Albufeira is mostly known as a southern coastal town of Portugal attracting tourists from around the world.  The climate is magnificent with warm temperatures in summer and cool but moderate temps in the fall and winter months. Sunshine hits this town over 320 days per year.  It`s a paradise. The town is a popular destination for the vacationing British and Irish.  Folks from the Middle East, India, Ukraine and Russia and the northern European countries are noticed, as well as those from north and south America.  It`s the Brits, however, who dominate.  I am from the states and can count on 1 hand the number of Americans I have met.  I believe Americans are inclined to visit Lisbon, Lagos and Porto, cities lying on the western coast of Portugal.  

 

A city like Albufeira has its cast of characters that entertain the tourism industry with their means of showmanship.   I am not privy to the full Monty as my stay is during the off-season.  With that, I have made a small list that I wish to share over the next page or so.  It`s the individual character I write of, and they may or may not be part of the tourist industry. 

 

Momma Amenhecer.   Amenhecer Supermercado Lider is a small grocery store that resides within the apartment complex that my Airbnb is located.  It is run by Momma Amenhecer and her two children.  I can`t tell you their names as the only words we exchange are bom dia and obrigada: good day and thank you.  The store is small, three aisles running 25` each accommodating traffic in single file and a small check-out area where Momma Amenhecer commands.  Momma is a nice woman.  Her English is rather limited, and her two children speak and understand less.  The children are adults, a young woman and a young man.  Nothing small about them but it would take their combined masses to equal that of their mother.  Hence, Momma fills the check-out space.  When you buy groceries, there is a small area that your items are placed.  Momma will scan the items and lay them to her left, ready for you to place them in a bag you have brought or one that you will purchase.  Momma will neither handle nor bag your grocery items other than passing them over the scanner.  Momma provides the total and without expression, quotes an amount and holds out her rather expansive mitt to collect your money.  I have become familiar with the Euro, the currency for Portugal.  I have never questioned Momma Amenhecer`s accuracy in providing my change.  I don`t want her sausage-like fingers followed by that mitt coming across the counter to shake a few extra Euros from me.  I make daily trips into the store as my refrigerator is challenged in size only by a shoe box.  Momma Amenhecer is a lovely person; I just feel like a small potato in her shadow.

 

Captain Parrot.  The open walkways of Albufeira offer a home to various styles of musicians and vocalists.  Bringing a wide range of offerings, their purpose is two-fold; entertain and take donations from anyone and everyone.  I have witnessed some very talented artists, violinists, flutists, drummers etc.  But there is one individual, that caught my fancy.  I`ll just call him, `Captain Parrot`.  The Captain is truly an old codger that has a unique charm about his musical delivery.  He plays a string instrument and sings.  He has long ratty hair, bearded, small in stature, unkept and maybe a handful of teeth he can call his own.  They`re gold and silver.  But he`s charming with a gaping smile and a rather good voice that sings with enthusiasm and tune.  He also has a sidekick that sits perched in his instrument case lying just to his starboard, slightly in front, inviting passerby’s to drop a token or two into the music case.  This sidekick, if you haven`t gathered, is a beautifully colored parrot, stuffed, from a store, but precious.  Captain sings in English, he`s from London.  Just my kind of entertainer.  I was so taken with this funny old man with a rusty, raspy cigarette filled voice, that I wrote this poem about him: 

 

 

As you see, I have a beak
But my master, has no teeth.

Might you sir, spare a dime?

He´s here to entertain one and all
Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.

Might you sir, spare a dime?

Guitar in hand, he sings away
Be it overcast, or sunny day.

 

Tokens of kindness in my nest

Has him sing his very best.

Might you sir, spare a dime?

Master sings, these most peculiar days
As I`m perched, bob and slowly sway.

Might you sir, spare a dime?

My Dutch-less.  My stay in Albufeira was 12 weeks.  After the first 5 weeks I was getting a bit restless, I hadn`t had a conversation in English of any length with anyone.  I was beginning to write flash fiction stories that would have me placed in a strait jacket.  There are plenty of people in Albufeira who speak English but they`re mostly Brits and Irish.  I find myself wanting to scoop out the marbles in their mouths and put a working tongue in their place so proper pronunciation could be heard.  Listening to people from the United Kingdom drives me batty. Sorry old chap, but that`s the way it is.  

 

I was doing laundry one evening and I came across a woman from the Netherlands.  Her English was beautiful.  We were walking down steps near the laundromat and as I passed her, I commented on how tall she was.  “I`m Dutch,” she says.  All I heard was the English.  She was carrying a backpack and finishing up on a sandwich.  My immediate inquiry had her tell me that she was being evicted from her apartment. The owner had a family emergency and needed the apartment back.  She was without shelter and heading to the city center to find a room for the night and longer.  Good Samaritan, here I am.  Without hesitation, I invited her to stay at my place, no strings whatsoever other than, we would talk and hold conversation.  My heart was racing, someone needed help and I needed help.  I don`t believe I looked or sounded desperate. Doing my best to be the knight in shining armor and offer shelter for the night, I was kindly refused but profusely thanked.  She asked for my contact information should circumstances change.  I gave her my email address and like a true and confused idiot I am, I failed to get her information in return.  I never saw my Dutch enigma again. 

 

 

 

Ms. Kitty.  There are creatures throughout Albufeira that seem to own the land.  They roam quietly and bother no one.  Although they can be found everywhere, you wouldn`t consider them wild.  In fact, they act as if they know you.  Cats are seemingly an endangered species in this city.  They are carefully watched and cared for.  Makeshift shelters can be found throughout.  Food has been made plentiful and a pleasant force of volunteers keeps vigil 24/7.  There is a particular area, an elevated boardwalk, that juts out high above the beach where tourists gather.  One of the cat shelters is located on that boardwalk.  I frequent this spot almost daily.  One day I sat on the boardwalk with my back against the retaining wall.  A healthy white spotted black cat sauntered over and sat squarely in the middle of my lap, like she had done it a million times before. I basked in the moment.  I didn`t move for 30 minutes and just enjoyed little Ms. Kitty finding her resting area for the time I was there. How do you forget that?