Goodbye, old year! Hello, new! No two days the same, but always the same opportunity, to live life to the full. To cast aside judgements and embrace life. This is very much a blue sky blog, but there are darker days too. All are beautiful.
Yesterday I went to my least favourite place here in the Algarve, Monte Gordo. The sky was brightest blue but a sharp wind niggled the bones and I wished for a warmer jacket. Still, I was in a forgiving mood. Hard not to be with this glorious beach, stretching off towards the Spanish border. Seagulls wheeled in the air, shrieking at each other and fighting over the latest catch. A number of small rays seemed to have been washed up on the tide, a feast for the bounty hunters.
Just a few days earlier, and a few kilometres further west, I joined the new boardwalk at Altura to admire the drama of the skies and the deserted beach. Sombre though it looks, there was no rain, and the clouds retained the warmth of previous days.
Always there are ripples of shells to explore, harbouring each other in a companionable way.
We all of us prefer blue sky days and the warmth of the sun on your back. Life’s not meant to be perfect, is it? Tomorrow the sun will shimmer on that water again. Maybe, even today?
For those of you expecting a Monday walk, I’m trying to keep them fortnightly, so I’ll be here next week. Take care till then!
Still Restlessjo 
βThis is very much a blue sky blog, but there are darker days too. All are beautiful.β β Those are poignant words, Jo.
Glad to read that youβre in such a beautiful place! Are the spring blooms emerging there yet?
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Absolutely, Tricia. The almond blossom is fabulous this year. Lots of sun and hardly any rain. It will arrive eventually π€π
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Beautiful reflections on life through your photos and words … to enjoy life to its fullest, embracing its gifts! β€οΈ I love the seascapes, with the serenity of the blues, the drama and foreboding of the darker clouds. A lovely spot and especially considering this is one of your least favourite areas! π Wishing you a wonderful and relaxing weekend, Jo! Xx
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Thanks, darlin! About to head for the hills and chase those few clouds away. Wish me luck! The company will be good anyway.
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I read this one earlier and left it to go back and have another look at the photographs. They are really lovely and so indicative of what I remember Portuguese beaches to look like – I can even recall Monte Gordo from a previous (long way back) visit. I also like the contrast between the sun and shade, what a clever idea. Trust you have settled down again now after your quick trip home to see the family.
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Yes, life is pretty much normal, as I know it, Mari. Yesterday was another lovely walking day and a farewell lunch with friends who are moving to Obidos in the north. Struggling with getting our son on the mortgage ladder currently. Being in the Algarve is a definite hindrance to that but we’re jumping through hoops to satisfy the solicitor in the UK. Beach time severely limited today but I did fit in a few games of croquet. Thanks for coming back to me π€π
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My kind of Happy Place. Thank you.πβοΈπ
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One of life’s pleasures that we share.
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That warm sun sure looks inviting, Jo! Thanks for sharing and have a fabulous week!
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I find it much easier to live with than snow, Terri. Hope all’s well with you!
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Ah to be by the seaβ¦.
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Beside the seaside, beside the sea π€π
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ππ
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You’re right Jo life is too short not to take advantage of a beach walk. Winter’s more dramatic and best of all less crowded. Hope you thought of a creative reason to tell your language teacher for not doing your homework.
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Suzanne, I never made it to that lesson, despite my very best efforts. When I got to my ‘teacher’s’ house there was nobody there except the cat. A very affectionate cat, but still, no Portuguese expert. I messaged the lady who said ‘oh, Johanna, I’m so sorry- we are at the cafe’. She had forgotten to tell me that was the arrangement. She named the cafe and I set off in haste. I passed 2 couples I know who wanted to stop and chat but I hurried past them, saying ‘Sorry, I’m late’. All would have been well but in my head I had confused the name of the cafe and headed for the wrong one, incidentally bypassing the correct one but they presumably didn’t see me. Disheartened to find them not there, I looked again at my message and realised my mistake. There was about half hour of our allotted time left but I really didn’t feel like charging back along the road. I gave up, went to the nearby newsagent and bought a birthday card for my son, and went home…early! You really didn’t ask for that saga, did you?
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Haha, I love a good saga. Seems a very plausible excuse to me to miss a lesson. Hey, at the very least your son will receive his birthday card.
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That’s exactly what I thought!
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Nice to go for a wander with these lovely views, Jo.
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It’s something we do often, Carol. How’s life with you?
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All well here, staying safely at home while Omicron goes crazy. We’re very grateful we have the capacity to be able to stay home.
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Any beach walk is a good walk in my book, especially long stretches of sand like these. I know what you mean about the development though. A couple of days ago I walked the coast path here in front of two resort. On my left, the ocean, whales, herons, turtles. On my right, dolphins in a little pool, loud music, people broiling in the sun. Not a hard cho8ice for me!
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The Algarve is one long stretch of coastline, Graham, and much of it is lost to the developers. Whenever we can we head for open spaces, and winter is just perfect at the beach.
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Beautiful blue and dark skies Jo. How lovely to be at the beach.
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Almost always a spirit lifter for me, Alegria, Hope you are feeling better now?
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Thanks Jo! For me too. Feeling better in inches, yes. Thanks so much for asking.
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Just my kind of beach Jo – a shame about the rays, though π¦ If you have any spare blue sky you could maybe send some over here, I’ve had enough of the current grey and rain π
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We’d never seen the rays inshore before, Eunice. Maybe an unusually high tide left them stranded. The gulls didn’t mind. ππ
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Ooooh! that last shot could easily be one of our beaches. It may not be a favo(u)rite of yours, but it has a certain charm of its own. Sandy stretches with nice clouds. You may have guessed that I was drawn to the moody shot just ahead of all the shells. Seems we don’t get nearly that many shells. Nor the variety.
Wishing you great good luck with the Portuguese lesson! βΊοΈ
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The beach is fine but I’m not keen on the resort. The shells vary with the tides, Gunta π€π
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That is gorgeous and so un-Winter!
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It only snows on postcards, doesn’t it, Mel? π€£π
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Yep!
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Wow, these are all great captures, grey or blue skiesβ¦just awesome!
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Thanks darlin! Love the beach at this time of year when it’s quiet π€π
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Love the contrasting photos Jo. Same place but such a different atmosphere. After a week of cyclone winds and rain we were tempted down to our beach for a walk yesterday. Don’t often go there during peak holiday times.Oh dear it was heaving with every man, woman and child and all their dogs. Had to drive round and round to find a parking spot. But did enjoy the sea breezes and sun on our backs. But think we will wait till all the visitors go home before venturing down there again.
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Tends to be the same here in summer, Pauline. I love our winter beaches.
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and the mild winter weather…
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Ah, your blue skies always cheer me up!
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Do my best, Anabel!
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A walk is better than no walk π
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It’s so nice to go for a walk by the sea whatever the weather though of course blue skies are preferred. Love your photo where all those shells are clustered together. Hope your week goes well.
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I was at my favourite beach this afternoon, Marion, taking lots of shell photos on my phone. I haven’t had time to see if there are any good ones yet. Thanks, darlin! You, too!
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Beautiful beaches, Jo!
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Aren’t they just, Pit? We were at the beach again this afternoon.
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Who wouldn’t love a lovely walk by the sea at any time! Great photos and I love the slider! Cady
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Hiya, darlin! I don’t use the slider much because I like it to match perfectly, but I think this works ok. Come and walk with me any time, Cady!
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I’ll be walking with you on quite a few MONDAYS! My posts are all stacked up! Cady
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I’ll look forward to it. Wish I was that organised. Mine aren’t!
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I’m getting to leave again! It’s my 75th birthday week!
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Woo Hoo! Celebrate! Do tell- where are you off to?
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Nashville
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ππππ
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I like reading your posts Jo because you explain how much youβre enjoying life in Portugal β and good on you, but I do have to ask, do you have homesickness at all?
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When I’m walking beside the water with the sun glinting off it like this afternoon, but rarely, Malc. For me, it’s more about the people, and there is a lot happening at ‘home’ right now. It’s a choice I’ve made and if I’m going to have too many regrets then I’ll go back, won’t I? I don’t much like the long sticky summers and the plan was always to be back in the UK for part of them. I do get wistful for certain places, like Aysgarth Falls and the Yorkshire Moors and Dales, but truly, I made the most of them while I could. Many of the places I left behind feature on the old Restlessjo blog.
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I know where you’re coming from Jo. We all have to make the most of the days we have in front of us π
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Beautiful views and shells and musing. But – how can a dead ray be a bounty? And you say there were many of them? Why is that? Is it common?
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It’s the first time I’ve observed it, Manja. The water is very shallow at this end of the Algarve and I’m surmising that, when the tide washed back out, the rays were trapped in the pools- a prime target for the gulls. Does that explain it for you?
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I’m no expert, it just sounded weird to me and not a good sign. Thank you for the additional info.
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What a wonderful beach to explore. We were a few miles from a beach the other day, but it was very wet and windy so we didn’t venture there this time.
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I have to admit, that doesn’t sound very appealing, Nikki.
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I was swept away by the drama in your photos, Jo. Grey clouds and the cold wind makes up for a bracing walk. I was fascinated by the manta rays washed up and the shells. An extraordinary walk, Jo.
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We were at my favourite beach this afternoon, Sheetal. No rays. I think it’s because it’s a very flat beach at Monte Gordo and they get trapped in the little pools as the tide retreats. Lots of shells though. Cloudy this morning but lovely blue skies and warm again now. π€π
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Such gorgeous blue skies – it’s still very grey here.
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The day started very grey here, Sue, but it didn’t last. By lunchtime it was mostly blue again. I feel very spoilt.
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At least it’s been mild today.
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That slider on your first photo is cool. I guess it’s something in the new WordPress that I haven’t explored. Love the beach scenes, even though it’s your least favorite place. There are lots of those places that don’t have much to redeem them. At least you give them a chance! π
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So long as you walk away from the resort it’s fine, Cathy. And there are a couple of decent restaurants there so it’s not all bad.
Yes, the slider is in the new Block Editor, with another neat trick or two. Nice for a change π€ππ
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I have lots of learning curves to climb! Too bad about the resort ruining the place. Too much development often ruins a good thing.
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I think this is an excellent Monday walk! What a beautiful place – and a place that captured my heart. Ahhhh ….
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Yes, one after your own heart, Frank. And I just remembered a couple of good cafes there. I know you don’t like cake π€π
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LOL …. Just so you know I have a new addition to my bucket list …. to walk that beach with Jo followed by enjoy a delightful dessert.
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, π€£π
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Well, if this is your least favourite, your most favourite must be stupendous! But I’ve read your comments, and I can understand your feelings. Thanks for just showing us the good bits.
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It’s a great beach, isn’t it? It gets a bit ragged at yon end, near the river mouth of the Guadiana. Can’t love everywhere, can you, but I do try to be fair. π€π
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Is there an explanation why it is your least favourite place? I like the shell picture.
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In the various comments, Andrew. I didn’t want to dish the place but it’s not a place I like much π€π
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We have to have places we don’t like so that we can have places that we do like.
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Exactly so! Something for everyone π€£π
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Lovely beach scenes, Jo. And definitely they look a darn sight warmer than mine. Happy New Year!
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Thanks darlin! Yes, mostly they are, Tish, but appearances can be deceptive. All the best to you and yours π€π
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Beautiful walk, Jo!
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Grey again today, Jill, but probably sunny later π€π
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How could you do this to me! showing an Algarve beach. I love your contrasting pictures with the slider. In England I always like a winter beach walk best. In Portugal any season except a hot busy summer beach. I have never been to Monte Gordo. Why are you not so keen?
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It’s high rise and visible from everywhere along that coast. Some of it is shabby – and not in a good way! Think cheap shops. And it’s Blackpool busy in summer, especially with the oldies because of the boardwalk. Allegedly the warmest water in the Algarve and a good shallow beach for kids. Just not a favourite π€£π
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Thanks for the info. As it would be a long trek for me I will stick to other places along the coast which are nearer.
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I don’t much like Albufeira for similar reasons, Liz, but some parts of it are beautiful. There’s something here for everyone π€£π
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I have only been to the edges of Albufeira once in the winter when we had a small hire car. It looks too complicated and busy!
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I love a beach whatever the weather – sometimes even more so when skies are dark, as long as there’s a bit of drama as there is in many of your shots!
I’ve had a Monday Walk drafted for ages! I was too caught up in my 2021 retrospectives last week to share it. So I may post and link to your LAST week’s walk π
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Whenever it suits, Sarah. I round them all up ready but I don’t want to be restricted to weekly walks. It doesn’t leave me scope for more random stuff, like this. Maybe that’s a good thing? Anyway, thanks for stopping by.
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Wonderful Jo. I am tempted to go to the beach tomorrow instead of working around here. It is supposed to be 29C π
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Get yourself there! Life’s too short! I have a Portuguese lesson today and should be doing my homework right now!
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Volte para seus estudos e pare de procrastinar ππ
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Exactemente! π€π
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Such a wonderful collection of beautiful photos, Jo π Life is short, and we only live once. Learning to live life to the fullest is an important step in making the most of every day. We all need moments to rest and relish in a sense of contentment, but staying in one place too long will leave you feeling a lack in life. Discover what makes your life feel meaningful and go after it. Thanks for sharing and have a good day π Aiva xx
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Thanks, Aiva! We were back at the beach this afternoon- my favourite one this time- because why wouldn’t you? Grey skies gave way to blue and it was warm enough with a jacket. I find sunshine glinting on water irresistible.
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Your darker skies are very much like my photo today. In some respect I prefer these images to the blue. Though not the cold wind.
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Not been in the Reader yet. I was hovering over a walk but I don’t really want to make that weekly. Funnily enough it’s grey again this morning but I have my first dreaded Portuguese lesson of the New Year. Lucky me! Will pop over to yours now.
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Hope you’ve been doing your homework π
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Well…..
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π³π
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