Holiday in Portugal - exploring beaches

Alentejo's coast has beautifully dramatic landscape with many small beaches at the bottom of big rock formations ; all very photogenic and, if you stop to think about it, potentially dangerous.

People need to keep an eye on the tide and the rocks need to be controlled for stability.

One of the small beaches in Porto Covo

Between two dips into the waves of the Atlantic I whipped out the sketchbook and pens to  draw my fellow sunbathers.

I was surprised at the number of women going topless. I don't know whether that is a new trend in Portugal or whether they were mainly tourists.

I felt a bit like a Peeping Tom when sketching them, but, hey, that's part of the urban sketching experience, too, haha.

Beach people are great subjects

I love how relaxed and carefree people look...

His position reminded me of a pasha

...but above all I love the ocean! If I had the beach nearby, I would probably visit the ocean all the time.

The water in Santo Antré beach was stunningly colourful

Sadly, our trip had to end. But we still made a few stops on our way back home, thus extending our Alentejo experience.

I managed to squeeze in one last sketch at Santiago do Cacém...

There were many cats around

... and a wobbly one in the car. 

Not too bad, considering the bumpy road

Any occasion to sketch is a good one. I challenged myself to fill the whole sketchbook, remember?