvor Beach has the particularity of marking the division between the Ocean and the Alvor River. Therefore, besides the very extensive sandy area, one can also find an interior lagoon with channels of calm waters. The huge sandy barrier as far as the eye can reach, allows the visitor to choose the place that better suits his interests. In this beach there is also a great fauna and flora diversity. The Alvor Beach is one of the most famous and looked for Beaches in the Algarve." - in: http://www.guiadacidade.pt/portugal/index.php?lg=en&G=monumentos.ver&artid=13907&distritoid=08


© Michael Howard photography www.mikehowardphoto.com


Another beautiful beach, São Rafael Beach in Albufeira. "Sao Rafael is a quiet beach resort in the Algarve, and sits just west of the major tourist region of Albufeira. The main beach at Sao Rafael is regarded as one of the best in the central Albufeira area, and has been awarded the European Blue Flag for excellence. The main beach is attractive and fairly large, with a number of arched rock formations along the golden sand, providing much needed shade in the height of the summer. The waters of Sao Rafael are perfect for snorkelling, and the headlands offers some scenic walks." - in: http://www.directline-holidays.co.uk/Sao%20Rafael


© Michael Howard photography www.mikehowardphoto.com


This last card is from Lagos.
"Lagos became important during the 15th century period of Portuguese exploration. Prince Henry the Navigator lived most of the time in Lagos. From here he directed expeditions to Morocco and to the western coast of Africa with caravels, lateen-rigged ships with excellent seafaring capabilities. Lagos was also the home port for Gil Eanes who was the first to sail beyond Cape Bojador in 1434, then considered the end of the world. This was a breakthrough in the Portuguese exploration of Africa.
This old Portuguese town was a very beautiful city with many monuments until it was destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami of 1755. But it still preserves some rebuilt walls from the 16th century, a governor's castle from the 17th, and the site of what is believed to have been the first black slave market in Europe in 1444."
- in: wikipedia.

3 comments:

Ana said...

I want a brother!!! :D
He has brought you great cards, definitely!! And i have that second one!!!! one of my former pen-pals sent it to me some years ago when she went there on a holiday. Its interesting sometimes to see cards i have in someone else's collection :)

have a nice evening :)

Martinha said...

Yes, the cards are great :P
Since my brother has a girlfriend he always buy me cards whenever they travel. He never gave me cards before :P I'm starting to like this in love version of my brother :D

Casas do Barlavento said...

If you think that Algarve is only about beaches, you hugely mistaken.

Yes they are one of the main attractions, but our tows like Silves, Monchique and others are just as beautiful and have a lot of monuments, castles, medieval events and other attractions, like climbing, horse riding, walking routes, gastronomy, ...

So to define Algarve has beaches is a very poor definition.