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42°07.3'N 008°50.5 W Saturday 5th September
Bayona (or Baiona)
We've had a couple of nice days in Bayona, 2 nights in the Marina Desportiva and 1 and anchor in the bay. I was in search of a laundry, but no luck, except in the very smart Club Nautic Real in the Monte Real - I didn't really feel as an interloper (not moored with the Yacht Club) that I could really hand over my dirty washing to them!
Visited a replica of the Pinta, a museum of the ship that returned from the New World here with its tales of exotic peoples and animals and plants and stores of corn, tobacco, mangoes and the like. A very small ship to go so far with so many crew and barrels and food sacks and equipment into the unknown for weeks and months.
The main area of interest, apart from the old town, is Monte Real, a promontory guarding Bayona, on which King Felipe IV of Spain built a castle and fortress. The whole covers a vast area and included many protective gates and ramparts, a convent and church, as well as the castle and ancillary buildings. Apart from the castle ruins, the site of the Franciscan convent has been turned into a Parador, or hotel. Many paradors are former castles or manor houses taken over by the government to be run as "affordable" inns that the general public could enjoy. Nowadays they are perhaps slightly less affordable, apart from a drink on the terrace perhaps. But a wonderful place to stay.
The site also houses the aforementioned Yacht Club, full at the moment for a major regatta, but where one can dine in style if one were allowed into the hallowed grounds! We did have a look around.
Had young Norwegian students we met on the islands over yesterday evening, they are intrepid and take everything in their stride - on a 30yr old boat that seems to leak, their only fear for their eventual Atlantic crossing is hitting a whale and catching a fish that's too big as they have no fridge!
We, and it seems much of the travelling Bayona community, are off this morning - we cross the border into Portugal, aiming to stop at Viana de Castello.
So next time, instead of "hola!", it will be "boa dia". Ciaou....
p.s. Boa Tarde, upped anchor, only to have it snagged on fishing lines and netting lying on the bottom - trust that to happen when we decide to be French about it and hoist sails prior to raising anchor. Managed to detach ourselves and now sending this from Viana do Castello in Portugal. Full details next time. First glance looks enticing.
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