12 Sep 2024
Just back and still buzzing from a great day out with Mark and Simone. I did the "Alte and Beyond" tour which included a stop at a little herb farm where we sampled a couple of shots of Medronho and honey mixed with various flavours, absolutely delicious. There were many herbs and spices to buy there, both for cooking and medicinal purposes. Our next stop was the river at Alte, a quaint little award winning village where there was an option of cooling off in the crystal clear water. Afterwards, we sped down into the centre of the village and stopped off for a typical Portuguese lunch which consisted of bread, olives, paté, cheese, fresh salad drizzled with vinaigrette and olive oil and crispy chicken and chips. This was served with a drink of our choice and a cold beer went down very nicely as we dined outside. I was travelling solo but Mark and Simone made sure I was included in the conversation and I enjoyed hearing about their travels and snippets of history Mark knew about the area. The quads were large 300 cc and very comfortable to ride. We travelled at a good pace but it wasn't too extreme so I feel it would definitely suit families and couples alike. We rode off road but also through local villages which I think is just as nice to see the relaxed lifestyle of the Portuguese people. We received as much water as we needed throughout the tour. Simone sent some good directions for me to use with my Uber ride there and she ordered a taxi for me to get back to my hotel in Silves which cost an affordable €25. Everything was well run. I had a fabulous day out and I'll be back again for sure. Thanks Mark and Simone!