Last night, before turning in, we do some laundry, and hang it on the clothesline. Let's think about this in retrospect. We're right next to the ocean, and putting clothes on an outside clothesline. Do you think there might be some DEW in the morning? Duh! So, of course, when I go out to inspect the clothes this overcast-but-still-balmy morning, they are at least as wet as when we hung them last night. I wring out a little water from each item. Let's hope for a sunny day! And remember to bring those clothes in at nightfall!

The bread has arrived, hung on the door. Three rolls and two croissant. They smell heavenly, but Brig isn't up yet. Hmmmm. Perhaps there were only TWO rolls in our bag this morning? Shhh. Don't tell her.

We get up late, and have brunch on the patio, in our sleepwear. Okay, so the coffee is instant. But the bread is fresh, and the ham and cheese are good. The orange juice is "fresh", all from the Algarve province (which is where we are). A very light rain begins to fall, so we open the umbrella, and move it to cover ourselves and the table. We continue to munch to the tune of the Atlantic breaking on Salema's beach. Later, we check out the grocery store. Wines are still incredibly inexpensive. The produce is rather limited (the store is quite small).

Half of the tour group have decided to take a 2-hour cruise from Lagos to swim and visit some of the limestone grottoes in the nearby cliffs. Santos has offered to drive them in the bus. To avoid being sea-sick while on vacation, we decline the cruise, but we take advantage of the ride to/from Lagos.

[On this bonus ride to Lagos, Susan chooses the music to play. It's the Gypsy Kings again -- her fave. It still sounds odd to hear them playing "My Way", though. Better the Gypsy Kings than Sinatra, though!]

An idyllic pedestrian street in Lagos

A seagull admires a chimney cover typical of Algarve

Another typical chimney cover

A house holding up a few more chimney covers

In Lagos, we just walk around the town, window-shopping, looking at houses and chimney tops, souvenir shopping... We buy a triple-scoop ice cream cup (pineapple, passion fruit, and cherry yogurt) for 500 esc ($2.30). The server really packs it on! I liked the cherry yogurt best. Brig liked the passion fruit.

We have lunch at the Caravella again. Brig has the mussels (again). I try the "Caravella pizza", which is a thin-crust pizza with mussels, cockles, shrimp, and surimi (which they bill as "crayfish fillet"). My pizza is okay, but Brig's mussels are still very good. We break down and buy some bread, so I can soak up the (no doubt, hideously calorific) broth.

All the while, our Neil Young singer is back at it. Today, though, he seems to be a little more consistent about his rhythm. And he sings several different songs, not all of which are from Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. There's a few neither of us recognize, a straight blues song, and even the old Isreali (Passover?) favorite, "Dona, dona, dona". We slip him a slightly bigger tip than usual.

Back at Salema, I take one more dip in the Atlantic, this time with Marie. (She had had a little trouble with the current while swimming near the boat this afternoon, and wanted to prove to herself that she could still manage -- of course she did fine.) The water was slightly cooler and rougher than yesterday, but still very nice. We arrange to meet Marie for dinner at Atlantico, at 1930.

Shower and siesta!

Jim and Judy join Marie, Brigid, and I for dinner. We shared a chef's salad, then Brig had calamari (fried rings) with fries. I had a slice of Corvinna (aka sea bream), served with broccoli and carrots, like the previous ight. The fish was a bit too salty, but otherwise good. Afterward, back at the apartment, we share a glass of vinho verde, cold from the frig.