Viana Do Castelo
22/06/07 15:17 Filed in: Portugal
While returning to the boat this morning after a shower I noticed "Northern Sky" moored on the layby berth. I had last seen Gerry and Isolde in Villagarcia back in May.
It was good to see them again. They had been delayed in Villagarcia while awaiting delivery of some custom fittings and had sailed directly from Villagarcia to Viana do Castelo.
They were sailing in a few hours but we had time for a quick coffee and a visit to a hardware store to fop up on gas. Gerry ran into the gas fittings compatibility problem. His boat is fitted with Calor fittings and bottles but the store only had Camping Gaz. The bottles and plumbing are not compatible but Gerry bought two bottles and would sort the plumbing out later.
Gerry & Isolde
"Northern Sky" on her way south.
My gas levels were quite low and I took the chance to aquire two full bottles (cost €9 per 4.3 kg bottle). I had replaced one in la Coruna but in the bustle of a busy shop I had been supplied with a bottle with only marginally more gas than my empty one. Our consumption of gas on Kiriwina is quite low and I had forgotten how heavy a full bottle is. A set of spring scales are now on the shopping list to verify future purchases.
Vina do Castelo is a very pretty little town. It is very obvious that we are in a different country. In Spain the modern built envirionment was often a bit of a mess with little sympathy shown to heritage buildings. It seems different here. The older town is largely intact and newer buildings are generally sympathetic. Their use of creative tiling is impressive.
Leaving the marina one walks into town though a canopied garden paralleling the river.
Buildings in the old quarter are mostly low rise and traffic flow is restricted and unobtrussive.
I visited the friday market and, unusually, bought a few things. Beach towels the size of a small field for €7.50, cotton t-shirts without anything written on them for €3.00 and a pair of loafers for €25.
It was good to see them again. They had been delayed in Villagarcia while awaiting delivery of some custom fittings and had sailed directly from Villagarcia to Viana do Castelo.
They were sailing in a few hours but we had time for a quick coffee and a visit to a hardware store to fop up on gas. Gerry ran into the gas fittings compatibility problem. His boat is fitted with Calor fittings and bottles but the store only had Camping Gaz. The bottles and plumbing are not compatible but Gerry bought two bottles and would sort the plumbing out later.
Gerry & Isolde
"Northern Sky" on her way south.
My gas levels were quite low and I took the chance to aquire two full bottles (cost €9 per 4.3 kg bottle). I had replaced one in la Coruna but in the bustle of a busy shop I had been supplied with a bottle with only marginally more gas than my empty one. Our consumption of gas on Kiriwina is quite low and I had forgotten how heavy a full bottle is. A set of spring scales are now on the shopping list to verify future purchases.
Vina do Castelo is a very pretty little town. It is very obvious that we are in a different country. In Spain the modern built envirionment was often a bit of a mess with little sympathy shown to heritage buildings. It seems different here. The older town is largely intact and newer buildings are generally sympathetic. Their use of creative tiling is impressive.
Leaving the marina one walks into town though a canopied garden paralleling the river.
Buildings in the old quarter are mostly low rise and traffic flow is restricted and unobtrussive.
I visited the friday market and, unusually, bought a few things. Beach towels the size of a small field for €7.50, cotton t-shirts without anything written on them for €3.00 and a pair of loafers for €25.