CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY 2015 PART 1: Staying in Algarve

Photos from my Christmas holiday! This year I went to Portugal, staying on the south coast in the Algarve.

 

This holiday I needed to relax, I wanted to chill out but I couldn't really. I didn't take many photos then I usually do at all but here are a few from my week.

 

My sea view from my hotel room

Only one day had bad weather but it was still warm.
 

Shopping and restaurants on the coast - only a walk down the road!

 

 

I love talking photos like this for some reason I have loads you can see more of from my MEXICO Holiday Pics

 

 

 

 

 

Culture

 

Loads of Orange Trees everywhere.

 

 

Culture

 

 

It is Christmas after all so this post has to feature some pictures of the Christmas lights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There wasn't much fuss about Christmas here as they had some really bad floods just only a month before! Looking at the pictures of the floods and then walking around the same places, you wouldn't believe it although there was still some water left and some shops still weren't open because of the damage from them.

 

New Years Eve was a bigger deal, just as we were leaving they were setting up a big stage on the beach and lights.

 

I also had a day in Lisbon which was great to see the capital!

 

Have you been to the Algarve or Lisbon? What do you think of my photos?

*All photos were taken from my iPhone 6*

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY 2015 PART 2: A Day in Lisbon

A early start to the day, just a few hours from the Algarve where I was staying so one day while on my Christmas holiday we booked a day to Lisbon - the capital city of Portugal.

The day wasn't the best weather-wise with a few showers throughout the day but I still enjoyed it.

 

In the background you can see a statue.

What does this statue remind you of?

First on the tour was seeing the Jerónimos Monastery. As you can see with the umbrellas it was raining but it didn't last long fortunately. I loved the architecture or the building and in the gardens opposite I got a some great pictures.

This was in the gardens.

I had recently got some mini lenses to attach on my iPhone camera, a fish eye lens and a wide angle lens, on a impulse buy which I had wanted to try out for ages. This was using the wide angle lens.

We had time to look around down the very busy streets to grab a coffee and look at some shops.

This image was using the fish eye lens.

Opposite the Monastery building and gardens - the 'Padrão dos Descobrimentos' monument along the river where ships departed this monument celebrate the age of discover or exploration.

 

 

 

Again using the fish eye lens for iPhone.

After spending the morning in this part of town and taking some pictures of into the centre for lunch and shopping!

 

 

 

I wanted to capture the different levels the building were on, unknowingly there was a castle in the background and the top of this picture.

 

I really wish I went up the Santa Justa Lift to see the views - I love attractions like this where you can see the city from higher up. The queue was very long and we still wanted to look around and find a good spot for lunch so it all came down to time, it didn't seem bad when I assed it again.

 

 

 

There were so many small side streets to look down and the building structure was very historical, that's why I took lots of photos of them plus the Christmas decorations around them.

 

In the theme of Christmas there had to be a few Christmas markets around.

Some buildings really went all out on decorations or if the building is normal like this that's even better! They were so pretty.

One of my favourite decorated buildings.

After spending all day walking around Lisbon it was time to go home and luckily it was just in time as it started raining as soon as we headed back. On our way back we went across what was the longest bridge in Europe located in Lisbon, Portugal.

 

 

Have you been to Lisbon or Algarve? What do you think of my photos?

 

--> Part 1: Staying in Algarve

*All photos were taken on my iPhone 6*