I have always heard that Portugal’s beaches are some of the most beautiful ones in the world, but I don’t think that anyone could believe it until they actually experience it for themselves. To say my weekend in Portimão took my breath away is an absolute understatement. The entire time that I was there, I kept thinking, “Is this real?”
The beach of Portimão, Portugal.
Waves on the beach of Portimão.
Originally, I thought that I could blog about the similarities and differences between Spain and Portugal, but to be honest, I don’t think I learned enough about Portugal to write an entire entry about that. I've lived in Seville, Spain for almost three weeks now and there are still many more cultural nuances to learn. I was only in Portugal for about two days, most of which was spent relaxing on the beach.
Laying out in the sun: Carli (right), Addie (middle), and Me - Joy (left)
Portimão is about a three-hour drive west of Seville, which makes the two cities quite similar geographically. The weather was absolutely perfect while we were there – probably in the upper 80’s or mid 90’s.
Reading a book in Spanish on the beach
Almost as soon as we arrived in Portimão, we all headed for the beach. After laying out in the sun for a while, we headed for the beautiful blue-green waves of the Atlantic Ocean to cool off a bit. It was absolutely relaxing and we thoroughly enjoyed being gently lifted up and down by the smooth waves of the sea.
In the early evening time, my roommates and I decided to go on a tour of the city. It was a rather short, pleasant walk with not too many sites to see, but I still enjoyed it.
The streets of Portimão
My roommates and me in front of an important building in Portimão
After our leisurely visit in the town of Portimão, we met up with several others for dinner.
Left to right: Sean, Jill, Jackie, Dan, Kathleen, Melissa, Tiffany, Hannah, Lyndsey, Joy (Me), Addie, and Carli.
The next day we were scheduled to go on a boat tour, but unfortunately we were informed that the waters were too rough. Many of us were a little disappointed, because we were looking forward to seeing Lagos, Portugal and exploring some of the caves up close. However, one of our escorts, Aranoa, was still able to take most of us to Lagos to see the view and take some pictures.
Lagos, Portugal
Beautiful view in Lagos: Me - Joy (left) and Jill (right)
In Lagos with my roommates: Addie (left), Me - Joy (middle), Carli (right)
Panoramic view of Lagos, Portugal
After spending much too little time taking in this wonderful view, we headed back to Portimão for a few last precious moments on the beach.
Saying goodbye to Portimão and the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
My experience in Portugal is definitely one I will remember for the rest of my life. I loved spending time on the beach, getting to know others in my program, and taking numerous photos to capture our short time in Portimão. Even though I loved this excursion, upon returning to Seville, it made me realize that Seville has definitely become my “home” for the next three months. I look forward to many more experiences to come. ¡Hasta luego!
Joy Bullock is the Fall 2013 CEA MOJO in Seville, Spain. She is currently a senior at Seattle Pacific University.
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