Let me out!

This freshly hatched swallowtail -- the first I've seen here -- had got trapped between the two layers of the terrace awning. We did our best to help it; it seemed irremediably dense, but eventually it found its way out of one of the numerous holes in the reed layer and hung out having a rest.

We spent the day feeling nostalgic for Almuñecar before we've even left. In the morning I sat on the terrace enjoying the sunshine and flitting birds while S walked in the blazing heat to La Herradura. When he got there he phoned me and I drove to join him; we had lunch at the highly rated chiringuito El Chambao de Joaquin. It has an unusually vegetarian friendly menu; after a refreshing bowl of salmorejo I had cauliflower in tempura batter, served with a spicy sweet and sour glaze. Unusual and delicious. S was more conventional; he had a skewer of sardines. The first extra is a magnificent bougainvillea on one of the beach bars.

This evening we went for a stroll along the seafront, in the early evening glow. The deep blue sea of daytime had faded to silvery blue, clouds were building on the horizon, and the beach was still busy with sunbathers and canoeists, with fishermen just arriving. We sat on the beach at Pepe Dígame for a drink and appreciated the moment to the full (see second and third extras). It's going to be a wrench to leave, but home is a good place to be too.

Forgot to mention: yesterday evening was a post-lockdown get-together for intercambio regulars at a bar in town, once more chosen for its large terrace. There were about 15 of us, and it was great to catch up with everyone, especially as we won't see them again for months.