By William Thomas
Portugal's 240-kilometre southern coast of red, rocky cliffs,
sandy coves and sea-green grottoes is stunningly beautiful,
totally accessible and historically exotic.  It's also
overdeveloped, touristy and a little worn around the
edges.  And it's always great fun.
Bathed by the warm winds of North Africa, the Al-Garb, Arab for
"The West", serves as the alter for Northern Europe's
sun-worshippers, a haven for eclectic tastes.
Portugal's Riviera is still by far the cheapest vacation spot
in Europe and it brings out the best in curious Canadian
tourists.  It's the greatest place on the continent to
jump into a rental car and just go.  Roam. 
Explore.  Get lost.  Simplesmente via.  Just go!
In the middle of the Algarve, with bustling Albufeira to the
west and Vilamoura, the seaside playground of the rich to the
east, the quiet and comfortable town of Acoteias is the perfect
base for the visitor looking for a little bit of serenity.
Nestled in the midst of a manicured glade of tall pine trees,
is the peaceful and spacious apartment hotel called the
Alpinus.  Pronounced "Al-pinush", meaning "the pine tree",
this hotel is an ideal spot from which to strike out to Spain
for an afternoon or escape to the cool, rural mountains, only
minutes to the north.
Strolling around the rich green grove of these wild pines which
are shaped like gnarled lollipops and bring a cushioned
quietness to the grounds reminiscent of Northern Ontario, you
realize that the recreational chaos of the Algarve, minutes
away when you want it, is for now, so very far away.
A tranquil oasis in the midst of a busy and fun-filled Atlantic
coastal resort, the Alpinus has spacious efficiency suites with
large bathrooms and quaint little balconies.  A simple and
complimentary breakfast buffet allows guests to enjoy the
freshness of early morning on a shaded outside patio.  At
night the main restaurant first serves local specialties like
clams and pork Alentejo, baked cod with mussels and then is
given over to musical revues after the dishes are cleared.
Go to the gypsy market in Quarteira on Wednesday morning, well
within walking distance of the town's nearby fish and produce
markets.
"Five euros!  Lookie!  Lookie!"  It's a madhouse
of haggling and hustling amidst a riot of brilliant embroidery
and hoarse-voiced hucksters.  From shoes to shawls,
knock-off Rolexes and leather vests, hot Piri Piri and cold
beer - everything not nailed down is for sale at about half the
first price stated.  A photographer's dream and a
claustrophobe's nightmare, the gypsy markets are as exciting as
shopping gets.
From great, inexpensive cervejarias (beer pubs) to the quaint
cafeterias of Guia, the little town based on dozens of cheap
and delicious barbecue chicken restaurants, Portuguese cuisine
is a tasty adventure.
A little upscale is Lagosteira near the Hotel Alpinus, which
offers the best prawns dish on the entire coast.  The
massive antique Cataplana brass pot sitting at the entrance can
handle a sensational seafood risotto for 150 people.
It's an easy drive from Acoteias into Albufeira to walk the old
town, wander the narrow, twisting lanes of curio shops and
street vendors.  Whitewashed villas, British-style pubs
and 100-year-old Portuguese restaurants are built into
Albufeira's cliffs, looking down on one of the most beautiful
and naturally sculpted beaches in Europe.
A day pack and walking shoes are all you need for long,
luxurious walks along 300 km of red, crusty cliffs that tower
above the Algarve's beaches.  The four-hour walk from
Albufeira back to the Alpinus at Acoteias follows just such a
breathtaking cliffside hike.  At high tide, the hole
you're looking through into the seaside grotto below suddenly
bursts into a crashing and thunderous gusher.  A large
shadow crosses your path and from nowhere a man in a
hang-glider rises above the cliff, riding the updraft from the
sea.
Drive to any little fishing village along the Algarve - from
Sagres to Tavira, with Alvor, Ferragudo and Olhao in between -
and follow the smoke.  Where there's smoke, there's fire
in charcoal barbecue bins that slow-roast fish like sardines
and sea bass and serve them golden brown and crackling with a
side dish of clams in oil and herbs.
Go anywhere.  And get lost.  Confused and looking for
the little town of Paderne, I inadvertently launched a comedy
skit - "Paderne?  Pardon?  No, Paderne! 
Pardon?" - which ended with a peasant woman laughing too hard
to give directions while her dog snatched the last of my cod
cakes.  Getting lost in Portugal is good fun.
Portugal's Algarve - always beautiful and bewitching, sometimes
bewildering as well.  From hang-gliding to horseback
riding, water parks and golf courses, beaches and pool bars to
grotto tours and Jeep safaris, except for perhaps bungy jumping
- there's nothing imaginable in the way of fun and fantasy that
the Algarve does not have.
Where else can you immerse yourself in another country's exotic
culture for two wonderful weeks at a price of $1300, including
airfare, accommodation and a car?  Stay a month or longer
and pretty soon you've got that price down to $400 a week or
less.
Before you start planning your trip, phone Portuguese Tourism
(416-921-7376) and ask for an info pack on the Algarve.
William Thomas is the author of nine books including Never Hitchhike On The Road Less Travelled. www.williamthomas.ca
