Another adventure comes to an end.

 Friday. Last day of the tournament and an early start! 

Yesterday we tried to organise lunch with friends. One was too tired to get up cor lunch. The other decided to have a late breakfast on the beach. So Phil and I went to the Churresqueira Valdemar alone and had barbecued chicken, chips and salad.

The rest of the day was fairly quiet. I went for a stroll in the sunshine while Phil plotted his chess tactics. I saw a stork in his untidy nest. 

The storks are everywhere here, swooping around. Their nests, in high places such as the very tops of trees, on electric pylons and perched precariously on telegraph poles, look for all the world as though someone has just dropped pile of sticks at random. I read somewhere recently that it is against the law to try to dismantle a stork’s nest. So if Mr and Mrs Stork decide to build on a high point in your garden, you just have to accept it. 

Walking back from the chess venue in the late afternoon, I also saw what I think were swallows. Masses of them. Quite amazing!

And this morning we got up early so we could have breakfast before heading to the venue for a 10.00 start. It was raining when we set off but, conveniently, there was a tournament shuttle bus waiting outside the hotel. So we cadged a lift! 

 

The sun came out (mostly) as I walked back from the venue, stopping off at the market en route. It’s rather pity we travel hand-luggage only as the display of cheese was very tempting.

Also spotting bits of beauty everywhere!

I made a first attempt at packing our suitcases (mostly mine) before heading back to the venue to see how my chess players were getting on. Our friend won a prize. Phil missed out on a veteran’s prize by half a point. So it goes.

We went with our prize-winning friend for lunch at the Tasca do Béné, for the last time this visit. You never know, we might be back next year. 

During the prize-giving the announcements were almost drowned out by the noise of rain on the roof - what the Galicians call “la tromba”. It had eased somewhat by the time walked back to the hotel, but we still need to dry some stiff before it goes in the suitcase.

And so ends another adventure! 

Life goes on. Stay safe and well everyone!