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PORTUGAL

The family recently undertook a week's trip to the Algarve in Portugal. It was the first time for all of us, although Maite has visited Lisbon, the country's capital before, though she did not remember it. The coast is a bit "Costa Del Sol"ish with all the Irish Pubs and discos and restaurants offering full english breakfasts and sunday roasts, but once you get away from the resort areas, it really is unspoilt country and you can see the local people getting about their real lives. It's a lovely place as well, with lovely architecture, beaches with the finest sand we've seen this side of the Sahara, fishing villages and farmland. The people are especially lovely and welcoming. Lisbon is one of the prettiest capital cities that we have seen. These are the first photos of the trip.

DARREN's 40th

Darren's 40th birthday is June 4th 2005 and the celebrations began on the preceding weekend with a surprise visit from members of the family. Mother, Nicola, Philip, Katie and David, Lynn, JOhn, Morwenna, Matthew, Deborah and Ben all surprised him with a surprise meal in the pub and then stayed for a while, most of them camping (Darren hates camping!). Part of the weekend of celebrations was a trip to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff to watch the Championship Playoff Final between Preston North End and West Ham, meeting Aunt June in Cardiff. Unfortunately, it was West Ham that won promotion to the premiership. Being bad losers all, we hope that they come straight back down next season. More positively, we are sure that Preston will win promotion by right of coming second in the championship next season (behind Leeds United of course). Photos to follow.