Unfortunately I skipped Albufeira. Funny story. I was checking the bus timetable and I decided to catch the 12:30 bus. I arrived there exactly half an hour before and the reception was closed. I mean, I get it it is Sunday but shouldn't they be open no matter what? I somewhat figured out that the Albufeira bus is in a separate station and was waiting for it there. One thing that I learned in Lisbon is that the bus won't stop if you don't stick out your finger, so that's what I did. I kid you not, the driver just made a no sign and that's it. Hmm, so that's what rejection really feels like.
I was like: This is a sign. I mean it was a sign, literally. I decided maybe it's for the better if I don't go to Albufeira at all, but the next train was in four hours and I had no plans in Faro. I went back to the same brunch spot I was at the day before and had my first shakshuka ever.
I think it was the second most beautiful train ride I've ever took (the first one being the surfliner in California). I've seen everything through the windows of cabin: the sea, the small white villages and even had a peak of the rock formations.
As I mentioned this I realized that Algarve is a lot similar to California. Well, not the big cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco but the smaller hippie surf towns.
Especially Lagos. The small dreamy streets with the surf shops, the indie and old school music playing everywhere and vegan friendly dining are a huge throwback to this summer and it makes me want to hitchhike again.
So far, this is my favorite Portuguese place I've been to. People are chill and open minded, I made friends in like 10 minutes in the hostel I'm staying - something I didn't really experienced in Lisbon. Even on the first day I could already tell that leaving in two days will not be enough to satisfy my needs regarding Lagos.
But to be totally honest about it, I will make a short recommendation for this place. It is not sponsored. If you're all about spooky places you'll love the White Butterfly hostel. I'm talking about the real experience here. The building was so old I can even imagine it to stand there from the beginning of times. I got a bedroom on the ground floor where we had a door to the streets for some reason with big and non-lockup windows. So this is when the spook really begins. It was 2 am, I was already sleeping for hours when I wake up to a big noise: somebody was hitting the door cause he got locked up. He was staring at me for a good ten minutes and started beating the window again. Well, good thing I'm a hard-boiled fellow cause I can see why this experience is not for everyone. However, I totally acknowledge that none of my bad experiences were the hosts fault (but I am also fairly doubting that it's legal to stay in a house this old and weak)
When you're walking the narrow streets of Lagos you're feeling like you arrived in a completely different place because you mostly see two types of people: The backpacker youth and the elderly dressed in white holiday clothes. At least this is what you see when you go off-season. I can easily imagine that in the summer there are a lot of families getting that Vitamin D as well.
The good thing about Lagos is that everything is in a walking distance so you don't have to figure out how public transportation works because you will not need it. Even going to the gorgeous Ponta de Piedade only takes like half an hour from the city center.
If you're ever in this area you just simply can't skip this place. I agree that it is super touristy and I can't even imagine how crowded it gets in summer but you just simply can't miss this sight.
In conclusion, the trip didn't turn out as expected but nothing ever does. The ocean was too aggressive for kayaking, I didn't visit Albufeira and I was way too shy to hitchhike so I ended up in a ride from blablacar with two of the coolest Lisbon locals ever so I'm definitely not complaining. The four hour long conversation was definitely a good closure to the trip.
