Cacela Velha 

I´m learning to read and write and I like to do it on my own. All help is very welcome

Dear Fran,

The next day after Mariza´s concert I went up to the beach. The sea always gives me tranquility. I was walking, barefoot, on the sand for a while and when the lunchtime was nearly, a name attracted me: Cacela Velha.

      One only street leads you from the north to the south up to the Praça da Igreja with its waterwheel and an English phone booth. Behind the church you discover you are in a boat prow.

      If you go to the south you find the Atlantic. More to the south, Africa and Madeira.

      I ate in one of the two restaurants they are left —the third one has been refurbished and only offers coffee service.

      The streets, few streets, are short and have names of people I don´t know who are but they must be very important poets: Sophia de Mello, Ibn Darraj (born here) and Eugenio de Andrade.

      If you go to the west you find the fortress, more to the west, the Guadiana and Spain.

      I come across the cemetery because of I go to the east. It seems to me really disproportionate the cemetery and the village. The old one —Moorish time— was not big enough and the new one you can bump into it if you walk to the east. Pantheons in the new cemetery —watched over by lazy cats— have doors with glass and carefully worked lace curtins which allow you to see the coffin directly on the stone. (This impressed me and I thought perhaps it was the more natural way of telling us that we live round the corner from the box).

Cacela Velha. Churh and the priest´s car park.

      If you continue to the east, Faro. If more, Açores.

      So far, the four points of the compass.

      One can go down a stairs surrounded by some domestic flowers —which they are ruralizing itself— and wild flowers —which they are taming itself— to the Ría. Here, a few fishermen who are still remain, catch clams, octopus and horse mackerels that they will go to shell to the nearest town.

At noon, if you go to Cacela you will see a totally blue sky. At night, stars and more stars.

Your affectionate.

Mary