An accordion was squeezing out the tune and I remembered the words.... “I found my April dream, in Portugal it seems....” It was all rather apt. The sun was warm and a cooling breeze from the sea made it all very pleasant. We were in the Algarve and I chatted with the young Dutch couple who had already built up a golden tan. “We go to a different country every year and this is almost the most beautiful we have seen” (later they told me they had been tomy native Scotland!) This part of Portugal leading out to Cape Vincent was once considered to be the ‘ultimate’ place. In the days before Columbus and package flights it was the end of the known world, what lay beyond was a mystery. It is still the ‘ultimate’ if are in search of winter sun on the continent of Europe. We were on a boat trip and passengers were being transferred ashore by smaller boat to a sandy bay that could only be approached by sea. The cliffs were composed of soft sandstone and the wind and sea had sculpted out rocky arches and beautiful formations. The crew laid out the salad, bread and fruit and grilled sardines over an open fire. We sampled the wine, swam and drifted off for a noontime nap listening to the music. There had also been music the night before when in the little town of Lagos I had listened to a band playing in the square and wandered through the pedestrianised streets. It was very relaxing and good to be away from the rental car. Driving on the roads had been pretty hairy and on the way down from the airport at Faro I had seen no less than three accidents. Happily behaviour off the road was much better and the lager lout element seemed to be completely missing. The villa we stayed in was one of five units, each of which opened out on to a patio where you could use the barbecue or relax beside the pool. It certainly made for an easy lifestyle. As we wandered down the little lanes towards the sea we found it hard not to think about food. The locals had a habit of grilling squid and fish just outside their houses and the aroma mixing with the salty tang from the sea kept stirring up the appetite. Happily eating out is about the cheapest in Europe. It’s definitely a place to take your camera, it will devour film as you snap up mountain vistas, bright begonias, crafty cats sheltering in the shade or brightly painted boats making their way out from the harbour at Lagos. The local fishermen set off at sunset to fish at night. On certain magical evenings the lights on the bows can sparkle like diamonds on a moonlit sea. The grottoes and caves can be explored using small boats that you can hire by the hour, they normally take four to six people but if you want something more adventurous you can go ‘chumming’ and ‘drifting’ for sharks. ‘Chum’ is crushed sardine and pieces of mackerel which is put in a bag over the side of the boat, this lays a trail in the water that spreads and attracts sharks from up to a mile and a half away.. Big game fishing is normally a very expensive sport but this is definitely at the economy end and the cost is kept down by involving eight to ten fishermen and taking spectators. There’s a useful coastal train. It’s a small three carriage affair with an engine that looks as though it’s straight from the Wild West. The line runs from Faro, (where the airport is) and seems to hug the coast. It’s very handy if, for example, you go to the beach at Meia Praia you’ll find that it’s only a few yards away from the station. Many of the locals get around on scooters but I would suggest checking out the state of the roads in your area before hiring. A car is certainly more practical. The Algarve is compact and being mobile I was able I did a lot exploring, I certainly found that I was able to use every moment of the holiday time. If you are returning your rental car at Faro Airport do check to see if your flight is running late. If it is, hang on to the vehicle and take advantage of one of the largest beaches in the Algarve. It’s so handy that you can be swimming or eating fresh fish in a waterside restaurant, right up to fifteen minutes before you are due to take the car back and check in. Our summer is all but gone and if you are not looking forward to the cold, a visit to the Algarve may ease the pain of winter. If you time a trip for the beginning of February you’ll be lucky enough to experience the ‘Algarvian Snow’ which is what they call the Almond blossom. Report by Allan Rogers http://www.portugalinsite.com