Jo’s Monday walk : Blessing the fishermen

Why is it that whenever I suggest an outing to an event, my husband looks at me with some scepticism?  Granted, we have struggled sometimes to be in the right place at the right time, but we usually do get there in the end.  So it was with the Blessing of the Fishermen, in Quarteira this month.

I’d be the first to suggest that Quarteira isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there are some occasions you shouldn’t miss, if you can help it.  Nossa Senhora da Conçeição is the patron saint of fishermen and of Portugal.  Every year on 8th December an image of the saint is carried to the harbour for a blessing of the fleet.  I had read that this took place at 3pm.  Thinking to have a bit of a stroll first, we arrived soon after midday.  All was quiet, but as we approached the harbour I was excited to see that the boats were all decked out in their finery.  Blue and white bunting fluttered in the air, colours considered lucky by the fishermen.

Access to the harbour was restricted to fishermen and their families, but you could walk right out along the molho, the sea wall enclosing them.  Music and laughter drifted from many of the vessels.  A black cat looked on disdainfully, just one of many opportunists.  At the end of the molho, a shrine dedicated to Our Lady.

A blessing did not look imminent, so we retraced our steps past the compelling street art and into the older part of town, hoping to find a church.  A red carpet seemed like an invitation, but turned out to be a herring of the same colour.  Dilapidation mingles with the mundane in Quarteira.

Back on the lengthy promenade, it was time for a drink.  I won’t show you the enormous piece of chocolate cake my husband managed to consume, without any help, I hasten to add.  I had seated myself next to an elderly gentleman, gazing out to sea.  Waiting for the action to transpire, we had soon exchanged histories.  He was from Lisbon, visiting his daughter and keen to see this event for the first time.  Gradually people were assembling, small groups chatting and families with children, weaving in and out on scooters and skates.  On the beach, a few sun worshippers appeared oblivious, but most kept an eye on the sea.

Sure enough, at 15.00 the fleet began to leave the harbour, tooting horns and shooting flares high into the cloudless blue sky.  Excitement rippled through the spectators.  The shorter arm of the seawall made a good vantage point, and I munched on roast chestnuts as I watched and waited.  Finally all the boats were lined up.  More flares ripped through the air, and they were off, racing back to shore.

Boats from all across the Algarve had come to join in the celebration.  We waited until all had returned to harbour, uncertain of what, if anything, came next.  And, just as we’d decided to call it a day, around the corner came the procession, led by a slow marching band, the Senhora held aloft.

We realised that the procession had made its way along the promenade, while the boats paid their tributes out at sea.  We were swept along with the crowd for a while, turning back at the busy harbour, where the priest would be waiting to give his blessing.  An afternoon to remember.

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I hope you enjoyed sharing this with me.  It was such a joyful, warm atmosphere.  Advent here in the Algarve is lovely.  I won’t be sharing a walk next Monday as it’s Christmas Eve and you might well have other things to do.  I will be stopping by with good wishes for the festive season before then but, in case I miss you, have a blessed and peaceful Christmas.  Meantime, my thanks to everyone for your company.  Let’s share some walks!

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Mount Baker makes an awesome backdrop.  I know you’ll love Lynn’s beautiful photos :

A Little Farther Into the Woods

Alice stays close to home for this week’s walk :

The Farmer’s Market

But Jackie’s still in Spain.  I would have loved to visit Monserrat :

Friday Nov 23 Barcelona

Why not let Geoff show you a few scores?

The Earliest Place #Lowestoft #walking

Yay!  ‘Tis the season, and where better to view it?

Walking in a Victoria Wonderland

Drake shares the love of his life.  From an angle you might not have seen her!

Down on the corner

Come and listen to the birds in Denzil’s homeland.  He’s always full of good, practical advice :

Walking around De Maten in Limburg

I don’t think Cathy will ever run out of beautiful walks to share!

Canyon de Chelly: the White House Trail

On Mondays there are always murals over at Sami’s Colourful World.  Pop along and see, if you haven’t already.  Don’t be too busy to enjoy life this week.  Christmas will be here and gone before you know it.

116 comments

  3. Pingback: Taking my new camera for a walk – From Pyrenees to Pennines

    1. You never know quite what to expect, do you? That’s part of the joy of the Algarve, I guess. And it was so warm that day! My Lisbon chap was worried about the changing seasons. 🙂 🙂 Off to the hills today and probably water to cross. I hate that bit (unless it’s a bridge 🙂 ) Oh well! The things you do for a bit of nice company!

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      1. That’s so true! The great one such as this always make up for the ones that never get off the ground 😀

        Enjoy the walk, and fingers crossed the fords are not too high. Cold day for wet feet!!

        I’ll text later re tomorrow xx

        Liked by 1 person

    1. There’s plenty to see and do, if you make the effort, Nicole, and i always enjoy finding events like this. 🙂 🙂 Are you all set for the festives? Wishing you and the family much joy in the coming year. 🙂

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  6. What a wonderful event. I love local festivals like this, and having seen few in South America with the same religious flavour I can easily imagine what it would have been like.
    Wishing you and yours much joy for the holiday season and the coming year Jo.
    Alison

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    1. Thanks so much, Alison! 🙂 🙂 Quietly at home for you and Don? Next year that may be us but this Christmas we’re paying a flying visit to see our son. Back here for New Year, and our many plans for the year ahead. All the best to you both!

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      1. We’re in Montreal visiting family for Christmas – snowy winter weather – a little skiing maybe. Back to Van for New Year, and like you plans for next year. Come Feb 5 we’re off to Paris for a few days, then a month in India followed by 2 weeks in Japan.
        A.

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  7. You are always finding something to visit, I don’t believe you will ever run out of things to do, but then you were the same here. I tend to shy away from events as I dislike crowds and parking issues. Nothing planned this week except maybe a lunch out if the rain stops! I got quite used to eating out whilst in CS 🙂

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    1. Parking here is usually ok if you arrive early and you don’t mind walking a bit. It’s all pretty low key and local. I have yet to tackle the bigger events, aside from Tomar many years back now. Remember that one? Young couples parading with bread baskets stacked high on their heads. A lot of effort to get there but so worth it. 🙂 🙂 You’re right Jude. Hopefully I’ll be 6 feet under by the time I stop wanting to go places. Not looking forward to Leeds city centre next week, but needs must. 🙂

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  8. I enjoyed your walk, as usual, but I enjoyed it all the more because I visited Quarteira before tourism really took off in Portugal. It was either 1960 or 1910, I’m not sure which, but there was only one hotel there at the time and the hotel restaurant was on the beach. Each evening we trailed down to the beach for a magnificent meal in the company of many locals because the restaurant (and hotel) were famous at the time. I remember the bar on the rooftop where I had to drink everyone’s eau de vie one night, courtesy of the owner, as no one except me liked it. Ah, for the days when one could do that without falling off the bar-stool. Nowadays I have limits! We also stayed at the Pousada in Sagres that year when we seemed to have the place to ourselves. And those were the days when we could only take £25 each abroad to cover everything, plus an emergency £20?. How we lived then, and how cheap it all was, and how sad that we didn’t know what the people of the Iberian peninsula had to go without to make sure their visitors were happy. Ah Salazar, ah Franco! How we don’t miss you!

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    1. It’s been up and down, and maybe it’s on the way back up again now, Mari. A real place, with the same beach access as the smart set at Vale de Lobo. I know exactly what you mean about bar stools though 🙂 🙂 Hope you’ll have good company this Christmas and that health stays stable in the New Year. Sending hugs!

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    1. Many thanks, Anabel. 🙂 🙂 Lots of people disappear off the radar around then, and who can blame them? I”ll be in England, for my sins, for a few days and back here for New Year and fireworks on our bridge at Tavira. Have fun, and all the best to you and yours 🙂

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  13. Pingback: A walk of all weathers – Travel with Intent

  14. What are those frames with flowers? You must have been in heaven with all those boats. Me? I loved the octopus; the light and shadow on the procession; and the red carpet / herring.

    Some customs migrate. There is a Blessing of the Fleet annually at Ulladulla about 100 kms up the coast from me – to which I’ve never been.

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    1. Sorry, I seem to have bamboozled people with those, Meg 🙂 🙂 The shrine on the end of the seawall had windows on two sides and I was quite taken with the views through them. Sorry! Sending Christmas hugs in case I get lost in the ether 😦 I’ve set up an email account on Outlook but I’m not very successful at opening it. The ntlworld one will continue for a while but at some point I will go kaput! 🙂 🙂

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    1. Aside from seeing my son (and possibly my daughter 🙂 ) I have to admit I’m not looking forward to Christmas in the UK, Pit, but we’re only back for 5 days so we’ll cope. I still haven’t had any luck with leaving comments at yours so I just pop in with a ‘like’. Let me take this opportunity to wish you a lovely Christmas and many good times in the New Year. 🙂 🙂

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      1. Thanks, Jo! I’m sorry you still can’t comment on my posts, but thanks for your continuing interest and your likes! 🙂
        I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, too.
        Take care, and stay well,
        Pit

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  20. Blessing or no blessing, it looked like a gorgeous day to just be out and about! I loved the photos of the windows with white flowers. (But I don’t totally get them; are they glassed in with windows on both sides? Confusing but lovely!)

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    1. Hiya Lexie 🙂 🙂 It was such a warm, lovely day! Too hot, the gentleman from Lisbon said. 🙂 Sorry to confuse! The photos you mean are looking through the windows in the small shrine on the end of the sea wall. I thought they were rather lovely.

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