Jo’s Monday walk : Christmas themed

I remember when rock was young….

‘Tis the season, and it wouldn’t be Christmas for me without the lights. Family, friends… we’re all scattered and in the wrong places this year. The UK are locking down ever tighter, and friends who made it back there are not sure how or when they will be able to return. For me, I’m still sad not to be with family. But moping won’t help anyone, so let me lead you through the back streets of Loulé. We’re in search of a waterfall.

‘A waterfall?’ I hear you say. ‘In the back streets of Loulé?’ Well, why not? If you believe in Santa… We just need to twist and turn a bit, head down this paved drive, a sharp left into a narrow alleyway and look! Steps lead steeply down. You can hear the sound of tumbling water. And there it is! Complete with stepping stones, maybe a touch precarious. We’ll just look, from here.

Who would have suspected, so close to these apartments? What a surprising view they must have from their balcony. A private garden with a small orchard and a waterwheel. Let’s follow the fonte to see where it goes.

Ponte dos Álamos, the Bridge of Poplars, was built on a secondary Roman road that connected the now ruins at Milreu, north of Faro, with Loulé. Made unstable by the action of the water, the bridge was reconstructed and widened to permit traffic in 2011. It feels strange to be so close to the town and yet on the edge of open countryside. Curiosity satisfied, and vowing to follow the stream on our next visit, it’s time to head back to the centre. The sun is going down and soon the Christmas lights will come on. Look! There’s Santa flying past the castle.

I think I’d prefer a sleigh. The huskies look keen but I’m not sure that those bears are friendly. Now here come the stars…

Loulé has a very attractive pedestrian shopping area and a market that resembles something from the Arabian Nights, especially when lit by fairy lights. Ceramic tiles, hand-beaten copper lamps and beautiful handwoven rugs are just some of the things you can purchase.

This year we have to find the magic of Christmas wherever we can. Come on, Santa- let’s rock!

Hope you enjoyed my Christmas story, and can find a little bit of magic this Christmas time, and a whole lot of love. That’s what it’s all about!

Lens-Artists Challenge #128

walking logo

Not sure that this is the best of times to be posting walks, when not everyone can get out to take them, but it’s nice to have something to look forward to, don’t you think? Merry Christmas, everybody!

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Looking at this beautiful post, it’s not hard to understand why Jude lives in Cornwall :

Looking for Camellias

Drake portrays the simple life, from his childhood home :

Vintage alive

Take a peek at the dazzling Duomo, with Rupali :

A for Alley(s) in Florence!

Share the festivities in Toronto, with Natalie :

Seeing the Lights

Or from Germany, with Lady Lee :

Second Advent

But it looks a bit miserable in Berlin :

Berlin Night Hike: Empty Covid City

Denzil can always find us a decent walk :

River Helle valley walk and Lake Eupen

And they don’t come more colourful than this, from Lookoom :

Colombia : Getsemani walking tour

I will be walking with a couple of friends on Boxing Day but my next Jo’s Monday walk will be in January. Take good care till then!

111 comments

    1. No use being miserable, is it, hon? I’ve just come back from a lovely lunch with my Portuguese class, sitting on a roof terrace in the sun. Not much cause for complaint 😍😍

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  3. I love this post – almost missed it with email notifications not getting through! The lights, displays and decorations are great as are your photos, and I love the ‘hidden’ little waterfall – the sort of little gem which would delight me if I were to discover it unexpectedly 🙂 I’m sorry you can’t be with family just now but I hope you can enjoy the time in whichever way you can xx

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  4. Santa doesn’t such as do a walk but has learned to fly, airborne bear in the air – the reindeer have a day off. 😀 Really a weird year this year, not caused by the Santa – but so much other things. Take care, my fiend. 🙂

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    1. The reindeer look pleased with life, don’t they? And so should we. I suppose it’s good for us that sometimes life doesn’t work the way we want. Makes us appreciate the good times more. Wishing you lots of them in 2021, Drake 🙂 🙂

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  5. So nice to see the holiday decorations in your town and other places around the world. Thank you for including mine. Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you, Jo.

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  7. Thanks for starting my day with such cheerful beauty, Jo. I thought of you when I read about the new wave of COVID and the lockdowns in the U.K. Aren’t we thankful for technology these days? We’ll be Zooming with the girls this year and I’m happy we can.

    janet

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    1. I’m especially thankful to be in such a lovely place with nice friends, Janet, and happy the family are ok, but still struggling a bit with not being there. We would have flown today and have several friends who made it back. Responsible or irresponsible – I’m not sure. Wishing you health and happiness, darlin! All the best for 2021 💕

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  11. Christmas and the Winter Holiday come every year. One would think, “Ho Hum.”
    But each year we see and enjoy new and different decorations to help us celebrate.
    Man’s creativity is ever plentiful. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I do love all the decorations and lights, Esther, though I’m not one to fill the house with glitter. My little tree, Nativity set, a few candles and a poinsettia is about it. Merry Christmas! 🙂 🙂

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  12. Lovely cheerful post, Jo, and the photographs really stand out. Love all the red in the Santa – red is a cheerful colour with which to greet the day. Although we are Tier 1 on the Isle of Wight we are fearful of an influx from the mainland of second-homers who will flee here to spend the Christmas and beyond, but we can’t be selfish and if I had a second home in a safer area I’d flee there too. My nephew in London is in complete lockdown and facing a miserable Christmas away from his grandchildren but I agree with Andrew above, miss Christmas this year and hope to be around for a few more years. So, once again, a good one to you and yours and just think, it’s only one day!

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    1. I know it’s just one day, Mari, but it’s not about Christmas for me so much as the opportunity to see the young un. Flight rebooked for Easter, which seems a long way away, and going on current performance in the UK that’s not a banker either. Trying not to fret and to stay positive on here, because everyone has their own troubles. I, on the other hand, have been out eating delectable pear tart today 🙂 🙂 Sending Christmas love to you and yours!

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      1. I wish I could sit outside in the warmth and eat pear tart! Been awful all day today and I had to do a supermarket run which I was dreading. Kept my distance though. Easter seems like a sensible goal to aim for.

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      2. You’d get fat! 🙂 🙂 I did a food shop this morning, and washed and changed the bed too. It’s not all loafing in the sun, you know! Going up top to see if I can see the super bright stars shortly.

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  14. Ah, you’re still a big kid at heart Jo ❤️ Loule looks lovely. You know it’s just one day and better safe than sorry! We oldies all want to have a few more Christmases. Not to mention holidays!! 🎄

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      5. I would love to come to Portugal! But at the moment I am setting the bar somewhat lower and hoping to get to Yorkshire next year as well as seeing my now 4 month old grandson!

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      2. I know you didn’t – you were being kind. I shall do my best to be merry. Sure there’s a bottle of port in the cupboard. Haven’t got to my emails yet but I saw goodies on offer 🤣

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