Boa tarde familia e amigos,
V-Ball being volleyball for those wondering. According to Wikipedia, Espinho is the volleyball capital of Portugal. And I believe that to be true as that is THE activity on the beach here. Only saw one net set up, but maybe that’s due to summer not being in full swing. However, whether in pairs or groups of up to a half-dozen, the younger crowd is all into practicing those bumps, sets, and spikes as well as digs. They are only outlasted every day by the several surfers who continue until there is absolutely no light.
Espinho
View from my Apartment-Hotel
There are several beaches along the coast of Espinho – some 12 kilometers (almost 7.5 miles) in total. Beautiful, wide swaths of sand with pounding, crashing waves – maybe not the easiest for swimming. As one heads away from the most popular beaches nearest the main part of town, coastal grasses provide a more varied landscape to the remoter beaches – thus a bit of choice for the beach goer.
One thing to understand about Espinho. This is primarily a beach destination for the Portugese. Not too many non-Portugese around – have run into a few Americans and Brits but not near the prercentage of foreign tourists as in the Algarve and Lisboa. However, there is quite a bit of construction going on near the beach with the biggest being what I call the “Big Dig” – the project to put the train tracks underground so as not to bisect the beach area from the rest of the city. In addition, the city has already established some pedestrian only streets close to the beach to apparently facilitate a more gentle shopping experience.
The Big Dig
Egg on Steak
For the foodies, and yes, I have been deficient in that regard on this trip. One dish you see in many, many Portugese restaurants is that of Egg on Steak. Now for some reason I had been hesitant to try this traditional fare, despite being a lover of both steak and eggs. Don’t know why – some sort of brain lock, But finally gave it a try the other evening and it was excellent – a brilliant combination!
That’s it for now. Please have a look at the gallery below for full-size versions of the photos above as well as additional photos of the beaches and the city of Espinho. The photos of the city capture some of the more interesting looking architecture and the timelessness of the local way of life – the hanging of the laundry for instance. But in truth, most of the buildings of Espinho are modern, non-traditional, as Espinho is continuing to build itself out, I believe, as a premier beach destination.
Ate tarde,
Papi
