Hi my lovely blogging buddies, hope you are all well and stepping up a gear into the festive period. It’s all hotting up here, the palm trees in Lagos are wrapped in fairy lights and all the churches are decorated to the max with their Boas Festas trimmings. There’s even a little ice rink in the square. Still feels weird when the sun is shining but I’m not complaining. I hate the cold. Love a party though! Miss all that. Missing the family, Matthew who is currently in Goa with Lucy, the children who will be wound like coiled springs with giddy excitement, my Mum, my girlfriends and my office pals. Missing getting dolled up to go out on girlie nights out, Winter Balls, Office Parties and the general bling and cheer. I did put a bit of ‘Christmas with Nat and Dean’ on the Bose yesterday while I wrote my Christmas cards and watched the incredible sunrise over the sand dunes and the rolling waves.

We had a smashing night out with some of our Motorhoming friends from Figueira. Kim and Margaret organised a mini bus and we all went for cocktails and food into Luz. That’s a nice resort. Would make a great out of season holiday destination. The beach is gorgeous. It has a few classy shops and plenty of good restaurants. Helen Spencer I definitely thought of you here.

We’ve said cheerio to our Figueira pals for now. We’re having a couple of days in Lagos. Poor old hubby has broken a tooth so we need to source a decent dental clinic. I’m going to have a little wander around the town and do some shopping while he gets fixed up. It all looks really pretty.

We love a Lagos fix. The more you visit this place the more you seem to see. I found a couple of fab little dress shops and bought more twinkly lights from the Christmas store. Would have sneaked in a frock or two had his Lordship not taken charge of the plastic to pay for his choppers!!

Picked up a couple of juicy fillet steaks from the butcher and more fresh tuna from the market. Boy came out all smiles. Sorted. Singing ‘All he Wants for Christmas is his Two Front Teeth’! Thank goodness for that. Glad he retains his sense of humour in the face of adversity.

We had a little walk past the fort, up to the caves and took a cheeky glass of wine at the bar overlooking the beach.

Posted a few token Christmas cards off to family back home, collected more supplies then headed back to the van via the boats in the Marina. There’s a super family run restaurant over the river near where we are parked called A Barrigada. I can highly recommend it. All you can eat meat or fish cooked over coal for about €10. Basic but great food and lovely people. They have Fado Music nights monthly. Saving that until tomorrow as I want to cook the tuna tonight.

I’m making a bit of an oriental marinade with ginger, soy sauce, honey, garlic, finely chopped chillies and a splash of Thai fish sauce, Nam Pla. Soak the tuna steaks while boiling some egg noodles. Important not to over cook them. They need only a couple of minutes. Drain and set to one side. Using a spiralizer add to them a spiralled courgette, a carrot and a thinly sliced lengthwise red pepper. Make up a green salad, add thin strips of cucumber, pomegranate seeds and crushed toasted peanuts. Remove the tuna steaks from the sauce and flash fry in a very hot pan, it’s preferable if they are still pink inside. In another pan, add a splash or sesame oil, warm then add the marinade sauce bring it to the boil and stir in the noodles and spiralled veg. Cook for a couple of minutes. Stir through some chopped coriander then serve. The salad needs a good squeeze of lime. I made some fried rice too but only because my other half has hollow legs!

Absolutely delish! Not bad for Motorhome cooking. I have to admit we eat very well out here. So much quality, fresh food on offer at reasonable prices. Got to love The Algarve!

Think we’re going to buzz off tomorrow. We had planned to hang around to see our German friends, Diana and Philip of Peace Shanti Ahoy, the guys who turn garbage washed up on the beach into art but they are still surfing in Porto Covo. Think we’ll sleep on it and go to Alvor in the morning. We need to fill up with gas. Can’t be running out of LPG halfway through cooking a meal!

So I shall bid you wonderful people a good night. Sleep tight wherever you are. I’m going to nod off to the sound of the waves lapping against the sand. It’s a beautiful, still, starry night. I have the sea on one side and the fairy light strewn palm trees along the river in town on the other. Not such a bad view!

I’ll be in touch soon. Please let BP have had their LPG delivery tomorrow or I’ll be eating out for the next week 🙏

Nightie night my lovelies xxx