That was cheaper than Perth …

The wonders of this place didn’t stop, we leave by the marina, spectacular views and another world at the marina, candy coloured apartments and matching coloured shops. The streets are lined with tipuana trees so the bright glow of yellow on the trees and the ground is striking.

We find ourselves mainly on the national highway again as we pass through a couple of little villages. It’s quite humid and not the regular blue sky. Our lunch stop at Portimao, John sees a barber shop displaying €5 haircuts … 10 minutes later he’s had a haircut, eyebrows and moustache trim. ‘That’s cheaper than Perth!’… he’s chuffed the barber hadn’t had an Australian client before. There is a nice boulevard along the marina, not a lot of people here, a long attractive shopping mall.

In the middle of conversation, John says, ‘you look perplexed’ ‘I think I heard thunder’, I say … 10 minutes later after further rumblings and lightning big tropical drops begin, a mad rush for Cafe owners to bring in things … 5 minutes later it has stopped and we were off. 23km to go to Lagos, we copped another short shower of rain on the road.

The old town is busy tonight, the weather has cooled down a little and windcheaters, scarves and jackets are out. The cobblestones in the streets are attractively laid in patterns of white, grey and tan. It is not as crazy as Albufeira or did we miss something?