Jo’s Monday walk : Among the fisherfolk

I was all set to take you castanet rattling in Jerez today, but we had a strenuous week last week, didn’t we?  I thought a gentle amble round the latest addition to Olhão’s street art might be a better option.  Truth be told, I could easily have missed these, if it hadn’t been for Becky.  What would I do without her?  A mine of information, she saves me hours of research.  Murals with memories of the city gives details of the artists and how they came to work on this very engaging project.

Images of the sea always appeal to me, but the detail and realism of these bring them alive.  They were taken from a set of photos of life as it was in the canning and fishing industry in Olhão, giving them authenticity and vibrance.  While he was working, a lady asked to have a photo taken with the artist Pedro ‘Mistik’.  Her mother was featured in his painting and she had the original photograph at home.  I wonder if she was one of these?

The serious lady, or the one with the lively face?  Might she stand out in a crowd, or perhaps, be a supervisor?

What a source of pride the murals must be for the older inhabitants of Olhão!  The women, and their menfolk.  And their dogs, of course!

And then there’s the iconic fish market, where the catch is sold.  Close by, the lads still mend their nets.

But the days of the cannery are forever changed, wonderfully portrayed in all these capsules of time.

Four artists combined to create the work, bringing a new lease of life to these derelict buildings in Largo and Rua de Fábrica Velha.  The faces are so full of character, telling their individual stories.  They enthrall me.

It’s highly appropriate that the murals are close to Becky’s favourite fish restaurant in Olhão, Vai e Volta.  We haven’t really done enough walking to merit a meal, but they are only open for lunch, so we’d better pop in now and stroll a little later.   And no, that’s not my cake.  Blame Robert today!

I defy you not to be full when you come out.  And then a wander through Olhão’s atmospheric back streets just might reveal a March Square or two?

Five, I counted.  Thanks so much, Becky, for providing fun and hospitality, as well as all those facts.

As the lights go down on Olhão, I have heaps of walks to share this week.   Please find time to visit, especially if it’s someone you don’t know.  You’ll find some great reads.  I hope you’ve got that kettle on for a cuppa?

Pride of place, as promised, and a delight for you all!  Thanks, Jude!

Garden Portrait : Powis Castle

Closely followed in the happiness stakes by Drake :

Procession of Joy

And this one from Emma, just because I like it.  We share fond memories of Tenby :

Waiting for the Tide

Robin has a nice touch too.  Not too far from my doorstep :

The Cross

Back to basics, with Jackie :

What’s cooking?

Never heard of this place, but Lady Lee is very well-traveled :

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Less exotic, but very nicely presented by Anabel :

A stroll round Lanark

And here’s Shazza, on the hunt for Spring.  I do hope she finds it soon!

Searching for signs of Spring

But fairies would do very nicely.  Lots of rich detail in this, from Theresa :

Following a river to a Fairy Glen

Can you believe I’ve never been to Rome?  Never mind- Jaspa can show us the ropes :

Wandering Rome, The Eternal City, at Night

Not so far away, Cathy has one last romp on ‘In search of a thousand cafes’ :

Our last day in Prague : old town & the Jewish Quarter

And Denzil finds much to give pleasure in the city of Antwerp.  Check out the escalators!

How to spend a day in Antwerps’s historic centre

Meanwhile, Pauline does a fabulous job of capturing the wild waves :

Cyclone Linda whips up the waves

And Becky does a fair job on remembering the names of flowers.  Much better than me!

The art of flowers

I’ve joined Candy on her explorations before.  You should enjoy this one :

Castelo Branco

Recently featured in Inntravel’s ‘Slow Lane’, meet Luke and Nell, in this part of the world that I love :

Rota Vicentina/2/Finding the Fisherman’s Way

And finally, Carol takes us caving.  There are some beautiful shots here!

Hidden Beneath

That’s it from the wintry north east of England.  Hope you enjoyed it and many thanks to those of you who took part.  Join me any time on Jo’s Monday walks.  You’ll be very welcome.  Have a great week!

120 comments

  1. Well how wonderful, Olhao has the best street art doesn’t it, I wish I’d spent more time there. The horses in the sea are my favourite, fabulous. And the dogs are Portuguese Water dogs, just gorgeous, and the sunsets. Do I see the same lady in several paintings? Thanks darling x:-)x

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    1. I think there’s a lot of potential for street art there because some of it is quite rundown, Gilly. The council apparently have a plan but whether that will be an improvement remains to be seen. A couple of the faces really appealed to me so there is a bit of repetition. I do get carried away sometimes. 🙂 🙂 (Mick was bored!)

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  2. I am always attracted to murals, Jo, always amazed at the artist working on a grand scale. The realism in these faces make these particular works of art very compelling. These truly are a gift to the people of this region, recording their history in the most appealing way. 🙂

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  12. The detail in the murals is amazing, I could stand for ages engrossed in imagining the life back then. What a charming village it is too. I bet the fish is so fresh off the boats too. Lovely finish with the serene sunset. I enjoyed this gentle stroll with you Jo

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  17. Just gorgeous – what lovely murals! And there are even Totti’s cousins, the water dogs. Everything very life like and in some cases almost trompe d’oeil.

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  18. I think I mentioned on Becky’s blog of these murals that they remind me very much of the ones in Coit Tower, SF. Beautifully done. And I like the sunset trio too. Olhão certainly has a lot of charm it seems. And thank you for putting me in pole position 😀

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    1. Ah, you deserve it, Jude! 🙂 🙂 I can’t decide whether you’d be happier in Olhão or Tavira. Olhão is flatter and you could have one of those apartments in Becky’s building, with an easy walk to the market, but you know where my heart lies. 🙂

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      2. Pretty similar really. The bus station at Tavira is very central, and there are 2 railway stations. We only found the ones at Olhao recently as they’re a bit out of the way but the service is the same.

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