My Trip to Portugal Oct 24

Arrived into Faro on time at 710am on Sunday morning. We had good flights from Winnipeg and Toronto and came through a short line up at customs. Everything went smoothly and English is spoken in Faro by just about everyone. We picked up our Toyota Yaris from the Guerin Auto which is the car company JM Vacations uses just outside the airport.
Driving is a little different here with the smaller roads, cars and round abouts but even though it has been a few years for Oscar his driving was pretty good eventhough we missed our first turn off the highway!
Drove to Albufeiro easily on the A22, about 25 minutes away. We had to stop and ask about the location of the hotel, Solaqua as it was not on the map we had.
We were tired from travelling but washed up and went to the beach as it was about 27 C. The beach is about a 15 minute walk from our hotel but worth every step. The beach called Monica beach was beautiful and lined with white aparthotels. Oscar went for a swim in the ocean while I sun tanned and took a nap.  On our way back to the hotel we picked up a few groceries and stopped for a couple of cervasas.
After a long first day we had a good night sleep. The apartment hotel is quite spacious with a separate bedroom, living room and full kitchen.
Our second day we drove to Portimao and spent half a day on the Praia De Roche. It also was a stunning beach with the rock formation from the ocean we had to go down about a hundred steps to the beach.
After the beach we drove to the marina and had a seafood and rice lunch very delicious and continues to a open square with cafes and had our afternoon expresso and capuccino.
After a good day we drove back to our town of Albufeira for one more night until we drive north to Aveiro the next day. We managed to find ourselves a couple of bars to have a drink and talk with some locals that most of which were British people that own apartments by the beach.
October 26
Packed up and drove for about 4 1/2 hours on the super highway A2, where you pay a toll to travel on. We bypassed Lisboa and on to Santarem and then through some villages until we arrived in Oscars home town on Val Mioar in a valley. Oscars mom was in the garden when we arrived and even though she does not speak much English everyone kisses you on each cheek the portuguese way! And she said welcome to the Old Country.
I have to admit it is the old country and a simpler way of life for most people here. Where you feed your chickens and rabbits in the backyard until the day you want to have them for dinner! We walked around the village after dinner and stopped in at a few relatives who were surprised to see Oscar!. Of course lots of home made wine and his cousins were making sausage! Everyone has a fireplace in their kitchens to cook and to keep the homes warm.
The streets are very narrow and you have to watch for the traffic as they still like to go  fast!~
October 28 Thursday
It is a beautiful day woke up and had a good cafe and toast, had some washing to do in the big wash tub with the well water from the pump. I have a picture to show the old way.
Drove around to a few small villages and Oscar has been showing me his old schools, waterfalls, fishing holes and places he used to go as a boy.
We are in town with his mom and then will go home for dinner. So far Portugal is beautiful and definately people live a different lifestyle. I will talk again soon of our travels...Chow for now!