April 22nd
Today we received a rather thorough explanation of the intricacies of surfing and the mechanisms behind those famous mega-waves. Anu and Hannu have been involved in the field for quite some time, so it seems they’ve accumulated quite a bit of knowledge. However, that doesn’t mean I’m considering taking up wave riding on a board anytime soon. I think I’ll stick to my previous hobbies.
Today I also spent some time chatting with our neighbors (from the Netherlands). I borrowed a guitar from the youngsters again, grabbed a chair, and joined our musical neighbors. It was enjoyable playing and singing together.
Before those evening festivities, we managed to do quite a lot today. In the morning (after a leisurely breakfast), we went with the youngsters to the park in the neighboring village, which had excellent toilet and shower facilities. And all of them were free in a beautiful city park. From there, we went to check out the eateries in Sines, where we chose a vegan establishment, a colorful restaurant. If the menu was different from previous eateries, the interior of the restaurant was also quite different. I haven’t been to a completely vegetarian restaurant since the one in Helsinki. The food was tasty and there was plenty of it from appetizers to desserts. We drank passion fruit juice, which was excellent!
After the meal, we walked to the old, picturesque center of Sines, adorned with a castle, next to which stood the statue of Vasco Da Gama overlooking the magnificent harbor dock right in the heart of the city. It was truly a magnificent setting where history breathed heavily!
The laundry bag in the car was waiting for action, so the most energetic ones went to the laundromat to do the laundry. I took it easy – 15-minute power naps keep the mind sharp! When the laundry group returned, we went to visit the Catholic church in the city, where we attended Mass and lit candles to honor Evan’s Aunt Nalle’s memory. Participating in the Catholic Mass, we had the opportunity to remember Nalle with Eva. The sanctuary was a great experience of inner peace and contemplation.
Before returning to the surf beach parking lot, we washed the car, went to the grocery store and the hardware store. Our parking spot was still free when we returned – largely because the youngsters had placed their bikes there to reserve the spot. The evening program went as described above. However, I did slip away for a moment to see the last lights of the evening on the beach. Thanks to Hannu and Anu for a really enriching day together. See you in the morning!