After breakfast this morning we set out for a drive to neighboring Quarteira and Vilamoura. I had been there on my last visit but there were much fewer people on the waterfront walk and markets in this off-season period. We had lunch in an Italian place, one of few open. This evening we went to Four Seasons Resort in Quinta do Lago where we had dinner at their Boxing Day Celebration. We were entertained by Fado. There were a Spanish guitar and a Portuguese guita...

Christmas Day is here! It rained a bit during the night and it is overcast and windy this morning. As I write this there is a short downpour. Had a relaxing morning. Lunch at Spikes Restaurant in the Vale do Lobo clubhouse. Mine was turkey breast with stuffing after a shrimp and lobster salad cocktail. It is a beautiful setting at the 18th hole of the two courses.

It is Christmas Eve morning in the Algarve, mild and overcast. Lydia was here for a brief time. Marie is coming down with a cold. We had lunch of cheese and salad and relaxed. Marie prepared a delicious steak with wild rice and sautéed endive and served a nice red wine. We stayed to watch the Midnight Mass at St Peters in Rome before turning in.

After breakfast this morning we set out for a drive to Loulé and visited the market in the center of town. Then into the mountainous country know as the Caldera as the landscape resulted from serious volcanic activity eons ago. We visited the Buddist shrine high on one of the hills with a view of great distance in all directions. Driving further we passed a farm of huge windmills and I marveled at the size of the towers and the rather massive generator at the to...

Off to Marie's church for Mass this morning followed by lunch at Julia's. I had a delicious chowder of shrimp meat and tomatoes and both of us followed with grilled turbot. After lunch Marie drove over to Quinta del Lago to show me the place and some of the homes and timeshares there.