Algarve

The second stop on our itinerary was Portugal.  We really wanted to go to the Algarve region on the southern coast.  The pictures looked amazing and although March wasn't the warmest time of year to go, it was still much warmer than Germany.  It was also nice to get pictures without the millions of tourists that visit each summer.  This area is full of so much natural beauty.  It was great to just get lost in it all.  

We flew into Lisbon and spent a day showing the kids our favorite parts of the city and eating delicious pasteis de belem.  We then drove down the coast and spent the week on the beach.  We had a kitchen in our hotel room and it was nice to be able to cook just a little instead of eating out every meal. We also had a heated indoor pool which was nice to go for a little swim.  This area was great for kids.  They were able to do a lot of exploring and running around outside.

The kids in Lisbon.

Conley chilling at the hotel.

The view from our hotel.

Prainha Beach

The area is filled with arches and caves to explore.

Sometimes these guys would attack Simon when he climbed up to take pictures.

Ponte de Piedade

We gave the kids their own bags to fill up with shells and rocks at the beach.  It was a big hit.  Conley's got so big that he couldn't carry it anymore.

tired after a long day of driving
(I fixed their heads after we laughed and took a picture)

We did a lot of exploring on the beach itself and above as well.

a pirate ship

Our incredibly cute kids

The kids playing inside one of the caves.

Daddy and Conley looking for boats.

dancing on the beach

Marinha Beach

The kids threw rocks and shells into the water.  This seems to be one of their favorite hobbies when we travel around water.

The water was chilly, but we did manage to put our toes in.

after we dipped our toes in the water

Do Caminho