Colares, Portugal April 13, 2019

Leaving Mirvao we drive to Colares, about 10 km from Sintra.  We arrived around 6:30 and Susanna, who lives across the road greets us and shows us around our windmill airbnb...an amazing place, three levels - top floor a spacious bedroom, middle floor a living room, and lower floor the kitchen.  It has a view of the ocean which is a five minute drive down the hill.  It would be so much fun to stay here with Aria.  Very magical.  We love this place so much and it is so large that we decide to eat in both nights here.  Our second meal was particularly great with baked sweet potatoes, thinly sliced ham, great artisan bread and sautéed vegetables, all purchased at the Saturday market which we went to in the morning, right down the road (a couple minute walk).    We came here because of Sintra, which has a palace, moorish castle and Unesco listed town center.  But we need a break from castles and palaces, so we head down to the ocean and walk the beach, go to various other locations for some great photos of the coast which is quite dramatic, and over to the westernmost point in continental Europe (very dramatic but the only touristed spot today...tour buses of Chinese tourists, etc.).  We loved our stay in Colares at Susanna's windmill (built by Susanna's grandfather, who is now dead...she is a graphic designer working from home and managing the windmill airbnb, hanging out with her really neat Enlish sheepdog, and doing lots of Yoga).  She was a real sweetheart and Donna really connected with her.  A favorite and wonderful location.