A Lisbon Super Market

This is one of the larger markets in Lisbon.  It is a chain market like we have in the states, kind of Stater Brothers on steroids.  The first three pictures are just cheese.  Wonderful cheeses here with such variety that I have never seen before.  We don't appreciate cheese in the States like they do here.

Just Olive Oil....and you thought that I was taking a picture of the wine section.  Nope.

I had to take more pictures of fish.  How many can you name?  This is an incredible selection.  On Saturday afternoons the barbques start cranking up around here and you can smell the fish and coals.   Luckily it doesn't take fish long to cook.  I hope that someone invites us to a fish fry before our mission is over.

 The Fish displays are beautiful...

And finally,  this is bacalhau, the famous dried, salted Cod of Portugal.  You step one foot into the markets and the smell hits you in the nose.  You do get used to it.  These things are as stiff as a board.  I haven't gotten anyone to show me how to cook it yet, but I have tasted it. Tons and tons of dried cod.  They say that they have a different recipe for Cod for every day of the year.

The Mercado

Once a month is market day in Tavira.  We put up a table and started handing out Books of Mormon, DVDs and pass along cards.  The missionaries in the picture below talk to people as they pass by.

                  Elder Sommer stayed by the table and talked to people as their curiosity brought them closer.
                                                            Elder Sommer is my hero.
No one took a Book of Mormon that day.  I couldn't help but think how sad it was that so many passed by                                                               such a precious Book.  If they only knew...

Mother's Day

Mother's Day this year was quite different from years past.  To give me a special treat Ron took me to this beautiful spot in Tavira, (where our Branch is located) for a really nice dinner.  These pictures were all taken while seated right  at our table while eating our fish dinner.  Portuguese food is very simple, but very tasty.  Great Mother's Day! 

Lagos

This is Lagos, Portugal.  These rock formations can been seen 

by walking down this long stairway, or...

you can take a boat ride all around them. 

This is one of the most beautiful spots in the Algarve.

Transfers

Tavira Branch- r-l:   Elders Judd, Richards and Sommer and Sr. Sommer,  March 2013-May2013.  Elder Judd is being transferred to Gaia which is in the Porto area of the mission.  Success to you Elder Judd!

White or Bright

There are two types of building colors in the Algarve:  White....

White buildings work perfectly in this almost Mediterranean setting.  They are just what you would expect would be here.  When the sun shines the white is so dazzling that I can hardly look at them and the homes, buildings and apartments reflect such heat that I look for all the shade that I can find when I walk down the ruas.

Then there are the Brights....equally dazzling on their own.  Wow, what guts to paint a home or building this color.  I wonder if our home in Claremont needs some bright color?

The above building is on the road from Olhao, where we live, to Tavira where we go to church.

Tavira

Paige, this green tiled building picture is for you.  Tiled buildings are gorgeous.  This one is in Lagos.

This row of apartments is in Lisbon.

Tavira

I need to say, in case you think that I am always loafing on my mission, these picture were taken as we were walking down streets on the way to contacts, apartment hunting for the new set of sister missionaries in Lagos, getting water, gas and electricity turned on for said apartment.  How can I help it if there is beauty at every turn?

One more that I can resist.  Most of the buildings here are very old.  But if you want to sell them, just put on a coat of bright paint and they instantly look great. Case in point, both of these buildings are the same age, one just has the great paint job.  I can only imagine what they look like inside.

Horses and their Gypsies

 Every morning, the gypsies tie their horses to their carts and trot them to the fields near our home. They stake them to a pole with a long rope and then let them  feed all day long on the soft grasses. The gypsies come back in the afternoon and gather up the horses and take them who knows wherever the gypsies live. The question always is, where do the gypsies live?

The gypsies take very good care of their animals. Off in the distance in this picture is the ocean.  It is a beautiful spot and sometimes I think that I would like to lay in a warm, grassy field all day and look at the ocean.


I am fascinated by the gypsies, their carts and their horses. Sometimes we see just a single driver and then other times we see whole families spilling out of the cart and waving as we drive by taking pictures.  I admit that it probably is rude to gawk and picture take, but really, how could I not take pictures, they are so wonderfully picturesque?

The picture below was taken from our second floor window.