Home -> Europe -> Portugal -> Travelogue 2001 -> Monday 25 June

Along the coast to Sagres

Time to get a bit active again. Our destination today is Sagres, the most southwestern point of Portugal. We take the small roads near the coast and even some off-road tracks so we have some beautiful panoramic views on the sea. Strange to see how people rather want to lie with thousand others on a small beach than to enjoy the quietness and beauty of the many small hidden beaches there are. Funny, people can really be herd animals. But of course we didn't take any pictures of these masses.

We often think afterwards: why did we take so few pictures. Sometimes we really regret it, but most times we have all the images still in our memory, more vivid than a picture can ever be. Picturesque villages glimmering in the sun, you drive through them and enjoy the sight but it's impossible to record the atmosphere into a picture. Our humble advise: just go and look for yourself!

At Sagres we see an almost empty beach, but that is probably because there is not a sandy beach, but only rocks.

Sagres, the lighthouse, the cliffs and the sea around it are photogenic enough to take photographs of. These pictures show the place in great rest, almost meditative, but in reality there are lots of tourists walking around. We don't let them disturb us and enjoy the scene.

Behind the lighthouse is a fortress which can be visisted. There used to be a nautical college here, where many voyages of discovery started, if only in fantasy. From the battlements we have a splendid view over the wild sea and the worn out rocks.

A the end of the day we have our meal in the old centre of Albufeira. Elisabeth has become addicted to Portuguese icecream. Much better than we have it at home, she states like an expert.

Travel through Europe and Africa

with Elisabeth and Teije