Spain 2016 - Mum's Birthday and Vila Real de Santo Antonio.

Yesterday was Mum's birthday so it was just spent relaxing. We walked across to Punta in the morning for a couple of groceries and I walked around a little before returning.

The wharf had quite a few of the large fishing boats on it

and a small one came in with its catch of 4 buckets of octopus. It amazes me that there are enough octopus for them to keep catching them at this rate. One was trying to escape from the bucket and I wanted him to make it.

A huge, blue fishing boat, flying a Portuguese flag came in shortly after.

The commercial fishing wharf has constant activity and Mum and I enjoy watching the changing inventory of boats. Dad doesn't seem as enthusiastic.
I spent the afternoon sitting in the sun with a book. Mum and I had scoped out a restaurant in Punta del Moral, that she wanted to go to for her birthday dinner but it didn't open until 7:30. Later than usual for us and we were "chomping at the bit" to get over there. We arrived at Le Pamela at exactly 7:30 and were the only ones there. The bar had quite a bit of activity for the next hour but the next table to be seated for dinner was not until 9:15. The Spanish eat a lot later than us.
Dad had Gazpacho and grilled pork. Mum and I split an ensalada mixta and ensalada tomate. Then I had calamari and Mum had

these mushrooms stuffed with shrimp and cooked in a garlic and olive oil sauce. They were divine.

Mum and I,of course, had dessert too and we shared a bottle of red. Lovely meal, so kind of Mum to have a birthday so we had the excuse.
Today there are far more people around than we are used to and its as if the marina suddenly came to life.

This catamaran is now docked just below our terrace. According to the writing on the boom it is available to charter.

About 6 of the big sailboats went out and others were attaching sails to their furlers or washing down the decks.

We drove into town to take the ferry to Portugal. This is the ticket office that opens 15 minutes before the ferry leaves (on the hour)

The ferry approaching the dock at Ayamonte.

We watched this sail boat motor out from Ayamonte, set its sails and point the bow downstream, towards the ocean. However, as the tide was coming in, it gradually drifted upstream (it was quite bizarre)

We headed downstream to Vila Real.

Portugal is an hour behind Spain so when we landed we had to get our head wrapped around the return schedule with a time change. We walked along beside the marina (large in comparison to the Spanish ones we have been seeing) and in to the old section.
There are information boards along one of the streets which describe how Vila Real came into existence. It was created to be an important fishing and fish production port and to replace a village lost in the tsunami of 1755. It took only 2 years to build.
"The Marquis of Pombal was responsible for its planning, designing the town in a Pombaline orthogonal grid, which he also used during the reconstruction of Lisbon. In a pioneering technique, entire buildings were prefabricated in areas outside the town, and then transported to their final destination to be assembled, which permitted a fast and methodical construction of the town" from Wikipedia.
It is all straight lines and pedestrian streets. Very touristy with lots of cafes, bars, restaurants and linen shops (towels, table clothes, drapes and I bought Mum an apron for her birthday - its what she wanted). Mum declared it rather boring and didn't even find something to sketch. However it is also a very pleasant and easy place to walk around.

Last time I was here I had forgotten my camera, so I took a picture,with the sketch I did then, of the Obelisk and the former council building (now a bank).

The old barracks have turrets at the corners and an interesting roof line.

The streets are named after the royal family at the time but the square is the kings and the Obelisk is "crowned".

The square is a lovely space. Originally the only 2 story buildings were around the square (the church and government buildings) and along the wharfs (businesses below and residences above). Now the square has some souvenir stands and restaurants and lots of children running and climbing on benches and steps.

We stopped for a glass of wine and had to also have a strawberry and whipped cream eclair. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture. You would have drooled.

Channeling Nana, Mum went for a ride on the carousel. Dad said they wouldn't let her on but they actually had a price for seniors listed on the sign (2 Euo)

We had spent 2 hours in Vila Real and caught the ferry back.

As we were leaving a small fleet of Lasers sailed into the marina. They made me think of George and how much he would have loved being around all these sail boats.

Isla Canela from the ferry.

The church bells were ringing in Ayamonte as we pulled up to the dock and we were glad to drive out before the roads were all blocked of for another procession.