Our Wakes: 2015

  We visited several places in Portugal on our journey towards Gibralter. While Sesimbra and  Silves were only a night stop, we spent more time in Lagos and Portimao. These cities are also  well placed for visits to the surrounding areas. We visited three cities with an interesting  historical background.  Silves: the old capital of a powerful arab kingdom, it was  destroyed during the "reconquista."  Every building were destroyed, including the 20 mosques, with only one building left standing. The  castle at the top of the city was preserved for strategic reasons and today offers a beauifull  view of the surroundings. The city of Silves is closed to cars so walking in the streets is very  pleasant. If you look at the tops of some buildings you will see big storks' nests.  Faro: This city has a well preserved historical center. You can also observe numerous storks'  nests. A visit to the cathedral is a must and the museum has a rich collection of religious clothing  but even more interesting is the access you gain to the tower. From there you have a beautiful  view of the bishop's palace as well as the Laguna surrounding Faro. Ferragudo : A small village located on the opposite side of Portimao. From the Church square, you can  compare the original architecture of Ferragudo to the concrete invasion of Portimao. Inside the  church there are a few wooden replicas of boats that were used to catch codfish at the  beginning of the century. The priest's assistant explained that he had been on those boats in the  past and how hard life was then. Ferrugado has also a fort but unfortunately it cannot be visited  as it is privately owned.