Sunday, 20th February 2011
07.00hrs Up bright and early for Mass. We took off in a rattle trap bus with our German friends to the Bonfim Basilica about 5 km to the west. We arrived half an hour before Mass and the place was already jammed and by the time Mass started the people were standing shoulder to shoulder in the Nave, the side aisles, and anywhere there was space.
The singing, this time with guitars, and lots of clapping and hand waving, all very moving. Most of the servers were women and all very good looking. At the end of mass, a crucifix was marched through the church with most of the congregation stretching out to touch it as it passed bye. This was followed by a good sprinkling of holy water over everyone. When the ceremony was over, we got the rattle trap bus back again to the marina. for 1€ each, it was good value.
Later, Aileen and Skipper took the Semi Rigid (Dinghy) up the coast to Yacht Clube Bahia. Aileen had to flash her RCYC membership card to get us into the place, but once inside it was great. The club (more like a private members club) had a 50m swimming pool plus a kiddies pool, a tennis court, billiard room, a huge function room, lots of restaurants and bars, and we reckoned there was between 800 and a 1000 people there at the time. So many posers, plus families, kids, grannies, granddads, and a great selection of beautifully tanned bikini clad young ladies, and of course a good selection of male hunks for good measure. We had a pasta meal and then went swimming, Aileen into the pool, while skipper took to the sea, all just magic.
It was great to sit there and relax after our swims, and look out over the pool and across the sea at the 16 hugh ships anchored in the bay, not to mention all the speed boats, ski boats, traditional rowing boats, and canoes mixing with the fleet of Optimists out there doing their sunday training. There is one thing for sure, this place has a lot to offer, mix all that with blue water, blue skies and lots of sun.
Later, Aileen drove skipper back to A Lady in the rib, where we did a little Skyping before going to Voyaguer for drinks, this was followed by a few more scoops on Destiny to welcome back Wolfgang and Ingrid from Germany to their boat. Whacked, we eventually made it back to A lady once more, this time to hit the scratcher.
That's it for today,
Signed :- Stephen Hyde ( Skipper )