A brief recap: Since arriving at Ocean Villas Luz in August 2020, our resident writer David Lugg has been experiencing all aspects of Luz Life. This is his April 2022 review:
A few weeks ago, a friend recently remarked that he was losing faith in the seasons. He said there appeared to be a climatic ‘blending’ where summer becomes more wintery and winter more summery (and so on). In short, the weather was becoming more unpredictable. I glanced at the forecast and it advised me that northern Europe was currently basked in 25 degrees in early April – perhaps he might have a point!
I decided to explore the premise a little further. To begin with, it’s probably important to understand what a ‘season’ actually is. Most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar which holds the belief that we have spring, summer, autumn and winter. In theory, they all contain distinct weather patterns, but dig a little deeper and you will find rainy seasons, hurricane seasons, monsoon seasons, dry seasons and many more.
Not everyone follows the four-season school of thought. The Hindu calendar, for example, has six seasons that translate as spring, summer, monsoon, autumn, pre-winter and winter. In south west Australia, the Noongar people base their seasons not upon the date but upon environmental factors such as migration, temperature and flowering of plants. I rather like that. With the onset of global warming, perhaps we will have to adopt something similar before long.
It could be argued that a season is merely an imagined construct designed to provide us with a little more order in an arbitrary world – a reason to justify cold, ‘winter’ nights or even to wallow in nostalgic ‘summers’ of yesteryear. But on the other hand, there is something comforting about the first day of spring or the sight of crispening leaves at the beginning of autumn.
Well, if you are somebody that aches for the autumn or is soothed by the spring, then I think I may have found the solution – April in the western Algarve. If you holiday here in April, there is no need to worry about which season we are in because we have them all within 30 days. It’s wild, whimsical and wonderful.
We started the month with much-needed heavy rain to help replenish some of the dwindling reservoirs. This was soon followed by 25 degrees and piercingly-blue skies. The wind then arrived allowing scores of birds to ride the thermals like avian roller-coasters. Then more rain, more sun and a dose of thunder and lightning. This was all by lunchtime on day one. Well, maybe not, but I think you get my point.
It’s important to note that I’m not trying to put you off coming here in April. It is probably the most beautiful month of the year in the Algarve. The flowers are in bloom, the birds are migrating, the trees are full of exotic fruits like nisperos (loquats) and the sea is an artist’s dream. It was exciting, it was fun and I shall miss it…at least for the next 11 months.
So if, like my friend, you yearn for all the meteorological ingredients that the seasons can bring, then the solution is far simpler than you might think. The remedy lies in a small town called Praia da Luz during the unpredictable, yet captivating month of April. It brings out the best of the region and I recommend it with gusto. Just make sure you bring your shorts, your hat, your swimsuit, your umbrella, your suntan lotion and your coat.
Okay, that’s all from me for this month. It’s time to start preparing for, what the Gregorian calendar calls, the summer season. Personally, I call it ‘The busy season’. Either way, it’s going to be fun. Hope to see you there.
More news next month.
David Lugg
#oceanvillasluz
(All photo images owned by David Lugg)