Dynamic Changes

We woke at about 7.00am and had a lot to do. Jules, Francesca, Isabel and Rosanna were arriving and there was a lot to do.

 After a quick breakfast there were a lot of sheets to be washed so the generator went on and so did the washing machine (you need the generator on to use) and we did two loads plus various hand washes. The laundry dried in the breeze very quickly and Stormbird looked a bit like a launderette for a while. The boat was also given a spring clean and new sheets on all the beds.

 We made a shopping list and zoomed into town. This meant going about a mile or so on the dinghy which was fun but you had to watch out for masses of fast boats which all seem to have to go at maximum speed everywhere and therefore made some annoying wash which sometimes if you did not catch it right meant water coming into the boat and consequently a wet bum!!

 Faro is a  nice old town which many miss as they fly in and then dissipate to various villas and hotels and do not venture in. It has a nice old walled town (Cidade Velha) with its narrow streets and Portuguese architecture which provides welcome shade from the hot sun. It is also famous for the storks on untidy large nests on the cathedral tower and on lamp posts. A nice example of man and nature living in harmony. We have to moor the dinghy in the marina and it is busy – and we have to enter under the railway bridge. You almost need traffic lights for the tooing and froing of boats.

 We wandered the streets to find the municipal market which was full of stalls selling fresh fish of many varieties and a wide arrange of colourful vegetables and fruit. We had decided on a vegetable tin bake dish (some do not eat meat) with rice but bought some fish for the following evening when Corinne will arrive. Whilst the fish was being gutted etc. we had a cheeky beer at the little market bar conveniently located nearby. We also bought for desert delicious custard tarts called Pasteis de Nata - which are Portuguese specialities.

 We whizzed back to the boat with our booty knowing we were now ready and had a delicious prawn lunch. The breeze had got up and so it was nice to sit at the back of the boat being wind cooled. Then it was time to be off to meet Jules at the airport and then Francesca, Isabel and Rosanna arrived – so a few trips in the dinghy.

It was great to have them on board and to show them round and so that they could decide who was sleeping where. They were clearly impressed by Stormbird.

 Once settled we had sun downers on the rear deck in the lovely warm breeze – it was like a Sahara warmth and we had music on tap as there was a concert on land which we could clearly hear. We had a fantastic feats supper of the vegetable bake followed by the tarts, washed down with some Douro white.

 Everyone was quite tired so an early night was had by all. The dynamic had changed as it was now a female dominated boat!! I was no longer the Skipper!