Living in Portugal - Our Monthly Journal - February 2026
- Tony
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Heavy rains continued through the first half of the month in February, but thankfully, the latter part of the month brought a little more sun and some warmer days, along with a chance to dry things out a bit. We were away from home for a few weeks in February on two fantastic road trips through Andalusia, Spain: one was very wet and stormy, and the other we enjoyed the warmth of Spring in the Southern Iberian peninsula. Since we were away traveling, there's not much to share about our experiences in the Algarve, but I'll share some highlights with you here.
Click on the links below for more about our Andalusia road trips in February.
It sure feels like spring as I write this at the end of the month. Flowers and trees are blooming, and Teresa and Luis are busy preparing and planting their garden with potatoes, beans, cucumbers, and lettuce.
During the rains early in the month, indoor activities were in high demand. Our friends Ken & Jennifer were kind enough to arrange a wine tasting at their home with a wine producer from the Alentejo, Quinta do Paral. Nearly thirty of us gathered for the event, filled with lively conversations and good wine.
A local group of riders trotted their horses through our village, a rare sight for us, as most horses in the area are used mainly to control weed growth in local fields, not for riding. It did appear that one of the riders was working hard to break his horse in for riding, as the horse appeared reluctant to cooperate with the others on the ride
Mary's birthday falls in February, so we celebrated by finding some of her favorite foods throughout the day. Everything Bagels with schmear, Mexican food, and Chocolate cake.
Street art in Lagos
A few photos to capture the beauty around us as Spring begins to take hold in Alvor.
Our local Carnaval Parade in Portimao, not the most elaborate but still fun to watch.
Finally, some decent weather for our Tuesday Pétanque matches. This week's winners of the trophy.
It's been a few months since we gathered for the Whisky Appreciation Society, an occasional opportunity for friends to gather and learn about Scotch put on by our good friends Kevin and Christine. This session focused on Highland 15-year-old whisky. The Glenmorangie Lasanta received the winning votes, followed by a tie between Old Pulteney and Tomatin Moscatel Cask - Portuguese Collection. It's always a great time as Kevin tries to educate us as we banter over Scotch Whisky (Kevin is British) vs. American Whiskey (Most of the rest of us are Americans)
Our first visit to Atascado in Alvor. It’s hard to believe there are still restaurants near us that we haven't tried yet. We’ve walked by this restaurant many times, but have never been there. Friends Ken & Jen invited us to dinner and highly recommended this place. The inside is cozy, with an old-world, almost Medieval feel, and the food was fantastic, including ribs, ribeye steak, and sole. We would definitely return.
Sonny and Barney continue to entertain us, at least for the few hours they are awake. They really enjoy all the windows in the house, with constant visits from the neighborhood cats, and plenty of birds hanging out in the gardens.
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As always, we hope everyone is doing well, healthy, happy, and thriving. We miss you and love you all...A lot!
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