Farewell Faro

On our fifth day we went to a popular area name Vilamoura. It’s a nice area but to our disappointment it has become very infected with tourists. I hadn’t heard a single word of English in the Algarve region and all of sudden we were surrounded by loads of English tourists and shops that all spoke English. I bought a drink and the guy even said to me that’ll be eighty pence assuming I was British. Apparently flights are very cheap to Faro from the UK and the UK being on pounds everything is even cheaper. Faro is the gateway to the Algarve, being the major airport in the south of Portugal.

On our last day we got to see our other two cousins Anna and Ines (Daughter’s of my mum’s sister Cidialia that we met with in Lisbon). Just like everyone else I had not seen them in more than 15 years. They both speak excellent English so it was good that we could easily communicate. We laughed lots and had a great time catching up. I wish I had got to spend more time with them, it was a shame that the first time I saw them was the last time we’d see them, as we were flying out the next day. In the photo, are all of my cousins in Portugal. At the back are Ines, Nat and Joao. In the front is Anna, Patricia and I. As you can see from the photo, my cousins must spend a bit of time in the sun 🙂

By the end of my time in Portugal my vocabulary had quadrupled. I could communicate a lot of things to my Grandma and I was getting better and better everyday. Everyday I was picking up new words and having to rely less on Nat to translate. I’d love to have stayed there for longer to learn the language but I can feel each word eroding out of my brain every day that I am here in London. It’s too easy to lose when you’re not using it.

All up, we had a great time spending time our family. My grandma was so nice to us and always fussed over us. My uncle and aunties are all great fun and all of my cousins are great to spend time with too. My cousin Patricia is so nice too. She spent a lot of time with us and we had many funny jokes and laughter. I think we might have corrupted her innocence a little though 🙂

I felt really sad for my grandma as we’d left her all alone in her quiet lonely house. Especially after having three people to feed and talk to everyday. Nat and I plan to return for sure.  

As you know, we got a rude shock leaving sunny, warm, free accommodation and free food to arrive in cold, windy, no sun, expensive food and expensive accommodation. Boo!