2nd July flew to Faro for a villa holiday at Olhos de Agua, just outside
Albufeira. Went with Gailey family, Jess & Davy plus Mark's mum, Janet.
Hired 2 black Megane estates with keyless ignition and built in
sunshades, woo hoo!
Villa Vale do Martins (the latter is a name you see on shops and
restaurants, don't know if it's typically Portuguese, sounds wrong
though) is huge, reached down a tiny lane with a sharp bend with a hedge
studded with flowers. The pool is really deep, with a sharp drop off
which freaks the girls out to being with. Lovely garden with that
really neat tough Mediterranean grass, lilies, roses, oleander. Over
the wall is a scruffy orchard, but at least we get a view! There is an
orchard of lemon and orange trees on the other side. The stereo and TV
are both rubbish but we have a PS2 and the SSX3 snowboarding game I
bring is brilliant for midday heat when Reuben is napping!
Pao caseiro (homemade bread) is great for cheese toasties! Oranges are
3euros for 1.5kg from roadside stalls, there's an electric juicer at the
villa. The tea (Liptons yellow label) is really weak – apparently the
Portuguese like it that way (and without milk – you pay extra). Coffee
everywhere is brilliant – um bica is an expresso, galao is like a latte
– except in the villa, where the filter machine isn't up to much. All
the menus are pretty much the same unless you go to an Italian or god
forbid, a Chinese or Indian restaurant. Chicken piri-piri is about 5
euros. Didn't get to try Cataplana, the 2 person dish cooked in the
eponymous wok like pan. The fish soup I had was a bit disappointing.
Did enjoy my grilled sardines (gave up spitting out bones, got used to
munching them although your gums sting a bit afterwards), swordfish,
tuna stew, bacalhau (salt cod). Nothing veg beyond an omelette…
Shopped at the Intermarche supermarket in the town (Musketeer logo) –
short cut through the fields on a dusty track. Stinky fish counter in
the corner, tons of UHT and fortified milk (?), hardly any ready meals
at all, hardly any baby food. A brand of condoms called Family
Retard… Dried fruit and nuts a bit disappointing, tried the broad
beans but an acquired taste I think. Probably taste better with beer.
Our local restaurant O Favinha (the Broad Bean) is run by a stressed
but nice landlord with a shy wife who has to sneak off to tend to their
16 month old son. There is a beat up old citroen mini-moke outside, a
table football game that looks ancient (colours are Benefica and
Portimao, apparently). Neighbours family are relaxing on the patio
under the pine trees, Megan and Jessica learn from the kids how to smash
the cones open to get pine nuts out. Reuben is obsessed with brooms and
insists on sweeping up the mess. His favourite part of the
airport/plane experience was the janitor's trolley in the check-in
hall.
They serve up a selection of BBQ food including prawns, kebabs with
pineapple, chicken, lamb chops, along with salad and great chips. We go
back for more on our last night. The road passes cork, olive, almond,
fig trees and a prickly pear. There is a full moon and strong breeze
the first time, Scorpio is high the second. Alsatians and Rottweilers
guard the neighbouring villas.
Reuben teaches everyone the buff! game. Plays with plastic cutlery and
bowls from the kitchen, a bamboo cane from the garden, polished pebbles
from a bowl in the lounde and a green brush we bought him at the
supermarket.

Adrian Sie
Locum Consultant in Paediatrics
Royal Alexandra Hospital
Paisley
PA2 9PN