We are back on our Cambrils campsite now and taking
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| Tarragona seafront |
advantage of a couple of light rain showers to stay lazily indoors all afternoon. We're exhausted! However I have still got lots to write about the attractions of Tarragona. Before I wax lyrical about the port, marina and wide sandy beach though, I have two other mini announcements to make.
Firstly, a book I nominated as part of
Amazon's Kindle Scout programme has been selected for publication so I am looking forward to reading
The Three Deaths Of Magdalene Lynton by Katherine Hayton (update: book received,
my review here) when it becomes available. I was attracted to the book by its synopsis and also because its title is similar to that of one of my favourite film,
The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada
.
Secondly, singer-songwriter
Rachel Ries has a new EP out
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| Cardinal by Rachel Ries |
on March the 4th to coincide with the start of her European tour. Entitled
Cardinal, the EP was written during her residency in Rouen, France, last summer and 'each song represents a direction or a key for living.' Rachel says, 'if you ever have trouble holding on, or struggle to believe in your path ... well, then I made this for the both of us.'
Cardinal is
available for pre-order via Rachel's online shop now and there's gorgeous artwork options encasing the physical product.
Back to Tarragona!
We walked down to Tarragona port and marina on
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| 1927 Crane |
Monday. It covers a surprisingly large area and the port consists of a number of large buildings called Tinglado. Several of these looked to be administration offices, but one had housed a theatrical work during what in the UK would have been pantomime season. Another is the headquarters of a group of Castellers, and Tinglado No 1 is curreny displaying an
exhibition of Ethel Marti paintings. Unfortunately the exhibition is closed on Mondays and we didn't get back that way on Tuesday. Examples of the port's history are preserved for visitors. The pictured crane, which is a roundabout centrepiece, dates from 1927 and I think I remember correctly that it was the first electric crane used on the harbour front. Another roundabout displayed a little old steam engine. There are wide promenades for pedestrians and cyclists plus a sign I hadn't seen before - roller bladers are directed to use the cycle paths!
Pausing for refreshments at the marina led to a two hour
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| Beatrice Bizot sculpture |
hiatus as the three Gin and Tonics ordered came in such huge glasses that we continued on to order a good lunch at the same bar-restaurant. (My red tea was nice too, but considerably smaller!)
A trio of sculptures were situated in shallow pools along the promenade. Each had been created by Italian sculptor
Beatrice Bizot in 2007 and all three are pictured in the Public Works section of her website. The one pictured has a Romeo and Juliet feel to it and its accompanying plaque is in Catalan: 'La finestra, apertura per on entra el futur quotidia i surten els nostres somnis.' (Opening the window where it enters the future and leaving our everyday dreams)
We had a beautiful day for our wanders, even enabling me to wander barefoot along the sandy beach and paddle at the edge of the sea. The water was cold, but not numbingly so!
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| Tarragona marina |
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