Lagos Portugal

Got into Lagos early Monday morning, uneventful journey of no wind and had to motor most of the way. One benefit was because it was so calm we stayed in to the coast off Cape Vincent and shortened the journey somewhat. It has a fearsome reputation in bad weather. Signed in and found our berth. Nice man took our lines, which was great but he hasn’t spoken to us since – another pompous Englishman – what’s with them!!! They’re living a great life and still they’re not happy or at least don’t look it.

Had a chance to have a good look around Lagos today and found it has changed even more than I thought at first site. Behind the marina there is street after street of non descript apartment blocks, mostly empty. It looks over developed and not very attractive. The beautiful little railway station is closed and covered with graffiti which is a real shame; it was a typical old Portuguese building with lovely tiling inside. The new station is another modern non descript building with no character. Walking up the hill behind the marina you can clearly see across the valley up behind the old town and the skyline is now entirely new high rise buildings. Even after a couple of days it’s obvious the place is much busier than when we were here 3 years ago.

It’s a shame really the place is looking like the south coast of Spain, but I suppose you can’t blame them when the majority of Portugal’s income is from tourism, and I suppose 2nd homes n the sun. Why shouldn’t they get on the band wagon?? It does make you wonder whether there is going to be a big enough market for all this building work, the sales will have to come from abroad and at a time that the housing market is slowing down virtually worldwide are they going to be left with hundreds of properties standing empty as people feel the pinch in their home towns.

Later note in relation to paragraph above. Was talking to Ingrid (Marina Manager) and she was saying the building taking place now was approved 10 years ago and was held up due to politics. When that had been sorted out only 18 months ago the building work began immediately. No revue as to appropriateness for todays needs, makets etc etc. Madness!

One of the reasons for coming to Lagos was to catch up with an old friend we had met here 3 years ago, Bruce. We were not sure he would be here we thought he might be up the Guardiana. Quite by chance we were sitting in the bar with the free wifi, tapping away looking at our emails and who should walk in but the very man!! Good to see him, he came back for dinner and we had a nice evening. He had been up the Guardiana for the summer and was back in Lagos while he got his faulty Sterling charger sorted out then he’s off to the Canaries for the winter. His plans are then to go south to Cape Town then on to Australia next year. Knowing how fluid Bruce’s plans are we’ll probably meet up with him in the Canaries next year.