Mountains or sea?

We feel like driving into the interior of Portugal. On our way to the highest mountain in the Algarve, Foia, which is 902 meters high, we take lovely overnight breaks in the mountains. Near Silves we find the perfect spot by the stream. Quiet and gentle and covered in blooming flowers, it flows right past our truck. We stay for two days and the dogs are allowed to hunt frogs, lizards and mice all day long. The thermometer shows 30° and in the evening the two furry friends fall into bed, happy and completely exhausted.

In between, we do laundry at the supermarket. In Portugal, there are small self-wash stations everywhere, usually located near shops. This means you can find huge industrial washing machines and dryers and the opportunity to stock up on supplies. A paradise for travelers like us 😊

After another stop in the mountain village of Alferce, where we can take a free hot shower by the church, we set off up the mountain. Our Hummel puffs endlessly up the steep serpentines. We pass lonely, remote farms, drive through eucalyptus forests, meet cows on the road and marvel at the magnificent landscape. Suddenly we can't see more than three meters ahead. We've driven straight into a huge cloud. A cold wind is coming up and when we're finally at the top, the cold storm almost blows us off our feet. There's nothing to see from the view to the sea and it's icy cold. We retreat into the car for a while and the cold air gets in through every crack. We get shaken up quite a bit during the night. The wind hits us with full force and in the morning it's only 12° in the truck. The next morning it's still storming but the sun is shining and we can at least take a look into the valley and the Algarve below us before we quickly make our escape. We actually wanted to go hiking here, but in this weather we can only think of escape.

We end up 70km further on near Garvau at a reservoir. Here we can park under eucalyptus trees at a small restaurant and of course we go in for a beer as a thank you.

Then we go to a small luxury campsite with a pool and a fake, kitschy petting zoo for a few days for 10 euros. Our bumblebee needs some customer service and Kilian disappears under the car for 2 days.

On the way back to the sea we end up in Odemira on the beautiful Rio Mira river. There are beautiful wooden walkways along the river to walk and linger on. The town seems to consist only of Indians. There are hardly any Portuguese on the streets, but a lot of Indians wearing turbans.

Back on the Atlantic, we land in Vila nova de Milfontes. We can park for free on a gravel parking lot and are in the great little old town with narrow, colorful streets in 3 minutes. Here the Rio Mira flows into the sea and there are miles of sandy beaches along the river and also by the sea. The sand dunes bloom in all colors and we enthusiastically explore the great area. There are also very, very many Indians here. We are enthusiastic about this beautiful place and stay for four days. Amy has to go to the vet because she almost tore off a dewclaw. She bravely endures the torture of having it removed without anesthesia. The next day, while out for a walk, she suddenly collapses. Her hind legs suddenly give way, her gums are bright pink and she can no longer stand on her feet and is panting like crazy. We quickly put her in the shade and cool her down with water. It was clearly a circulatory collapse. We are glad when she is back in the bus at some point and sleeps off the shock. We also need to calm down and accept that, at 10 years old, it can no longer handle as much stress. In future, we will get up early and go for a walk before it gets too hot. We'll quickly take my laptop in for repairs. But that would be so expensive that it's no longer worth it. Frustrated, I pack up my hard drive and leave it there. I'll probably need a new one soon.

We continue through beautiful, blooming Portugal.

At Lake Arneiro Branco we find a secluded paradise right on the water with its own sandy beach. It's a great place to relax after the hustle and bustle of the town. Get the table and chairs out and head out into the sun 🌞. We'll see where the wind takes us 😊😎