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"PORTUGAL'S ALGARVE" Page 1,
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Algarve Vacation activities
Sunbathing and swimming are the leading sports activities in the Algarve. And with
toplessness now being tolerated in Portugal (unlike the situation in my youth, when my father
was required to wear a shirt on Estoril's beach), seaside activities have become a
spectator sport as well. Other ocean-related sports include sailing, deep-sea fishing,
scuba diving, snorkeling, and water skiing.
Golf is popular, although club members (including the Algarve's many British retirees)
generally get first dibs on tee times. Tennis is also available at tennis clubs and
the better resort hotels.
A dozen or more riding stables rent horses to visiting cowboys and equestriennes.
Six
are listed on the neXus
Horse Riding page.
Food in the Algarve
Fish is a staple of Portuguese cuisine, and it's nearly always fresh (except for salt
cod or bacalhau, which is cooked in innumerable ways and is worth trying at least
once). Grilled sardines are popular--for snacking, not just for meals--and they're larger
and tastier than their canned minnow-sized relatives.
In the Algarve, two specialties include grilled tuna (or "tunny," if you're
British) and shellfish cooked in a copper cataplana with herbs and pork.
The Algarve also has many foreign restaurants, so you can easily find a hamburger or
British-style fish and chips if your taste buds get homesick.
Finally, Portugal is a mecca for anyone with a sweet tooth. Look for a dense and eggy
orange cake, the traditional Algarve almond cake, or ovos de fio ("thread
eggs" or "string eggs,") a concoction made with sugar and egg yolks that
can be used as a cake garnish or pastry filling.
NOTE: The Portuguese generally eat fairly late by U.S. and Northern European
standards--usually around 1 p.m. for lunch and 8 p.m. or later for dinner, although
restaurants usually open by 7 p.m. in tourist areas. Also, don't be miffed if there isn't
a nonsmoking section, since these aren't common in Portugal.
Drinks
The leading red wine is Dão; others, such as Colares and Buçaco (my sentimental
favorite) are also good. In general, you can trust the house tinto (red) or branco
(white).
Vinho verde, or "green wine," comes in white, rosé, and red
varieties, of which the white is the best and most popular. It's low in alcohol and has a
slight effervescence, making it pleasantly tingly on the tongue and refreshing on hot
days.
Port, a wine from the Douro region of Northern Portugal, shouldn't be missed. Order a
dry porto branco (white port, served chilled) in a sidewalk café or as an
aperitif before dinner. After your evening meal, have a glass of sweet, dark tawny or
vintage port, which bears little if any resemblance to the American domestic ports that
are typically served from bottles hidden in paper bags.
Beer is readily available. Sagres is a good brand with a local name, but you can also
find imported British beer in many pubs if you're willing to pay the price.
Soft drinks and mineral waters are also in generous supply, although my favorite
non-alcoholic Portuguese drink is coffee. Ask for uma bica (espresso) or um
café duplo (double-sized espresso), or um café com leite if your tastes
run more to latté than straight Brazilian black.
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