Odds and Ends

Just a few 'odds and ends' today, to finish with our Portuguese jaunt. More than anything else, the colourful nature of the Vilamoura area was most noticeable.

Despite the lack of unspoiled, wild spaces, the gardens, parks and hedges surrounding the built up areas were still full of flowers, even at this time of year.

Even where there were no flowers to enjoy, there were other things to attract the eye - such as the colourfully 'posh' marina with its plethora of expensive yachts.

To finish with the Algarve (for now at least), it is well worth a couple more pictures of the wetlands - which might not be there for much longer.

All in all, a good break away.

Beaches

I am no great fan of long stretches of sandy beach, much preferring more dramatic, rocky coastlines or miles of mud flats and reed beds. The Vilamoura area has all of these things. The sandy beaches, backed by areas of dunes with some nice wild flowers growing on them were rather nice, especially when seen with the sun glinting on the water.

Added to that, the dark, glowering clouds of a storm out to sea and the scene was complete.

Further along the coast, there are areas of reed marshes cut through by water channels. These are fine places to watch birds and other wildlife. Sadly, the Portuguese seem to be hell-bent on destroying these areas by draining them and building new resorts and more blasted golf courses.

For the time being however, there is still quite a lot of wetland to enjoy - although not for much longer if published development plans go ahead. It's so sad and so short-sighted of the Portuguese authorities to allow such vandalism.

New Species

When we have been away, it is usual for me to come back with a new 'tick' or two for the life lists and our week in the Algarve has added ticks to both the bird and plant lists. Plants to begin with and a couple of non-native species which caught our eye.  Firstly, a member of the Pea family - although you might not think so to look at it - this is commonly called a Needle Bush.

Originating from Mexico and Central America, the scientific name for this species varies and it is known as either Vachellia, Acacia or Mimosa farnesia. Looking closely, it is easy to see where the common name comes from.

The second new 'tick' on the plants list, belongs to another non-native species originating this time, from Australia. Known as Mugga or Red Ironbark, the scientific name is Eucalyptus sideroxylon.

In Portugal and Spain, Eucalyptus are often grown for wood pulp, but in this case, it was purely decorative.

The last new 'tick' was a small bird which I had never thought I would get the chance to see. In Britain, the Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus) is very scarce and confined to a few thousand individuals only to be found in ancient pine forests of northern Scotland. So it was a great surprise to find one flitting restlessly around the branches and needles of the pine trees just in front of our balcony!  Unfortunately, the little so-and-so was small, very active and retiring in the deep shade of the tree, so I didn't manage to get a picture, but it was a good 'tick' nonetheless.

Lacking in Crested Tit photos, I will finish for today with another flowery picture from the Old Village mentioned yesterday. This time, the flowers belonged to a South African native, the Pink Trumpet Vine or Podranea ricasoliana.

Gardens

While in Vilamoura, we stayed in a small complex of apartments about 15 minutes walk from the marina. Our balcony was quiet and thanks to a couple of large Pine trees, quite shady. Several Hibiscus and Lantana shrubs provided some floral colour too.

Nearby, a rather exclusive residential area known as the Old Village was well worth a walk around. Private villas and rental properties surround a central complex of very attractive apartments with a few shops and restaurants, but it was the flowers which stood out immediately. As well as the beautifully painted buildings.

Bougainvillea seemed to climb over most of the balconies and frontages.

In the sunshine and against a blue sky, there are few plants which give such good value as Bougainvillea.

There were some fine Brugmansia bushes too (what we used to call Daturas or Angels' Trumpets).

This part of Vilamoura had been advertised as the town's most colourful area and the reality certainly lived up to the hype.

Shady courtyards and sunny house-fronts at every turn.

Just beautiful and well worth an hour or so walking around.

Back Again

Malcolm and I returned yesterday, from a lovely week away in Vilamoura on the Algarve in Portugal. Vilamoura is a purpose-built resort, close to Faro and based around too many golf courses and a very swanky marina complex.

With the capacity to berth over 1000 boats, the whole area is surrounded by grand hotels and some rather posh restaurants - as well as a few of a rather more 'common' nature.

Berthed in the marina were boats of all sizes, shapes and values, from the mundane to the downright ostentatious. By far the most impressive of these was one going by the name of Vive La Vie, a super yacht owned by the Swiss entrepreneur, Willy Michel. He made his money from various companies creating medicines and associated paraphernalia, all to do with the treatment of diabetes.
On board, the dining room table can be raised into the ceiling so creating space for a floating disco. The boat is said to have cost £493 million - obviously there's money in diabetes!
For more pictures of this fabulous vessel, click HERE.

Back to earth for the moment, we spent some very enjoyable hours walking around the marina during our stay - more of which will be forthcoming over the next few days.

View From...

Climbing Shipley Hill yesterday, we were delighted to have such a great view across the Shipley Woodside nature reserve and of course, the autumn colours to be found there.

Standing, looking out over the scene, we were in good company - a large Beech tree has been looking out over the same view for many years and has seen a lot more autumns than either Malcolm or me.

Away from Shipley Hill, the walk around Mapperley reservoir is well worth taking as more leaves fall from the trees allowing more light to get through to the ground.

Sunlight is usually in short supply among the trees back on top of Shipley Hill, but in one spot, a hole has opened up in the canopy, allowing a patch of green grass to grow on the woodland floor. It somehow looks a little out of place.

Conkers

As Malcolm and I sat having our coffee by Mapperley Reservoir this morning with the sun shining on us, we were conscious of the breeze blowing through the the trees around us. This breeze shook the Horse Chestnut trees nearby, dislodging the conkers which thumped to the ground below.

Horse Chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum) are familiar to us all and their shiny, reddish-brown seeds - known to everyone as conkers - are a sign that Autumn has certainly arrived.
Conkers are poisonous to many animals - humans included - and in the case of Horses, if eaten, they can cause muscular tremours and disruptions to coordination.

Some animals are able to cope with the toxins contained within the conker. Deer for example, can break down the alkaloid saponins and glucosides which would cause us such problems. An old wives tale has it that placing conkers around the home, will repel spiders and while the saponins may indeed have some effect on insects, there is no evidence that spiders are in the least bit put off by them. A pity, because if they did work, I would have collected them all and surrounded the house with them.

Just as a footnote, it turns out that Horse Chestnuts belong to the same family as Lychee..!