Tag Archives: Holidays

Porto Santo: Diving & Dolphins – Day 2

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Good Morning Porto Santo!

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My First Nitrox Diving

This morning, no time to hang out on the beach. I go to Rhea Dive to try my 7 mm wetsuit and equipment. I don’t travel with my heavy equipment anymore. The diving center has a wide range of impeccable equipment to rent or purchase.

Two other confirmed divers join us. Miguel and Milton, the Padi instructors, drive us to the Porto Santo harbour (below photo 1). We change here (2). Not a sound, as if the whole island was still asleep! I’m a excited I will dive Nitrox for the first time! I’ve never dived with enriched air Nitrox! Small briefing by Miguel about the spot where we are going to dive.

Cloudy weather: on the small boat, the air is cold and a little choppy sea. Too much current, we move to another diving spot. I dive with Miguel which is really calm. The water is freezing, but I forget very quickly: the underwater world is so relaxing. And I’m euphoric, when I encounter my first and only ray of this 44 minute dive : ))

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Dolphin Watching

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After Lunch

Back to the harbour for a long boat ride organized by Mar Dourado Company, among some islets facing Porto Santo (above photo: the coastline of Porto Santo). And if we are lucky enough, we will see some dolphins.

Very temperamental my friends the dolphins (lol)! I’ll see just one or two super hurry : )) Now the sky is clear with bright light! What an impressive landscape! Better than a long speech, enjoy my photos (below)! Picture 1, The traditional cake of fishermen. In fact, its consistency looks like a rusk with a neutral taste pretty salty.

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The Beach

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Late Sunset  

Before dinner, I finally take time to explore some of the famous nine kilometers beach with golden sand. Magic! To be continued…

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Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations 

Visit Madeira, Visit PortugalRhea Dive & Mar Dourado Company

Related Posts : HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

Many thanks to Visit Madeira and Visit Portugal for this wonderful discovery of the island of Porto Santo. Thanks to Miguel Matos, the Rhea Dive team and the Mar Dourado Company too! As always these are my opinions.

Portugal, Cascais: The Oitavos Hotel

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Swimming-Pool-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

50 Shades of Blue

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-swimming-Pool-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Weekend with Friends

I like going by car to Cascais on the Marginal road (20-30 minutes from Lisbon) to see the seaside. The brightness reminds California. Weekend “staycation” with my BFF at The Oitavos located in the middle of a beautiful pine trees. We take the opportunity to go visiting friends and the “Point of View” exhibition in Sintra.

Surprise while arriving: the super modern hotel is huge! And it largely fills my insatiable need for space, outside/inside, lobby, lounge, bar, restaurant, terraces, pool (photos below), corridors and the room! Bikini break, my HQ: the infinity pool overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and pines tilted by the wind! “Comment vous dire, tout est bleu” (: “How can I describe you, everything is blue”) … even the glasses of my fly sunglasses! 

Photos above: 1. Tadam: flies sunglasses! A mini trails that lead to the pool for those who like to complicate life (LOL) because there are more direct access! 2 and 3. The intimate breakfast terrace as printing a picnic in the countryside. 4. Gosto muito minhas Havaianas offered by my BFF who just came back from Brazil.

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Swimming-Pool-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KThe-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Swimming-Pool-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KThe-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Swimming-Pool-5-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

The Spa

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Pool-and-Spa-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Open to Nature

Early in the morning, when the water in the outdoor pool is freezing, I go to the warmer seawater pool in the Spa (photo above). Then I switch between jacuzzi, sauna and Turkish bath whose windows offer amazing views of the landscape. I would have tried a treatment, but it was closed. 

Photos below: 1. The pool! 2. My favorite sandals on the blue floor of the room terrassse. 3. My “cowgirl from the beach” silhouette (whith straw hat and beach bag and Balinese sarong) to go to the spa. 4. Really cool at the end of the day: I enjoyed having a drink and big laughs with friends under this parasol of the Atlântico Pool Bar. 5. My postcard ; ))

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Swimming-Pool-6-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K  The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Fashion-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KThe-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Fashion-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K  The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Swimming-Pool-7-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K
The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Pool-and-Spa-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

The Lounge

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Lounge-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KThe-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Lounge-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KThe-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Lounge-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K  The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Lounge-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KThe-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Gourmet-Restaurant-Dinner-Bar-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

The Ipsylon Restaurant

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Gourmet-Restaurant-Dinner-Bar-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Gourmet Dinner

I like the minimalistic design and volumes. For the cuisine, it is the same. I should be able to find the flavor of each ingredient. I am not a gourmet, but I am curious. What a pleasure to discover at the Epsylon restaurant, the delicate blend of traditional Portuguese cuisine and French cuisine, elaborated by the French chef Cyril Devilliers!

Photos above: 1. Epsylon Restaurant & Bar. 2. The delicious first meal consists of a crayfish with asparagus after excellent appetizers and the traditional bread accompanied by olive oil. 3. The delicious fish with vegetables. 4. The Friday and Saturday nights, the bar turns into the Japanese Bar where you can eat estra fresh sushi and sashimi prepared in front of customers.

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Gourmet-Restaurant-Dinner-Bar-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

A Room with a View

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Room-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Bathed in Light

The first day while entering in the room, I was immediately sensitive to the view! And of course the 40 square meters space and bathroom (photos below)! Open volumes, a gradient blue and white shades, nomadic furniture (on wheels), the bay window … I breathe!

Spotless bed: I fell asleep like a baby watching a Brazilian telenovela! I never watch TV, so you can imagine a telenovela! No comment please!  

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-View-Room-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KThe-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Room-Bathroom-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

That’s the kind of bathroom overlooking the terrace I would like to have at home! With Japanese WC (photo below)! Light and space (I repeat myself)! The originality: the blue!

The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Room-Bathroom-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KThe-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-View-Room-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KThe-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-View-Room-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K  The-Oitavos-Hotel-Review-Corridor-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

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The Oitavos

Related posts : HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

Many thanks to The Oitavos for this beautiful invitation. As always, these are my opinions.

Weekend in Évora – Day 1

Portugal-Alentejo-Evora-Art-1-Photo©Mademoiselle Le K

Cycling Tour of Évora

Portugal-Alentejo-Evora-City-Tour-by-Bicycle-Photo©Mademoiselle Le K

Departure From The Ecorkhotel

The night was too short. I always need to redo my suitcase X times until no time … As a result, now my dream team is already on bikes, while I have a green tea break in the patio of the Ecorkhotel  (photo below).

In front of the hotel, our two guides including Teresa Vilas Boas, the owner of Touraventur, explain us our bike tour of Évora (photos below). We start by crossing countryside, because the Ecorkhotel is located on the outskirts of the city and historic center classified World Heritage by Unesco.

Portugal-Alentejo-Evora-Ecorkhotel-Terrace-Photo©Mademoiselle Le KPortugal-Alentejo-Evora-City-Tour-by-Bicycle-6-Photo©Mademoiselle Le K  Portugal-Alentejo-Evora-City-Tour-by-Bicycle-5-Photo©Mademoiselle Le K

The Capela dos Ossos

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We stop at the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones), built in the 16th century by a Franciscan monk. Upon the entry, it says: “Nós ossos que aqui estamos pelos vossos esperamos” (“We bones that here are, for yours await”, traduction Wikipedia). 

Portugal-Alentejo-Evora-City-Tour-by-Bicycle-3-Photo©Mademoiselle Le KPortugal-Alentejo-Evora-City-Tour-by-Bicycle-7-Photo©Mademoiselle Le K  Portugal-Alentejo-Evora-City-Tour-by-Bicycle-8-Photo©Mademoiselle Le K

The Beautiful University of Évora

We take up our bikes and the street steeply climbs and then goes down! This is the first time I use a bike with gears (I think so, LOL)! What a surprise when visiting the Évora University, built by the Jesuits in 1559 and closed in 1759 by the Marquis of Pombal!

The walls of classrooms and corridors are covered with Azulejos (photos below). The kind of university where I would have liked studying!

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Wine Tasting and Shopping

To be honest, I’m not fond of the wine tasting, except when I visit a “terroir” (vineyards) or have a wine tasting course like in the Ecole des vins de Bordeaux (the School of Bordeaux wines, in Bordeaux, France). But I really enjoy the decor of the Ervideira wine cellar in a small shopping street in the historic center (left below).

Just opposite, I discovered a restaurant very popular with the local youth … and just about everyone: the Páteo. Before the last bike climb in narrow streets leading to the famous Roman Temple from the second century, I spot these beautiful colorful dishes. And to buy homemade jams : Loja Mó sells products made by people with a handicap.

Pictured below: near the Roman Temple, the Convent of Lóios which is now a pousada. Around 3 p.m., we have lunch. By late afternoon, I finally bring my luggage in the Vitória Stone Hotel, a new design hotel. Well, I feel fantastic, just a few leg cramps (LOL)! To be continued…

Portugal-Alentejo-Evora-City-Tour-by-Bicycle-11-Photo©Mademoiselle Le K  Portugal-Alentejo-Evora-City-Tour-by-Bicycle-12-Photo©Mademoiselle Le KPortugal-Alentejo-Evora-City-Tour-by-Bicycle-14A-Photo©Mademoiselle Le KPortugal-Alentejo-Evora-City-Tour-by-Bicycle-15-Photo©Mademoiselle Le K

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations  

Visit AlentejoVisit Portugal & Turaventur

Related posts : DESTINATIONSLIFESTYLE & HOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to Visit Alentejo and Visit Portugal for this amazing invitation. Also thanks to the great team of Turaventur to turn this bike tour in real pleasure! As always these are my opinions.