Hope everyone had a good easter break. My husband runs a hotel on 'the strip' of Albufeira (if anyone knows it) and we spent the weekend there as he was working some of it, well most of it. The weather had been rubbish all last week, raining and windy, I felt sorry for those who came for their easter hols only to have this weather.
But on easter sunday, the weather opened, at least for the morning and everyone was at the pool in their swimwear, some kids even went in the pool. And then there's me, in jeans, shoes and a cardigan, walking past all these people lying in the sun, smelling of sun lotion. It was a strange sensation, and shows me, I really have acclimatised to this climate here in south portugal, if I ever return to england I may die of cold!! dont think I know what real cold is anymore, anything less than 24 degrees is cool to me now.
The other thing I experienced was 'food factories'. I love going out to eat, it is my 'luxury, hobby, love' whatever you want to call it, not that I have loads of money to do it very often. But this weekend, we went out twice, a lot for us. Both restaurants were very popular and busy, the first restaurant had a very 'family feel' and was bright and comfortable, the staff attentive, but the food was only ok. The second experience, the restaurant was a bit crowded and service was a little slow and the food again was mediocre, but Im sure they are not too worried because even if a customer goes away not having their expectations met, as ours were not, there are another thousand customers behind us, hence the 'food factory' label. I will not go back to those restaurants as they are not value for money for me.
I have visited the Algarve about 6 times in the past 3 years.I always loved it and couldn't wait to get back again.
ReplyDeleteI find some of the Portoguese people friendly and helpful and others the exact opposite.
However I was there in March this year for a few days and the weather was awful -overcast, wind, rain, cold.
I may as well have stayed at home.
A waste of time, energy and money.
I think my obsession with the place has finally been broken and I will look elsewhere for holidays this year.
I sympathise with expats who find it boring after a while. After all it is really the sun that is the draw and if it is not there - its a different place.
Hi
ReplyDeleteI understand your frustration, the first four months of the year, you are taking your chance with the weather. I know many people who love the algarve and visit year after year, for me personally I like to holiday in different places. The Algarve is good to live, but like any place has its good and bad points, there are worse places to live and better places to live. The problem here is everything is geared to the outdoors and good weather, if the weather is bad, there is not much to do.
I hope you have a better holiday next time.