Off Season Beach Town.

Cascais, Portugal

We went to Cascais not knowing what to expect except a beach.
The town itself is tiny. There are a handfull of shops, a supermarket, a shopping centre, and a street of touristic restaurants. It was fine, we had come here to relax after all. It was a great place for wandering, and this is exactly what we did on our first evening before dinner.

Chicken Piri Piri was advertised everywhere. We weren't sure what to expect from Portuguese food, or Portugal itself come to that. So, I tried it. On my plate was half a roasted chicken and fries. Tasty, but overwhelmingly large.

Relaxation is vital. Without it, stress takes over and we are left without enjoyment.

With colder weather than we had been expecting we were cautious of going to the beach. Yet when we did, the sun emerged to warm our skin. I love the feeling of laying on the sand, eyes shut, with the noise of the sea. It is unlike any other feeling. You become one with the world and are lost into an abyss of peace.

Our second day we ventured. Down the beach, as far as we could walk. Past estoril, into tamariz. Beach by beach. Along cliffs, steps carved into the side of the rock, along boardwalks packed with people. We enjoyed life, care-free with no-where specific to be. It's a wonderful feeling.

Cascais is what you make it. The town itself isn't spectacular, and during early april it was almost empty. But the feeling you get from sitting in the sun looking out into paradise is unreal.