Destination Portugal - Part 4
- Claire Champion
- Nov 9
- 5 min read
Wednesday 24th September
It was time for a day at the apartment, relaxing and just generally taking it easy. After having breakfast and catching up on emails and news, we went out to Lidl for supplies. We decided to get some food for lunch, this time opting to have our main meal at base. James picked a tasty-looking cheese lasagna, and I chose a spinach and ricotta tortellini. Once back at the apartment, we unpacked the shopping and prepared lunch. It was another sunny, warm day, so we set up the table on the balcony to enjoy our lunch. This included having a glass of Mateus wine which went down very nicely.
I finished my meal with watermelon slices, and James had a caramel dessert. This was a Portuguese speciality – Baba de Camelo – a caramel mousse in essence. He said it also tasted a little like butterscotch. We enjoyed our meal, with the backdrop of Portimao to complete the ambience.
Time for a siesta and catch up on reading our books. We also reflected on our holiday so far, and commented on how outstanding it had been already. The memories we had made and highlights that we recalled were very joyful.
At about 4.15pm we got ready to go for a sunbathe plus a possible swim at the pool. Once down there, we took the same sun loungers as before and got settled. We didn’t feel much like having a swim this time, but instead sat in the afternoon sun and soaked up the rays. There was another couple at the far end of the poolside to us. We stayed there for about an hour, in which time I read some of my book. This particular book is the very absorbing novel “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” by Quentin Tarantino. James had a nap and we both felt rejuvenated and revived.
On return to our apartment we got our customary buffet tea ready. This time it consisted of bread, cheeses, and Mortadella ham. Dessert was chocolate, but not just a regular bar. On this occasion we indulged in some Dubai (pistachio cream) chocolate from Lidl. Our review was favourable and I would definitely recommend this to any chocolate connoisseur. The creamy texture of pistachio blended so well with the crispy kadayif wafer. The day ended on a definite sweet high note.
Thursday 25th September
Today is our anniversary – that’s five years of marriage for me and James. To celebrate we had planned on having another meal at the brilliant Bamboo restaurant. We also thought we would get some time in at the pool, to at least sunbathe!
After breakfast and an easy start to the day, we got our swimming gear on and then headed to the pool. This was around 9.30am – perfect timing as there was no-one else about. We guessed someone else had been around though as the loungers at the far end of the pool were wet. It didn’t matter as we picked the driest ones and settled in. It was a cool 16 degrees at the time, so it wasn’t quite warm enough for a swim. Instead we had about half an hour of sun, soaking up the rays once more. I also read my book so I could finish the chapter I had started.
Coffee and chocolate then called to us, when the half hour was up, so we went back to the apartment to answer that call. As you may guess by now we are self-confessed chocoholics! As we satisfied the sweet tooth, we planned our next adventure. We set off after midday to go to the Bamboo restaurant. When James and I got there and sat at a table, the kind owner came over to have a chat. She asked us what we would like from the set menu and we decided on Entrecote steak and chips. To drink we opted for a carafe of red wine. Knowing how big the portion sizes were I had deliberately not had to much food earlier in the day.
Our brilliant host served us the customary couvert course, which we appreciated. Looking around me as we began eating, I noted the restaurant really filling up with fellow diners. It seems Bamboo is one of the most popular local eateries.
When our female host served the Entrecote steak, with accompanying chips, the plates were very large. The meal looked succulent and we couldn’t wait to get stuck in. She had brought us the carafe of wine (a half litre we noted), before the main course so we poured a glass to toast our anniversary. The wine was very delicious and an excellent partner to the steak and chips meal. It was a meal to really savour the flavours.
To finish the meal we ordered a white coffee and then our host brought it at a suitable time for our comfort. Top marks to her for being such a considerate proprietor. As we sat there we saw even more people coming in for a meal, but also occasionally they were popping in for takeaway meals. We enjoyed our coffee then paid the bill.
Walking towards the Portimao marina, we navigated (well James did) our way down through the local streets. We found our way to the riverside and onto the promenade. There a few wispy clouds in the sky but otherwise it was clear and blue. After taking some photos and topping up the sunscreen on our skin, we walked on towards the next boat docking station.
It was time to find a cafe to get either a coffee, dessert or an ice cream. We found a gelato cafe with the convenience of a public loo behind it. I went for a comfort break and James went onto the cafe to buy a gelato. He bought a salted caramel ice cream in a tub.
There are fountains in the town square of Portimao, which we viewed as we enjoyed the atmosphere and took photos in the sunshine. While there we also read about the culture, history and maritime importance of the town. It was quite the education to see how the Arade river had been part of Portimao’s fortunes over the centuries.
Later we walk back to the apartment and I poured myself a bath. We had our buffet tea – with all the usual array of goodies plus I had some slices of watermelon. It was then time to relax and read our books before we got to bed. A truly magical and memorable anniversary.
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