We left La Coruna and sailed the lumpy seas around Cape Finisterre...complete with squalls and a little splash of rain! After a brief stop off in sleepy Muras Harbour we continued south to our current location, Cascais, 12 miles from the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.

We arrived at the crack of dawn in blustery conditions, the last hour of the passage saw us ploughing our gunwales in 38knts of wind off the nearby headlands so it was nice to be alongside a pontoon and back in bed for a few hours to await the Marinero for check in and berth location.

So, that was yesterday and already we've crammed so much in, we all took in the sights of lovely Cascais with its yellow sandy beaches, narrow streets and pretty harbour. Last evening saw us dining out together in a local fish restaurant before having a few well earned drinks and banter and making plans for today......a day trip to nearby Lisbon City.

After a good nights sleep we awoke to a beautiful blue sky, had breakfast and made the ten minute walk through the cobble stone streets to the train staition. Four Euros each for a return ticket saw us on a great journey along the scenic coastal zone to the city where we spent the day exploring.

Lisbon was really charming with amazing views to be had from certain high points around the city. Ok, time to confess here....I was hell bent on a mission to locate some cork on which to attach the many fishing lures/hooks onboard the boat and after asking many local people we were given directions. Susie and Ross bravely succumbed to my obsession and tagged along! Look, Portugal is the home of cork right?! AND i've bought some here before but guess what.... we walked up the steep hill to the address given only to be told that the shop had closed down! Gutted!! Oh well, as it happened the walk led us to some fabulous panoramic views of the city and a return tramride down an impossibly steep slope into the main square. 

                From there we made our way towards the very conspicuous 'Castela De S.Jorge' which towers over the city from another hill surrounded by quaint century old dwellings. Back on a tram through the narrow, hilly streets before a stop off for coffee and yet again a breathtaking view over the ancient suburb of Mouraria from where we sighted the masts of a tall ship moored in the docks which we felt needed further investigation. Parked nearby was this wierd little rickshaw 'Tuk-Tuk' with whom i got chatting with the driver 'Lois'. In perfect English he offered to take us on a guided tour of the area at a very reasonable cost so we duly climbed aboard for a very memorable ride through the extremely narrow lanes bedecked with drying laundry and locals hanging out chatting in doorways. At one point a little boy hitched a lift on the back despite our drivers protestation!

We saw the magnificent Clipper ship 'Royal Clipper' and spoke with an Austalian passenger preparing to take a voyage to Barbados via Morocco, maybe we will see her again soon! After that we headed back into the city center and our return train to Cascais, Lisbon...Done!    We plan to slip our berth here in Cascais in the morning (Friday) and head for our next port of call....Mohammedia, Morocco, two and a half days sailing. (I booked us a berth via Skype) See you there!