Graham Denby: buying presents in Portugal

Dec 23 2009 by Graham Denby

WELL, here we are with Christmas upon us and I’m left with the usual annual male dilemma: what do I get our Ruth, and where do I get it (or rather, them) from?

Obviously I’ve had the old story trotted out: ‘I don’t want much this year, don’t go spending a lot on some rubbish!’ By rubbish I’ve ascertained that women encompass anything frilly, lacy, silky or sheer in that category, at least when they’ve been wed for a few years.

What might have raised a girly giggle and a night of passion early in the innings is now invariably scorned in favour of something that wears well and keeps the bum warm in the frosts of January and February.

I did suggest she had use of a spare horse-blanket but that only got me the deaf and dumb breakfast treatment!

Now I am reasonably organised and not a post Christmas Eve office party panic buyer, I usually do spend some time pondering and perusing, but over here there are not nearly as many outlets as there are back in the UK.

We have major outlets in the Algarve and our nearest large retail outlet is Ghia shopping, at the bottom of the IC-1 road.

It’s a bit of a run to get down there but worth the effort if you want to put a serious dent in the old credit card.

I must have looked like I was crop dusting rose trees in the perfumery as I tried numerous testers before alighting on what smelt to me the most sexually alluring (tarty!) smartly bottled (gauche) brand on offer. Female perceptions are in brackets!