Apr22

Campo Maior

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Sunday 22nd April

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Searching for a coffee

In the warm morning rain

Slow and quiet, early start

Shops closed on Sunday in Spain

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Then off to Portugal

A barbecue by the lake

Sun comes out, temperature climbs

The food and beer, just great

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Such a pleasant afternoon

With cow bells gently tinkling

Honking geese, a crested lark warbles

The waves lapping and glistening

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You would have enjoyed the barbecue, cooked by your brother…… pork skewers, sausages and chorizo, eaten with bread and olives.

Missing you sweetheart

Love you so much

To the moon and back

And a little bit more

xxxxxx

Morning coffee

A quiet establishment

The lake, with grey skies when we arrived, at Campo Maior

Boulders and poppies

Growing anywhere

Enjoying lunch

Luke tending to his barbecue

Big, smooth boulders everywhere

Cows and bullocks on the opposite bank

Apr21

Rained

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Saturday 21st April

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Most unusual

Today it rained

Beneath awnings

Safely contained

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A family lunch

So much to eat

All sorts to drink

Desserts so sweet

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Hours and hours

At the table

Trying to speak

Spanish so capable

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Wish you were with us

Love you forever

Forget you never

Always together

Darling Angel son

xxxxxx.

Raining in the square

Reflections on the pavement

Tiled diorama

Apr20

Plaza Alta

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Friday 20th April

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Plaza Alta

In the old city

Red and white mosaics,

Looking very pretty

The old alcazaba

Fifteenth century

Beautiful arches

So much history

A souk and market

Islamic community

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I’m sure you would have had fun exploring the old castle walls and gardens.

Missing you sweetheart

Precious Angel son

xxxxxx

The walk up to the alcazaba

Looking down on the Plaza

Castle battlements

Across the city to the river

The Catholic Church with bronze spires

A corner of Plaza Alta

Archway to the castle

Arches in the Plaza

Lines and arcs ~ so many geometrical patterns

Walking back through narrow streets

Soledad Plaza

Bronze statues

Museo de Bellas Artés

Back again in our favourite spot for ice cream

Apr19

Diamond shadows on sun-baked cobbles

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Thursday 19th April

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Diamond shadows on sun-baked cobbles

Narrow streets and quiet tapas bars

Ornate buildings, landscaped gardens

Afternoon siesta time, so a lack of cars

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Thirty degrees, few people around

Makes for pleasant, slow sightseeing

Stopping for delicious ice creams

Watching the world, for the time being

.

Thinking of you sweetheart

You would have loved the ice cream tubs, and all the choices

xxxxxx

Diamond shadows on sun-baked cobbles

Sunshades making geometric patterns

Narrow alley to Badajoz cathedral

Ornate copper spires of the Ermita de la Soledad Catholic Church

The view with ice cream

Ice cream choices…… mmmmmm

The facade of the Edificio de la Giralda

One of the towers

Edificio de la Giralda ~ a copy of the Giralda in Sevilla

Ermita de la Soledad Church

Tiled panorama of the old city of Badajoz 1668

Apr18

Strolling and ambling

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Wednesday 18th April

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A late birthday night

Slow start at daylight

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Your brother working

His head not hurting

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We’ll see him tomorrow

For lunch on the go

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Strolling and ambling

Just photographing

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Wandering around

Feet pounding the ground

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A quiet day for us

On our own, no fuss

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Wish you were here

My Angel, my dear

.

xxxxxx

Interesting colours, iron work, and tiles

Parque de Castelar

Church and blue skies

Seating in the Paseo de San Francisco, with fabulous tile diorama

Sunny San Francisco Square, early evening

Pollarded plane trees in San Francisco Square

Santo Domingo Catholic Church

Delicate trees as the sun goes down

Tonight’s sunset

Apr17

Birthday

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Tuesday 17th April

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Your brother’s birthday today

Feliz cumpleaños we say

Breakfast in the riverside cafe

Tostada y café con leche

Children with bikes do play

Ducks beneath the bridge archway

In the bright sunshine we did stay

Enjoying the weather while we may

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You should be here with us

Beloved Angel son

xxxxxx

Puente de Palmas across the river Guadiana

Swan on the water

So many geese and ducks

Nesting or looking for food

Back to Luke’s for lunch and pressies

An afternoon walk to Badajoz cathedral

Narrow streets

Sun shade squares ~ it was 30°C this afternoon

Orange trees, with beautifully fragrant blossom

Badajoz Town Hall

The side of the cathedral

Narrow streets and coffee shops

Capitanía Badajoz

Apr16

Flowing

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Monday 16th April

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Flowing down the river of life

Sometimes a gentle, babbling brook

Other days, raging white-water rapids

Must be careful where you look

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Floating along without a thought

A clear, cold mountain spring

Or a muddy river full of weed

Who knows what your life will bring

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Once you’re thrown into the deep

Then it really is sink or swim

Make the most of what you have

Don’t let your light fade or go dim

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Keeping your head above the water

Holding on to precious cargo

That is what it is all about

And always going with the flow

.

Love you sweetie

Darling Angel son

xxxxxx

Puerta de Palmas ~ Badajoz City gates

Puente de Palmas ~ a footbridge across the Guadiana River, the first foundations being laid in 1460

Looking towards the Puente de la Universidad

The alcazaba on the hilltop

The old city walls

Tall palms in the park

Sitting in the park, with a beer

Tonight’s sunset

Apr15

Into Spain

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Sunday 15th April

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Driving across Portugal into Spain

Where your brother and girlfriend reside

After a stop by a beach, and some lunch

Off eastwards for a three hour car ride

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To Badajoz, a city in Extremadura

Narrow streets, and colourful squares

A Cathedral and Moorish citadel

Sitting in the sun, on outdoor chairs

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On the banks of the river Guadiana

We’ve been here many times before

Hoping for a week of good weather

With still so much more to explore

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Wish you were here

Precious Angel son

xxxxxx

Surfers at Praia de Carcavelos

The beach at Carcavelos

Looking down on the beach at Portinho da Arrábida

Fishing boats at Setúbal

Dolphin statues along the waterfront at Setúbal

Designed to make you smile

Typical Portuguese tiling in the restaurant

Apr14

Sintra

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Saturday 14th April

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Sintra and Castelo dos Mouros this morning

Clambering up and down battlements

Exotic gardens, lichen covered rocks

The views were absolutely fabulous

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A late lunch, overlooking the sea

Sparkling blue water, warm sunshine

A wonderful way to spend the afternoon

Gazing along the rugged coastline

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Again, we thought of you often

Wishing you could have shared our day

Sweetheart Angel son

xxxxxx

Pena Palace from the Moorish Castle

Walking along the castle walls of the Castelo dos Mouros

Luke and I

Massive, lichen covered rocks

Having a breather

Looking down on the National Palace of Sintra

Far reaching views to the sea

Sunlight and shadows through the trees

Pena Palace at the top of the Sintra mountains

Chalet Biester

Looking towards Boca do Inferno (Hell’s Mouth)

Sparkly sea below the aloe

Cheers

Apr13

Cascais

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Friday 13th April

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Packing up from Lisbon this morning

Your brother’ll drive us to Cascais

For a couple of days by the beach

His girlfriend would say “Super nice”

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Wish you were here my darling

Precious Angel son

xxxxxx

Lisbon metro to Oriente

Centro Vasco de Gama

Looking towards the River Tagus

Estoril racetrack with the GP International

Lamborghinis so loud at the raceway

A notice inside the resort

Pink buildings in Estoril

The beach at Cascais

Surfers and bodyboarders having fun in the large swell

Beach at Cascais

Black and white cobbles

Pizza Italia restaurant

A space for Frankie Angel Bear