Christmas began for us with the Christmas lunch for the Lagos Navigators Club (walkers' branch) . We walked along the coast via the lighthouse at Ponta Piedade to lunch in a beach restaurant. About 30 of us sat for lunch on a gloriously sunny day. These walks with a bunch (what the hell is the collective noun for a gathering of itinerant ageing yachties?) of Lagos sailing types are good fun. The conversation is always entertaining and extremely wide-ranging.
 
On 19th the Birds (Jon,Andrea and James) flew South for Christmas with the Chickens. I got the train to Faro to meet them while Gina organised our 4 bed flat to cope with 6 for Christmas. It was great to see them and,asresult of the odd G&T on the plane, I was volunteered to drive back to Lagos in their hire car.
 
That evening we went mob handed to the Lagos Navigators Christmas Dinner at a restaurant near the Marina. It was outrageously expensive - 20 euros(£14.00) for a 6 course meal with all the free wine and beer you can consume. In addition Lagos Marina lay on a free raffle and prize giving at which everyone gets a couple of bottles of port and/or wine and other gifts . God bless Lagos marina!
 
The following day we met up with Geoff and Ann, 2 other yachtie friends of Jon and Andrea, who were holidaying in Lagos. They are all members of the Inshore Cruising Club (motto "what can possibly go wrong?").
 
For the next few days we enjoyed mimsying around Lagos and visited Monchique and Silves. James also helped me with some wiring work on the boat.
 
On Christmas eve we went to Faro to pick up Will who we hadn't seen since August. After lunch at Albufeira we arrived back in Lagos to prepare for a Xmas eve party and then lunch for eight on Christmas day.
 
Christmas day was fun.. We were joined by Geoff and Anne then exchanged presents while drinking bucks fizz. The "boys" were given a cheap Scalextric, remote control plane & car plus kites to keep them active for the day!! It worked too! Rob, Will & James went down to the sea for a swim. It was pretty chilly. Gina volunteered to take the photos. Rob was chief cook for lunch & Andrea & Gina spud bashers. Very enjoyable it was too.
 
Will & James headed back to U.K on the 29th to see the New Year in with friends.
New Years Eve we celebrated at the flat with the Birds & 6 yachtie friends from the marina. At the Bells we went onto the balcony to view the fireworks from towns all around the bay. They were spectacular and lasted for about 20 minutes.
 
Rob opened up the cask strength Macallan & fellow whisky drinkers toasted absent friends including a certain wee butcher living in Thailand!. It was the whisky he'd sent to us after all.