I was surprised by this scene - the sea was so calm this morning and the beach was empty. I know it was early in the morning, half past eight, but usually, at that time people already walk or jog on the shore. The absence of the people was so odd.
Although, this morning seemed to have a slower pace anyway. I also arrived at this place earlier than usual; it felt good to just be there and breathe the essence of a slow Sunday morning without a rush.
Thinking it better, maybe I was just late to see the people. 😂 It could be the case, as the tyre tracks in the sand reveal that the activities to prepare the beach for beachgoers were completed long ago before I arrived here.
I imagine the drivers of the sand-cleaning machines (tractors that drag a raking or sifting device and remove the seaweed or rubbish) have fun driving here and leaving smooth sand behind.
But, this state didn't last for long.
...the smooth surface has been attacked by many feet...
Look at this mess!
If I am not wrong, these are the footprints of pigeons and possibly seagulls (in the previous photo). What a bird gang!!
Late to witness their party I saw just the footprints.
The situation with people was a bit better on the promenade. A couple was sitting on one of these "artistic" benches but it was not them that I wanted to take a photo of. 😅
The paintings on these benches are works of a Galician painter, Lola Extremadouro. She made them last year, and as far as I found some info, there are more benches on the promenade. Here are just the four of them I saw this morning.
The last one is different.
While the previous paintings were dedicated to the sea theme with those fish, this one is different in both theme and colour. Red lips, and a message A Kiss For You. I can think of how many photos were taken here, from this bench, to send to friends, family or lovers from this tourist location.
{hmm, I don't see the signature of the painter Lola Extremadouro, so this might not be her work.}
If we touched on the topic of tourism... This town, Calpe, was a town that lived off fishing, like so many other towns on the coast in the past.
This small outdoor exhibition of photos was placed here in honour of The Calpe Fishermen's Guild which turned one century this April. Although today the economy of this municipality is based mainly on tourism, they say that it is important to maintain this tradition of seafaring and fishing from a social and cultural aspect.
Oh, people arrived at the end!! Though they didn't move a lot... 🤔
