July 6 - Catch the public bus to Sagres, a town very close to the southwestern tip of Portugal, hence continental Europe. It takes an hour, drifting through little towns and quiet bus stops. There are some stone age structures hidden in the hills along the way, but without a car we don’t have much option to go visit them.
It is very windy here, and a bit cold. I should be relieved that it isn’t scorching, as I expected the Algarve to be in July. The main attraction here is Sagres Fort, built out on a peninsula lined with cliffs.
The fortress was built in the 15th century by order of Henry the Navigator. It was heavily damaged in the 1755 earthquake and remodeled several times after that. The climate in this area is different than elsewhere, leading to a unique set of flora that grows on the rocky, windy surface of the peninsula around the fort.
The fortress itself is just a shell, with a few old cannons left. The more interesting thing to look at are the plants. The surface is very rocky limestone with only small footholds of dirt for roots to penetrate. Here they call it ‘limestone pavement’, and apparently it is Jurassic in age.
The plant types here have to contend with poor soil, salt-laden winds, and little rain. Some of them are related to North African plants, their seeds having been blown here. The same probably goes for the soils we see.
Make our way back to Lagos. For as many tourists as we see walking around the fort, very few are in town. In Lagos we go downtown and visit a few places.
For a second day, eat at Adega da Marina. I even order the same sardine dish as yesterday. The place is just too convenient and cheap to go elsewhere.
