Blue skies, clams, cold beer and sunshine

I read a piece in the Sunday Times by Christina Lamb, a senior journalist who's married to a Portuguese guy and had to visit the country recently, I won't go into the reasons why which are all in the article (you can't read it in full as you have to subscribe), but the thing that struck me was firstly how well Portugal has handled and are still handling the covid crisis and secondly how much she enjoyed being back in a country she obviously loves and being able to walk along virtually deserted shorelines, order a cold beer from a bar and get a bowl of clams cooked with garlic and coriander in a restaurant with no queuing...and we're not talking takeaway service.

I love Portugal and its people, we have been going there for decades and remember when Albufera was truly a fishing village accessed by virtually a dirt road and you could eat al fresco on hot evenings, beautiful whole linguado fish cooked over open barbacoa in the middle of the restaurant and chat with the owner while he was cooking it. You chose the fish yourself, the catch of the day were all laid out over ice and when they were gone they were gone. You can't do that now, we've been 'saved' by modern environmental health departments and all the rules and regulations that go with them. I know which I prefer. We stopped going to Albufera although accept why it has its attractions for families..

Anyway, the article hit a spot with me and I told P to read it, I also asked him if it might be an idea, a little treat to cheer ourselves up as we enter the next bumbling stage of covid a-la-UK. Apparently in Portugal you can even buy a pack of face masks from street vending machines at a cost of €1 per pack of 4! No rip-off there then, I dread to think what we'd be charged here for such a sensible facility now that we are all mandated to wear them on public transport. 

P said he'd read it, probably has but he hasn't come back to me yet, maybe there are still too many ifs and buts. I'll have to chase him up, then argue with him when he points the negatives (like flying which to be honest I wouldn't wont to do just yet), but still I'll moan when he says absolutely no. Then play my face and probably get myself spanked with a bit of luck. It doesn't beat a bowl of clams with fresh crusty bread and a glass of Dao as we chat and watch the sun go down though.

Stay safe.

Ronnie
xx.