Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Algarve Pousadas... Luxury on a Stick!
Don't ask me why I typed that. Desperation probably... I always intended to post my blog more often, but... "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." (Well, I think it was Hell, but if not, somewhere equally undesirable).
I've been writing a page about Algarve pousadas for my website. What are they? Well, they're a form of hotel accommodation that's probably unique to Portugal. But that's a bit like saying if I invent something spurious today and call it 'Worryspin', then it's unique because there's nothing like it.
Pousadas are state-subsidised luxury hotels (40+ in number) dotted throughout Portugal. They are almost always situated in spectacular or otherwise favoured settings. Some are in buildings with special histories that have been refurbished and converted (the buildings, of course - not the histories).
There are only 2 pousadas in the Algarve (the southern coastal area of Portugal).
The Sao Bras pousada was only the second one in the whole of the country, having been built in 1942. It's on a steep hillside overlooking the south coast some 20 kilometres away. And it's a great place to make a pit-stop if you're driving through the centre of Algarve during a vacation there. Coffee and cake with that view from the terrace - just Heaven!
Out near the south-west tip of Algarve (once thought of as the edge of the world), the Sagres pousada is steeped in history. It was here that Prince Henry founded his school of navigation in the 15th century and so spurred the Portuguese discoveries of foreign lands, including Brazil. Once again, the views from the pousada are sensational, and it's only a few kilometres along the coast from the Forteleza at Cabo do Sao Vicente (currently undergoing some restoration), which is also redolent of the nation's maritime history.
(I was just looking back at that word 'discoveries' and pondering. Of course, the natives who were already there when the explorers landed might not have agreed with that term, had they even understood the language. But, that's how we Europeans regarded them - they hadn't even coined the phrase 'cultural imperialism' back then).
There's going to be a third Algarve pousada, and they've started work on renovating and restoring the palacio at Estoi. But it'll probably be ages before it's open to Joe Public - so I'll write about it then...
Anyway, I hope to add another blog before Crimblemas, but who knows? There's shopping and Lord knows what else to get done, and my planning skills seem to wane the more I require them.
However, if you want to find out more about this stuff, check out:
Algarve Pousadas
Meantime, in case I don't get back here in time, happy holidays to all my readers (yes, all 6 of you!) :)
I've been writing a page about Algarve pousadas for my website. What are they? Well, they're a form of hotel accommodation that's probably unique to Portugal. But that's a bit like saying if I invent something spurious today and call it 'Worryspin', then it's unique because there's nothing like it.
Pousadas are state-subsidised luxury hotels (40+ in number) dotted throughout Portugal. They are almost always situated in spectacular or otherwise favoured settings. Some are in buildings with special histories that have been refurbished and converted (the buildings, of course - not the histories).
There are only 2 pousadas in the Algarve (the southern coastal area of Portugal).
The Sao Bras pousada was only the second one in the whole of the country, having been built in 1942. It's on a steep hillside overlooking the south coast some 20 kilometres away. And it's a great place to make a pit-stop if you're driving through the centre of Algarve during a vacation there. Coffee and cake with that view from the terrace - just Heaven!
Out near the south-west tip of Algarve (once thought of as the edge of the world), the Sagres pousada is steeped in history. It was here that Prince Henry founded his school of navigation in the 15th century and so spurred the Portuguese discoveries of foreign lands, including Brazil. Once again, the views from the pousada are sensational, and it's only a few kilometres along the coast from the Forteleza at Cabo do Sao Vicente (currently undergoing some restoration), which is also redolent of the nation's maritime history.
(I was just looking back at that word 'discoveries' and pondering. Of course, the natives who were already there when the explorers landed might not have agreed with that term, had they even understood the language. But, that's how we Europeans regarded them - they hadn't even coined the phrase 'cultural imperialism' back then).
There's going to be a third Algarve pousada, and they've started work on renovating and restoring the palacio at Estoi. But it'll probably be ages before it's open to Joe Public - so I'll write about it then...
Anyway, I hope to add another blog before Crimblemas, but who knows? There's shopping and Lord knows what else to get done, and my planning skills seem to wane the more I require them.
However, if you want to find out more about this stuff, check out:
Algarve Pousadas
Meantime, in case I don't get back here in time, happy holidays to all my readers (yes, all 6 of you!) :)
