bom dia (Hello) from Burgau 🙋♀️🙋♂️
Living in Burgau… Well not actually living in… but close to it. This was our second time in Burgau, the first was in February 2019 (House Sitting in Burgau, Portugal). This second time was a bit of an emergency. Our previous host – now friend – rang us while we were travelling in France and asked us to look after her house and Doggies again.
It was a completely unexpected health emergency. As we are digital grey nomads with no particular agenda, and we weren’t already on a house sit and only had tentative plans to caravan to Italy, we did what anyone would do, arranged to store our van and headed for Portugal. 🚙
We travelled back to Burgau quick time, so not exactly meandering. We knew it was going to be a two or three-day trip. We were in Perpignan in the south of France (see A Day in Perpignan) and planned the route via Valencia. We stayed in Valencia for two nights give us enough time to have an overnight rest and a full day to have a good look around (see Walkabout in Valencia). Leaving Valencia we drove straight across Spain through Seville (sadly no stop this time) then across the almost invisible Portugal border and on to Burgau. So not exactly meandering… funny how that happens 🤔.
Burgau in the Algarve – Our House Sit
When I say living in Burgau it almost is true. Over the last two years, we have lived like a local in Burgau for many months at a time. So how did this happen? Well, my wife came across a website called Trusted House Sitters. Burgau was one of the first of many house sits through them. You won’t find our Burgau sit on THS though. It is beyond our friend’s tech capability. Her call to get us back would have to give you confidence in our house sitting and pet sitting abilities 😇
Our second house sit in Portugal in 2019 was in Colares a little north of Lisbon on the coast next to the amazing Sintra.
We have the kind permission of the owner to write this blog on her house and tell you that this beautiful house is presently on the market. Our friend wants to downsize to a smaller property. I am sure it will find a lovely family to enjoy it. It’s such a beautiful place to live. Following is the listing.
The Doggies – Lucy and Milo
Trusted House Sitters
A win-win without money
When you’re house and pet sitting, you provide free house and pet care. And owners offer you free accommodation in return for looking after their home and furry friends. The only cost is your annual membership, making it an affordable and fulfilling way to travel.
Click on the banner to find out more
And Now Back to Burgau – The Village
You can’t get much quieter than the village during the off season and even during peak season it not all that busy. Plenty of restaurants and cafes so you are not likely to go hungry. [outside covid !!!] Our daily walk with the doggies did take us through the village to pick up fresh hot bread for lunch.
Burgau The Beach ⛱
Great beach for swimming. Shallow with sandy bottom. We swam most days during the summer, but the water was warmer towards late summer and the start of autumn. Much too cold for us in the winter months but often we’d see surfers enjoying the waves. There is a great little cafe called Brizze on the steep hill up from the beach. A good halfway spot for a cold beer or a vino verde.
Doggie Walks
This part of Portugal has great cliff walks. Burgau to Luz and Luz to Lagos. Poor old Lucy can’t walk too far so we would drive to various points to start from and wander a bit so she got to enjoy herself without overdoing it. She loved it. The views along the cliff are stunning as you can see. They were always excited to hear the car keys rattling.
Book Recommendation
The Man With The Butterfly Mind By Fabian Foley
What happens when the only living soul who knows you are missing is your dog?
If you’ve ever wondered what a dog is thinking and feeling, then Bimba draws you into a charming and believable first-hand experience of her world. Bimba’s happiness isn’t the only thing that’s in jeopardy when her owner disappears. And when she finds herself in the care of others, her gratitude is overshadowed. Even if she could make them understand, they are all preoccupied with their own sadness and struggles.
But, as seemingly unrelated events and unexpected kindness propel Bimba’s new friends into an orbit with her at its center, the universe gets to work. And as their lives overlap and converge, it’s clear that even when what we get isn’t what we thought we wanted, happiness is still there, waiting for us to catch on or catch up.
A story of loss and grieving and overcoming adversity. Quirky, with humour and emotion. As uplifting as it is captivating.
<<<<< Click on the cover to learn more
