Funny how time flies when you’re having fun. This week has sped by and we are still at Armacao. It’s hard to leave when the sun is shining and you have such an amazing back yard. Our view at the moment is the beach with its stilted fishermans cabins and the shimmering Atlantic. With a wonderful daily meat and fresh fish market, a bakery and loads of quaint restaurants, moving on is a bit of a no brainer. The spring tides have withdrawn and its business as usual for the fishing boats. I could spend all day watching them bringing in their catch and sorting it for Market. Seagulls flock above the boats as they come ashore and hopeful cats hang around waiting for a tasty morsel.

Yesterday we just bummed around really. It was a hot day so we sat on the beach. I’ve just read the trilogy written by J.K. Rowling as Robert Galbraith. I really enjoyed them. Great if you like Detective/Crime novels. Last night was date night. Mark’s choice this week. We went to check out a really good fish restaurant that had been recommended by our Swedish pal, Per, it’s been open for 50 years so has stood the test of time. The owner came out and told us his Grandmother was the original cook, then his mother and now his wife and daughter. It was very busy inside. The menu made me salivate. No such luck however. You just know where we ended up!!

Oh well, the food is wonderful at The Bollywood. Each dish arrives still cooking in its own individual mini tandoori oven. Yummy!

This morning we had a walk along the seafront into town. I needed to post a letter and some cards. For anyone new to Portugal, the post office is signposted CTT in red with a picture of a courier on horseback. Take a ticket from the machine as you enter and wait for your number to flash up on the screen. This is the procedure even if you only want a stamp. Be prepared for a wait, they don’t rush!! First we called at the market. I bought a huge slab of fresh tuna for supper. Can’t wait, I’m cooking sticky sesame tuna kebabs tonight. The little bakery near the municipal market is fab. It even sells sourdough and smells like heaven. That’s supplies sorted. We decided to stroll up to the square as there’s often a little craft market by the sea, it sells beautiful paintings, jewellery and pottery. It was open so we had a nosy. I had already bought some beautiful ceramic tea lite holders to go with my fishy theme in the van.

It’s gorgeous up this end of Pera. The beach is to die for and the little white chapel is so pretty with its crochet covered palm trees. The font is a real giant clam shell!

Lots of funky street art wherever you look.

Turned really hot again this aft, (no complaints from me), so we decided to head back and hit the beach. Dylan desperately needed a haircut so took the clippers and my Vogue and off we went

Now back at camp Wadsworth and prepping this majestic piece of fish. I just love fresh, quality food. It enthuses me to cook.

My friend Helen always asks me to add my recipes so here goes ; Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic, a thumb of grated ginger, half a lime, zest and juice, 1 tablespoon of runny honey (the black stuff they sell here works great), 3 tablespoons of dark soy, 1 tablespoon of dark sherry or port and a tablespoon of sesame oil to a bowl. Mix well. Marinate your tuna for about half an hour. You can cook it as steaks or cut it into chunks and thread onto metal skewers (soak wooden ones well before use if you prefer those). Line grill pan with foil rubbed with oil. Grill for about ten minutes. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve with jasmine rice cooked with spring onion, peas and chopped cucumber. Squeeze the remaining half a lime over before eating. Splendid! Guess what, it’s wine O clock again!

I shall sign off now my lovely mates as it’s time to scrub up and tuck in. Much love to all back home. Do check in for the next instalment! ❤️🐟