HC-hosts in Helsinki

In the morning I checked my mail and found a message from Elsis, saying that there'll be a trip with hc-members to Suomenlinna in the afternoon. I went into hc-chat, found Theriel there - of course - , and we arranged to join the friendly crowd.
At noon Theriel met me at Helsinki main station, and showed me around the city. He was a great guide, I learned a lot, and he told me about places I should visit without him. So I certainly will on wednesday, before going back to Berlin.
In the afternoon we met ten other hc-members at the harbour, my host Sami of course being one of them, and went to the fortress on the rocky island together. Suomenlinna is - yep - world heritage. We walked around the lovely place all through the afternoon, and had lots of fun, because everybody was like verrrry tired from not sleeping a lot since almost a week, and we simply enjoyed our company and the beautiful nature.
At 7 p.m. we met even more members "under the balls" at the train station, which is a favourite meeting point. We went to an indian restaurant and had pizza (!), then on to one of the bad-bad districts for a few pints.
My nice host Sami and me had to leave rather early and travel like 250 km to pick up his dogs at a friend's. So I saw rather a lot of finnish landscapes, and we talked for hours, because his radio wouldn't work and I was supposed to be the entertainer.
The dogs were soooo sweet! But - they woke me up around 8 a.m. this morning by jumping into my bed. Yeah well, it's a lazy day at home today, anyway, just relaxing and - chatting. Hey, HC-chat is where I meet my friends when there's no chance to see them in real life! ;-)

Finns and fun

Sami and Elsis met me at Helsinki airport and took me to the huge World Village Festival, where we found some more hc-members longing to go to Kiljava for the big HC-party. They had had two wonderful days already, arranged by Elsis and some more members - I missed that part of the Helsinki Meeting because of Portugal.
Wow, what a crowd of crazy and friendly people we were! (You can see some of us on the pic, even better when you click it, and a lot more on the website.) They were coming from all over Finland and other countries, too, including India (well known Caesar aka Purplesage). It was great to meet my chat-friends Viivi, Tanjak and Pulina, and to find so many new and interesting friends.
The place was lovely, as well. Enough space for indoor and outdoor activities, tents were build up, the sauna was always nice and full, some guys even dared to swim. The sun never went down, and we enjoyed chatting and singing through the night until morning and time for (indian) coffee.
Around noon we went back to Sami's place, and instead of taking a nap I went online to chat a bit in HC. What a surprise to find Dan there, a guy from the States studying Phonetics in Finland, who kind of got lost in the early hours of the day at the party. We're gonna meet up in Helsinki tomorrow and continue our talks on languages and linguistics, and he'll show me around the capital. :-)
But for now it's a lazy afternoon and some sleep - finally.

23:30 h: After a short nap it was chattime again. Pulina and Viivi were sorry we hadn't spend more time together, so we arranged for some more meetings. Sami was sitting in his room and chatting with us, as well, and Theriel was online, too, so it was perfect to arrange our meetings. Monday at 7 p.m. under the balls (whereever that might be), and Viivi and her boyfriend who live in Riihimäki just round the corner from Sami's cute little house came over for dinner. We checked the content of the fridge, and waffles it was. We had a lovely evening eating and chatting - in real life, for a change.

Goodbye, Portugal!

My last day in Lisbon was my last day in Portugal. So I was looking for gifts to take with me to Germany and Finland, and got some of the famous and delicious Pasteis de Belem. I went to the archaeological museum, as well, and of course enjoyed the world heritage monastery and the tower of Belem.
Iris took me to the airport this morning, and after a long flight with a three hour stop, and time for some last tapas in Madrid, I arrived at Berlin Tegel airport in the evening.
Time enough to check my mail, do some washing and most important of all some shopping for my host Sami in Helsinki and the picknick the finnish HC-members arrange close to Helsinki. German soccer bread, german soccer sausage, german beer and german chocolate for my nice finnish friends, and my favourite german delikatessen for myself.
I wonder when I'll have a chance to do my next weblog entry? Beach and sauna and picknick and finns - that won´t leave much time for internet acitvities, I guess.

Famous fantastic fado

On my second day of exploring Lisbon and its beauties, I found the best spot to have a look on the city and its surroundings in Graca, and crisscrossed the shopping areas downtown and in Bairro Alto.
Late in the evening I went to the small bar Luisa had recommended to listen to Fado: "Tasca do Chico", and was adopted on the spot by the 82 years old Fado singer Henrique Gonsalves. He explained everything to me (in portuguese, but still), shared his food with me, introduced me to all the guitarplayers and singers, ordered me to be background choir - it was soooo great! Even though I knew neither the melody nor the words...
If you feel like listening to some great original Fado from the Lisbon neighbourhoods, check this website. It's not the real thing, and you won't enjoy as much as I did in this crowded little bar, but you certainly will get the idea, and want to travel to Lisbon as soon as possible.

Up and down the seven hills

It was great to walk through the historic centre of Lisbon and the areas around the castle and the cathedral. I took the tram up to Graca, and I fell in love with this nice, simple neighbourhood. Workers live there, mostly, and the shops and bars are just normal life places, inspite of all the tourists.
I missed the Thieves' Market, but didn't have to go there, really, because nothing had been pinched, so far. (People say that when pickpockets rob you, just go to this market, and you will find your belongings here. You'd have to buy them, though.)
Climbing up and down I wondered why I took my high heels with me to Portugal. No use for them so far: Either the streets are steep, or made out of very small pebbles, or both. Mostly both. So no chance for high heels, but my boots work just fine.
In the evening I met my host Iris in the "Chapito", a bar and restaurant run by a clowns' school, with a great alternative culture program, and lovely views onto the Tejo, the bridge of 25th April and the statue of Christ overlooking Lisbon. A nice finish for a nice day!

Lovely Lisbon

The early bird catches the worm, and the early risers the car to Lisbon. There were four of us going up north, all but me members of the german community around Aljezur, and we laughed throughout the trip on stories of neighbours and friends.
Here I am now back in Iris's flat - my hc-host from last week. She left to work, and I'm gonna leave soon to do some sightseeing in Lisbon. This most beautiful city is world heritage, of course. Well, part of it, anyway: Belem. You probably have guessed so by now.
Tonight Iris and I will meet at the Miradouro Santa Luzia in the historic center Alfama. Ahhh - how nice to stroll through the narrow winding streets again, and of course I won't miss taking the famous tram No. 28. And then on to famous Lisbon night life and Fado :-)

Relaxed Lagos

The beach in Odeceixe was beautiful, as always, but the village had changed a lot, and sadly not for the better. The house I had stayed in was deserted, and the house of our nice neighbours in ruins already. So sad.
Lagos today was as ever - a tick bigger, a tick more tourists, the restaurants and bars done up to new standards, but the town as such and the people still going strong. So it was as nice and relaxed as always.
I went to the beach for a while and strolled through the streets to find old beloved places and discover new ones.
Tomorrow back to Lisbon very early with Luisa's car and several friends taking the chance to get a cheap trip to the capital. Neighbours help each other this way in Portugal. No organizing needed - it always works out.

Lazy sunday afternoon

After a verrry relaxed saturday with nice neighbours (germans and dutch, mostly) and a nice sloooow start into sunday with hours at a wonderful breakfast in the garden with home made lemon jam, sweet oranges plucked from the tree only yesterday, and fresh goat cheese bought at the farmers´ market in Aljezur, it´s gonna be a lazy sunday afternoon in and around Odeceixe - my all time favourite spot in Portugal.
Ever since my first trip here 35 years ago when I first discovered this beautiful place, I loved it and came back whenever I passed close by. We even stayed in a small house there once when the kids were six and five years old. (For a week, but still...)
And now today it´s like the fifth time, and we´ll go to the wide beach, too, and it's gonna be memories and refreshed love. The picture I took of the beach twenty years ago is still hanging in our small little house in Vaihingen - or is it? Children tend to change their homes. ;-)

Lazy life in Algarve

Going by bus this morning was fun! A bit early after only five hours of sleep, but we went through all those small towns and villages in Alentejo, the bus drivers were greeting old friends on the way, and even plucked roses for the sweet old lady who chattered all the time and got all of us laughing.
In Rogil Luisa met me at the bus station, and took me to her small house in the middle of her garden and the lovely landscape, two miles off Rogil.
Today I´ll gonna do nothing at all but enjoy the sun in the garden chair and read a bit, maybe. I need a break after all those busy weeks, and this place is just the right to do exactly that!

Back south again

We had a lovely night out, again, and then decided I might as well stay some time longer in Vigo. But early next morning I couldn't help being torn southwards again, and Fernando helped me catch the very next bus to Lisbon. (Nice Targaryen - that´s his hc-name!)
From there I wanted to get on to Rogil near Aljezur in Algarve and my host Luisa, but that wasn't meant to be. She couldn't very well meet me in the middle of the night in Lagos, and take me home with her to Rogil near Aljezur. Instead I had to stay in Lisbon.
But where? Searching a bit, I found the phone number Iris - an other hc-member - from Lisbon had given to me, and she answered the phone, and agreed to host me for this night. I am so lucky!!! She took me out for a small snack at the river, and now arranges for a taxi to meet me in a few hours time: I got to get up and be going by 6:30 h! Blah...

History, poems and beautiful views

Seeing Galicia through Fernando's eyes is learning a lot on its history, culture, language and literature. And the lovely landscape around Vigo. He is showing me his beloved country Galicia with knowledge and enthusiasm, it is a joy to be his guest!
Unfortunately there were no boats to the famous Islas Cies, but we climbed onto Monte Alba and had the most beautiful views from there onto Vigo and the islands. I´m gonna miss this country...

Enjoying life between beaches and mountains

Vigo is a beauty, you'll enjoy the town and the landscape - Cesar in Ceuta who is from Galicia, was so right telling me this!
My host Fernando is interested in history, culture, and beautiful nature, as I am, so he's the perfect guide for me. He shows me around this lovely part of Galicia, and in the evenings we enjoy the best home made food you can imagine - either at our favourite place "Casa Nova" where motherly owner Pepita would cook huge dishes for us (7,50 € for pimientos del padron, a platter of fishes, fresh bread and beer, for the two of us), or in Fernando's kitchen, where he's an eager student of my german cooking.
Walking along beaches and trekking on mountains (well: hills) complete the great days I'm having in this northern part of Spain. Different from Andalucia, but oh so wow!!!

Walking through Vigo

After having successfully settled the money question and with a few euros in my purse, I felt much more like starting on new adventures. Map in hand I got lost a lot in the tiny, but lovely streets of ancient Vigo.
After finally finding an open tourist office and with a new map, it was a lot easier to stroll around, and to know where I was without having to look for the sun to check directions.
In the evening Fernando came back from work (one of his jobs is translating books from english into galician, like "Harry Potter" f.e.), and we went out to have some tapas. Well, the galician tapas differ in a way from those in Andalucia. Not only do they have special dishes, of course, but they have different ways of serving them as well. In one bar a man walked around with big trays laden with delicious tasties you were supposed to choose from, and no money charged extra!
Now that's nice, huh? You can have dinner without paying for the food, this way - of course by the time you're not hungry any more, you'd be almost drunk as well. We didn't go that far, being the well educated people we are. ;-)

Anger and joy in Portugal and Spain

It got even worse on saturday! The bank machine in Matosinhos ate up my ec-card, and that was it: No candle light dinner at the beach with the full moon above. :-(
Instead I spent awful amounts of money on calling banks and helpful people to ensure nobody can take money with the card that might be spit out again by this bxxxx machine, you never know.
Then what to do with 25 € left and get on to Guimaraes, Vigo or whereever? I went to bed to have a good sleep and think about this problem next morning, and my host went partying (for a change).
Next morning a few more calls, and everything was fine and settled. I arrived at Praca de Cordoaria in Porto at noon, ready for the birds' market and wonderful tunes from the ringing bells. "Freude, schoener Goetterfunken" - that cheered me up!
A last look at the Ribeira, then hop on the train due north and to Spain. Hop off at Viana do Castelo, hop on one hour later, hop off and on in Valenca. Viana do Castelo is a lovely ancient town with a beautiful historic centre, I'll definitely have to go there again without two big bags dangling down from my shoulders.
And then at 10 p.m. - Spain, Spain, Spain again!!! :-))))
In Vigo my hc-host Fernando met me at the station, carried those heavy weighing bags all the way to his flat, and made me feel at home at once! I'm his first hc-guest, and I get whatever a guest can ask for! He offered me money to make up for the loss, explained the beauties of Vigo and gave me a map, keys for his flat, and: fed me with the best pulpo gallego at his favourite restaurant "Casa Nova". Even these nice neighbours welcomed me in Galicia!
So the next days are going to be just lovely!!!!!!
You just wait and see...

Sightseeing in Matosinhos

No adventurous trip today, alas! Patricio's car broke down, so we couldn't go to Viana do Castelo or any other nice place to enjoy sun, sea and beaches and the landscape and towns of northern Portugal.
He was trying to fix the car (didn't work), and I took busses to beaches, learned about horrible ship wrecks 100 years ago at this dangerous "Costa Negra", strolled around gipsy markets, and discovered the lovely old centre of this small town, that loses its rural parts to the big city.
More tomorrow, when my internet access is less expensive...

Finding Fun Food

Candle light dinner last night! Patricio prepared some great dishes, and he doesn't even have a stove anymore, cos he'll be moving soon. After that, as per usual, I stayed in the flat reading, and he went partying. (He was verrry tired this morning.)
Today I finally managed to visit the spectacular Casa da Musica (see picture) and the Museum of Modern Arts, Fondacao de Serralves, and I strolled around Porto and Matosinhos for hours on end. Ever so often I stopped in a cafe for a coffee (and a cake) or some petiscos.
So I enjoyed one of my favourite games some more, "Finding fun food". This is the way I do it:
First of all you make sure it's a small place and crowded with neighbours. It's very important not to do this in a tourist restaurant!
Then there are different ways to go on playing:
a) You look up the specialities of the house and order one of them. You never read the name before, you got no idea what it might be made of, what it might taste like, but you order it anyway. Like today, it was papas thingy. It looked like a soup, had a flavour of liver, and might have been anything. Was very nice, though.
b) You ask for tapas, or, in Portugal, for petiscos. And let the waiter or the cook decide what you'll get. I had the strangest dishes you can imagine, like meat and clam soup in one bowl, and in the second some tripas (I think).
c) You have a close look onto the food on the bar and choose the first to the right. Or the second from left, according to what you decided b e f o r e seeing the food.
d)You order the same dishes your neighbours at the next table are eating. Not that much fun, to me.
e) Sometimes you find a bill on the table from people that ate there before you. Just choose one ore two of the dishes they had. This always works nicely!
I only had a slight problem once, when I ordered a coffee and a galao. I was looking forward to the great pastry I'd get, but the waiter brought - another coffee...
Two more days in Porto - I like this town so much, and Patricio loves his last guest in the old flat to stay as long as I want to. Tonight and tomorrow it's his turn to decide what we'll do. I wonder...

Magical Mistery Tour around Matosinhos

Dinner at the river with a lovely view on Porto and with the almost full moon was a success! The wine from Dao was great as well, and in Patricio's home a second bottle was already awaiting us. We talked and talked, and then we talked some more, and all of a sudden it kind of was 2 a.m. I went to bed, and my host went partying with some friends.
So no picknick by the seaside in the morning, as planned, but two verrry tired people with lots of coffee, that didn't acutally help a lot.
I had meant to go visit the museum of modern arts, and the music hall, but was sooo exhausted, I just about made it to the famous bookstore near the university, and then couldn't make up my mind to admire arts.
Instead I remembered the magical mistery bus tour (Beatles, ages ago, like last century) and got onto the next bus coming. It took me back to Matosinhos, but not to the north, where I started, but to the southern beaches.
Great! A nice walk along the coast enjoying the sun and the sea were just the right thing for me to do. I strolled leasurely southwards for about two hours, then decided to take a second chance and the very next bus.
Luckily enough there was a busstop right at the spot where I tried to get up the steps to the road. It took me furtheralong the coast to the Sao Bento station, from where I went right back to the north of Matosinhos and this nice internetcafe.
I wonder how long we'll manage to stay awake tonight?

Up north to Porto

Tossing a coin took me to Porto, where luckily Patricio from HC agreed to host me one day earlier than planned.
On the train I saw students from Coimbra, going to their famous exams' celebration "Queima das Fitas". Well, I wasn't staying in Coimbra with too many students partying - I'll visit this ancient university town next week.
But guess what? In Porto I just got out of the station Sao Bento, and there they were: hundreds and thousands of students in a biiiiig parade! Dressed up in old fashioned students' gowns and hats, celebrating their exams and demonstrating for jobs and better working conditions.
After an hour of watching and enjoying the lively parade which went on and on for hours, I decided to go for a haircut and found a hairdresser through asking the nice women at the tourist office. He was italien, and we spoke spanish - in Portugal. Now my hair is newly died and cut, rather short, I'm afraid. But it looks nice.
Later I met Patricio who took me to his flat in Matosinhos. This morning, after a nice coffee and breakfast at his place, he showed me the way to Porto, where I spent the day climbing up and down the narrow streets of the historic centre which is - yessssss - world heritage!
But don't worry, I found the shopping area, as well, and bought some urgently needed things - like shoes, a skirt and a dress (this at H&M, which of course we don't have in Berlin).
And now it's time for dinner at the river, and Patricio and me, we'll enjoy the evening, I'm sure.

Cliffs, castles and cakes

Fernanda's computer wouldn't let me do any blogging lately, so I couldn't keep you up to date. Sorry!
I had a lovely time these days, doing mountain climbing on verrrry high cliffs (no, I did not fall down on my way to the Aguda beach), walking up and down narrow streets in Sintra (crowded by tourists, alas), up-up-up again in Pena Park to the Cruz Alta (more than 500 m) to enjoy the most fantastic view over the coasts south to Sesimbra and north to Magoito and on.
I didn't like visiting the castles that much, so I was lucky to find Pena castle closed on mondays. It's high up on a wooded mountain above Sintra and can be seen even from my small little attic room in Tojeira. And from all the other places around Sintra.
Sunday I took the bus along the coast to Cascais (tourists...) and stopped at Cabo da Roca, the western most place of the European peninsula. Spectacular!
Now I was at the southern most place near Gibraltar in April, this here was the western most place, North Cape will be visited end of July on my trip around the Baltic (only decided upon last week), now there's only the eastern most place missing. Siberia. Hmmm....
What else in Portugal? Oh yes, of course: Coffee and cakes! Lots of cakes! Marvellous, delicious cakes!
Every second shop in Portugal is a cafe, and they're all full of people enjoying a little break, a talk with neighbours and friends, a coffee and home made pastry.
And I wanted to loose weight - aaaaarggghhhh!

Saturday in Tojeira

Friday evening Fernanda's friend Carlos came, he's a photographer (admire his pictures on his website), to spend the weekend here.
We went to the beach where he took some photos. What a difference from Conil beach! High cliffs hang over the small beaches, rough waves, mist in the air. Wild and beautiful!
No place where I'd like to swim, but great for walks along the cliffs or at the beaches. This is what I meant to do on Saturday, and I did!
But first Fernanda and I went to the small artists' market at Fontanelas. Many of her friends were there, too, with handicrafted jewellery, sweaters, pictures, decorations, self grown plants - the small main place was full of people, greeting each other, helping each other, finding new pieces.
And of course I had to buy this earring with shells found at the nearby beaches, a n d the jacket Fatima had knitted - I so needed a jacket!;-)- , and a lovely decoration for my flat, made of things Marina, another friend, had found at the beaches, wood, shells, stones.
I left the market for a while to go to Sintra, but did not like it, to tell the truth. The medieval centre, was fine, but crowded with too many tourists, and the buildings and castles build in the 19th century to me seemed overdone and artificial in theier romanticism, like Neuschwanstein, which I hate.
But ok, it's world heritage, and I'll go there again today to enjoy the green parks and, above all, the museums.
But - honestly - the walks through the villages, the fields and along the coast to Azenhas do Mar were nicer...

Paradise north of Sintra

I finally reached my host Fernanda by phone, rushed to the next busstation (where a nice old lady having lived 20 years in Straabourg helped me and waited with me for the right bus, even when missing her own) and reached the small village of Tojeira one hour later.
Fernanda was waiting for me and took me the few steps to her lovely house and garden. It's like paradise here! Flowers and herbs everywhere, books, decorations from the beach and her travels, not to forget the two cats and two dogs. And the views: Far in the south you see the mountains with the famous castles near Sintra. The beach is 2 kms away, a nice walk through the fields. A place to stay and relax...

Lucky stones

We spent the afternoon going back in time almost 50 000 years, visiting holy places like old caves with paintings of wild horses and aurochs, menhirs and the stone circles Cromeleque dos Almendres. People say they have a supernatural power. So of course I touched those with circles and other ornaments - we'll see what happens...
Then my nice host Fernando left for Lisbon and I had a last walk through Evora, a powerful place and a town I definitely will want to come back to.
Next morning I got some "pão-de-rala", a cake special for Evora made by the nuns in the monastery, as a gift for my host Fernanda in Sintra, a bottle of water and had still 50,43 € left. But when I wanted to pay my bill for two nights at the hotel, I couldn't pay with my card because of tecnical problems. There went my last 50 €, and no time to go to a bank.
So how to pay the taxi and get to the bus station in time to catch the bus to Lisbon? The woman at the counter saw I was a bit desperate, and gave me a bill for 45 € for the two nights. Wasn't that sweet?
The taxi was 4,70 €, so I gave the driver a tip of 0,30 €, and - good luck! - the bank machine at the bus station worked!
Now I'm sitting in the public library in Sintra, checking my mail and hc. Portugal is the only country I know of with free internet access in public places. The town hall in Evora even had a cafe right beside the computers. Something Germany could take over.
I was happy to find the library on the map of Sintra I got at the tourist information at the station, because I couldn't reach my host Fernanda who will take me to her place. And you can't go sightseeing with my so called light weight two bags. I left them at the library counter. Something else you could not do in Germany!

Historic palaces in Evora

I hardly made it to the bus in time to take me straight to Evora in Alentejo. Strange from HC (his real name is Fernando, and he is not t h a t strange) met me there and showed me around his beautiful town. He's a history teacher, so he knew where to guide me, and what to tell me.
Evora is world heritage: "This museum-city, whose roots go back to Roman times, reached its golden age in the 15th century, when it became the residence of the Portuguese kings. Its unique quality stems from the whitewashed houses decorated with azulejos and wrought-iron balconies dating from the 16th to the 18th century. Its monuments had a profound influence on Portuguese architecture in Brazil."
After a delicious portuguese dinner which Fernando offered me, I spent the night in an old palace right in the historic centre. Small room, ok, but still - what a grand feeling to stay in a palace!
My host is gonna show me more today, even older monuments outside the town. And I'm gonna cook him saltless spaghetti (poor Fernando is not allowed salt) - not actually german food, but a dish I'm great at doing.
Another evening around the romantic small streets of Evora then, and tomorrow on to Sintra, a place of world heritage, too. I'm surrounded by beauty on these travels! :-)
Not to forget all the lovely and friendly people I meet. :-) :-)

McDonald's can be useful, too

Steffi and I got on really nicely in Vilamoura. Two adventurous women with interesting lives, one from Western Germany, one from the German Democratic Republic - but so similiar in many ways!
Even though she had to work a lot, she showed me her favourite places. We agreed the fishermen's harbour was best. Next morning I went there again, on my own, and got right into the fish market along the beach.
Afterwards I got lost when looking for a shortcut through the new built apartments back to Steffi's house, and I didn't even know the streetname, so couldn't ask!
Luckily I remembered her place was close to McDonald's, and a nice Portuguese talking french led me safely there. I never was that glad in my life to see a McDonald's! :-)

Bem-vindo a Portugal!

The alarm shrilled at 6 o'clock, and at 7 I left Dolores' and her wonderful flat and town. We were sorry we could not spend more time together, because she had to work everyday from early morning till late at night as a tourist guide (sometime for ver.di!). But she helped me have a great time at El Puerto, all the same.
The train took me to Sevilla San Bernardo, which was not the best choice of a station - no connection by bus to the big bus station plaza de armas where the busses start on their way westwards. Yeah, well: think positive! I had the chance to walk along the river and enjoy the wonderful buildings...
The bus took me to Loule and there I got the next to Quarteira, where I had a coffee and a pastel de nata (reminder of my favourite coffeeshop in Berlin) while waiting for my host Steffi.
And now I'm sitting in her small office room in Vilamoura, nice smells coming from the kitchen (she's cooking spaghetti, and she lived in italy for years, so she defintely knows how to cook great spaghetti!), the beach is awaiting us from just round the corner. Hmmmm - nice place, Portugal!

Weekend in Andalucia

Monday, May 1, 2006
Sanlucar and El Rocio
On Monday the boat from Cadiz woke me up, as usual, with the nice sound of the horns blowing, and I rushed to get the bus to Sanlucar. This old and beautiful town at the river Guadalquivir is the place where the pilgrims going to the famous "El Rocio" at Whitsuntide are crossing over by boat and then continue along the deserted coast to the celebration. The small town of El Rocio, normally housing around 600 inhabitants, welcomes more than 2 million people to the pilgrimage and of course there is a big festival, as well.
In Sanlucar I walked through the streets with houses of the rich merchants, trading South America in the 16th and 17th century. Sanlucar used to be a very rich town, similiar to El Puerto. It's history whereever you go.
I'll have a last walk around El Puerto now, and after admiring for a last time the castle, I'll have a tapa in the Colombian bar. Tomorrow I'll take the bus to Portugal, and it's gogdbye Andalucia, for another year...

Sunday, April 30, 2006
Toros in El Puerto
Another day without feria - almost, cos everybody keeps talking about it and the women are running around in gitanas.
Beach and bulls it was today. The arena of El Puerto is the third best worldwide, and more than 150 years old, holding 14 000 people.
I paid the amount of 22 € for a seat in the sun (which is a great price, normally for a good game yoy pay five times more), and was lucky (again). I sat opposite the main entrance of the bulls and the matadores, the king's place to my left, where the president of the fights was sitting to decide whether the torero was good or not.
In front of me some women around 60 were sitting, dressed up in their best gowns, their mantillas thrown over the balcony in front of them. They knew what the fights were about, when to cheer and when to just wait for a better chance. Besides me an old man knowing everything about bull fights explainend every detail, as soon as he found out I'm from Germany.
The six bulls were not very good, not running a lot, and not fighting, and the three matadores weren't that great either - twice the president decided not to wave his handkerchief to show the fight was good. The crowd waved with everything white available - from tissue over t-shirts to plastic bags - and cheered to the matadores, who marched around the circus, hats and flowers thrown down onto them.
I liked the horses best, they did some marvellous job, brave animals who knew what they were doing and doing it wonderfully.