{"id":485,"date":"2017-10-27T19:30:44","date_gmt":"2017-10-27T18:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/?p=485"},"modified":"2017-10-27T19:33:05","modified_gmt":"2017-10-27T18:33:05","slug":"retreat-in-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/?p=485","title":{"rendered":"Retreat in Portugal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I4192.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-486 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I4192.jpg\" alt=\"Yoga on the pontoon\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I4192.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I4192-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ve had more and more requests this year for Retreats in Portugal &#8211; so much so that we&#8217;re going to start up a new web page soon, not surprisingly to be called <a href=\"http:\/\/www.retreat-in-portugal.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.retreat-in-portugal.com<\/a> so watch this space. The above is a retreat we&#8217;re running right now doing yoga on the pontoon before breakfast.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Birders-2017.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-500 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Birders-2017.jpg\" alt=\"Some of our birding groups during 2017\" width=\"650\" height=\"462\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Birders-2017.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Birders-2017-300x213.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">We&#8217;ve had a stunning year on the birding front and above are some of our birding groups during 2017. I haven&#8217;t counted yet but I&#8217;ve a feeling we took around one hundred and fifty different people around southern Portugal this year to show them some of our wildlife wonders. You can see some of the pictures on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.birding-in-portugal.com\" target=\"_blank\">our birding site<\/a>. One lady &#8211; you know who you are &#8211; celebrated her 14th visit for this activity and has already booked again for next year, and we&#8217;ve several who are also into double figures. It&#8217;s nice to know that we&#8217;re doing something right!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_5964.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-487 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_5964.jpg\" alt=\"Batik Group 2017\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_5964.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_5964-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Another successful course was our &#8220;Batik&#8217;n&#8217;Birding Week&#8221; run with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mariethereseking.uk\/batik-workshops\/\" target=\"_blank\">Marie Therese King<\/a> which has just finished with the happy participants showing off some of their work above.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_6010.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-505 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_6010.jpg\" alt=\"Old friends\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_6010.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_6010-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ve seen many old friends, (many older than they&#8217;d like to be), and made many new ones too, like those below<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/P1110503.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-489 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/P1110503.jpg\" alt=\"New friends\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/P1110503.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/P1110503-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>But none of this could be possible without the help and assistance of our dedicated helpers and staff; first and foremost of course come Fatima, (who&#8217;s now been with us over twenty five years), and Dulce, (a mere newcomer with only ten under her belt).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I0287.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-492 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I0287.jpg\" alt=\"Fatima &amp; Dulce\" width=\"450\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I0287.jpg 450w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I0287-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Other helpers this year included Sammy, Rosanna and Lynn<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I0173.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-499 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I0173.jpg\" alt=\"Sammy, Rosanna &amp; Lynn\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I0173.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B69I0173-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>and Kate and Judith<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2454.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-501 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2454.jpg\" alt=\"Kate &amp; Judith\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2454.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2454-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>and of course we mustn&#8217;t forget Amber, (in the middle),<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2522-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-502 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2522-2.jpg\" alt=\"Amber &amp; friends\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2522-2.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2522-2-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>and Jasmin, (also in the middle),<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2641.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-503 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2641.jpg\" alt=\"Jasmin &amp; friends\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2641.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_2641-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>or the stalwart Tony, that man of mystery and invisible shirts, the speedy Gonzalez of the Algarve.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_5939.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-504 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_5939.jpg\" alt=\"Tony, Kate and friends\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_5939.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_5939-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Our sincere thanks go to all of you at the end of this season, you who make up our team, our colleagues and our friends. There are, of course, many others, but sadly we have mislaid some photos this year &#8230; so instead I&#8217;ll leave you with a couple of shots I took when I went to the Farne Islands in June with another great friend &#8211; for no other reason than that it was one of the happiest days of my life!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/EF7I1452.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-506 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/EF7I1452.jpg\" alt=\"Atlantic Puffin\" width=\"650\" height=\"975\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/EF7I1452.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/EF7I1452-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/EF7I1813.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-507 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/EF7I1813.jpg\" alt=\"Clowning around\" width=\"650\" height=\"975\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/EF7I1813.jpg 650w, https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/EF7I1813-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We&#8217;ve had more and more requests this year for Retreats in Portugal &#8211; so much so that we&#8217;re going to start up a new web page soon, not surprisingly to be called www.retreat-in-portugal.com so watch this space. The above is a retreat we&#8217;re running right now doing yoga on the pontoon before breakfast. We&#8217;ve had [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=485"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":512,"href":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485\/revisions\/512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paradise-in-portugal.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}