Six Word Saturday

Six word Saturday

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Strange place to find yarn bombing!

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Being in Saltburn last week reminded me of an unexpected find on my recent trip to the Algarve.  It was a grey and slightly surly day, with just a hint of sunshine, and I was strolling the seafront at Quarteira, seeking distraction.  Near neighbours with Vilamoura and its extravagant bevy of yachts, Quarteira is a rather more ‘homely’ resort.  Market day on Wednesday draws a crowd, and there are inevitably folk ‘taking the air’ on the long promenade.  Efforts are being made to lure holiday makers further along the coast, with a new stretch of promenade and cafes beyond the small fishing harbour.  Always nosy, I was wandering over to take a look when I spied these.

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They couldn’t fail to brighten up a grey day, could they?  I’m quite looking forward to seeing if Saltburn brighten up their pier again this summer. Do you remember last year’s yarn bombing?

Hope you have a colourful weekend.  Mine will be full of washing.  I guess that’s colourful enough!  Have fun, and maybe pop in and see Cate at Six Word Saturday.  See you on Monday for another walk.

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Six word Saturday

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What made you happy this week?

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I was very slow to warm to street art, but an hour or two last year in the Algarve’s graffiti capital, Olhao, finally convinced me.  It can transform the ugly and unloved.  If you haven’t seen any of Dario Silva’s work, you might like to follow the link to Olhão.

Kazimierz, in Kraków, is another of those ‘grungy’ areas where imagination has been allowed to roam.  Who wouldn’t be happy ‘Singing in the rain’?

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This little lady gazed artfully at me from a shop doorway in Faro.  Using her womanly wiles to sell.  I resisted, but she caught my attention.

Paula’s theme of Urban Art in Thursday’s Special gave me the opportunity to post something that made me very happy.  In Drama in the Streets I was drawn to the striking lady figure, who seemed to recall a painting in my memory.  Try as I might, I haven’t been able to find her in the art world. If anyone has any ideas, I’d be grateful?  But more importantly, have a happy weekend!

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Six word Saturday

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This is the final part of my 3 Days, 3 Quotes challenge and I’d like to say a big thank you to The Happy Traveler for my nomination.  If you’ve enjoyed it and would like to join in, please feel free to do so.  And now for my six words…

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Where does your heart lead you?

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Inevitable that it should be the Algarve, don’t you think?  But maybe not so inevitable that it should lead to the Weekly Photo Challenge?

Hope you have a happy Saturday and a great weekend!  Don’t forget to call in on Cate.   See you on Monday for another walk?

 

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An explosion of colour and fun

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After flirting with Monochrome this week, I though it time to inject a little colour into our lives.  It seems ages since I waved and cheered with the crowd as the Carnival floats passed me by in Loule, but it’s only a couple of weeks.  After 110 years of celebrating the event, this Algarve town really knows how to party.  Can you shimmy?  Or make like a pirate?  Or maybe, be a mermaid?

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Whatever you choose, you need to be good with paper flowers, and happy to smile and wave for three hours.  That’s a lot of waving!

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There’s always a Pierrot, and lots of dancing girls.  The children are spellbound; many of them in costume and eager to be a part of it all.

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There’s a large political element to the whole festival.  The Portuguese love an opportunity to have a ‘dig’ at their politicans and celebrities.  They have a valid point because money is very hard-earned in this country.  But this is a time of celebration and it’s all done in a wonderful, family oriented spirit.  And, of course, there are a few jiggling ladies for the dads.

The pirate theme is highly appropriate.  Most people would agree that politicians rob and plunder.  And if all else fails, there’s always Pinocchio.

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I hope you enjoyed your trip to this year’s Carnival with me.  Next year, maybe come along and we’ll party?

Meantime, it’s the weekend again.  Hoping you’ll have a good one.  Don’t forget to pop in on Cate at Six Word Saturday.  And save some energy to come walking with me on Monday!

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Six word Saturday

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Carnival, for old and young alike

As always happens, I came back from Tavira with far too many photos and far too much to do!  But I couldn’t let Six word Saturday pass without a wave from the kids at this year’s Carnival.  I was a little greedy this year because we were there throughout the Carnival period, which starts with a children’s parade, on the Friday before Shrove Tuesday, in most of the towns and villages.

The main event in the Algarve takes place in Loule, where this year 110 years of Carnival were celebrated.  I managed to go there on the Saturday and happily rain kept away for the day.  Sunday in the small town of Sao Bras de Alportel was fine and sunny.  On Shrove Tuesday the weather was less kind, but I managed to catch a few shots over the tops of the umbrellas in the village of Moncarapacho. We’d been walking that morning but I was still in the mood for some samba.

No one is left out-  young, old or disabled, and it doesn’t matter if you’ve money to spend or not.  Long may it continue!

I have some shots of the fabulous Carnival floats, but no time to post them here.  I’m off to zumba and, later today, some real excitement!  I have a ticket to see Vincent Sirmione and Flavia dancing in their Last Tango show.  Fans of ‘Strictly’ will know how happy that makes me.

I hope you have a great weekend and can find time to join me for a Monday walk, when I’ll be taking you to see some beautiful almond blossom.   

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Heading south, to look for Spring

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Winging it, once more.

Dawn’s rays on the horizon

Above molten skies

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This was going to be my Thursday post (minus the six words header) but I got distracted.  It’s still appropriate, because I’m off to the Algarve on Monday.  I will be posting a short walk first, partly to remind you that I’ve gone, but mostly because I hate to keep my contributors to Jo’s Monday walk waiting till I get back.

Have a great weekend, and don’t forget to pop in on Cate at Show My Face with your six words.  I won’t be here next weekend.  I wonder… does this qualify as a Vibrant start to the day?

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All set for a bright future!

Happy 26th birthday to my son, James!  Yesterday we went to Leeds to kick off the celebrations in style.  His new apartment had been looking very bland and white and needed an injection of colour.  A bit of artwork on the walls, rug, cushion, potted plant… and do you recognise BB8 sitting there on the windowsill?  Happy in his new home.  As we hope James will be.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing.  Life seldom is, is it?  Leeds is a city busy reinventing itself.  An interesting juxtaposition of old and shiny new. James is a big fan of Asian cuisine, and we ate at Bar Soba in The Light- a new complex for dining and entertainment.  It’s good to be optimistic about the future.  Optimistic and full of hope, as the weekly challenge suggests.

Have a lovely weekend and I hope to see you on Monday for another walk.

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Having fun on a murky day

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It was one of those days when you just need a breath of air.  Salt spray, the wind in your hair…  Roker Pier.  Where else?  A stride across the sands, rain at your back…  Then back along the cliff top, past Bede’s Memorial.

No children in the playground.  It’s a bit damp, and the big brothers and sisters will be in school.

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Jack Sparrow’s on his own this weekend.  Our first snow arrived overnight.

What did you get up to this week?  Got time to share six words with Cate?

Enjoy your weekend, whatever you have planned.  I’ll see you on Monday, for a walk?  We have a date with some waterfalls.

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Six word Saturday

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High seas and a happy family!

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Something that I seem to have in common with my Polish family is a love for the sea.  My cousin Grażyna and husband, Jarek, have their own boat on the Norfolk Broads.  Remember Tilting at Windmills?  Mostly smooth sailing, but when my uncle Włodek came to England for the first time, with his lovely lady, Weronika, they were keen to stroll beside the bracing North Sea.  The fact that it was a cool, heavily overcast day did not deter them, so long as the rain kept off.

You could be forgiven for thinking that the above photos were taken in black and white.  Not so!  With whoops of delight we watched the sea pitch and twirl, as it put on a grand display, just for us.  It was spellbinding!

The statue in the square seemed to be vainly imploring the waves.  Somewhere warm and dry was called for and the Museum of Hartlepool, with its maritime theme, fitted the bill perfectly.  An exhibition dedicated to the bombardment of Hartlepool in 1914, and featuring the iconic poppies, was a welcome bonus, as was the gaslit cafe on the paddle steamer PSS Wingfield Castle.

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Three German warships attacked our town on the morning of December 16th, 1914.  The attack left 130 people dead and more than 500 injured.

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It was almost closing time so, after kawa and herbata, we trooped happily back to ours for food.

That was my week.  How about yours?  Have you got six words to share with Cate at Show My Face?  I’ll be back on Monday, with a different kind of watery walk.  Hope to see you then.  Have a good weekend!

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How many circles can you count?

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Fuzzy glasses

Just me, having a little fun and silliness with some glasses!  I hope you had a good Christmas.  It’s all a memory now, isn’t it?  Not blurred around the edges- honestly!  I only had a couple.

It’s Saturday again and time to find six words to describe your week.  Have you been going round in Circles?  I sometimes think I have!

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