A Palace Indeed, How Sweet
Oct. 20: Palatial life – now this, we can get used to. We are hanging at the Palace, pretending we are royalty. Is there a better way to spend an evening? Our morning began with the massages I had scheduled yesterday. I was really looking forward to some much needed self-care time. Dan went first and I went to use the sauna which wasn’t on. So I sat outside by the pool, overlooking the Algarve and the Atlantic. Then I had my massage. It was OK. But honestly, Dan and I agreed that they could have done better on the pampering and quality level.
Replete with Formal Gardens
… and an Array of Chairs by the Pool
We checked out and decided to head to Faro to complete our ossuary quest. As we drove in, we were happy that we stayed a bit out of town. Faro is pretty busy with traffic, but we were able to get to the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo pretty easily. The church reflects Faro’s growth as an economic center in the 18th Century as well as the influence of the Baroque movement. It has a small yet highly ornate sanctuary with a multitude of beautiful wood carvings. Many of the carvings were gilded with gold that came from Brazil in the much heralded age of discovery. We could have easily spent more time soaking up the details in the sanctuary, but we had limited time and wanted to check out the ossuary, the third of this trip.
The Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo Contained . . .
… Intricate Gold-Plated Wood Carvings
We exited the sanctuary and went through a passageway to a small, yet openly spacious ossuary. For a place that might be thought to be ghoulish, it was a quiet oasis from the bustling city with birds twittering and well cared for gardens. It was built in 1816, almost 100 years after the church was built, in 1719. It was built without charge by stone masons who were also Brothers of the Third Order who were responsible for the church.
The goal was to remind the monks of the impermanence of life of earth. Since the Age of Discovery was long past, the materials used were all local stones and woods. However, in their own way, they are quite as attractive as the gold plated sanctuary. The bones came from the church cemetery, from the remains of 1245 monks. Sadly many bones were ripped out of their place in the walls, probably by souvenir hunters, but we do not know for sure.
These Bones Were Embedded into the Walls
The Paris Catacombs Felt Eerie, Yet This Ossuary Felt More Uplifting
Yesterday I was feeling very low energy. I mostly hung out on the boat, which was helpful so I could conserve my energy. Today, I was really not feeling good and I drug my butt every step I took. We stopped at a grocery store for a dose of grocery isle healing – limes and grapes. I needed a vitamin C and immune system boost. I was cursing myself for not packing Echinacea. Thinking I’d have access to top quality food every meal, I had pared down when I packed my first aid kit. A complete mistake on my part and a lesson learned. It’s just too simple and too effective to leave behind.
From the church we walked to the main praça to locate lunch. I really needed to find something that would work with my depleted body. A place with fresh fish in the window beckoned. There was a lovely garden inside, but we opted for outside seating, both for the open area as well as for people watching. My body could only handle some very simple food. A healthy portioned soup and salad with a couple of grilled fish dishes did the trick. The service was super cute. It was a casual place and the staff took a lot of pride in pouring our water (every few minutes) and checking on us. They wanted to be helpful and it was very sweet.
Classical Algarvian Fare
Since I was moving in slow motion, the afternoon slipped away and so while there was other things of interest like the Jewish Heritage Center, we carried on westward.
We were originally planning on skipping Lagos all together, since it was too developed with tourism. Then when doing some beach research, we discovered that the dramatic rock formations you see in most pictures of the Algarve, are taken on two beaches there. Sort of like Maui – about 99% of the pictures come from a couple spots. So we decided to do a quick visit. We did take the highway though, and not that godforsaken local road.
An hour later, we descended into Lagos and the view of the sprawling condos was atrocious. We wound our way to the beach and luckily found a place to park. It was a gorgeous beach with dramatic rock formations and Caribbean colored waters, but with lots of people and condos falling over the edge, we opted to keep our visit brief. Knowing a couple weeks ago we ate at Choux d’Enfer (Choux of Hell), we joked that Praia Dona Ana was Praia d’Enfer (Beach of Hell). Anyway, we came, we saw, we left.
About 95% of the Pictures of the Algarve Are Taken Here
Once we got back to the local highway, and headed west, we were quickly out of the developed parts and the last 30 kilometers of the western Algarve were more rural. We passed through the little town of Sagres to get to Cabo de São Vincente, Cape St.-Vincent, 4.5 kilometers further.
This is where the earth ends and the ocean begins. It is the most southwestern point of all of Europe. Here is where the ships departed from on the famous voyages of discovery in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Henry the Navigator also had a school here, where the explorers learned to navigate, before they actually went out and did it for real. Infante Henrique of Portugal, Duke of Viseu, better known as Prince Henry the Navigator, is definitely a popular native son in Sagres. He was influential in national affairs in the early days of the Age of Discovery and obviously had big impacts in Sagres from his school to his local land holdings.
Cabo de São Vicente
And So, I Crouch at the End of the World
With tons of tour buses and with me being sick, we did our obligatory camera shot and got back in the car and headed to Pousada Sagres. It was modest compared to the Palace we came from, but very likeable and charming in its own right. It was built during the mid-20th century during the Portuguese dictatorship. The authorities conceived it explicitly as a way to develop tourism in the area. As far as we know, it is the only pousada built for tourism.
From our balcony we could catch dramatic views both to the east and the west. We overlooked the nearby Fortaleza de Sagres, Sagres Fortress, as well as Cabo de São Vicente in the distance. The Fortress was built by Henry the Navigator to defend Sagres. Although its massive walls above 150 foot cliffs give the feeling of permanence, it has seen many incarnations. It was severely damaged by the British Pirate Francis Drake in the mid 1500’s; repaired in the 1600’s; completely destroyed in the earthquake of 1755; and finally completely rebuilt in 1793.
Since I was feeling down, Dan went out to explore the town a bit and I hit the hay. That felt good to me, as there was no sense in him sitting on the couch watching me sleep for who knows how long. I woke up on my own – the sun had recently set, but the colors were still vibrant.
My fever was definitely burning up food so when Dan suggested we go to a nearby restaurant, I jumped at the opportunity. He had found Vila Velha. It was actually referred to us earlier by a staff member at the Palace. I think that she offered the tip as a favor after we had told her how bad the food was at the Pousada do Palácio de Estoi. She was trying to say that not all the food in the Algarve is bad.
Vila Velha is owned by a Dutch couple and when Dan saw Dutch on the restaurant sign, we knew we had the right place. We walked over and I am so grateful we did. The food was awesome. I loved the rich yogurt that they turned into tsaziki. I absorbed the fish soup almost as quickly as I could eat it. The perfectly cooked mushrooms with a creamy herb sauce was a real hit. The beet salad was blood building, I just know it was. And the scallops served in the shell with thermidor sauce balanced out the rest of the meal. Ultimately, this restaurant uses French cooking technique, and, when that is the case, the food is dependably awesome.
The Dutch Restaurant with a French Flair
It was pitch dark when we left and the breeze from off the ocean made for a mystical setting. The brisk air was good for me and I was starting to feel like Sherri again. Returning to the pousada, we indulged in some of Ducasse’s chocolate. Whatever else is going on, there is always room for chocolate.
The Ossuary in Faro Was Ironically Bright and Cheery
Dan and I Were Positively Charmed by the Palace in Estoi