On Sunday we decided to detour via Cadaques, and Port Lligat where Salvador Dali and his wife Gala lived after their return from America. Unfortunately we could not visit the house as you have to book in advance, but did admire its wonderful setting.This was also the place of which Frederico Garcia Lorca wrote lyrically as he holidayed there in the summers when he was a student with Dali in Madrid. Fishing is still carried on in the little harbour and I could not resist photographing the baskets of nets. There were many cats in the grounds, who refused to look at the camera when I tried to photograph them and as soon as you put the camera away, they would look straight at you.The town of Cadaques itself was also delightful- really what you imagine the Mediterranean to be like, with colourful boats and white washed houses. We had a lovely lunch in a little restaurant ( which was full of Spanish clients)on the harbour, which included gazpacho and Mediterranean style mussels, which was very reasonable. The access to Cadaques is along a very steep narrow road of about 20 kms that goes through rugged hilly terrain, with olive trees clinging precariously to terraces. We were so glad we had made the detour, for so much of the Mediterranean is clad in high rise condiminiums that block the views, and the harbours are full of Royce Rolls powered 40 foot motor cruisers instead of quaint colourful boats used byt the fishermen.However the camp ground was the campground from hell, added to by the fact that a big storm blew in early in the evening- we survived!
Cadaques harbour
Port Lligat with fishing boats
Stone walls Cadaques style
Dali's house with early morning sun streaking through the sky.
1 comment:
I'm pleased that you found an 'unspoilt' patch of coast to enjoy. Why is it that we so resent our holiday destinations progressing financially? I have just returned from Corfu where the island is a visual mess along the whole coast as they have developed the mass tourism trade. It was horrible to my eyes, and short-sighted too of the Corfiots because so much of the money from this type of tourism goes to the home country of the package buyer. But I am curious to know why we begrudge development for the people of the areas we visit. We washing machines for ourselves, but love to see the natives banging their own clothes on the rocks. What a lovely picture that makes! So many of us do it, myself included.
Nonetheless, I love your pic of the fishermen's nets. I hope that you find inspiration for work in them. Unfortunately I was unable to take any photos of the olive nets on Corfu. They are modern, and an advance on the old method of backbreaking bending, but still look stunning.
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