Sagres and Cabo de São Vincente

The night before I had made the acquaintance of S, a Japanese hosteller. We agreed to make a day trip together to Sagres and Cabo de São Vicente, the southwestern tip of Portugal.


The bus to Sagres was a milk run, it stopped everywhere, and the door beeped whenever the bus started or stopped. So we got to see vignettes of rural Portugal at a leisurely pace, such as an old man with a cane sitting in a doorway, and dogs, dogs everywhere.

At Sagres, we rented a couple of mountain bikes. The automaticos (petrol mopeds) would have required a driving license, risking attention from the police. Each cost 1200 escudos for 4 hours which was ample to cover the 4km from Sagres to the cape. We bought some müsli and bottled water from the market and headed out. The outward leg was slightly uphill so it was hard work.

But it was worth the effort. We had views to the north and to the east. There was a lighthouse which is one of the most powerful in Europe as it has oversight of busy shipping lanes. We looked out on the Atlantic from the ramparts. Centuries ago, this would have been the last vista of Portugal for intrepid sailors, not knowing if they would live to see home again.

In one area anglers with no fear of vertigo were fishing with very long lines from the high cliffs. I estimated the drop must have been around 30 metres.

On the way back we stopped to have a look at the fortaleza (fortress) and small church, but declined to pay 300 escudos to enter the fort. 

The return leg was much more fun freewheeling downhill. We returned the bikes in good time. Both of us were so fatigued that we fell asleep on the return bus. S's head even drooped to touch my shoulder at one point.

At the hostel we relaxed over afternoon tea, then went shopping for food to cook for dinner. S and I could not agree on something we could both eat so he bought instant noodles and I bought potatoes, carrots and a choriço (sausage), which we shared. The Argentinian boy from my dorm commented on girls chopping vegetables in the hostel kitchen: Why do they waste time tok tok tok? I make macaroni cheese, simple! I still chuckle over his succinct phrasing to this day.


After dinner S and I amused ourselves playing billiards until late.