Day Trip

It’s not just towns!
The Atlantic coastline is just there! Big Sandy beaches and rolling waves. This one We stopped at was called Praia da Arda and it’s a surfer beach. Big car park, toilets, outdoor showers and recycling point along with a beachside cafe. All facilities there that are needed. This is what I’ve noticed here, people are catered for and it’s all very clean like people have respect for their towns.

Travelled up to the Spanish border area to a town called Valença, famous for its linens, towels, bed stuff baby clothes and folks come in bus loads from Spain to snap up the linens. Quaint shops with the stuff billowing in the wind. It’s an old town surrounded by a fort. Imagine cannonballs firing into nearby Spain in days of old! While we walked the walls we watched red kites soaring and could see them clearly and then a peregrine Falcon flapping mid air ready to pounce on a mouse or whatever. Amazing sights.

Stopped in a cafe on the square and had fried sliced potatoes and empanadas before then Heading on to another lovely town called Ponte de Lima. Sitting on the banks of the River Lima it has a centuries old Medieval bridge. It was very pretty with the very well looked after buildings - lovely little streets to wander through. I am always amazed at the number of shops in these places and not a ‘for let’sign to be seen!! Stopped for a cappuccino in a cafe and something with frothy cream arrived lol! It was tasty though.

Back home to our beautiful hotel for a sit down and then down to a local Portuguese restaurant for tea. I had monkfish on skewers, grilled massive prawns potatoes and carrots and S had half a chicken. These were half portions! Good grief what was full size like. So dam good. (Extra)

We ft mum as she said she had texted previously to Say shivering episode last Friday, sore throat and a cough. Was in her bed a few days (and she didn’t let on). i said it’s Covid and she said no. Let’s see…..