Beach bummin' in Porto Covo and Lagos

It was time to leave the lively capital of Portugal and head south. I booked a 7am flixbus, the cheapest one I could find, to go about an hour and a half to Porto Covo, a small surf town. Did I spend my last evening in Lisbon resting for the next stop? No way. I stayed up all night with my wonderful new friends from the hostel until it was time to go, then I blew my beloved Lisbon a kiss and got on the bus. Lisbon stole my heart and my sleep schedule. I blinked and all the sudden we were arriving to Porto Covo. I slept the entire way, sitting up, mouth wide open. Cute. I could feel how relaxed this little town was compared to Lisbon's craziness as soon as I stepped off the bus.

I booked three nights at MUTE Hostel, located right on the coastline with a pool, yoga mats, and free breakfast. Everything I needed. The best part was that it was only $30 a night. The hostel worker even gave me a night for free. It could have been an accident, or maybe he took one look at my sleep deprived, in-dire-need-of-a-shower self and thought I needed it.

This is a good point to bring Lizzie into the picture, my spunky new Australian travel companion. We met in Lisbon, became friends instantly, and realized we were going the exact same route through southern Portugal and Spain. We decided to join forces and travel together for the next weeks to follow. Me, at the beginning of my trip and Lizzie, at the end of her 4 month solo trip through Europe. People that met us thought we had known each other for years. We laughed constantly and it felt great to travel with someone that didn't take it all too seriously. Lizzie is as go-with-the-flow as I am. Soulmates, basically.

Lizzie and I spent the next few days laying on the beach, playing cards, doing yoga and eating pizza. We made friends with some of the hostel workers, they showed us around the town and brought us to places the locals frequent. With how small and slow paced this little town was, I finally felt like I wasn't a tourist in Portugal. I was actually relived when people didn't speak a lick of english. One thing that stood out to me was how everyone went to one of the two local pubs on Saturday night, even the kids! The parents sit with their friends, dozens of plastic chairs pulled up in a big circle, with their kids running around playing in the town square, unattended. It was like the Portuguese version of Saint Paul Park, MN. I felt right at home.

We left Porto Covo and headed on another bus down to Lagos, our last stop in Portugal. We arrived in the pouring rain to our stay for one night, Top City Hostel. This hostel was nice, but it was my first time feeling a bit old as a traveler... Everyone seemed to be around the ages of 18-20 and ready to party party, the kind of partying I left in Joe Town (shout out Bennies and Johnnies). We had a nice little meal, got some gelato and called it a night. The next day we explored the beautiful coastline and beaches Logos has to offer. We changed hostels, to Banana Beach Hostel, which was more of our vibe, and age group.

Lagos was VERY touristy compared to Porto Covo, even Lisbon. I've gathered that there are some places that have many tourists, but don't adjust or accommodate to them. They keep their original structures and culture the same and its up to you, as a visitor, to figure out how to respectfully experience it and get by. Which can be uncomfortable at times but at least it's the real deal. I like these kinds of places. Lagos was a bit different, very accommodating to tourists, so much so that it felt like I was in a different place, or no place at all! The natural beauty was amazing, but Lizzie and I were ready to move on. Next top, Seville Spain!