SPRING IN THE ALGARVE

 

While large parts of Europe experience weather extremes, one day 22 degrees, next snow for example, in the normally sunny Algarve of Portugal we also have unsettled weather after a wet winter which filled the reservoirs.

Unsettled for us in April means daytime highs hovering around 20 degrees and nights around 15 if cloudy or less if clear, with occasional showers.

There is a profusion of flowers, insects are busy visiting them, and much birdsong. The young birds are out learning their skills as their parents move around at ground level to keep watch over them. Here we see blackbirds and sparrows doing this. We put a small container of water for them to drink and they use it as a bath too. One young blackbird sat motionless for many minutes in the water after taking the plunge.

We see hoopoe, azure-winged magpie, and dove as well as stork and egret. We hear the owl at night as well as the cicadas.

From the red cliffs through the pine woods we see below the long beach praia da Falesia, and in the distance Vilamoura. This week it hosts a major sailing event, European Championship, for the Finn Olympic class dinghies.

We are on a motorhome park, like a campsite with less facilities, and really out of the matrix here. In five minutes we can walk to the top of the cliffs, and then if we choose down wooden steps to the beach. Some people are already swimming.

The wine older people know from Portugal.

Yesterday evening on our walk we saw a snake already with its fangs into the tail of a beautiful creature which was restrained up-side down by the tail of the snake. Getting close to make photos the snake let go of it’s victim and slid quickly away. It was the largest snake we have seen in Portugal, more than 2 metres long and as thick as Anita’s wrist. It was a surprise.

Here is a good place to relax for a few days as we wait to know when we can travel abroad again.