Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Incredible Portugal- even better than expected!











I was very excited to see a part of Europe I had never been to- Portugal. I have wanted to see the Mediterranean countries for ages and although we were still a ways away, the Algarve region of Portugal is typically Mediterranean- close to beautiful blue water, warm sun-soaked beaches, tree-dotted red rock landscapes and white-washed buildings.
The trip itself was easy. The flight- not too long. Arriving in Portugal, even as early in the morning as we did, we were greeted with warm, early-morning sun. A 3 hour ride to the southern edge of the country was very quick at 155km/hr and little other traffic to deal with.
Once in Loule, we arrived at out hotel and had a chance to check out the village we were staying in. I was instantly in love. Unlike some of the other countries I have visited, Loule, Portugal took no time to adjust to. I absolutely loved it from the first walk I took. I started by heading to the more "downtown" area to check out the shops and maybe grab a snack. I was pleased to see many locals out doing their daily shopping and errands. I love people-watching and am always surprised how similar people are, no matter where they live.
Over the course of 4 days I walked around Loule more than 12 hours total and circled the city many times. It is amazing how comfortable I felt and how well I had oriented myself even just after the first day. By the end of the trip, I felt like a local.

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