Another avian photo opportunity

Ann was really suffering with her bad back again today, so we went hunting and found a physiotherapist who works from a place above a bank in Glorietta square. While we were having coffee in the square beforehand seated opposite the bank, I couldn't help notice that on one side of the bank entrance door sat a middle aged woman selling national lottery tickets, and on the other side sat an elderly lady with a begging bowl.

Two local policemen passed by, and said nothing to either. In Britain, begging directly outside a bank would lead to complaints and the beggar if not the ticket seller would be moved on. It strikes me that society is more tolerant towards the visibly poor in Spain, than we are in Britain. Admittedly the noisy and disruptive alcoholic rough sleepers are given as wide a berth here as back home, but there is more respect for those who at least make an effort to behave in a dignified manner.

While Ann had her treatment after lunch, I walked over to the salinas and spent another enjoyable hour taking photographs of flamingos, herons, stints, avocets and just one elusive snipe, of which I managed to get one good picture before it fled out of range. Pleased with my results, but uploading will have to wait until I get home because of the inconvenience of having to visit a bar nearby to get a free, for the price of a beer internet connection.

We walked to the Varadero Restaurant for supper as the sun was setting. The streets were very quiet except for a handful of joggers. We were the only people dining in this 200 seater palace of wonderful food, so crowded whenever we dined  there before.

The food was nouvelle cuisine Spanish style and we really needed to have ordered a rice dish to precede the fish, which was served with only decorative portions of vegetables. A feast for the eyes! We compensated with an extra portion of dessert - Eddie's portion - we decided, as we chatted fondly about him. Yes, a delicious meal, but fairly light. Just fine for supper, though not quite what we expected. A great Valencian rosado wine as well, with an aroma of roses. Quite a special night of remembrance.

Varadero Sta Pola

I accompanied Clare and Ann to the Varadero beach this morning, so they could swim, while I minded the clothes and valuables. Afterwards, we went to the Varadero Restaurant, a family favourite, from previous occasions, and booked a table for an evening meal on Monday in memory of Eddie and Ann's wedding anniversary. It's the sort of place he would have loved, with all its nautical artifacts, relating to local boat-yard history. Varadero is the name given to a place where boat repairs and maintenance are done. In times past the beach of the same name was called 'La Playa des Ingenieros' after the boat-yard mechanics whose homes were clustered nearby. Eddie would have loved that thought too.

There was also a family of four Swifts whizzing around on the restaurant car park, and descending on a small puddle to drink from it, if not bathe excitedly. I got one photo of this before they vanished, and wuld have loved to wait around for more chances, but I had to catch up with the others. On the walk back for lunch, I also saw and snapped a family of Sanderlings running up and down the water's edge feeding, also some Dunlin and several black winged Stilts. A surprise conclusion to a dull outing.