Portugal

Six word Saturday

Holiday over and back to “normal”.

"Sunshine on trhe water makes me happy" - John Denver

“Sunshine on the water makes me happy” – John Denver

Except it isn’t really normal at all! I can’t remember the last time we had a whole July’s worth of sunshine. No complaints, then.

I love that little stretch of water from Cabanas to the Ilha.

But I can’t seem to shake the Algarve completely out of my head. Maybe if I post another photo or two?

The good life? I think so.

The Carmo Church was having its yearly celebration

By evening time it was spectacularly lit

And then there was the procession of Nossa Senhora

And a moonlight wander homewards.

That’s me done dreaming for this week. Feet firmly back on the ground tomorrow? Meantime I need to thank Cate at Show My Face for her unending patience in hosting this challenge. The link or the header will take you there.

How was your week? Put it in six words and join in? The button below takes you to all my previous Six word saturdays. (yes, all of them!)

Thursday : Lingering look at windows, week 28

The Camara or Council Offices in Tavira. I love the fountains.

The Camara or Council Offices in Tavira. I love these fountains at night.

Well, where else would it be this week? The Algarve, of course. In Tavira alone I gazed at lots of windows. Linger with me?

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I collected a few more on my wanderings last trip. Here are just a couple. I’ll save some for a rainy day (hush, don’t mention that word!)

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I’m lowering the lights with Tavira, and off to check out Dawn’s and the other entries for this week’s Lingering look at Windows. See you there?

Romantic by evening

The Golden Hour

The Military Bridge, Tavira

Seen from the quayside

And I guess you all know this one? Ponte Romana.

But this is my favourite. The umbrellas look like ghosts.

I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist being drawn into this week’s photo challenge. As soon as I saw the theme I was back on that riverbank in my head. Hope you like the results.

Who wouldn’t want to take photos at this delectable time of day? Check out the numerous wonderful entries at The Golden Hour.

Six word Saturday

Verão em Tavira- Summer in Tavira

In Summer the beach is the only place to be

You’ll meet the donut man- larger than life!

The ferry from Quatro Aguas works hard.

There’s simple Shell Beach

Or beautiful Barril

Even the comboio (train) has its umbrella up for shade.

And the salt marshes are mesmerisingly lovely.

Seen from every angle

They captivate

You can always relax in the shade of the Beach Bar

And enjoy the relaxing view.

But at night the town comes alive

The day’s heat a gentle memory

It’s time to sing

Dance

Smile

Buy cake

And celebrate life

Tavira council organises Verão em Tavira, a running programme of free outdoor events in the evenings over the Summer months. Just as the day starts to cool a little, the whole world takes to the streets. Click on the gallery above for a closer look.

And when your holiday is enlivened by the presence of another blogger- well, more of that to follow, but here’s my favourite photo of Cathy.

We went birdwatching on the Ria Formosa boat tour

Appropriate really for someone who calls herself Catbird. She was great company. She flies back to the States on 25th July so I hope she’s enjoying every last moment of Portugal. Wish I was still there.

Thanks Cate, at Show My Face, for being my kind hostess again on Six word Saturday this week. I’ll be round later to see what you’ve all been up to while I was away. Wonder what next week will bring?

Six word Saturday

From here

Hartlepool, viewed from Christ Church tower, on a sunny day!

to here

Tavira, in the Eastern Algarve- not quite so sunny!

In fact, a little moody.

But with a strong promise of blue.

And back!

As you can see from the centre photos, the weather was quite temperamental when we were last in the Algarve. I suspect that will not be the case this trip, as it’s in the 30’s currently. Oddly enough the Summer has arrived in the UK too (yes, even the north east!) so I won’t have to feel guilty about leaving my English friends shivering. It’s a win! win! situation.

So looking forward to dabbling my toes, and sharing special birthday celebrations with my husband. (his- I’m just a youngster- secret smile ) I also have a treat in store. For a couple of days I’m playing hostess to Cathy or Catbird as some of you will know her. Having left Oman she is now romping her way around Spain, and then Portugal, before returning home to the States. Her exhausting itinerary is here, but won’t it be fun?

Enjoy Six word Saturday, as well as the weather, while I’m gone. Many thanks to Cate at Show My Face. Back soon!

Water under the bridge

I seem to have done quite a few posts on bridges. But Jake is back, so how can I say no? Jake’s Sunday Post is always a cause for celebration. I might even have to open another of those bottles of wine!

I love the violet hues of this photo. It was taken in Durham in 2011, during a biennial event called Lumiere. The light installations over and beside the River Wear were like nothing I have seen before. If you’re fortunate enough to be near Durham this November, I can promise you a beautiful evening of colour and sound when Lumiere comes to town.

Water flowing under a bridge will always hold me captive, drifting in the current. Where would it take me, if I let it? A lifetime has slipped past while I wonder. All just water under the bridge.

You probably recognise this bridge, but I can share a view of it you won’t have seen before. It hangs on the wall in my favourite cafe, Anazu, on the riverfront in Tavira. It’s in 3-D, though you really can’t tell from my photo.

Not that I’m often inside the cafe. The pavement outside has the view that I love. I have watched so much water pass under the bridge, but some will have seen very much more. I found this black and white photo in the Galeria Palace museum in the town. Times may have changed but the water flows on.

The evening light fades and the moon rises in the sky on a warm Summer’s night. I stand beside my bridge and look out to sea. I’m filled with hope that I might return. Well, who wouldn’t be?

It only needs me to remind you that Jake’s place is a good place to be, on a Sunday or any other day. Please click on the logo below or any link to pay him a visit.

Thursday- Lingering look at Windows- week 21

I’m determined to be on time with this challenge. Truthfully I don’t have much choice because tomorrow I’m off to Nottingham, to attend a Steampunk book launch with my daughter. You can imagine what fun that’s going to be!

Last week I shared a few Polish windows with you, so it’s only fair that this week I do the same for Portugal, don’t you think?

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You can pause the gallery to read the captions if you hover over it. Clever, huh?

But my very best Portuguese window has to be this one. Anyone who has walked through this gate and looked up will recognise it- fabulous Porta da Vila, in Obidos.

So what do you think, Poland or Portugal? I really can’t choose because I love them both. Many thanks to Dawn at Lingering Visions for hosting this challenge. Don’t forget to check out the other entries, and maybe add one of your own.

I guess it’ll have to be English windows next week? We’ll see.

CBBH Photo challenge- same subject, different time

Marianne at East of Malaga knew I was going to be predictable in her CBBH challenge this month. Well, when you know a lovely spot, why not share it? So here we have Tavira, in the Eastern Algarve, at different times of day.

Ponte Romana in Tavira

And in the evening, it just gets better

And better! I love those reflections under the bridge.

And when the tide’s in, it’s different again.

I can’t compete with the drama of Marianne’s disappearing mountain. It’s a stunner! But by this stage of things I’m getting mellow, with a glass of port and the swifts for company.

I like the view in the other direction, too, looking away from the Ponte Romana to the Old Military bridge. (which is so old it has holes in!)

It’s peaceful and calm as the sun sets

And sometimes the colours are simply stunning

And sometimes the opalescent colours are simply stunning

Then the lights come on, and it’s different again

Maybe Cabanas is more your kind of place? You won’t often see it this empty.

I can almost hear the clop of sandals on the boardwalk

No telltale clop of sandals on the boardwalk

Ssh, flip flops are quieter! Who IS that smiley lady?

Later in the day, there’s a little more vibrance.

I guess this is what’s called a rosy hue?

I’m not certain that this is quite what Marianne had in mind, but I’ve got 4 weeks before the challenge finishes, so I can always try again.

But first, let me introduce Ventisqueras. Sometimes a blog comes along that really excites me, and this lady does exactly that. We struggle with language because my Italian is just a few words, but sometimes that doesn’t matter.

I um and err when I have to choose blogs, but I know there are a lot of pet lovers out there. I found Bailey Boat Cat quite recently and it did make me smile. Such an elegant feline. Enjoy checking them out and have a great month!

Six word Saturday

No zumba for me this week

Wouldn’t you know that it’s a perfect English morning (at last!) and my normal Saturday morning walk down through the park to zumba would be a delight? Instead I’m going to take you on an uphill walk which is the cause of my incapacity. Then I might sit in the garden with a book- a novelty in itself! (and ignore the pile of ironing just a bit longer)

The Algarve countryside is stunning at this time of year

Even the weeds are a delight

And there are always surprises!

The thistles are everywhere!

These cloches cover courgettes (was the consensus of opinion) at

There’s always a charming cottage or two

Sometimes with a curious inhabitant (Bom Dia!)

This shy little fellow’s mum is close by

Then we start to climb higher

There are amazing plants in the few gardens this high up

Always a goat or two in the shade

The masthead at the very top is far from pretty

And this was the final view

Unfortunately I wasn’t wearing the right kind of footwear, and as we scrambled back down again I could feel the damage to my toes. It was the “quick route” down as everyone was starved and we were heading for a very nice restaurant as a reward for our efforts.

I struggle to get a shoe on and have been wearing flipflops ever since. Still, I did enjoy the walk, and the company. Hope you did too? Don’t forget to visit Cate at Show My Face to see what’s been happening to everyone this week. My Six word Saturdays are all on the button below.

Window!

You know I can’t resist Jake’s Sunday Post, don’t you, but I really can’t call this a Sunday Post on a Friday! Hence the title. My resistance is low today and I’m just going to squeeze in a few of the lovely windows I gazed at, or through, on my recent Algarve trip.

Closer to home, I loved the evening light reflected on these

The view from my favourite Tavira restaurant, “A Taska”

Faro has many beautiful windows but I especially like these

And I love the Columbus Cocktail Bar too.

I’ve had my eye on this seafront window for a little while.

But how delightfully shabby are these?

And how graceful are these, on the side of the Carmo Church in Tavira?

Click on a photo to start the gallery rolling.

Memories! Memories! Don’t you love them? Thanks Jake for brightening this grey English day for me. Soon be Sunday again.

restlessjo

Roaming, at home and abroad

Portugal

Six word Saturday

Holiday over and back to “normal”.

Thursday : Lingering look at windows, week 28

The Golden Hour

Six word Saturday

Verão em Tavira- Summer in Tavira

Six word Saturday

From here

to here

And back!

Water under the bridge

Thursday- Lingering look at Windows- week 21

CBBH Photo challenge- same subject, different time

Six word Saturday

No zumba for me this week

Window!

Holiday over and back to “normal”.

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Verão em Tavira- Summer in Tavira

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From here

to here

And back!

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No zumba for me this week

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