Sunday 27th September (Lini’s Journal)

Brindabella's Web Diary
Simon Williams
Tue 29 Sep 2009 21:25


�� Viana do Castelo was a ghost town as I laid the breakfast table on deck. Not a car or person passed along the road beside the marina and there were no signs of life in the marina. It was a quiet breakfast and not just for the lack of people. We have decided that Simon must either stick to beer and G&T or only have one glass of wine: This morning he had one BIG headache and went back to bed after breakfast. I made full use of the internet while we had it and caught up with my blog and Skyped Dan who had just text me to say he was online, he then Skyped Ami and we had the usual confused conversation trying to talk to more than one person with a time delay. It was lovely to talk to them and a shame Bob wasn�t chatting too. Ami�s major problem was the main topic of conversation in that my nephew is getting married on the same day as her friend to whom she is a bridesmaid. She is going to have a very busy day!

�� Looking much more human when he surfaced Si sorted a few chores before a quick lunch. I was eager to stretch my legs. It was another very hot day (get used to it Lini) as we strolled through the streets of the old town and in the direction of St. Luzia, the fab church on the top of the hill. There were no signs at all and our faded map helped minimally. Half way up the hill our path crossed the funicular railway and we looked down to the station way below us. Oh well, I needed to burn some calories! In no time we were all aboard and rising above the town, our view improving by the minute. We then took the elevator to the top of the church and what a wonderful panoramic view it was. We could see all along the Portuguese coast, the river, the docks, the old town and even Brindabella�s mast. I resisted ice cream as we perched in the shade taking in the view. Construction of the church only began in 1906 but the location was wonderful. After our decent a different route through the town conveniently took us to the �Gil Eannes� a hospital and supply ship built here in 1955 and now bought by the town and returned here to rest on view to the public. Our tour around her was very interesting although the operating theatre left me cold with a certain smell and thoughts of events in the past. She was definitely worth seeing.

�� Simon finally ordered a mega treat from the ice cream menu at our boatside bar; he�s had the eyes of a schoolboy at the sweetie shop window ever since we arrived here. Lini was a good girl and resisted yet again � that�s twice on the trot now! Needless to say Si wasn�t exactly hungry at dinner time so we abandoned our plans to eat out and I made a simple bruschettas. A spot of pre-sail stowage was needed before bed.