Flowers Galore

Coming here in April we have seen so many flowers so it seemed I should definitely blip some. These were carpeting the ground in the hills  on our way up to Monchique and Foia. But to start at the beginning…
After a leisurely and lovely breakfast with amandoAlentejo and M and after a few more photographs (we are blippers, 3 of us) we started south to the Algarve. Tomorrow we fly home.
Tipped off by our hosts, just south of Ourique we stopped at Restaurante Novo Coimbra selling Mirandes beef. (Carne Mirandesa Certificado). This is just south of Ourique on the IC1, on the left as you drive south. If you are in the area eat here!!!  I am not a great lover of meat but this is tender and truly delicious beef. The slightly rough and ready atmosphere, more transport cafe than posh restaurant, only added to the experience.
After this late lunch we continued south. The rain had stopped and the air was so clear we decided to head for Foia (902 m), the highest point on the Algarve. We’d been here a few days previously but then the views were limited by the haze. Today in the clear air we could see sunlight reflecting of the sea, miles away, as well as the towns and estuaries. We could also see the base of the clouds, only a few metres above our heads, dark and threatening more rain, but it held off until we were once more driving south.
The Algarve and Alentejo are so good to visit at this time of year. You may not swim much and perhaps you need a jumper but seeing everything so green is just lovely.
(Backblips, today and 29 April,were posted 30 April)