Go mbeannaí Dia daoibh agus bhur gcéad míle fáilte isteach chuig the Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.
Well, the Bluffer is just back from a week in Albufeira in Portugal’s Algarve.
Thaitin sé go mór leis - he really enjoyed it because the Bluffer is not a cultural snob.
He can boogie to Bruno Mars, knock back Sambuca shots and slut drop like the best of them!
He can also make himself at home in any cuideachta - company.
But first the holiday. A teach ósta is a hotel but the Bluffer stayed in an árastán - an aparthotel, called Luna Hotel da Oura, which offered a bedroom, bathroom, sitting room, balcony and, importantly, cooking facilities.
So the first morning in an Phortaingéil - Portugal was spent ag siopadóireacht - shopping for brachán - porridge, bainne - milk, áran - bread, cáis - cheese and other essential foodstuffs including the odd bottle of €1.99 wine.
The total outlay of €26 covered the cost of bricfeasta - breakfast and lón - lunch for nearly the whole week!
Now whilst the more erudite of the Bluffer’s fans - there are legions of them - like to find out about Etruscan civilization or long-hidden stories from history, the Bluffer was well impressed by the linn snámha - the swimming pool and decided to spend as much time beside it as possible, soaking up the sunshine to get the perfect dath na gréine - suntan without turning into a peat briquette.
Just down the street from the hotel was Angelu’s Bar, where the Bluffer researched the local drinks industry and found that Licor Beirão and Macieira brandy were much to his taste.
Cá mhéad atá ar phionta? How much is a pint? is the standard question when judging the quality of a holiday and the answer is €2.50 in Albufeira.
Angelu’s was also the go-to place for karaoke. (I told you the Bluffer likes all forms of high and low culture!)
Ní amhránaí mé - I am not a singer said the Bluffer on numerous occasions but luckily there were enough people who dropped their Eastenders, Brookside and Tetley tea folk accents to metamorphose into Tina Turner, Bonnie Tyler and Meat Loaf.
(He also met Gaeilgeoirí from Belfast and na Doirí Beaga!)
Cheol siad go maidin - they sang until morning.
Barmaid Catalina then sang Portugal’s 1991 Eurovision entry, Lusitana Paixão, a song about fado which is a sort of Portuguese sean-nós. Guida and Jaõa were great hosts - although they fell over laughing at the Bluffer’s attempts at Portuguese - he didn’t know Duolingo taught the Brazilian version!
Then there were the turasanna - trips to Portamão and to Lagos, the latter being the site of Europe’s first ever margadh sclábhaithe - slave market.
We also visited Cabo De São Vicento, thought of as the end of the world in medieval times.
Bialanna - restaurants in Albufeira were always good and there are many great tránna - beaches all over the Algarve.
Yes, the Bluffer would certainly head back to Portugal for all the reasons above.
CÚPLA FOCAL
Thaitin sé go mór leis (hatchin shay gaw more lesh) - he really enjoyed it
cuideachta(cudge-akhta) - company
teach ósta(chakh awsta) - a hotel
árastán(aarastaan) - an aparthotel
an Phortaingéil(un fortaingayl) - Portugal
ag siopadóireacht (eg shuppadoreakht) - shopping
brachán(brahaan) - porridge
bainne(baanya) - milk
arán(aaran) - bread
cáis(caash) - cheese
bricfeasta(brikfaasta) - breakfast
lón(lone) - lunch
linn snámha (linn snaowa) - a swimming pool
dath na gréine(dah na graynya) - suntan
Cá mhéad atá ar phionta?(ca vayd ataa er finta) - How much is a pint?
Ní amhránaí mé(nee oreaanee may) - I am not a singer
Cheol siad go maidin(kyawl shade gaw majeen) - they sang until morning
turasanna(turasana) - trips
margadh sclábhaithe(maragoo sclaoweeha) - slave market
bialanna(beealaana) - restaurants
tránna(traana) - beaches
