Tribute

Today we drove up to Foia, the highest point of the Algarve at 902 metres and through the mist and drizzle we managed to see the south west corner of Portugal. It was an amazing place, covered in various communication masts, domes, dishes and aerials and heather growing shoulder high! Very strange. It was very bleak and rocky but amongst the rocks there were tiny blue/purple flowers, like miniscule alpine irises.

We kept heading north high up into the mountains of the Serra de Monchique where we spotted this panel of tiles, part of a memorial fountain to the men who built the road in 1934. Unfortunately the local hunters have taken a few pot shots at it over the years, but it is mostly intact. The road was lined with eucalyptus forests, clinging on to the steep hill sides. Horrendous drops on the road side as it zig zagged its way up and then down into the more level and fertile Alentejo region, but breath taking views too. In 50 kilometres we only saw two other vehicles - one of them a camper van!

By the time we got back to the guest house the rain was bucketing down. We were told it might be the last rain they get until November! Everywhere you look you see irrigation ditches, pipes, aquaducts and canals but just now the reservoirs are nice and full, the orange groves are green and everything is looking very lush. Very noisy frogs are obviously enjoying the weather too!