Le Lenia (Spain) Sunday 3rd February 2012

On the Playa de Levante Le Lenia this was perhaps the only seaworthy boat on the beach. There were about twenty beached fishing boats, mostly dilapidated. These little boats were meant for local fishing. The top of the beach was littered with empty beer bottles and coke cans. I walked the shore line coming back and found some beautiful shells, so some things still  living in the water. It is sad to think that boats are rotting and families suffering because the Mediterranean has been overfished.  We walked further down the beach to the old town area called Atunara.   You can see the blue of the sky, the temperature was 18 degrees with an onshore breeze.  A lot of laundry flapping on lines slung across the front of houses.  Altunara is poor, not a place to wander around at night time. We felt like the ‘Cabaret’ for the locals in one particular street. We were watched by the ladies hanging their washing, groups of young lads hanging onto scooters, smoking, trying to look ‘tough’ and their older siblings with motorbikes who did look as if they might menace a lone male. We felt like trespassers. An old lady with sea green eyes stared at me and responded to my smile - eventually.  This street reminded me of Langurtho Road in the 60’s – strangers are not expected to walk down certain streets, and if you do you are a curious, suspicious creature :O)  Particularly to the males, the self appointed guardians!

 And just feet from the sea, Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Carmen. It's closeness to the sea reminding me of the Church 'down West' in Cornwall at Gunwalloe - both in the main,  provide solace and prayers for   fishermen and their families. This building used to be used to salt the fish catch. And below a picture from Atunara beach looking back to the Rock of Gibralatar.