Alvor 2

Its back to the airport to collect Nichola & Niamh via a stay at Quarteira

Their late evening flight arrives on time and we duly drive around from the observation area to pick them up

A car is hired by the In Laws and we spend a couple of days visiting the local area again to show the Algarve to the 'Irish Contingent'

Lagos village centre

A favourite cafe of ours at Burghau is visited in glorious sunshine

A crafty shot of Niamh...

Silves artwork on electrical cupboards

Time for a quick loosener at the Leinster Irish Bar in Alvor

Off to Lidl then!

All too soon its time to retrace our steps and pick up Cameron & Louise from Faro and the whole family is soon on the beach soaking up the sun...

Cameron skimming stones..

A pensive Pirate

The girls do their best at a 'Magic Carpet'

Taxis are hired one day and Praia do Rocha is reached with Cameron wanting a Portugal football shirt with his hero's name on it

 

Happy bunny..

Saturday morning sees the boys slip off on Max to nearby Lagos for ice creams and cola

He really enjoyed his first ride out with me

Come the evening the folks are gathered for Nina's Birthday meal

Cameron sticks in €10.00 of his holiday money and Auntie Nina is most impressed!

Chaperone duties...

A really nice end to the evening spent in cocktail bars and yes...you guessed it...

The Leinster Irish Bar....

Alvor 1

Lynda & Terry's flight arrives on time and we pick them up easily from the terminal car park and off we go to Alvor for their month's stay in a second floor apartment right in the centre of the village

They are soon strolling around on the excellent beach which was to feature heavily in the following weeks when the The Sisters arrived

So many shots of Alvor in previous posts but this one sets the scene nicely....

From their balcony Nina points out skydivers from the nearby Aeroclub on an evening jump

Mick & Deb arrive to the 'not so sexy' site at Alvor for a few days RV with us all which went rather well we thought with them getting on really well with the In Laws...

The site has many little visitors early in the morning, this one is welcome (see photo) but I'm afraid the 'Toot Toot' guys in their vans circulating the site early doors selling bread kinda grinds on you after a while, especially if you don't actually need any of their hard bread...

Time for the guys to have a belly buster at the 'Made in Belfast' cafe

Lynda hurts her foot when slipping on the balcony floor when the Boys were breakfasting and so misses the evening Curry Night...

This is despite Nurse Mick's timely advice and welcomed attention to the MIL's predicament..😂😂

Quite average really and not to be repeated here...

The Clarkes move on and towards the west coast on their travels so we decide on hiring a car and getting the In Laws out and about given Lynda's hurting foot

The car is less than perfect but adequate and gets us to Sives, Monchique, Lagos &  Burghau over the next couple of days 

With the car returned Terry and I make a return trip to 'Ireland' for more white pudding & cheer!

Photobombed one night after stumbling in to the leinster Irish bar....again!

Time to leave the parents alone for a bit and head off back towards the airport stopping a few night along the way at some new locations

A burn one night after a stay near Moncarapacho was welcome when we had the site to ourselves

We were also alone at this one too but the weeds probably put folks off!

Al fresco cooking at Quarteira

We quite like this site as its weed free, quiet and nicely located

Max takes us to nearby Albufeira one day and Nina buys several dresses from a very nice shop in the heart of town

The waterway at Fuseta

Ana from the site in Moncarapacho meets us and takes us to her perfume shop in Tavira

Max basking in the sun....

More Al Fresco cuisine

The weather looks great for Nick & Niamh's holiday as we do the airport run again and take them to Alvor 

Malaga

Before we head off along the coast to Cabo de Gata and Malaga Nina prepares surely the best looking  seafood paella I've seen. Washed down with a little vinho blanca of course

Our second trip to Cabo de Gata ends in failure due to the weather again as this time it blows a hooly for a full two days and we are restricted to a careful ride out to nearby San Jose on Max for a tasty pizza on the beachfront

So we arrive at a good stopover not too far from Malaga for a few days and break out Max to whizz us in to the city

We both like this city with its mix of old traditional buildings and modern up market shops

The usual multitude of scooters parked up wherever they can fit in...

Working, but not for us today

After having foolishly lifted the 'waste hog' weighing in at 45kg full of water for disposal purposes a few days back I find myself in agony hobbling around the streets clutching my aching left thigh

Seems a bout of sciatica is in order, a new moanable lament for me, seeing any walking leading to nagging pain in my rear and a near useless left leg

So great....

Complete with contorted face we make the best of it and seek out our favourite tapas bar...

A nice rest here for an hour amid a plethora of tasty tapas

Soon after we are ensconced at the dealers near Seville again for a night halt to break up the journey and change the oil on Max

This is my best 'get on with it face'

Portugal is reached and we trundle along to a new aire at Moncarapacho where we find ourselves alone for two days. Friendly owners and good facilities including a superb showers block give us a comfortable stay

No one there and with the owner's permission its time for a burn...

Next day we head off to Tavira and a really nice fish meal recommended by Keith & Chris a while ago. This was the large 'volcano' salad sharing starter

Followed by Dorada & Sea Bass which was the best we've had so far

A wild camping spot with superb views awaits us the night before the In Laws arrive

Situated right next to the end of Faro airport runway

Bizarrely if you're in to either bird or plane spotting then this is the place for you...