Hello
Welcome to my blog :)
How is everyone?
I hope you're having a good week :-)
One of these days we decided to take advantage of the sun that was shining (the days have been a little gray around here) and head to Vila do Conde.
This city in the north of Portugal is a 40-minute drive from Porto and is the second largest in the country.
Bathed by the sea and the river, the walks allow you to always discover new things.
Portugal is a country full of traditions and customs and here is very present bobbin lace.
This art usually predominates in the fishing areas of the coast of Portugal in cities such as Vila do Conde, Póvoa de Varzim, etc.
In 2015, around 200 lace makers made the largest bobbin lace in the world, which was listed in Guinness. This art is really difficult but it makes wonderful.
We can find a statue "A Rendilheira de Vila do Conde" next to the Ave river (Rio Ave), inaugurated in 1993 and a tribute to the women who keep the tradition alive.
I like to explore and look for those places that at first glance go unnoticed and here you can do that. This visit brought me some memories of when I was little.
I had an aunt who was a fishmonger, so these places always tell me something because I know how difficult it is to live off the sea. My father would often wake up at 3 and 4 in the morning to go with his sister to the market to buy the freshest fish. Then, during the morning, they walked the streets of our city door to door selling. In the past it was prohibited, and I know that many times they had to evade the police.
I look at these little boats and think about how hard it must be for everyone today to still live from the sea. The market was right there, quiet because it was in the afternoon. I believe that in the early hours in the morning should be very busy with people coming and going in the hustle and bustle of everyday life to see who sells the most. The smell of fish is very intense, and I didn't understand where it came from, until I came across the baskets used for fishing.
Further ahead, we can see the Marina and the imposing recreational boats. It used to be the city's Naval Shipyard and the Romando restaurant right next door. Here's a tip for those who love sushi :-)
We haven't yet gone to the other side, which certainly has much more to explore and show you.
Hope you liked it, to be continued... :)
