Wednesday 12 October 2011

Hannibal & Henry

     Today brought the chance to explore the Algarve Coast from Portimao.
     The Roman name for this harbour was Portus Hannibalis after the great Cartheginian military commander Hannibal.
     In the 16th Century not far away at Sagres, the third son of the King, known as Henry the Navigator gathered advisors at his Estate of Vila do Infante.  Here ships awaiting favourable winds were also catered for.
     Lagos, was capital of the Algarve region from the mid 16th to mid 18th centuries, and host to the first slave market in Europe. The market stands in the corner of the square, where the 500th anniversary of past governor Henry is celebrated with a statue.
     Cape St. Vincent Point is the far south western corner of mainland Europe, where views of the cliffs stretch to the horizon in both directions.
     With the beautiful beach Prai da Rocha just minutes walk away from Fram and sea temperature at around 22 degrees, a dip in the ocean was another popular option for the day.